Appreciating the picturesque beauty of the rural village in the poem Homeland by Te Hanh

Topic: Appreciating the picturesque beauty of the rural village in the poem Homeland by Te Hanh

Appreciating the beauty of rural landscape in the poem Homeland by Te Hanh

I. Outline Appreciating the beauty of the rural landscape in the poem Homeland by Te Hanh (Standard)

1. Introduction:
- Introduction of the author and the work.

2. Body:

a. Painting of coastal fishing village's natural scenery.
- The opening line 'Birds flying along the coast carrying fish news', bringing a strong taste of the sea, opens up a vast space of the vast sea waves.
- 'My homeland is a fishing net/Nearby water half a day away from the sea', evokes a rural village where the main occupation is fishing, a village nestled in the midst of vast waves.

b. Painting of working people:

* Going to sea scene:
- The atmosphere is extremely fresh and beautiful, full of vitality 'clear sky, gentle breeze, rosy morning', has opened up a clear, wide natural scenery, converging all the most favorable conditions.
- The image of people also emerges with simple, healthy, vibrant beauty in the line 'Strong men swim boats to fish'.
- 'The boat is light and vigorous like a war horse/Swiftly rowing across the sea' reveals the strong, enthusiastic, heroic labor spirit of the coastal villagers.
+ 'the boat' is a metaphor for a whole group of people going to sea, with an untiring work spirit, making every effort to steer the boat further, reaching the rich shrimp and fish areas.
+ The vigor, agility in the labor of fishermen is expressed through the comparison 'vigorously like a war horse'.
+ Strong verbs 'vigorously', 'swiftly' further evoke the majestic, powerful labor spirit of the fishermen.

- 'The sails are spread out like the soul of the village/Spreading wide to catch the wind',
+ The abstract comparison image, the sail becomes a symbol of the fishing village.
+ The sail is not only a static entity but it seems to be trying to contribute, to contribute 'spreading wide to catch the wind' to bring the boat further, to find the areas rich in produce.
=> The connection, harmony between people with people, between people with nature in labor.

* Scene of returning fleet:
- The scene is bustling, lively, everyone is busy on the dock.
- Images of sturdy, robust fishermen, imbued with the taste of the sea, 'The whole body exudes a distant flavor'.
- 'The boat rests quietly on the tired dock/Feel the salt permeating slowly into the shell', the boat is not just an inanimate object, but it seems to have emotions.

3. Conclusion:

- Express feelings about the rural village painting in the work.

II. Sample essay Appreciating the beauty of rural village painting in the poem Homeland by Te Hanh (Standard)

Te Hanh (1921-2009), born in a coastal fishing village in Quang Ngai province, was a poet who emerged late in the New Poetry movement with verses laden with sadness and profound love for the homeland amidst the country's tumultuous changes. One of his most famous works during this period is Homeland, which is also the overarching theme throughout the author's poetic life. In this work, Te Hanh vividly portrays the coastal fishing village where he was born with deep love and attachment, using verses that are 'clear, simple like a river', and a writing style that is 'simple, sincere', immersing the reader in the natural atmosphere and bustling life of the fishing village with great delicacy.

The rural village painting is opened with a foreword, consisting of two lines from Te Hanh's father 'Birds flying along the coast carrying fish news', bringing a rich taste of the sea, opening up a vast space, as if seen from above, seeing the birds in the sky, as well as the vast sea waves. Coming closer, the author starts with two lines like a story, expressing the simple sentiment of a person far from home:

'My homeland is a fishing net/Nearby water half a day away from the sea'

The lines evoke the scene of a small coastal fishing village, while also outlining the image of the homeland in the reader's mind. It is a village nestled in a delta, emerging amidst vast waves, the distance from the sea depicted in an intriguing way 'half a day's journey from the sea', a way of speaking that embodies the essence of the riverside people, simple, natural.

The fishing village painting not only appears quietly in the author's memory but also becomes vivid with labor at sea. With a loving, attached, and delicate view, Te Hanh vividly described the ordinary labor scene of the fishermen with vigor, spirit, and aesthetics. This is clearly shown in the lines:

'When the sky is clear, the wind is gentle, the morning is rosy,
Strong men swim boats to fish:
The boat is light and vigorous like a war horse
Swiftly rowing across the sea.
The sails are spread out like the soul of the village
Spreading wide to catch the wind...'

On the voyage, the fishermen are welcomed by an extremely fresh and beautiful atmosphere, full of life 'clear sky, gentle breeze, rosy morning', with gentle strokes, Te Hanh opens up a vast, spacious natural scenery, converging all the most favorable conditions for going to sea, when the sky is clear, the sun is beautiful, and the wind is just enough to billow the sails. It can be said that this is something very valuable for those who are constantly on the sea looking for a livelihood. In addition, the image of people also emerges with simple, healthy, vibrant beauty in the line 'Strong men swim boats to fish'. In reality, the image of fishermen is always associated with dark skin, harsh faces due to the sun and wind, but when entering Te Hanh's poetry, with eyes full of love, romantic, and delicate soul, the author has brought them a different appearance, vigorous, full of vitality.

However, the labor painting of the fishing village does not stop there but is also impressively depicted in the following two lines:

'The boat, light and vigorous like a war horse, Swiftly rowing across the sea.'

The verse evokes the vigorous, enthusiastic, and heroic labor spirit of the fishermen. It can be said that the 'boat' here is a metaphor for a collective of people setting sail, with an indomitable work ethic, striving tirelessly to propel the boat further, reaching the rich fishing grounds. The vitality and agility in the fishermen's work are revealed through the comparison 'vigorously like a war horse', a very special comparison using the boat to liken it to a 'war horse', evoking a sense of a romantic, heroic battle expedition. The strong verbs 'vigorously', 'swiftly' further evoke the majestic, powerful labor spirit of the fishermen, ready to face all challenges at sea.

'The sails spread out like the soul of the village, Spreading wide to catch the wind.'

Te Hanh has brought readers an abstract comparison, using the tangible 'sails' to compare with the intangible 'soul of the village'. However, this is a distinctive feature in Te Hanh's poetry, a romantic, subtle feature containing many meanings. The sail represents the fishermen, as well as the entire coastal fishing village, sailing with the fishermen to fish, carrying with it longing, support, and trust from those left behind. Moreover, the image of the sail is not just a static entity but seems to be trying to contribute, to 'spread wide to catch the wind', to propel the boat further, to reach the rich fishing grounds. This demonstrates the connection, harmony between people and nature in labor, as if everyone is using their full potential to collectively create strength, to achieve the best results.

Beside the grand, vibrant scene of setting sail, the coastal fishing village when welcoming the returning boats also carries authentic and vivid beauties under Te Hanh's sensitive, affectionate gaze.

'The next day, bustling at the docks The entire village bustlingly welcomes the returning boats Thanks to the calm sea, the boats full of fish The fresh, silver-white fish.'

After a long night of trading on the open sea, the boats filled with fishermen and shrimp finally return in the early dawn. In contrast to the energetic scene of setting sail, the moment of welcoming the boats back to the fishing village is bustling, lively, with everyone bustling on the docks, waiting to unload the crates of fish, fresh shrimp to prepare for the early market. Particularly impressive is the image of the fishermen after a long night of casting nets, returning with sun-darkened, robust bodies, yet different in 'Their figures exuding the distant aroma'. This is a very abstract verse of Te Hanh, but it still envelops the image, character of the fishermen going fishing amidst the vast sea. These people, whose bodies have absorbed the scent of salt, the scent of the sea breeze in the distant sea, become a mark, a distinctive characteristic unique to the fishermen. And above all, one can feel deeply in it the hidden exhaustion in those robust bodies through the phrase 'exuding the distant aroma'. However, in Te Hanh's poetry, that fatigue, weakness is described with great subtlety and still carries rare romanticism. Not only paying attention to people, the 'sensitivity' of the author is also expressed through the way the author observes objects in the line 'The boat silent on the weary dock listens to the salt seep slowly into the hull'. To Te Hanh, the boat is not simply an inanimate object, but it seems to have emotions, also knows exhaustion after long voyages, lying silently on the dock listening to 'the salt seep slowly into the hull', thinking about distant voyages, about the rich fishing grounds, about distant memories.

The author speaks of the boat but also speaks of the very people who fish, their entire lives have thousands upon thousands of distant voyages, each journey is an unforgettable memory, the ocean is a wonderful mother nurturing the fishermen's children with abundant seafood, always nurturing, embracing their children with the gentlest affection. That's why both the boat and the fishing village people always carry within them a deep, heavy heart, carrying within them the salty essence, like an invisible, unbreakable bond.

The picturesque coastal countryside scene concludes with heartfelt words:

'Now far away, I always remember The blue water, the silver fish, the lime sail The boat turning through the waves heading to sea In the evening, missing the strong salty scent too much'

These are images, beautiful memories deeply engraved in Tế Hanh's memory, wherever the author goes, the longing never ceases, expressing a profound love for the homeland, along with the sadness of a distant child, always yearning for home with the sincerest feelings. Therefore, even just in memory, the coastal countryside scene in Quảng Ngãi province still appears vividly, romantically poetic.

Homeland is a common theme in Vietnamese poetry, but perhaps writing about the coastal countryside scene, Quê hương by Tế Hanh is one of the outstanding poems with many delicate poetic elements, profound meanings. The countryside scene depicted is not only a quiet, beautiful natural landscape but also a picture of human labor, the close-knit relationship, deep connection between humans and nature, intertwined with the love for the homeland, the heartfelt longing of the author. All of these create a beautiful and emotionally rich countryside scene.