Appreciating the natural scenery in the poem 'Summer Scene'

I. Outline of Appreciating the natural scenery in the poem 'Summer Scene'

1. Outline 1 (Standard):

a. Introduction

 Introduce the author Nguyễn Trãi and the poem 'Summer Scene.' A vivid and vibrant summer natural landscape

b. Body

 The lush green foliage stretches wide over the yard. The pomegranate tree still bursts with vibrant red blossoms, while the pink lotus by the pond continues to exhale a fragrant aroma.   

Analyze each line of verse to elucidate the summer natural landscape

-  The flowers in front of the courtyard, the lush green leaves spreading wide, the pomegranate tree in front of the house still continuously blooms bright red flowers, and the pink lotus by the pond still emits a fragrant scent
- The use of strong verbs like 'stretch, cover, burst, exhale' reveals the vibrant life pulsating within each creation.
- The descriptive adjectives depicting colors have painted a vivid, vibrant summer scene.
- The author senses the essence of summer through imagery, colors, and flavors, all radiating boundless vitality and splendor.

c. Conclusion

Reaffirming the beauty and talent of Nguyen Trai
 

2. Outline 2:

a. Introduction

- Introducing the author and the work:
+ Nguyen Trai, a remarkably talented poet and writer of the nation, has made significant contributions to the country's literature.
+ 'Scenes of Summer' depicts a magnificent natural landscape and the author's patriotic sentiments.

b. Main Content

- The scene of summer emerges with a vibrant depiction of the summer nature:
+ The vigorous vitality of the cornfield now spreads its green canopy over the entire space.
+ The red hue of the pomegranate tree adds depth to the summer scene.
+ The scent of lotus flowers wafts through the air with the breeze.
=> The summer landscape is vivid and full of life.
- Artistic language is utilized:
+ Descriptive words like 'dundun, bustling, withering' convey the bustling atmosphere of summer, making the scene lively and vibrant.
+ Verbs like 'cover, gather, escort' evoke the sense of vitality in the summer scenery.
- The poet keenly perceives the nuances of summer through sight and sound:
+ The poet observes the green foliage of the cornfield, the vibrant red of the pomegranate, the sound of cicadas echoing through the space, and the image of fishermen in the early morning and evening.
+ Summer is experienced through auditory sensations as the poet catches the scent of lotus flowers carried by the wind.
=> Nguyen Trai's soul is immersed in nature, reflecting the author's profound love for life and existence.
- Nguyen Trai's patriotic sentiments:
+ The poet's relaxed demeanor indicates his desire for seclusion, away from political affairs.
+ Yet, deep in his heart, he always thinks of the people and the country, longing for a peaceful and prosperous life for the populace.
+ He praises the benevolent rulers who bring happiness and prosperity to the people's lives.

c. Conclusion

Emphasize the author's love for nature and extol the noble qualities of the poet, who, despite seeking seclusion, remains devoted to the nation's cause.

II. Sample Essay: Appreciating the Natural Portrait in the Poem 'Summer Scene'

1. Appreciating the Natural Portrait in the Poem 'Summer Scene,' Sample 1 (Standard):

2. Appreciating the Natural Portrait in the Poem 'Summer Scene,' Sample 2:

Nguyen Trai is an outstanding poet of the nation, a world cultural figure. He has left behind many invaluable works. If his 'Proclamation of Victory on the Bach Dang River' is full of passion and national pride, the poem 'Summer Scene' is a portrayal of the beautiful soul of Nguyen Trai.

The poem 'Summer Scene' opens with six lines describing the summer day:

'Then enjoying the coolness of school days
The hoe tree lushly spreads its canopy
The pomegranate still exudes its red hue
The lotus has bid farewell to its fragrance
The fish market in Ngư Phủ village bustling
The sound of cicadas in the afternoon leisurely'

The author embraced the summer scene in a relaxed and comfortable manner, while in seclusion, when the king no longer valued. The summer landscape painted by the author is truly vibrant and beautiful with many colors. There is the green of the hoe tree, the red of the pomegranate flowers, the pink of the lotus flowers, and the sparkling yellow of the afternoon sunlight. All blend together. Creating the characteristic landscape of summer. Not only perceived visually, the author also perceives the landscape through auditory and olfactory senses. He smells the fragrance of lotus ponds, hears the 'bustling' sound of the fishing village, and the 'chirping' of cicadas. The summer scene has become more vivid, more remarkable with sounds and smells. Although the scene described by the author is at the end of the day, when the sun sets, everything is still full of vitality with words like 'lushly,' 'spreads,' 'exudes,' 'bustling,' 'chirping.' These words also contribute to expressing the author's innermost desires - the aspiration to contribute to the people, to the country. That enthusiasm seems to want to burst out, erupt, and spread everywhere. In these six lines, the author has changed, no longer following the norms of feudal literature. He describes the summer scene with objects very close to everyday life.

Explore the natural portrait of a summer day in the poem 'Summer Scene'

The last two lines of the poem encapsulate the author's thoughts and reflections:

'If only King Ngu had a zither
The people would be prosperous in every direction'

While the author embraces the summer scene in a relaxed manner on a leisurely day, he still always thinks and worries about the people and the country. Despite experiencing the summer scene, the author still cares about the people's lives. Therefore, he hears the bustling, noisy sounds of the fishing village. He cares about the people, worries about the country. That's why he wishes he had King Ngu's zither. With that zither, Nguyen Trai could bring warmth, happiness to the people and the country.

The poem 'Summer Scene' is written in the form of Đường luật seven-character eight-line verse with two hexameter lines inserted. However, the poet does not adhere to the structure: Title - Reality - Discussion - Conclusion of the Đường luật verse form. Therefore, the poem carries the distinctive features of an outstanding poet of the Vietnamese nation. Not only that, the poem also features the image of the pomegranate flower, reminiscent of two lines by Nguyen Du:

'At the head of the wall, the pomegranate flowers blaze with blossoms'

Nguyen Du's verse carries a strong imagery, while Nguyen Trai's verse demonstrates his own passionate personality. This highlights Nguyen Trai's talent in literature.

The poem 'Summer Scene' is remarkable in both content and artistry. Through it, we see the beauty of Nguyen Trai's soul. He is a lover of nature, of his homeland. But above all, he is both talented and compassionate, always caring for the people and the country. He wants to dedicate his passion to bring happiness and prosperity to the people, to make the country rich and strong. Nguyen Trai's ideology serves as a lesson for the younger generation about patriotism, and the aspiration to contribute to the country.

After appreciating the natural scenery in the poem 'Summer Scene', you can delve into the beauty of Nguyen Trai's soul through the poem 'Summer Scene' or refer to understand the poem 'Summer Scene' to reinforce your knowledge.

3. Appreciating the natural scenery in the poem 'Summer Scene,' sample 3:

Nguyen Trai (1380 - 1442), the national hero, 'a heart shining like the Khuê star' (words of King Le Thanh Tong), never ceased his aspirations for the people and the country in any circumstances. Even when suspected and forced to retreat to his hometown of Con Son, he still expressed his burning desire in a life seemingly only filled with joy with the clouds, mountains, and trees. This sentiment is vividly expressed in the cluster of 61 poems 'Bao kinh canh gioi.' Especially, poem number 43 is filled with aspirations for life and the people.

'Bao kinh canh gioi' (The precious mirror of self-restraint) draws lessons from the grandeur of nature for the poet to reflect on his own heart. We not only encounter the love for nature of a great artist but also understand the confessions of a hero always standing by the heartfelt 'love the country, love the people.' The poet's reflections and emotions help us imagine a great personality.

The poem begins with a situation of forced leisure:

'Then seeking shade from the school days' heat'

The poetic rhythm is peculiar, like prolonging the feeling of a 'restless' day: creating emphasis on the first beat, then five words connected into one breath like a sigh. Clearly, the poet speaks of seeking shade without truly providing a sense of relaxation. The words 'school days' reveal the boredom of a long and tedious day. Seeking leisure without actual tranquility! Perhaps this will be the source of many involuntary frustrations that humans unload. However, all pent-up thoughts converge when the poet confronts a vigorous and vibrant nature:

'The hòe fields thick with foliage,
The pomegranate courtyard still exudes crimson,
The lotus pond has sent off its fragrance'

Appreciation of the natural beauty depicted in the poem 'Summer Scene' by the author Nguyen Trai

The three lines paint a colorful picture of nature, along with characteristic images of the summer space. Firstly, it's the lush greenery of the rice fields, resembling a giant canopy enveloping the scene, evoking a sense of lush greenery. Nguyen Trai's view of nature is always encompassing, invoking the vitality of the space with verbs like lush and conveying a sense of openness with the word canopy. The vision extends from near to far, following the law of contrasts in the two descriptive sentences, skillfully weaving the crimson of pomegranate in front of the house with the pink hue of lotus ponds. The upper sentence describes color, while the lower one evokes fragrance. That nature also contains a myriad of emotions, sometimes gently spreading, sometimes bursting forth. Ultimately, it leaves behind a sense of longing for the delicate fragrance of pink lotus at the end of summer. Only a person with a refined soul can express so many feelings in just a few lines of condensed poetry. Amidst that natural scenery, the poet seems to shed all frustrations, letting his heart merge with the lively nature.

Not only does Nguyen Trai see with his eyes, but he also listens deeply to the myriad sounds of nature:

'The bustling fish market of the fishing village,
The mournful sound of the cicadas in the tamarind trees'

There's a shift in emotional perception in the way of listening to the sounds of life. Now, the sounds are perceived from afar to near, from bustling to mournful. Nature is not silent and gloomy during the evening hours, but rather vibrant and intimate with the poet's earnest love for life. The bustling market is a clear sound evoking the peaceful life of the fishermen, the bustling scene of commerce without being too noisy to disturb the poet's leisurely space. It's as if Nguyen Trai intentionally directs his heart towards the fish market, the fishing village to feel not distant from ordinary life. The resounding sounds of real life create a connection between the poet and the people, bringing joyous excitement in a tranquil afternoon. The contrasting art creates a completely fresh inspiration in Nguyen Trai's poetry when the striking impression is not the gloomy sunset but the mournful sound of cicadas. This unexpected and unique association clearly demonstrates Nguyen Trai's artistic nature. The distinct sound of summer cicadas to Nguyen Trai is like a robust, fervent melody, embodying the vibrant rhythm of nature's life. That vivid natural picture contains a content with an aesthetic message that stirs the poet's emotions. Does he want to escape worldly life, gaze at the sunset, confine himself in the tower, yet cannot help but hear, see the beauty of nature flourishing all around? Is it the bustling nature or the poet's own heart that is eagerly yearning to blend with the joy of life? His life is not that of a recluse escaping life but a reflection of a soul fervently in love with life, still able to enjoy the peaceful joy of life to forget the private sorrows and worries.

4. Appreciating the natural scenery in the poem 'Summer Scene,' sample number 4:

Nguyen Trai, the illustrious national hero in our history of resisting foreign invaders, was a remarkably talented individual. He left behind a rich legacy in politics, military affairs, and diplomacy, as well as asserting his talent through a vast literary career. It can be said that he pioneered classical Vietnamese poetry with the famous Nom poetry collection 'Quoc Am Thi Tap.' The poem 'Summer Scene' is one of such works where the author poured all his thoughts, love for life, nature, and lofty aspirations:

'Then enjoying the coolness of the school days,
The green rice fields stretch luxuriously,
The pomegranate trees still emit their red glow,
The lotus pond has already bid farewell to its fragrance.
The bustling fish market in the fishing village,
The mournful sound of cicadas in the tamarind trees.
Even if Ngu plays the zither for a moment,
The people will be wealthy and content everywhere.'

The poem was composed during Nguyen Trai's retreat to Con Son. He temporarily distanced himself from the bustling capital to return to the pristine, peaceful countryside; then captured his exhilarating emotions before the vibrant summer scenery and subtly conveyed his aspirations for wealth and strength in the nation through the poem.

The poem begins with the splendid beauty of the summer's natural scenery:

'Then enjoying the coolness of the school days,
The green rice fields stretch luxuriously,
The pomegranate trees still emit their red glow,
The lotus pond has already bid farewell to its fragrance.'

The opening hexameter introduces the living environment and the poet's mood at that time:

'Then enjoying the coolness of the school days.'

In terms of form, this is a bold innovation in the seven-word eight-line poem, Duong Law: The title has two lines, now only one line remains, yet it is a hexameter. Alongside, the rhythm of 1/2/3 reflects the relaxed and free posture inherent to the author. The word 'Leisure' is separated as a rhythm, expressing his leisureliness, a person always busy with state affairs and the people. This is when he is able to live leisurely, fulfilling his dream of harmonizing with nature, which he always dreams of. The author sits 'enjoying the coolness' in the 'school day' scenery. The 'school day' is long. This is the feeling of time for those living in leisure, feeling as if the day stretches on. For busy individuals, always wanting to contribute like Nguyen Trai, this feeling becomes even more apparent. He falls into the situation of having to 'enjoy the coolness' day after day while the country is facing difficulties, falling into a feeling of 'helplessness.' Nguyen Trai's bitter smile seems to emerge behind those lines... Ending the sentence with a pause is a new innovation that makes the poem sound like a sigh but not a complaint, while also showing a soul always open to embracing nature and the surrounding life of the poet.

Sample essay on Sensing thebeauty of nature in the poem Summer Scene

It seems that only the innocent, carefree beauty of the landscape can temporarily dispel the swirling troubles in the author's soul. He opens his heart to nature:

'The green rice fields stretch luxuriously,
The pomegranate trees still emit their red glow,
The lotus pond has already bid farewell to its fragrance.'

Nature under the pen of Nguyen Trai has painted a picture of a vibrant, harmonious, and lively countryside. The hoe tree with its 'foliage covering,' deep green, while the pomegranate tree blooms with 'red bursts' of flowers and the pink lotus 'sends off its fragrance.' Life in the trees is 'bubbling' up the branches, the flowers, the leaves. The tree casts its shade onto the ground, spreading coolness into the soul of the poet.. With the description from near to far using multiple senses, vivid and harmonious colors, combined with strong verbs, the first four lines have vividly recreated the lively summer landscape, brimming with vitality, while also expressing the poet's love for nature.

If the above four lines, Nguyen Trai only describes the beauty of nature in the rustic countryside, in the next two lines is the peaceful beauty of the painting of life:

'The bustling fish market in the fishing village,
The shrill sound of cicadas in the sunset pavilion'

From the clear image of 'bustling' preceding the 'fish market' highlighting the lively atmosphere of the 'fishing village,' it's the sound of exchange, the buzz of conversation and laughter. Or the shrill sound of cicadas 'shrieking' like the sound of a musical instrument suddenly echoing in the 'sunset pavilion,' signaling the end of summer in the countryside. All these sounds blend together to create a vibrant, bustling sound landscape, it's the direction of hardworking, down-to-earth life. The scenery, nature at the end of the day is peaceful, serene, but life doesn't stop...

The vibrant grass, flowers, and lively people awaken gentle and profound emotions in the poet's heart. It's his compassionate heart towards the people and the country, a love for life, a love for humanity:

'The zither sounds a note
The people are wealthy in every direction'

'Ngu cầm,' the symbol of the zither of the Nghêu and Thuấn dynasties, represents an era of peace and prosperity in ancient Chinese history, borrowed by the author to express his wish: 'the zither sounds a note' so that everyone can be wealthy and content. Behind that desire is a gentle yet stern reproach of the greedy officials in the current court who no longer think about the people, about the country. It's evident that, despite living in a state of 'helplessness,' Nguyen Trai still senses daily life, staying connected to reality, never forgetting the people and the country's plight. He always yearns to use his talents to practice the noble ideals of patriotism and love for the people. The concise six-word line, with a 3/3 rhythm, creates a powerful resonance, expressing the compressed emotions of the entire poem.

Vietnameseizing the Tang Dynasty's poetry, creatively blending seven-character lines with six-character lines, employing imagery, colors, lines, and sounds into the landscape of nature and human life, the poem has painted a lively summer picture, brimming with vitality, thereby conveying the poet's love for the homeland, the desire to help the people build a warm, happy life.

'Summer Scene' not only epitomizes Nguyễn Trãi's 'Quốc âm thi tập' but also stands as one of the gems of Nôm literature in Vietnam. Through various unique artistic techniques, the poem beautifully portrays the beauty of the country's nature as well as the soulful beauty of Nguyễn Trãi, clearly expressing the patriotic sentiments and sense of responsibility towards the people and the nation.

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After understanding the content above, students can proceed to Appreciation of the poem Summer Scene to reinforce their knowledge of this work. In addition to Nguyễn Trãi, Nguyễn Du is also a great poet of the nation; students can refer to Appreciation of the poem The Tale of Kieu to appreciate the compassion of a great literary figure.

Tế Hanh's 'Homeland' is one of the most outstanding poems written about the theme of love for the homeland and the country. Students can refer to the speech Appreciation of the poem Homeland to understand more about the unique content, artistic style of the work, as well as the thoughts and feelings of the author towards this poem. Furthermore, in the literature curriculum for grade 11, there are several remarkable poems belonging to this theme, such as Appreciation of the poem Since Then by poet Tố Hữu and a representative of New Poetry with a very special poetic soul – Hàn Mặc Tử through the section Appreciation of the poem Here in the Village at Nightfall. Students are encouraged to read these to make literature studies easier.