Buzz
2. The Soul of Poetry
a. Successfully depicted, through six lines of verse, the poignant departure of Thuy Kieu and her sisters against a backdrop tinged with melancholy.
- The sun was slowly sinking amidst the evening glow, casting its rays gently across the horizon.
>> See detailed outline Analysis of the final six lines of verse in the excerpt 'Scene of Spring' can be found here.
II. Model Essay Analysis of the final six lines of verse in the excerpt 'Scene of Spring' (Standard)
'Scene of Spring' is one of the remarkable excerpts showcasing the artistic talent of the author Nguyen Du in depicting nature. While in the initial verses, the author vividly portrays the bright and lively spring scene on a morning, in the final six lines, amidst the flow of time, the poet focuses on describing the twilight scene as the Qingming festival concludes and the two sisters Thuy Kieu depart. Consequently, the landscape is imbued with a mood, employing the technique of 'emotional scene description' effectively.
'Gently the shadows lean westward
Sisters walk, lost in thought, hands reaching homeward
Steps follow the little creek's course
To view the scenery with a tranquil aspect
Gently the water meanders around
Near the tiny bridge's last arch over the northern cliff'
Six lines of verse have successfully depicted the scene of the two sisters Thuy Kieu departing against the backdrop faintly tinged with the melancholic atmosphere of the scenery. Unlike the hurried, swift flow akin to 'swallows swiftly darting' in the opening of the excerpt, at this point, time passes slowly and gently: 'Gently the shadows lean westward'. The image of the sun slowly setting amidst the evening glow has been successfully recreated by the author through the figurative expression 'gently', simultaneously evoking feelings of regret, nostalgia, and melancholy through the somewhat contemplative steps 'lost in thought, hands reaching homeward' of the two sisters Thuy Kieu. And it seems that the subdued sadness of humans has deeply permeated the landscape. The natural scenery no longer appears with the vast expanse, boundlessness, richness, and vitality as in the first four verses, but is described through smaller, more familiar images such as the 'little creek', 'tiny bridge' at the end of the northern cliff to correspond with the human emotions. Especially, the author has successfully employed a system of figurative expressions evenly distributed throughout the verses like 'gently', 'lost in thought', 'tiny', 'tranquil', 'meanders' rich in expressive value.
'Gently the water meanders around
Near the tiny bridge's last arch over the northern cliff'
Here, we have analyzed the final six lines of the excerpt from 'Spring Scene'. Additionally, to broaden your understanding of the work, you may explore: 'Spring Portrait in 4 Opening Lines of Spring Scene', Analyzing the scene where Thuy Kieu returns in 'Spring Scene', Appreciating the depiction of nature in 'Spring Scene', Analyzing the art of nature description in 'Spring Scene'
