Analyzing the opening 20 lines of Tố Hữu's poem 'Viet Bac': A curated selection

Task at hand: Analyzing the first 20 lines of Tố Hữu's 'Viet Bac'

Exemplary essay and an outline for dissecting the opening 20 lines of 'Viet Bac'

Hack: Strategies for analyzing poems, achieving high scores

I. Outline for Analyzing the First 20 Lines of the Poem 'Viet Bac' Concise and Detailed:

1. Introduction:
- Introducing the poem 'Viet Bac' and the author Tố Hữu.
- Overview of the first twenty lines of the poem 'Viet Bac'.
2. Body:
a) First four lines:
- Two questioning lines 'Do we remember ourselves', 'Do we remember': 
+ Pronouns 'We' and 'Ourselves' depict intimacy, close bonds.
+ The phrase 'remember' conveys sensitivity to changing circumstances, fear of being forgotten. It voices concerns and nostalgia, recalling cherished memories and bonds.
- Time bond 'Fifteen years':
+ This refers to the period from 1940 - 1954, from the beginning of the Revolution to the expulsion of the French, when our nation achieved complete independence. 
+ Symbolic time frame – a time for nurturing deep emotions between comrades and soldiers -> Symbolizing the integrity of revolutionary sentiments, resistance bonds.
+ 'Sincerely', 'intensely': Signifying the deep connection between comrades and soldiers. 
- Bond with space 'trees', 'mountains', 'rivers', 'sources':
+ A vast, familiar space intertwined with memories. 
+ Applying the proverb 'Drinking water remembers the source' as a reminder: Viet Bac is the cradle of the revolution, the brain center of the resistance. 
b) Next four lines:
- Pronoun 'who' often appears in affectionate folk verses or when expressing familial sentiments, evoking emotional resonance.
- 'Riverbank': a familiar farewell setting in classical literature.
=> The combination evokes sentimental, poignant feelings, making farewells poignant, full of nostalgia.
- Emotions of the departing 'Wandering in a restless heart':
+ Expressing emotional states of 'restlessness', 'anxiety': a mix of regret, sorrow, joy, and sadness, swirling within, causing hesitant steps, reluctant departure. 
+ Consistency between inner feelings and outward actions. Hesitant steps as if internally restrained. 
- Portrait of the fareweller 'Wearing coarse clothes bid farewell':
+ Metaphorical art: Using 'coarse clothes', typical attire of people from the Northwestern mountains to represent the locals there.
+ Implicit art: 'Coarse clothes' symbolize simplicity, poverty of the people of Viet Bac but also their loyal, steadfast commitment to the revolution. 
- The dilemma of the stayers, the departers: 'Holding hands, knowing not what to say today'.
+ Unusual 3/5 rhythm, rare in classical verse, seems to express unusual emotions, choked-up sentiments of both the departing and the staying.
+ 'Holding hands': Action replaces words of love hard to articulate.
+ 'knowing not what to say today': Unable to speak due to overwhelming emotions -> Language seems powerless, redundant in the face of boundless emotions.
+ The ellipsis placed at the end of the sentence is like a pause in a musical score. There, emotions resonate deeply. The pause, the moment of silence in between two gusts of wind in a storm, only to have emotions surge even more fiercely afterward.
c) Last twelve lines:
- Early revolutionary period fraught with hardships:
+ Rainy weather, floods causing difficulties for the revolutionary cause.
+ Despite meager provisions like 'a pinch of salted rice', soldiers always remember their duties, remember the 'weighty burden' of the nation. 
- Bond between soldiers and civilians full of solidarity:
+ Sadness, emptiness of those left behind, when no longer needed to care for the soldiers, then 'bamboo shoots fall, bamboo leaves age'.
+ People of Viet Bac, though poor, have 'deeply ingrained hearts', always maintaining a steadfast, loyal spirit to the Revolution. 
- A reminder that Viet Bac is the capital of resistance, the cradle of the Revolution.
3. Conclusion:
- Recapitulating the content and artistry of the first twenty lines of 'Viet Bac'. 

II. Top Exemplary Essays Analyzing the First 20 Lines of the Poem 'Viet Bac' by Excellent Students 

Sample Essay 1: Appreciating the First 20 Lines of the Poem 'Viet Bac' Exceptionally Well Achieved

The poet Tố Hữu is always praised as the poet of the Revolution. Indeed, most of his works are aimed at praising the Revolution, adding strength to the fighters. His pinnacle of creation must be mentioned: 'Viet Bac'. The poem succinctly summarizes nine years of the nation's arduous resistance against the French. Among them, the first twenty lines of the poem are exceptionally remarkable, fully embodying Tố Hữu's poetic characteristics. 

'Viet Bac' was written when the Geneva Accords were signed, and the North became completely independent. The Central Government moved from the windswept capital of Viet Bac back to Hanoi. In the moment of parting between the officials and the mountainous people, emotions surged with nostalgia and affection. This is also the main emotion conveyed in this opening stanza.

'Do we remember ourselves

Fifteen years of earnest, poignant devotion.

Do we remember ourselves?

Gaze upon trees, recall mountains; gaze upon rivers, recall the source?

In this stanza, the author employs the pronouns 'We' and 'Ourselves', depicting a sense of intimacy, closeness, and camaraderie. These pronouns represent the soldiers from the plains and the people from the mountains. The rhetorical questions 'Do we remember ourselves?' evoke memories of familiar folk verses: 'Do we remember when we return?/Do we remember our smiling faces?'. The familiar folk ambiance, combined with the traditional hexameter verse of the people, makes the poem intimate, memorable, and easy to memorize. It's like heartfelt conversations among friends, family members during moments of parting after 'fifteen years' of bonding. To be precise, this period is calculated from 1940, when the Viet Minh was newly formed, to 1954, when the French forces were completely expelled from our land. During these 'fifteen years', the soldiers and officials bonded with the locals here, becoming 'the children of countless homes', 'the elder siblings of thousands of young siblings'. Therefore, their bond with each other was early and strong, 'earnest' and 'poignant', akin to family. Not only that, they also bonded with the mountainous landscape, becoming the children of the vast Northwestern forests. The line 'gaze upon trees, recall mountains; gaze upon rivers, recall the source' borrows the proverbial phrase 'drinking water remembers the source' to remind those departing not to forget Viet Bac - the place filled with memories of a difficult time, the birthplace of the revolution.

'Whose voice passionately lingers by the riverbank?'

Lost in thought, restlessly stepping away.

The indigo garment bids farewell to the parting moment.

Holding hands, what shall we say today...

Pronoun 'who' often appears in affectionate folk verses or when expressing familial sentiments, evoking emotional resonance. The word 'passionately' alongside 'riverbank' - a familiar farewell setting in classical literature - has stirred emotions of nostalgia and affection in people's hearts. Making farewells poignant, full of yearning. Hence, the departing ones are filled with feelings of 'nostalgia', 'restlessness', hesitating to leave the scene and the people of Northwest. The portrait of the people of Viet Bac also emerges through the metaphorical device of 'indigo garment'. This is the color of simplicity, common attire of mountainous people. This very simplicity, somewhat impoverished, adds to the departing ones' sentimentality, longing. When emotions surge boundlessly, language seems powerless, redundant. They can only 'Hold hands, what shall we say today'. The ellipsis at the end of the sentence is like a pause, reflecting the tranquility of the scene but also to continue the overwhelming emotions that cannot be expressed in words.

The last twelve lines are a reminder from those staying behind to those departing not to forget the memories of the early days of resistance, not to forget the cradle of the Revolution:

'I depart, remembering the days

Rain, streams, floods, clouds, and mist

...

I leave, do I remember myself

Tân Trào, Hồng Thái, village communal house, banyan tree?'

The early days of resistance were filled with countless hardships, material shortages. It was the harsh weather of 'rain, streams, floods, clouds, and mist', it was meals with insufficient rice 'a bit of rice with a dab of salt'. However, the soldiers and the people never forgot 'the heavy burden of national enmity'. Within each person's heart burned the determination, the resolve to regain independence for the nation. Therefore, the people exerted all their efforts to support and hide the soldiers. They cared for the soldiers as their own children. So, when the soldiers left, they left behind sadness, emptiness for those who stayed behind. Hence, those who remained only wished for the departing ones not to forget those difficult yet warm, intimate, and deeply bonded years. Moreover, the poem also recalls the Hồng Thái communal house and the Tân Trào banyan tree - two famous landmarks, witnesses to important milestones in the struggle. From there, it affirms that Viet Bac is the cradle, the birthplace, and the nurturing ground of the revolution.

As I depart, I reminisce:

'Returning home, memories flood
Fifteen years, fervent and deep ...'

The word 'remember' whispers tenderly in the structured verses, overflowing with longing. The use of 'us - we' echoes sentiments found in romantic relationships... simple, intimate,... 'Fifteen years' 'ardently passionate' portrayed by Tố Hữu through poetry rich in national essence. The poetic form, the alternating structure, the use of personal pronouns 'I', 'We' familiar in folk poetry, capable of 'expressing conveniently, resonating with the collective soul of the Vietnamese people'. All these elements depict the deeply emotional farewell: not yet gone, already missed. The melodious tone, the warm poetic voice, thus brim with fervent affection. Việt Bắc inquires:

'Will I remember upon return
Gazing at trees, recalling mountains, rivers, and sources?'

The question resonates with lingering affection, encapsulating discreet reminders: do not forget the roots of Việt Bắc - the roots of the revolution. It also signifies that the people of Việt Bắc live intimately with nature, with things very concrete.

The next four lines express the heartache of departure:

'Whose earnest voice by the riverbank
Inwardly pondering, hesitating steps
Donning solemn attire for the farewell
Hand in hand, what words exchanged today'

'Inwardly pondering, hesitating steps' are expressions evoking a mixture of emotions, sadness, joy, longing, anticipation... intertwined at once. Fifteen years Việt Bắc sheltered the soldiers and officers, fifteen years of hardships together, fifteen years filled with combat memories, now parting ways to undertake new duties in the capital Hà, knowing what to take along, what images to leave behind, thus, the feelings of the departing ones inevitably evoke indescribable melancholy.

'The chàm garment bids farewell' serves as a metaphor, the chàm fabric, the distinctive black-blue color of the people of the Việt Bắc mountainous region - the author directs reminiscence of Việt Bắc through the specific image of the 'chàm garment', the garment, its color plain, simple, and rustic of the impoverished upland countryside yet deeply imbued with sentiment, has contributed significantly to the national liberation struggle.

Sample essay Analyzing the Top 20 Lines of the Best Việt Bắc Poem

The line 'Hand in hand, what words exchanged today...' brims with expressive qualities - knowing what to say does not imply a lack of matters to express but rather an excess of thoughts without knowing what to articulate. The three ellipses placed at the end of the line are a silent punctuation in the melody to prolong emotions, deep and resonant...

The remaining twelve lục bát lines express the sentiments of the locals, structured by six interrogative sentences delving into memories. Each question evokes the most representative aspects of Việt Bắc through carefully selected evocative images: The source rain, the flooded streams, the misty clouds, Selective images, both realistic and romantic: 'I depart, do I remember the days ... Tân Trào, Hồng Thái, the ancient banyan communal house'. The repetition of 'remember' in various shades of meaning: longing, memory, reminiscence. A series of poetic questions express the deep and fervent emotions of Việt Bắc.

Fond farewell embraces, sending off with longing, tethering affection along, as if to say, 'Does the boat recall the shore? Does the shore steadfastly await the boat?' Viet Bac reminds the comrades not to forget the arduous years of struggle, fighting in conditions where supplies were scarce and meager.

'Returning, does the battle zone linger in memory? A morsel of salted rice, burdensome enmity?'

'A morsel of salted rice' depicts the harsh reality of resistance life. And the phrase 'burdensome enmity' aims to concretize the mission of anti-imperialist struggle, burdening the shoulders of our nation. Emotions of longing and absence cast into the wilderness, evoking a flood of sentiments:

'Returning, whom do the forests and mountains miss? Tamarind leaves for shedding, bamboo shoots for aging.'

The affection of one towards the departing is revealed even more profoundly in this verse, just 14 words yet laden with countless fond memories: Departed, an entire forest becomes desolate, tamarind unclaimed, bamboo shoots unpicked, even the mountains and forests yearn for remembrance. The poignant ache of longing presses upon the heart of the one left behind.

Seeing someone off after victory, and precisely against the backdrop of that victory, makes the sorrow of longing appear luminous.

Viet Bac still 'steadfastly awaits the boat', subtly reminding of the unwavering commitment of the comrades. Please do not forget the 'anti-Japanese resistance era when Viet Minh still existed', do not forget the revolutionary roots, do not forget to diligently preserve the revolutionary cause.

'Departing, will I remember myself? Tân Trào, Hồng Thái, the banyan communal house.'

Those are unforgettable memories for everyone. 'A grain of salt dipped in rice' is a vivid image drawn from the harsh reality of impoverished life, lacking both materially and spiritually. However, despite living in such scarcity, the patriotism never diminishes. These two contrasting images placed within the same verse create a bond of solidarity to defeat the enemy. Those who stayed continue to recount to those who departed, reminding them of the years of 'patching the roof with leaves', and 'growing old with bamboo'. Through the juxtaposition of 'sweeping away dust' with 'rich in vermilion', the deep longing of those who stayed is vividly expressed. They recount the resistance during the Viet Minh era fought together. And the landmarks associated with Viet Bac are indispensable. To Huu mentioned the famous historical landmarks in Viet Bac with significant events attached to them. The Tan Trao banyan tree is where the Vietnamese team declared the liberation army's departure ceremony, while the Hong Thai communal house is where Uncle Ho presided over the decision-making meeting for the August Revolution. To Huu placed these two landmarks in the same verse to emphasize their importance and historical significance. In a short poem that contains 8 instances of 'we' and 7 instances of 'remember', including a verse with 3 instances of 'we' that is tender and skillfully shifts meaning when mentioning revolutionary landmarks, it further demonstrates the profound camaraderie of those who stayed, recounting to those who left.

In summary, with just the first 20 verses, To Huu has depicted an intimate conversation through the familiar question-and-answer format in folk poetry between the people of Viet Bac and the revolutionaries. Through those 20 verses, the beautiful memories between them appear both concrete, realistic, and rich in emotion. The poetic voice, intimate and tender, is like a reminder, a clinging, like a confiding expression. 'Viet Bac' deserves to be the pinnacle poem immortalizing To Huu's poetic career.

Sample Essay 4: Analyzing the First 20 Verses of the Excellent Poem 'Viet Bac' by a Talented Student

To Huu is one of the greatest poets, the most representative figure of modern poetry. 'The leading flag bearer of revolutionary poetry, the poet of communist ideology'. The poetry collection 'Viet Bac', represents the peak of To Huu's poetry and is also the foremost achievement of the resistance poetry against the French. Among them, the poem 'Viet Bac' is considered the artistic pinnacle of To Huu's pen. It is a song of gratitude of the resistance fighters towards their homeland, their country, and the revolutionary people expressed through an art form that is both classical and modern, with the core being the traditional values of national loyalty and morality.

Considered to be born to poeticize political issues, poet To Huu always closely follows revolutionary events. Through the years, To Huu's poems allow us to relive the glorious stages of the Vietnamese revolution. His poetry is indeed 'a poetic chronicle' as some researchers have evaluated. 'Viet Bac' is no exception.

In July 1954, the victorious struggle against French colonialism led to the establishment of peace, liberating the entire northern region of our country, opening a new chapter for the nation. In October 1954, the central agencies of the Party and the State relocated from the stronghold to the capital. During that historic period, the poem 'Viet Bac' was born. 'Viet Bac' is not only the personal sentiment of To Huu but also represents the sentiment of the southern resistance fighters towards the revolutionary base, the country, and the people. A political event transformed into poetry in the style of 'Emotional transformation,' a characteristic of To Huu's political love poetry. The first 20 verses of 'Viet Bac' vividly demonstrate this artistic feature.

Analyzing the first 20 verses of the poem 'Viet Bac' reveals the deep-seated bond and loyalty of revolutionary cadres and guerrillas.

The opening stanza begins with sweet verses:

In returning, we remember ourselves,
Inviting those years earnestly, deeply.

The opening line unveils a scene of farewell, a special circumstance to reveal rich and profound sentiments. Farewell scenes are familiar in folk and classical poetry traditions, skillfully employed by To Huu to express the contemporary mood. The major farewell of Party officials and Government with Viet Bac is merged into the farewell of a couple: the girl from Viet Bac staying in the guerrilla mountains, and the revolutionary official returning south. The collective story has become personal, the nation's revolutionary story turned into a love story of a couple, a farewell brimming with lingering affection among those deeply bonded for long:

'Fifteen years' of 'earnest, deep affection' portrayed by To Huu through a form rich in national essence. The luc bat form, the structure of dialogue, the use of pronouns 'We,' 'I,' familiar in folk poetry, capable of 'expressing conveniently, fitting the common spirit of the Vietnamese community,' 'Awakening the thread of the common heart of Vietnamese souls.' All these elements vividly depict the deeply touching affection in a special farewell: not far but already missed, to part without parting, the way

not distinct.

In returning, remembering ourselves' has been a matter of collective loyalty and privacy. But when:

'In returning, do we remember
Looking at trees, remembering mountains, looking at rivers, remembering the source'

it no longer pertains to the love of a couple but becomes the loyal sentiment of national morality. The luc bat verse, repeated twice with 'we,' sounds like a loving and poignant sentiment. Our biggest concern in parting is the loyal sentiment. The uniqueness lies in: a question about time, a question about space. In just one verse, a revolutionary era, a revolutionary sky is encapsulated. The author chose the love of a couple as a perspective to encompass the entire scene of Viet Bac with 'Fifteen years of earnest, deep affection.' From the revolutionary era's infancy to its solid maturity, that's the artistic perspective very characteristic of To Huu - the poet who always draws inspiration from the great events of the revolution.

Following the question from the one who stays is the voice of the departing one:

Whose earnest voice on the riverbank,
Lingering anxiously in the restless heart as we walk,
In cham garments, we bid farewell,
Holding hands, knowing not what to say today.

The departing one heard the question, heart filled with poignant restlessness. The sentiment of parting is depicted dearly through the lyrical words and the rhythm of the verse: The first two lines follow a 2/2 beat of luc bat, then it gracefully shifts to a 3/3 rhythm:

'In cham garments, we bid farewell,
Holding hands, knowing not what to say / today'

The fluttering of the heart, the tumultuous feeling, rises and falls in the verse, demonstrating the delicate sentiment, brimming with affection, creating a silent space full of emotions for the subsequent barrage of questions, even more fervently.

The remaining twelve verses of lục bát are the words of the one who stays, constructed with six questions delving into memories. Each question evokes the quintessence of Viet Bac through carefully chosen, evocative imagery: Rain from the source, stream floods, misty clouds. These selectively chosen images are both realistic and poetic; 'Sweeping away dust, rich in vermilion'. These verses have the ability to transform abstract concepts into vivid, tangible sensations, like 'the burden of national enmity.' Personification artistry also enlivens the poetic imagery:

'In returning to the mountains, who do we remember?
Patching roofs to fall, bamboo shoots to age.'

The sentiment of the one who stays towards the departing one seems to be expressed even more deeply in this verse, just 14 words containing countless memories and affectionate longing: The departed one turns a whole forest into desolation, leaves uncollected, shoots unpicked, the entire mountain yearning and remembering intensely. As is customary in farewells between close ones, time is often pushed back to the past, where reminiscing begins before separation, and missing before parting. Against this emotional backdrop, a torrent of cherished memories rushes back fervently.

'I depart, yet remember myself,
Tan Trao, Hong Thai, communal house, banyan tree.'

At first glance, the organization of the verses repeats in the first 6 lines: I depart, I return. 'Depart,' 'Return' inherently opposite directions, yet here they converge.

Perhaps the simple yet genuine belief of both the departing and the staying has infused into the words, creating a bewildering complexity of language, reflecting the underlying current of the text in poetic depth: Departing to promise a return. Viet Bac has become the second homeland for the revolutionary cadres.

The memories evoked are all memories of shared life, the bond between cadres and people, sharing joys and sorrows, sharing hardships, sharing enmity. Without finesse, it's easy to fall into what's called 'listing memories,' where the verses would slip away, unable to linger in the reader's mind. What makes the poetic essence of 'Viet Bac' as well as this passage is the melody. The melody has made the memories resonate, profound and resonant, deeply penetrating the soul. The factors creating this miraculous melody are not only in the very precise luc bat verses but also in the use of contrastive artistry with high frequency in the verses. It not only has the ability to express the deeply stirring, throbbing emotions of the departing and the staying but also creates a structural symmetry, a graceful beauty of language.

Rain from the source, stream floods, / clouds and mist,
Rice, enmity,
Roof thatching, bamboo shoots,
Sweeping away dust, vermilion,
Remembering, ourselves,
Tan, banyan tree.

The poetic images truly resonate with poetic essence thanks to the melody filled with affection, solemnity, resonating through the paired verses with contrasting tiny pairs, exuding classical beauty. Particularly, the last question of the verse can stand alone due to its profound, suggestive nature:

'I depart, I remember myself
Tan Trao, Hong Thai, communal house, banyan tree'

The pronouns 'I,' 'we' traditionally used in folk poetic dialogue are now ingeniously manipulated by To Huu: When I becomes we, when 'we' becomes 'I,' the underlying meaning of unity is clear. But here, a hexameter repeating 'I': 'I depart, I have' signifies the departing, 'remembering myself' refers to the one staying. A question full of dual meaning, profound: Forgetting 'we' is also forgetting oneself. Similarly, in the latter part, To Huu emphasizes the affirmatively solemn tone in the answering verse.

'I depart, I remember myself
As many springs as the source, so much loyalty'

The poet has deeply explored the word 'self' in Vietnamese. 'Self' encompasses both oneself and others, a familiar term that can be seen as oneself. Pronouns are used to unify and transform, making 'Viet Bac' resonate like the echo of harmonized melodies, the soulful harmony of those staying and those departing.

The rearrangement of the verse structure: 'Hong Thai communal house, Tân Trào banyan tree' is written as: 'Tân Trào Hong Thai communal house banyan tree,' demonstrating the complete unification of proper nouns and common nouns in meaning - Viet Bac, the revolutionary homeland. The longing for Viet Bac's battlefields 'Tân Trào, Hong Thai,' has transformed into a yearning for the homeland's 'communal house banyan tree,' images deeply ingrained in the Vietnamese consciousness for generations. 'In To Huu's poetry, the personal and the collective seem to merge seamlessly, the old blending with the new, (Nguyen Van Hanh) and this is a typical case.

'Viet Bac' is a song of emotions, sweet and deeply meaningful, epitomizing the soul of poetry, the poetic style of To Huu. It speaks of love, but a love for the homeland, the nation, the revolution, and the people.

In a conversation with a French literary researcher, To Huu confided, 'I am enamored with my country and my people. And speaking about the country and the people is like speaking about someone I love.' Therefore, love turns into affection. 'Viet Bac' has become the collective love song of the resistance fighters, of the entire nation in a memorable historical moment.