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Prompt: Each poet reimagines the beauty of armies marching into battle in their own unique way. Reflect on the verses from the poems Tây Tiến and Việt Bắc
Two sample essays reflecting on the portrayal of armies marching in the poems Tây Tiến and Việt Bắc.
Pro Tips: How to Craft a Reflective Piece on Poetry or Prose, Following the Standard Structure
Sample Piece 1: Capturing the Splendor of Troops Marching, Each Poet with Their Unique Interpretation. Insights on a Verse from 'Westward Expansion and Northern Vietnam'
1. GENERAL OVERVIEW:
- Introducing Quang Dũng, Tố Hữu, and two works:
+ Quang Dũng epitomizes the resistance poetry against the French, with a poetic soul exuding both elegance and patriotism deeply resonating with the comrades. 'Westward Expansion' stands out as Quang Dũng's masterpiece, crafted in 1948 in Phù Lưu Chanh during his time away from the Westward unit.
+ Tố Hữu stands tall as a poet of the nation, his poetry closely following Vietnam's revolutionary paths. 'Northern Vietnam' marks a significant success in Tố Hữu's poetic journey. It's both a love song for revolutionary sentiments between the Southern cadre and the Northern populace and an epic ode to the arduous struggle against the French, resonating with the glory of the nation.
- The two excerpts from these poems both capture the magnificence of troops marching, yet each poet presents a distinct exploration and manifestation.
2. Presentation of Impressions:
a. Verses from the Poem 'Westward Expansion'
* The poignant yet majestic beauty of the Westward troops on their march:
The Westward troops stand bald
Green soldiers fierce as jungle beasts
- The sorrow of the soldiers is evoked from their frail appearance, emaciated and bald, with skin as green as leaves.
+ The reason why the Westward soldiers are bald and green-skinned is the consequence of the harsh marching days due to hunger and thirst, the mark of severe bouts of malaria.
+ Those jungle fevers are not only present in Quang Dũng's poetry but also leave a painful mark in the resistance poetry against the French in general.
- The heroism:
+ The artistic juxtaposition between the frail appearance and the inner spirit has forged the strong demeanor of the soldiers. 'Bald' is a straightforward soldier's expression, playfully jesting with their own hardships.
+ Expressed through the use of Sino-Vietnamese word 'đoàn binh'. The term 'đoàn binh' rather than 'đoàn quân' conveys the unusual strength of valor. The phrase 'fierce as jungle beasts' evokes a majestic and ferocious demeanor, akin to the lord of the wilderness. Through this, we see the Westward soldiers still assert dominance over the situation, over the mountains and forests, mastering all surrounding adversities, enduring every hardship. 'Glinting eyes' are eyes full of fierceness, hatred, strength, resolutely brewing terror for enemies.
*They are also the romantic, elegant young men of Hanoi:
Glinting eyes send dreams across the border
In dreams, Hanoi appears with graceful fragrance
- 'Glinting eyes send dreams across the border' are eyes filled with longing for the homeland Hanoi, for a graceful figure fragrant in dreams.
The Westward soldiers not only know how to wield guns and swords in response to the call of the land but amidst countless hardships and scarcities, their hearts still flutter, reminiscing about the beauty of Hanoi: it could be the old streets, the ancient schools,... or more accurately, remembering the graceful and charming figures of Hanoi's beloved girlfriends. That is the additional motivation that strengthens their grip on their weapons, ready to dedicate and sacrifice to defend the Fatherland.
The splendor of the troops marching in the poems 'Westward Expansion' and 'Northern Vietnam'.
b. Verses from the Poem 'Northern Vietnam'
*The majestic beauty of the troops:
'Our Northern Vietnam paths
Roar nightly like trembling ground
Troops march resolute and resounding
- The colloquial terms 'roar', 'resolute', and 'resounding', and the simile '...like trembling ground' evoke both the multitude and the majestic momentum of the marching troops. Each step of that army carries the strength of patriotism, revolutionary ideals, the thirst for battle, and triumph over enemies.
*The romantic beauty:
'Stars at the gun's tip along with the helmet's crest'
This could be the image of stars hanging over the gun barrels of soldiers every night on the march, or it could be the light of the star pinned on the soldier's helmet, the light of revolutionary ideals illuminating the soldier's path. They are individuals with lofty, beautiful ideals, ready to dedicate themselves to the common cause. The poetry evokes the image of 'Moon hanging over gun barrels' in Chính Hữu's poem.
c. COMPARISON OF TWO POETIC EXCERPTS:
- Similarities: Both depict soldiers with a majestic and romantic, lofty appearance.
- Differences:
+ In the excerpt from 'Westward Expansion', the majestic beauty of the soldiers hints at a sense of sorrow.
+ In the excerpt from 'Northern Vietnam', the romantic beauty of the soldiers is intertwined with reality, according to Tố Hữu.
- Both authors have experience from the battlefield, so their poetry is deeply rooted in reality. Additionally, Quang Dũng, a romantic from Hanoi, has his own unique romanticism in his poetry; whereas Tố Hữu's poetry is political romanticism, always with an optimistic view, trusting in the revolution.
3. GENERAL ASSESSMENT:
- Alongside the similarities, the two poetic excerpts also possess unique characteristics, showcasing the talents of the two poets.
Affirming the position of the two authors in literature as well as in the hearts of readers.
Thus, we have suggested to students the method of recreating the beauty of marching troops, with each poet having their own unique exploration. Appreciation of the verses in 'Westward Expansion' and 'Northern Vietnam'. To prepare well for lessons and classroom assessments, students can refer to the section Appreciation of Stanza 10 in 'Northern Vietnam' and along with the section Appreciation of the First 10 Lines of the poem 'Northern Vietnam' to gain a clearer understanding of this content.
Sample Piece 2: Recreating the Beauty of Marching Troops, Each Poet with Their Unique Exploration. Appreciation of the Verses in 'Westward Expansion' and 'Northern Vietnam'
1. GENERAL INTRODUCTION
- Quang Dũng epitomizes the face of poetry in the resistance against the French with a soulful, romantic, elegant, and dreamy inspiration. Throughout his talented artistic life, perhaps the most memorable period is the years of fighting in the Westward unit. Countless profound memories, the magnificent beauty, and the heroism of an unforgettable period in the Western region of the homeland are depicted by Quang Dũng in the poem 'Westward Expansion'.
- Tố Hữu is the leading figure of revolutionary poetry in Vietnam. His revolutionary path, his poetic path, are intertwined with the stages of the Vietnamese revolution. 'Northern Vietnam' is one of the peaks of Tố Hữu's poetry. The poem is like a heartfelt song, evoking memories of the loyal bond between Northern Vietnam and the Revolution.
- Write about the majestic beauty of the troops marching in the resistance against the French in the two poems 'Westward Expansion' and 'Northern Vietnam', each poet with their own unique exploration and expression.
2. ANALYSIS
I. Appreciation of the Excerpt from the Poem 'Westward Expansion'
* The poignant and majestic beauty of the Westward troops on their march:
The Westward troops bald, no hair grows
Green-clad soldiers fierce as jungle beasts
- The sorrow: manifested through the frail appearance of the soldiers: bald heads, greenish skin like leaves due to malaria, deprivation, hardship.
+ The pitiful, frail image of the Westward soldiers is the result of severe bouts of malaria during grueling days of marching, always in a state of hunger, thirst, and deprivation.
+ The sorrow of the Westward troops, the jungle fevers in Quang Dũng's poetry also epitomize the painful image of our troops in the resistance against the French in general.
+ Connection: Revolutionary poetry often depicts the scourge of malaria when writing about soldiers.
In the resistance against the French:
You and I knew every chilling shiver
Fever shaking bodies, foreheads sweaty
(Comrade - Chính Hữu)
Drops of sweat fall
On his golden, skilled face
You, defenders of the nation
How can one not love you so
(Water Soldier - Tố Hữu).
And even in the resistance against America later:
Where gunpowder mixes with battle garments
Jungle fever runs through youthful years
- The magnificence:
+ The Westward troops not only appear with a sense of sorrow but from within the sorrow also emerges magnificence, dignity. Through the artistic contrast between the frail appearance on the outside and the spirited soul within, the strong character of the soldier is highlighted.
+ 'No hair grows': it's a blunt, unique expression, as if the soldier doesn't need, doesn't bother to grow hair. A very soldier-like expression, showing the soldier's playful attitude towards hardships in the resistance.
+ Evident through the use of Sino-Vietnamese word 'đoàn binh'. The term 'đoàn binh' carries a stronger resonance than 'đoàn quân', evoking the extraordinary, heroic, and supernatural strength of the soldier.
+ The phrase 'fierce and imposing' evokes a majestic and imposing demeanor like the majestic posture of a lord of the forest. It seems that, in the wilderness, full of mysterious threats with 'tigers mocking humans', the Westward soldiers also bear within them a ferocious, formidable, and majestic aura to overcome and triumph over all hardships.
⟹ With heroic inspiration, the Westward troops appear with the fierceness of the mountains and forests, without evoking any fragility or weakness even though the soldiers' lives undergo countless difficulties and hardships. The Westward soldiers remain strong, upright masters of the mountains and forests, overcoming all adversities in combat. They appear with a majestic, disdainful beauty, disregarding all hardships and deprivations.
Impressions of the image of troops marching in Tây Tiến and Việt Bắc
* The image of romantic, dashing Hanoi boys:
Eyes glaring, sending dreams across the border
Night dreaming of Hanoi's graceful figure
- 'Glowering eyes' are fierce, resentful, powerful, and resolute, instilling fear in the enemy. The strong resentment towards the enemy only fuels the determination to fight of the Westward soldiers.
- Those eyes are also the restless eyes of the Hanoi boys longing for their homeland, dreaming of a 'graceful figure'.
- Dreams and reveries sent to both sides of the horizon: the border and Hanoi.
- Connection: The poetry of the resistance against the French also features many poets expressing longing:
+ Nguyễn Đình Thi fervently beats with the rhythm of the heart:
Long nights of marching arouse
Suddenly yearning for the eyes of loved ones
+ Chính Hữu: 'The well remembers the one who went to war'
+ Hồng Nguyên, on the other hand, is rugged, poignant in the heart:
Three years gone, returning to the canvas tent
The red soil furrow
The sound of the school bell at night
Some young wives
Weary feet by the late-night rice mortar
⟹ The young men from the land of dreams and aspirations set out to the battlefield as 'the homeland calls us to depart', yet they are not only skilled in wielding guns and swords but also harbor dream-filled souls amidst the hardships and adversities. Their hearts resonate with fond memories of the beauty of Hanoi: it could be the old streets, the former schools, or the graceful and charming figures that linger in their nostalgic yearning. The land of Hanoi with its 'fragrant grace' is the destination of dreams for the youth of Hanoi. It is the driving force that strengthens their resolve to firmly hold their guns and be ready to sacrifice to defend the Motherland.
II. Reflection on the excerpt from the poem 'Viet Bac'
* Majestic beauty:
Our Viet Bac roads
Nightly resound like trembling earth
Troops march resolutely
- The possessive pronoun 'ours' resounds boldly affirming the pride of those in the position of governing the nation. Simultaneously, the possessive pronoun 'ours' also affirms the victory of the resistance against France, asserting Viet Bac as the liberated zone.
- The two words 'resound' not only evoke sound but also create imagery. The colloquial terms 'resound', 'echo', and 'reverberate' along with the simile 'like trembling earth': both recreate the lively atmosphere during the days of the resistance campaign and evoke the grandeur and strength of the marching troops, allowing us to sense the image of the determined and spirited troops advancing day and night to the front lines.
⟹ Every step of the troops marching to battle carries the strength of patriotism, revolutionary ideals, the thirst for combat, and the determination to defeat the enemy.
* Romantic beauty:
The stars at the muzzle of the gun and the helmet
- The image of the 'starlight at the muzzle of the gun' may be the actual image of the stars in the night sky of Viet Bac, while also being a symbolic image: the light of the star attached to the soldier's helmet, the light of revolutionary ideals illuminating the path, guiding the soldiers forward.
- The image of 'you and the helmet': the soldiers in the resistance, simple, humble, unadorned yet containing an extraordinary strength, embodying lofty ideals, beautiful, ready to dedicate themselves to the common cause.
⟹ The line expresses belief, optimism, trust, and joy when looking towards the 'victory of hundreds of regions.'
III. Comparison of two poetic passages
- Similarities: Both passages depict soldiers with a demeanor that is both heroic and romantic.
- Differences:
+ The passage in the poem 'Tây Tiến': written in the early years of the resistance against France, the initial period of the struggle was still harsh, Quang Dũng hinted at the heroic beauty of the soldiers amidst the suffering of the war reality.
+ The passage in the poem 'Việt Bắc': after the victory of Điện Biên Phủ in 1954, the North was completely liberated, the country celebrated the joy of victory, Tố Hữu praised the romantic revolutionary beauty of the soldiers, which was closely associated with reality.
⟹ Both authors lived directly through the harsh resistance, with experience from the battlefield, thus their works are deeply rooted in reality. Besides their commonality, each poet has their own perception. Quang Dũng, coming from a romantic, dreamy Hanoi background, imbued his work with a distinct romanticism of the Hanoians; while Tố Hữu - the pinnacle of political love poetry, the poet of communist ideals - his work always reflects a realistic, optimistic view, and trust in the revolution.
