Essay Analyzing the Character Vũ Như Tô in Farewell to the Nine-Insect Pavilion Class

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Ngày cập nhật gần nhất: 15/4/2026

Content

I. Outline Analyzing the Character of Vu Nhu To in Farewell to the Nine-Storey Tower

1. Introduction

2. The Artistic Essence:

II. Sample Essay Analysis of the Character Vu Nhu To in Farewell to the Nine-Story Tower

Essay: Analyzing the Character of Vu Nhu To in Farewell to the Nine-Storey Tower

I. Outline Analyzing the Character of Vu Nhu To in Farewell to the Nine-Storey Tower

1. Introduction

- Introduce the author and the work.
- The main character in the play Vu Nhu To is the talented artist Vu Nhu To.

2. The Artistic Essence:

a. General Introduction:
- Vu Nhu To play was crafted in 1941.
- Plot: It is a historical drama depicting real events in the capital Thang Long around 1516-1517.

b. Analysis of the Character Vu Nhu To:

* He is a prodigious artist and a genius architect:
- His talent is praised as 'once in a millennium.'
- Le Tuong Duc brings him to the capital believing that no one else can build the Nine-Story Tower for him except Vu Nhu To.
- His talent is evident through Le Tuong Duc's praise: 'he is a craftsman with extraordinary hands, intricate carvings, engravings, and construction skills second to none. He can create various styles of lakes, paint extravagant flower gardens resembling paradise. He is also an exceptionally skilled painter: with just one stroke of the brush, a bird of flowers appears on silk, the divine mood transforming like a magical display'...
- It is precisely this talent that earns the admiration of the palace maiden Dan Thiem and prompts her to assist him.
=> In summary, Vu Nhu To is a brilliant architect, a personification of beauty and creative beauty.

* He is an artist with a magnanimous personality, lofty aspirations, and grand artistic ideals:
- Despite being brought to the capital and facing threats, Vu Nhu To adamantly refuses to construct the Nine-Story Tower for the king, 'I swear to die rather than do such a thing.'
- He believes that building the Nine-Story Tower for a tyrant would tarnish his reputation, subjecting him to public scrutiny for a thousand years, 'Building the Nine-Story Tower for a tyrant, a rebellious man, for a group of debauched women? I cannot use my talent for such a shameful act, even for a thousand years.'
- Later, when rewarded by the king, he distributes it all among the shipbuilders
=> It can be said that Vu Nhu To is a person with a large personality, rich in love and compassion.

* He also harbors great dreams and ideals:
- He wants to construct structures 'as enduring as the moon and stars,' 'artistic masterpieces with alchemical mastery' to 'embellish the country.'
- He builds the Nine-Story Tower because he wants to 'build a tower of flowers and challenge all future constructions.'
=> His artistic ideals are immensely vast and grand, all directed towards the nation and its people.

* However, he falls into the tragedy between art and life:
- Art must always be in harmony with reality, serving the people, but Vu Nhu To's ideals surpass the lives of the people. Many people lose their lives, suffer exploitation, and endure hardship because of his ideals.
- Vu Nhu To passionately pursues his ideals, forgetting that the construction of the Nine-Story Tower results in 'thousands of people dying for the Nine-Story Tower, mothers losing children, wives losing husbands.' He remains above ideals and art, unable to see.
=> Vu Nhu To's ideals have detached from the reality of life, alienating him from the people => causing a tragedy between art and life.
- When arrested and brought to trial, Vu Nhu To still puzzles over why his ideals are wrong, 'what crime have I committed?' He still cannot understand why building the Nine-Story Tower has caused such resentment among the people. He even believes that 'My life is not as precious as the Nine-Story Tower.'
- It's only when the Nine-Story Tower is set ablaze that he realizes: true art must serve human life (reference to The Loyalist - Nam Cao).

* General conclusion:
- Vu Nhu To is not just a talent but also a person with character, lofty aspirations, and grand ideals. However, his art and ideals distance themselves from reality, from the lives of the people, causing a tragedy between art and life, a tragedy in his life.
- Nguyen Huy Tuong's artistic construction of characters is exceptionally unique, creating intense, intricate psychological depths.
- The language is simple, sincere, and easy to understand.

3. Closing Thoughts
- Reaffirming the Issue
- True art serves human life.

II. Sample Essay Analysis of the Character Vu Nhu To in Farewell to the Nine-Story Tower

History passes, leaving stories that compel later generations to reflect and explore. Based on a true story during the reign of King Le Tuong Duc, Nguyen Huy Tuong used his talent to create a story, a play titled Vu Nhu To. The work depicts the dramatic conflict between the ruling class and the interests of the people, between true art and real-life. These aspects are vividly portrayed through the main character of the piece - the talented architect Vu Nhu To.

The play Vu Nhu To was penned by Nguyen Huy Tuong in 1941, and the excerpt from Farewell to the Nine-Story Tower is taken from the fifth act of the play. Vu Nhu To is a historical tragedy recounting events under the rule of King Le Tuong Duc in Thang Long around 1516 - 1517. At that time, Vu Nhu To, a brilliant architect of the nation, was compelled by King Le Tuong Duc to build the Nine-Story Tower - a splendid nine-story castle for the entertainment of his palace maidens. However, Vu Nhu To - a true artist, connected to the poor people, adamantly refuses the proposal of this royal suitor. Until Dan Thiem - a palace maiden, enamored by Vu Nhu To's talent, advises him to use all his skills, leveraging the money and power of Le Tuong Duc to build a magnificent Nine-Story Tower 'as enduring as the moon and stars,' 'an artistic masterpiece with alchemical mastery,' 'to make our people proud,' and also to showcase his talents. Vu Nhu To heeds Dan Thiem's advice, accepting the king's proposal. From then on, he puts all his effort into building the Nine-Story Tower. However, this inadvertently leads to tragedies such as excessive taxation, exploitation, the suffering of skilled workers, accidents, deaths, and killings of those who try to escape... Now, the conflict between the ruling class and the exploited class reaches its peak, and the confrontation between Vu Nhu To and his workers becomes intense. During this time, Lord Trinh Duy San leads the rebellion, kills the king, pulls the shipbuilders into the rebellion, kills Dan Thiem, Vu Nhu To, and sets fire to the Nine-Story Tower - the passion project of Vu Nhu To.

Farewell to the Nine-Story Tower marks the final chapter of the play, a moment when Trinh Duy San turns traitor, kills the king, and sends people to capture Dan Thiem and Vu Nhu To. This excerpt not only highlights the tragic fate of the talented artist Vu Nhu To caught in the dilemma between life and art but also portrays the intimate relationship between these two realms. In Vu Nhu To, one witnesses the artistic genius within him, glimpses his personality and ideals in his profession, yet also perceives the painful tragedy between art and life that he encounters.

Firstly, exploring Vu Nhu To reveals an exceptionally gifted artist. This is vividly expressed through the praises of Le Tuong Duc, 'he is a craftsman with extraordinary hands, intricate carvings, engravings, and construction skills second to none. He can create various styles of lakes, paint extravagant flower gardens resembling paradise' or 'He is also an exceptionally skilled painter: with just one stroke of the brush, a bird of flowers appears on silk, the divine mood transforming like a magical display.' Such soaring praises bestowed upon Vu Nhu To are not baseless; they affirm his extraordinary talent. An architect forced to live in hiding in his hometown, afraid to showcase his talents for fear of the king's exploitation, yet even a king like Le Tuong Duc must praise him, attesting to his exceptional brilliance 'once in a millennium.'

Vu Nhu To's talent is predominantly conveyed through the words of Le Tuong Duc. It is Le Tuong Duc who asserts, 'No one has been able to build the Nine-Story Tower until now, and Vu will build it swiftly, as grand and magnificent as the Co To Tower,' emphasizing that only Vu Nhu To can construct such a majestic palace. This is the reason he is captured and brought to the capital while in hiding in his hometown.

When imprisoned in the forbidden palace, it is precisely his talent that earns him the admiration of Dan Thiem. Dan Thiem becomes the only person to support him in that cold and heartless palace.

Vũ Như Tô can be described as an exceptionally talented artist, an outstanding architect widely recognized by all. He embodies beauty, passion, and the creativity of beauty.

Not only gifted, but he is also an artist with a profound personality, significant aspirations, and grand artistic ideals.

Reading Farewell to the Nine-Story Tower reveals the profound character of Vu Nhu To. This is evident when he resolutely refuses to build the Nine-Story Tower for the 'pig king' Le Tuong Duc, believing it to be a decadent playground for him and of no benefit to the people. Despite the threat of death by Le Tuong Duc, he staunchly refuses, unwilling to aid someone who harms the people: 'I swear to perish rather than comply.' He also contends that constructing a splendid castle for a tyrant who harms the country is unacceptable: 'a despot, a rebel, for a bunch of debauched girls.' If he were to build such a structure, he would be forever tarnished, a scholar bound under the tyranny: 'I cannot use my talent for a degrading task, forever becoming a scapegoat for the people.' Such principles are not the actions of a genuine artist.

The above illustrates Vu Nhu To as a great artist with a significant personality. Despite his talent, he would rather die or live in poverty than willingly surrender himself and his divine talent to serve a tyrant like Le Tuong Duc. Furthermore, upon receiving rewards from Le Tuong Duc, he distributed all those riches among the shipbuilders, revealing another facet of his generous personality.

Moreover, as an artist, a remarkably talented one, he couldn't help but harbor dreams of his own. The extraordinary architect's dream was to construct a monument that would make 'our people proud a thousand times over.' His aspirations were immensely grand, aiming to use his talent to serve the people, for the benefit of the nation, leaving a legacy of exceptional architecture for the country rather than just his own fame. He wanted to build 'magnificent castles, embellishing the nation,' or structures that are 'as enduring as the moon and stars.' Oh, the dreams of Vu Nhu To are truly too vast and noble, just like his personality!

Talent, character, and beautiful artistic ideals—yet like other artists, he succumbed to the tragedy between art and life. This led to the life tragedy and death of Vu Nhu To.

As Uncle Ho always advises artists to 'write to serve the people,' 'write for the people to understand,' meaning art must be closely tied to life, serving the people's livelihoods. However, when our country was still poor, our people still suffered, would grand structures align with the sudden circumstances? No, never appropriate! However, Vu Nhu To failed to understand this, leading to the final tragedy: the burning of the Nine-Story Tower—Vu Nhu To's passion, and his death.

The desire to bring beauty to his life was never wrong. He listened to Dan Thiem, wanting to leverage Le Tuong Duc to build a structure 'intricate with artistic craftsmanship.' However, his desire changed with the lives of the shipbuilders, the labor of the people in society, etc. For his ideals, the people suffered more, the court tyrannized skilled workers, then ruthlessly killed those who fled. It was too cruel. Vu Nhu To's ideals trampled upon the bones and blood of the people. He was so immersed in his ideal that he forgot that art is only beautiful when it is connected to life, to serve the people. A splendid castle 'as enduring as the moon and stars,' 'intricate with artistic craftsmanship,' for what when the people are still poor, still suffering? Estranged from life, estranged from the people—this is the reason behind the tragedy of the exceptionally talented artist Vu Nhu To.

Even when led to the courtroom, bound by rebellious forces, Vũ Như Tô still insists that his ideals are not wrong, 'what crime have I committed?' he exclaimed! He believes that using all his artistic talent to 'embellish the nation' is not a mistake. He passionately argues, 'take me to meet An Hòa Hầu, let me explain, let me articulate, let the world know my aspirations. What crime have I committed? No, my only ambition is to adorn the country, to use all my talents to build a magnificent palace for the generations to come, challenging all the structures before and after...'. However, the more he speaks, the more the soldiers laugh, scornfully saying, 'shut up. Madman, shut up...Do you not know how many thousands died for the Cửu Trùng Đài? Mothers lost children, wives lost husbands because of you, huh? People hate you more than they hate demons'. Nevertheless, he still doesn't understand, despite being ridiculed and humiliated, Vũ Như Tô still believes that his grand dream, the Cửu Trùng Đài he built, has never been a mistake. It's only when the joyful cries of 'Cửu Trùng Đài is on fire' are heard that he finally realizes that his grand dream has crumbled, his ideals shattered, 'Oh God! What good is talent for me? Oh, grand dream! Oh, Dan Thiềm! Oh, Cửu Trùng Đài!'.

The fate of Vũ Như Tô seems predetermined, inevitable, much like that of Cửu Trùng Đài. Although Cửu Trùng Đài is aesthetically pleasing, it is built on the bones and blood of the people, while Vũ Như Tô stands atop that beauty, looking down on the people rather than standing with the masses and appreciating art. Beauty divorced from the people is beauty that cannot endure. From start to finish, Vũ Như Tô is in constant turmoil, always pondering, always not understanding 'what crime have I committed?' but before his death, he asks 'what crime have I committed?', perhaps awakening, yet still in doubt. Burning Cửu Trùng Đài built on the blood of the people is right, but is burning Cửu Trùng Đài, a structure meant to adorn the nation, right? In the end, through tragedy, Vũ Như Tô realizes that art must taste of human life to be art, much like the character Hộ in Nam Cao's 'Đời thừa', who also realizes this truth much later in life.

Through the work, we witness the talent of Nguyễn Huy Tưởng as he transforms a real event into a story that makes readers contemplate and reflect on its meaning. With a simple tone and rich expressive language, he creates a play that captures the tragedies of a talented artist living in an idealistic world far removed from reality. At the same time, as a seasoned writer, he evokes the complex emotions of artists when faced with the tragedy of life.

Vũ Như Tô - a fictional character, yet one that prompts us to think deeply not only about art but also about life. A true artist must use their talent to serve the people; that is the ideal befitting an artist. Through Vũ Như Tô, readers admire the writing prowess of Nguyễn Huy Tưởng and simultaneously appreciate the ideals of an artist like him.

""""--THE END"""""-

Concluding a masterpiece that leaves readers lingering in contemplation, much like Vũ Như Tô wondering whether the Nine-Insect Tower deserves to be set ablaze. Opinions vary on this matter. Dive deeper into related articles: Analyzing the tragic drama of Vũ Như Tô in Farewell to the Nine-Insect Tower, Examining the emotions and character development of Vũ Như Tô and Đan Thiềm in Act 5 of the play Farewell to the Nine-Insect Tower, Presenting the conflicts in the excerpt from Farewell to the Nine-Insect Tower, Contrasting the artistic perspectives of the two characters, Phùng, in The Boat Beyond Distant Lands, and Vũ Như Tô in Farewell to the Nine-Insect Tower.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the main characteristics of Vu Nhu To in the play Farewell to the Nine-Story Tower?

Vu Nhu To is portrayed as a prodigious artist and a genius architect with extraordinary skills. His character embodies beauty, compassion, and a strong moral compass, often prioritizing his ideals over personal safety. Despite being offered a royal commission, he adamantly refuses to build the Nine-Story Tower for a tyrant, believing that his art should serve the people rather than contribute to tyranny.

How does Vu Nhu To's artistic vision impact his relationships in the play?

Vu Nhu To's artistic vision leads to strained relationships with those around him, particularly with the ruling class. His refusal to construct the Nine-Story Tower creates conflict with King Le Tuong Duc and positions him as a martyr for his ideals. However, he also forms a bond with Dan Thiem, who admires his talent and encourages him to leverage his abilities for a greater purpose, showcasing the duality of his relationships influenced by his artistic aspirations.

What tragic consequences arise from Vu Nhu To's dedication to his artistic ideals?

The tragedy of Vu Nhu To lies in his relentless pursuit of artistic perfection, which ultimately alienates him from the reality of the people's suffering. His decision to build the Nine-Story Tower leads to excessive taxation and the exploitation of workers, resulting in loss of life and hardship. This disconnection from the community culminates in his realization that true art must serve humanity, highlighting the conflict between his lofty ideals and the harsh realities of life.

How does the character of Vu Nhu To symbolize the conflict between art and life?

Vu Nhu To symbolizes the profound conflict between artistic ideals and the practicalities of life. His dedication to creating a magnificent structure ultimately leads to tragic consequences for the people he aims to serve. This disconnect illustrates the theme that art must resonate with human experiences, reflecting the struggles and realities faced by society. Vu Nhu To's journey serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of artistic detachment from the lived experiences of the people.

What role does historical context play in the story of Vu Nhu To?

The historical context of the play, set during the reign of King Le Tuong Duc in the early 16th century, significantly influences the narrative of Vu Nhu To. The play reflects the social and political struggles of that era, emphasizing the disparity between the ruling class and the oppressed. This backdrop enriches Vu Nhu To's character, as his artistic endeavors are intertwined with the realities of a tyrannical regime, highlighting the impact of historical events on individual lives and artistic expression.

In what ways does the character Dan Thiem contribute to the development of Vu Nhu To's story?

Dan Thiem plays a crucial role in shaping Vu Nhu To's narrative. As a palace maiden who recognizes his talent, she encourages him to accept the king's commission to build the Nine-Story Tower. Her admiration and support provide a glimmer of hope for Vu Nhu To, contrasting with the oppressive forces around him. However, her involvement also deepens the tragedy of the story, as her fate becomes entwined with Vu Nhu To's artistic ambitions, ultimately highlighting the costs of artistic aspiration.

How does Vu Nhu To's character challenge the expectations of artists in society?

Vu Nhu To challenges societal expectations of artists by prioritizing integrity and moral responsibility over fame and fortune. His refusal to comply with the king's wishes, even at the risk of his life, underscores his belief that true artistry should serve the common good. This stance positions him as a revolutionary figure within the narrative, encouraging readers to reflect on the role of artists in society and the ethical implications of their work.

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