Exploring the Character of Vũ Nương in the Masterpiece 'Tale of the Woman from Nam Xương'

Prompt: Exploring the Character of Vũ Nương in the Masterpiece 'Tale of the Woman from Nam Xương'

Four Essays on Understanding the Character of Vũ Nương in the Literary Work 'Tale of the Woman from Nam Xương'

I. Outline for Understanding the Character of Vũ Nương in the Literary Work 'Tale of the Woman from Nam Xương' (Standard)
 

1. Introduction

- Introducing the status of women in feudal society
- The character Vũ Nương in the work 'Tale of the Woman from Nam Xương' represents the quintessential Vietnamese woman in medieval literature.
 

2. Main Body

a. Synopsis of the Work 'Tale of the Woman from Nam Xương':
- Vũ Nương, a woman of exceptional beauty and character, was wedded to by Trương Sinh with a dowry of 'a hundred taels of gold.'

b. Impressions of the Character Vũ Nương
- Vũ Nương embodies the traditional Vietnamese woman with admirable qualities:
+ She is beautiful, gentle, and virtuous, beloved by many.
+ Upon marriage: She diligently upholds family happiness and fulfills her duties as a wife with grace and decorum.

- During her husband's military service:
+ Before his departure: She fills his cup with wine, tenderly advises him, 'This journey of yours... is enough.'
+ While he is away: She manages all affairs, cares for her elderly mother, and raises their young child. When her mother-in-law falls ill, she spares no effort in nursing her back to health. When her mother-in-law passes away: She is described as speechless with grief, mourning as if she had lost her own parents.
=> She is exceptionally attentive, filial, and loyal. Even her mother-in-law acknowledges this, 'In the future, when heaven judges... you'll earn merit for caring for your mother.'
+ She is also an exceedingly compassionate mother: Fearing her child may lack paternal affection, she uses her own shadow on the wall to convince the child that 'that's your father Đản.'

- When suspected of infidelity by her husband:
+ Despite her best efforts to explain gently, 'I, a humble person... am wrongfully accused.'
+ When unable to explain further, she chooses death resolutely to prove her innocence.
- She is a woman rich in forgiveness: When vindicated and returning home, she bears no grudge against her husband but expresses gratitude through her child, 'Thank you... for allowing us to return.'
=> Vũ Nương epitomizes the typical woman of ancient society, wholeheartedly devoted to husband and child, loyal and filial.

c. The Unfortunate Life of Vũ Nương, Full of Misery:
- Denied the right to choose love and marriage:
+ Despite her beauty and grace, she marries a man 'though uneducated', and 'too suspicious.'
=> The injustice of society towards women. They must obey the 'parents decide where the child sits' rule, with no voice, no choice in their life partner => Hence causing all her subsequent misery.
+ A suspicious husband, who looks down on his wife, trusts her not:
• Trương Sinh returns, hears a child's words and doubts his wife => without confronting his wife, only persistent suspicion
• She explains everything, but it's dismissed + even neighbors' defense is disbelieved 'took it... drove her away'
=> Vũ Nương suffers unjustly, a woman of extreme unhappiness => She chooses death to proclaim, 'The silver-tongued... Foolish and ignorant.'
- Denied complete happiness due to war:
+ Vũ Nương endures separation from her husband when 'the court... Siamese invaders' shortly after marriage 'not long after.'

d. General Conclusion:

- Vũ Nương embodies the typical Vietnamese woman in feudal society: beautiful, graceful, filial, loyal.
- However, her life and marriage are not happy, bringing much suffering (husband's suspicion, forced sacrifice).
- Condemning feudal society's oppression of women with archaic customs (marriage without choice), denouncing unjust wars.

3. Conclusion

- Reaffirmation of the issue
- Character construction art: realistic materials, folklore, adding fantastical details.

II. Sample Essay: Understanding the Character of Vũ Nương in the Literary Work 'Tale of the Woman from Nam Xương'
 

1. Understanding Vũ Nương in 'Tale of the Woman from Nam Xương', Sample Essay 1: (Standard)

The status of women in ancient society has always been subjugated to men, under the customs of society. Despite being beautiful and talented, women were merely 'dependent wives', with no voice. In Vietnamese medieval literature, many writers and poets used their words to express the bitter fate of women, turning them into quintessential models of traditional Vietnamese women. Among them, the character Vũ Nương in Nguyễn Dữ's work 'Tale of the Woman from Nam Xương' is one of the most tragically fated women.

Nguyễn Dữ's story 'Tale of the Woman from Nam Xương' portrays Vũ Nương. She is a beautiful and graceful girl, though married to a somewhat difficult man, Trương Sinh, from a wealthy family. Despite being a faithful wife who cares for her elderly mother and young child while her husband is away, she falls victim to her husband's suspicion based on a child's careless words, even though she explains herself tirelessly. In the end, she is forced to choose death to prove her innocence. Fortunately, she is rescued by divine intervention. When her husband finally understands her innocence, she asks him to clear her name by the river. She returns amidst lanterns and silk curtains, bids farewell to her husband, and disappears. The story is full of wonder, mystery, but also humanistic and realistic aspects of life.

Understanding the Character of Vũ Nương in 'Tale of the Woman from Nam Xương', Selected Sample Essay

Through the story, we can see that Vũ Nương is a typical woman in Vietnam's ancient society, very traditional, embodying many virtues. She is not only beautiful and graceful but also virtuous, filial, and kind-hearted. However, she suffers from injustices and cannot clear her name, all because of her husband and societal norms. Yet in the end, she forgives all and lets go of all the pain that pushed her to the brink.

Upon reading the work, the first thing one can perceive is that Vũ Nương embodies the traditional values of Vietnamese women with truly admirable qualities. With just a few simple introductions by Nguyễn Dữ, he manages to summarize all the beauty, personality, and virtues of such a remarkably beautiful girl. He introduces her as a person 'of gentle disposition, graceful, and possessing good manners'. With just those words, we can imagine a beautiful girl, with gentleness, charm, along with a gentle, loving character, wholeheartedly devoted to her husband and children. She is a girl 'although married to a difficult man' yet always behaves appropriately, polite, and dignified, like the daughters of wealthy families. She is beloved by all for her gentle, sincere nature. These are the stories before she got married, so let's put her in a specific situation, what about when she's married?

Once married, she is the one who always keeps the flame of family happiness alive, always adheres to the duties of a wife, and filial duties as a daughter. Although her husband is 'suspicious, overly cautious towards his wife', she still 'maintains decorum, never allowing discord between husband and wife'. Vũ Nương remains such a girl, never raising her voice, arguing with her husband, or mother-in-law; she always considers her husband's and mother-in-law's words as the most important. She has always been meticulous since she was a girl, until she became a wife and mother, she always maintains her virtues, decency, and manners inside and out.

When her husband goes to war, she becomes pregnant, but on the day she sends her husband off, she is still affectionate, gentle, and lovingly advises her husband with heartfelt words. She says: 'On this journey, I dare not hope for you to return with an official title or silk clothes, just bringing back two words of peace would be enough'. Every word she speaks is full of affection, patience, gentleness, and sincerity. What wife doesn't want to become a lady, with her husband being bestowed with honors, becoming someone of prestige, but for Vũ Nương, she doesn't need those vanities, for her, 'bringing back peace' is the most important. She must love her husband, eagerly await him, how else could she utter such caring, loving words?

When her husband is away, she becomes the one who takes care of all the household chores, bearing a large family on her small shoulders. When her husband leaves, 'far from her husband for nearly a week', she gives birth to a son. She has to carry her elderly mother and young child on her shoulders at once, yet she never complains, always tirelessly caring for the family, taking care of her elderly mother who misses her son dearly. Her mother-in-law, 'sick from missing her son', she still cares wholeheartedly, whether it's 'herbal medicine', 'offering prayers to the Buddha', then again 'using sweet words cleverly to advise her mother-in-law'. She is so devoted, taking care of her sickly mother-in-law as if it were her own parents. A filial daughter-in-law like her deserves proper recognition for her gratitude, as her elderly mother-in-law solemnly promised before her death 'the blue sky, the green earth,... shall never forsake you as you have never forsaken me'.

After her mother's death, she lived alone with her young child, longing for her husband and feeling the absence of paternal affection for her child, she began to refer to her own shadow on the wall as her husband - her son's father. The innocent child believed it to be true, unaware that it was just an imaginary manifestation of her longing for her husband and her child's affectionate mother. It couldn't understand that the shadow belonged only to its mother and that it was the root of all her subsequent misfortunes.

After three years of military service, Trương Sinh returned, but before he could enjoy the happiness of reunion, a tragic disaster befell her life, caused by none other than the husband she eagerly awaited day and night. The storm struck unexpectedly, catching her completely unaware. With her mother's death, Trương Sinh was deeply saddened, carrying the young child to the grave to offer incense. The child cried, Trương Sinh comforted: 'Hush now, your father has returned, but grandma has passed away...'. The child was surprised when someone claimed to be its father, saying that it came every night. Just because of that vague statement from the child, Trương Sinh doubted his wife's innocence. Vũ Nương heard, she explained tirelessly, but Sinh didn't allow his wife to explain, just coldly 'dismissed her'. Overwhelmed by the sudden storm that swept away all her happiness, Vũ Nương chose death on the banks of the Hoàng Giang river to cleanse her unjustified grievances. For she could no longer seek anyone's help to resolve her grievances, only death could prove her innocence 'This wretched fate, destined to suffer... and endure the ridicule of all'.

She jumped into the river hoping for divine intervention to testify to her pure heart, luckily rescued by the divine Linh Phi. On the day she was acquitted to return to the mortal world, one might expect her to condemn and punish the one who caused her profound injustice, but no, she remained the same as before, still the gentle, graceful girl. She chose to forgive her husband - the one who caused her extreme pain, not only that, she also thanked Trương Sinh's kindness towards her: 'I'm grateful for your love, I can't return to the mortal world'. She truly is a woman rich in forgiveness.

Vũ Nương - she is the epitome of Vietnamese women in feudal society, a traditional woman with beauty and virtue that endears her to everyone. She is beautiful, gentle, graceful, virtuous, loving towards her husband and children, and rich in forgiveness like millions of Vietnamese women, past and present.

However, despite her beauty and virtues, her life was far from smooth sailing. She had to endure immense unhappiness, the injustice of fate, and could not enjoy the complete happiness of a woman.

Vũ Nương was originally described as 'gentle, graceful, with a good heart', and with her appearance and virtues, she deserved a happy married life with a capable and beloved husband. However, societal norms, with the idea of 'parents deciding the fate of their children', forced her to marry a man who was 'rich but uneducated' - Trương Sinh. Not only was he uneducated, but Trương Sinh was also excessively suspicious, particularly towards his wife, which was the main cause of Vũ Nương's life tragedy, leading her to endure unhappiness and suffering from the unjust fate. Such a virtuous and honorable wife had to endure marrying an uneducated, overly suspicious man, she truly suffered too much. Women in ancient feudal society had to endure so much injustice, love, marriage, the choice of a life partner, and lifelong happiness were not theirs to decide.

Not only did she have to endure the injustice of marrying someone she didn't love, Vũ Nương also had to bear loneliness and solitude because 'soon after the reunion, the court drafted soldiers to fight the Chiem invaders'. Perhaps, that unjust war also robbed Vũ Nương of the happiness she pursued throughout her life. That feudal society not only denied Vũ Nương the opportunity to choose her own happiness but also stole her joys and happiness. It made her wait for her husband for three long years in longing, raising her child alone, which is why she suffered injustice all her life. Like the military wife in the poem 'Chinh phụ ngâm' who waited tirelessly for her husband to return from battle:

'You went to distant lands in rain and storm
I returned to our old room, alone under the blanket'

But perhaps the greatest tragedy of her life stemmed from the smallest of incidents, just because of an inadvertent remark by the child, her husband harbored deep suspicions of her chastity. Remaining faithful to her husband, waiting for him tirelessly for three years, in those lonely moments, she always jokingly pointed to her shadow on the wall to play with her child saying: 'That's your father, Đản.' Little did anyone know that just such a joke would make her suffer the accusation of infidelity with her husband. Because her husband was inherently excessively suspicious, blinded by jealousy, despite her explanations and clarifications, even with the help of neighbors, were all dismissed by her husband. Trương Sinh unreasonably suspected his wife, blindly jealous, he 'reproached her for these idle words, then drove her away'. Perhaps, the greatest unhappiness in Vũ Nương's life was marrying a husband like that. A husband without an ounce of trust in his wife, always suspicious and excessively jealous. That drove Vũ Nương to the end of her life. Such a virtuous woman deserved complete happiness, yet she had to endure excessive unhappiness, the injustice of fate to such an extent!

At this point, Vũ Nương was in too much agony, her life depended on her husband, taking her husband's joy as her own, yet now, the most important person in her life was pushing her to the brink. Vũ Nương explained: 'I am originally from a difficult family, nurtured by wealth. Our reunion didn't fulfill marital affection ... lost decency as you said'. Every word she spoke was truthful, even though being doubted by her husband, she still gently and carefully explained, yet her husband 'stubbornly clung' to his disbelief of her. Truly painful. Therefore, she decided to take her own life to demonstrate her innocence 'This wretched one is fated to suffer ... and bears the scorn of all'.

In conclusion, we can say that Vũ Nương - the traditional Vietnamese woman in feudal society - is a woman who is not only beautiful and virtuous but also extremely honorable and dignified. However, her life had to endure extreme suffering. She did not enjoy a happy life, had no right to choose love, sacrificed for her husband only to receive excessive jealousy and baseless suspicion from him. It can be said that her pain, her injustice, is unparalleled, and that is also the reason why she chose to commit suicide at the Hoàng Giang riverbank.

Vũ Nương represents the Vietnamese women in feudal society. Born into poverty but married into wealth, she remained gentle, graceful, sacrificing herself for her husband, children, and family. Nguyễn Dữ constructed Vũ Nương using both autobiographical and fictional elements to provide readers with the most comprehensive view of the fate of Vietnamese women. At the same time, he wanted to condemn the unjust ancient society, with its outdated customs, and the wealthy but uneducated individuals who contributed to pushing beautiful, virtuous women onto the path of suffering, injustice, and lifelong tragedy.

Firstly, Vu Nuong is a woman of many noble qualities, hailing from a humble background yet possessing both beauty and virtue. She exudes gracefulness and possesses a beautiful mind.

Vu Nuong's beauty resembles that of a woman - akin to a floating rice cake in the poetry of Ho Xuan Huong, 'both white and round'. Thus, Truong Sinh, a wealthy man, sought her hand in marriage despite the inequality in their social status. However, Truong Sinh's possessiveness and jealousy marred their marriage. Nevertheless, in managing their relationship, Vu Nuong showed herself to be intelligent, mature, and understanding. She adeptly handled her husband's suspicions and jealousy, always maintaining decorum and harmony, demonstrating her skill in nurturing family happiness.

Living in turbulent times, their marital bliss was short-lived as Truong Sinh was conscripted to the frontier. As she bid farewell to her husband, Vu Nuong filled his cup with wine, wishing him peace, 'This journey, I ask for nothing... this is enough.' Her wish was simple, valuing family happiness above all worldly pursuits. During the years of separation, Vu Nuong yearned for her husband intensely, expressing, 'Whenever butterflies flutter in the garden, shrouding the mountains, the boundless sorrow returns, impossible to contain.'

Vu Nuong's longing is a sentiment shared by many military wives during those chaotic times of yore.

'Remembering you, the road stretches to the sky,
The vast heavens unfathomably distant,
The ache of missing you knows no end.'

(Lament of a Soldier's Wife - Doan Thi Diem)

The best interpretation of the character Vu Nuong in the work 'The Tale of Nam Xuong's Daughter'

In expressing this sentiment, Nguyen Du both empathizes with Vu Nuong's pain of separation from her husband and praises her unwavering loyalty.

Not only a faithful wife, Vu Nuong was also a kind mother, a dutiful daughter-in-law. Just as her husband left for the battlefield, she gave birth and raised their child alone. To compensate for the absence of the child's father, she pretended his shadow on the wall was her father, and cared for her frail mother-in-law meticulously, treating her with the same respect as her own parents. She chose 'duty' in her husband's household, a remarkable feat considering the strained relationship between mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law in those days.

Her sincerity was acknowledged by her mother-in-law, as evident from her final words before passing away, 'In the future, when heaven judges one's good deeds, it shall bestow blessings and virtues akin to the dark green lineage, ensuring neither child nor mother shall betray.' Vu Nuong epitomized the ideal woman in ancient society: industrious, graceful, eloquent, and virtuous.

As a woman of many noble qualities, Vu Nuong deserved a happy life, ideally filled with familial joy and harmony. However, her life, like that of many women of old, was a sorrowful tale. Her misfortune began when suspicions arose upon Truong Sinh's return, eventually leading to accusations against Vu Nuong. Despite her efforts to defend her innocence and salvage her family's happiness, her husband's inherent jealousy and ignorance prevailed, leading to the tragic demise of their family. Truong Sinh's cruel treatment, disregarding Vu Nuong's explanations and the advice of neighbors, left her utterly despondent. Filled with despair, she sought solace by the river, lamenting her doomed fate before taking her own life. Vu Nuong, betrayed by her closest kin, met a tragic end at the edge of the abyss, resulting in a family tragedy.

Truong Sinh's ruthless behavior, his verbal abuse, and rejection pushed Vu Nuong to her breaking point. Disappointed beyond measure, she sought solace in the waters of the Hoang Giang River, expressing her profound anguish and cursed destiny. She then plunged into the river, ending her life. Vu Nuong, betrayed by her loved ones, met her tragic demise at the hands of her own kin, leading to a family tragedy.

Perceiving Vu Nuong's character (the role of women in feudal society) through 'The Tale of Nam Xuong's Daughter' by Nguyen Du, 'prefer death to living in disgrace' with Nguyen Du's compassionate heart, Vu Nuong's purity and nobility should not be tarnished, hence the story's conclusion brims with fantastical details. After Phan Lang's story, Truong Sinh holds a gathering to clear Vu Nuong's name. She returns briefly in a moment of magnificence before disappearing forever. Vu Nuong loses her right to life, happiness, and her roles as wife and mother. Her tragedy mirrors that of women in ancient society, extending beyond the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries, as illustrated by Nguyen Du in 'The Tale of Kieu':

'The agony of woman's fate
It's said that destiny is a shared word'

With profound sympathy, Nguyen Du condemns the cruel forces trampling upon legitimate human aspirations - those of women. He accuses feudal society of irrational customs, gender discrimination, and unjust triad beliefs, epitomized by Truong Sinh, the blindly jealous husband and adherent to outdated customs, representing the monetary power behind unjust judgments. Additionally, he condemns unjust wars that destroy family happiness.

Thus, through a uniquely crafted narrative, blending elements of personal reflection, sentimentality, and fantasy, 'The Tale of Nam Xuong's Daughter' by Nguyen Du leaves us with many poignant impressions. The story praises Vu Nuong's traditional virtues, yet her life is a tearful tragedy. Her fate reflects the plight of women in feudal society. Today, we live in a world of equality and democracy, where women are equal partners, enjoying rights equal to men. Therefore, let us cherish the traditional virtues of ancient women and empathize with their fate.

3. Reflection on the character Vu Nuong through the work 'The Tale of Nam Xuong's Daughter', model 3:

'Amidst the mist, incense wafts from the shrine,
Whose shrine is it if not Truong's beloved's?'

Through the ages, the smoke from 'Truong's beloved's shrine' still lingers, echoing, as if mourning the tragic fate of Vu Nuong. With a pen filled with reverence in 'The Tale of Nam Xuong's Daughter', Nguyen Du engraved in Vietnamese literary history the image of a feudal woman, a Vu Nuong, representing perfection. Yet, sadly, her life is filled with tearful tragedies.

Her name is 'Vu Thi Thiet, a girl from Nam Xuong', beautiful in both appearance and character. Truong Sinh, her husband, uneducated and suspicious by nature, is called to battle amidst chaos. A week later, she gives birth to their first son and single-handedly cares for her mother-in-law, mourning when she passes away. When the enemy disperses, Truong returns, doubting his wife's loyalty based on a child's words. Unable to prove her innocence, Vu Nuong attempts suicide, but is saved by Linh Phi at Rua Cave. Later, she encounters Phan Lang, a neighbor who helped Linh Phi, asking him to convey a message to Truong. Truong repents, holds a gathering to clear Vu Nuong's name. She briefly appears to meet her husband and son, then returns to Rua Cave as the two are 'yin and yang'. Yet Vu Nuong's image persists in the reader's mind, with her perfect beauty and tragic fate haunting them.

'My dear, your mother is very harsh
Knowing whether we can live together in this life
Or whether one will go before the other
To cause sorrow for me, and pain for you'.

However, she loved her mother-in-law as much as her own parents. She took care of everything in the house diligently. And the final heartfelt words of her mother-in-law, like an acknowledgment, an appraisal, a well-deserved reward for her hard work and noble sacrifices for the family: 'Blue has sworn not to fail you, just as you have not failed me'. The author once again reiterated: 'She spared no effort, regarding funeral rituals, as if with her own biological parents', emphasizing her love for her mother-in-law. Vu Nuong was a brave and virtuous daughter-in-law, gentle and kind in the eyes of everyone. Thus, her 'virtue - appearance - speech - conduct' were all complete. She epitomized the perfection of both physical beauty and inner soul of Vietnamese women in the feudal regime. However, fate did not smile upon her.

Vu Nuong's life exemplifies the unjust fate of Vietnamese women under the feudal regime. She encountered many hardships in her life journey. The cruel war shattered many families. Faced with the chaos of the country, Truong Sinh had to join the military, leaving the entire burden of the in-law's family on the small shoulders of his widow. Everything in the house relied on her. 'When my husband had been away for just a week, I gave birth to a son, and named him Dan'. Despite the absence of her husband's care and attention, she still nurtured and raised her child, from infancy to adulthood. While single-handedly taking care of her mother-in-law, Vu Nuong also gave birth to a son, quietly and meticulously took care of the child, and single-handedly handled the funeral arrangements for her mother-in-law. Day by day, the burdens on her small shoulders grew.

Then the war ended, and Vu Nuong thought she would finally be reunited with her family, living happily with her beloved Truong. She longed for the blissful life as a couple that she always dreamed of. Little did she know that the tragedy of her life was about to begin. During her husband's absence, she silently raised her child, feeling immense sorrow when seeing her son deprived of his father's care and affection. Thus, she only pointed to the wall's shadow and told her child that it was his father Dan. Her actions were not driven by her longing for her husband but by her boundless love for her child. However, she could never have imagined that she would die because of her own shadow. When Truong Sinh returned and heard the naive words of his son accusing his wife: 'There used to be a man who came every night. Mother Dan would leave when he left, sit when he sat, but she never held Dan'. Truong Sinh, already uneducated and overly suspicious of his wife, could not stay calm. He disregarded his wife's explanations, refused to believe any witnesses defending her, and adamantly refused to hear the truth, denying her the opportunity to clear her name. And in an instant, Truong Sinh transformed into a violent, abusive man, 'scolding her and driving her away'.

Despite overcoming all hardships and struggles in the war to fulfill the role of a virtuous daughter-in-law, Vu Nuong couldn't break through the walls of the oppressive, unjust, and brutal patriarchal regime. Her words were filled with sorrow: 'I, a poor girl, sought refuge in a wealthy household'. From the start, the marriage between her and Truong had an element of inequality and resembled a transaction, a purchase: Truong Sinh 'requested his mother for a hundred taels of gold to marry me'. This reminds us of the plight of Thuy Kieu when she had to sell herself to redeem her father:

'The pawnshop deducts one, then adds two more
Now the gold price outside has reached four hundred'.

The societal hierarchy imposed on her created a position for Truong Sinh alongside the inherent authority of the husband, the man in the feudal patriarchal family. This 'husband is the lord, wife is my servant' dynamic led to Vu Nuong being despised and treated poorly. A virtuous wife, obedient and faithful to the 'three obediences and four virtues', was now labeled as 'corrupt and immoral'. Every insult from Truong Sinh trampled upon the high moral standards she upheld throughout her life. When apart from her husband, Vu Nuong remained a loyal wife, deeply in love, with her longing extending through the 'butterflies fluttering in the garden', and the 'clouds covering the mountains'. Yet, just when happiness seemed within reach, she was accused of 'deceiving her husband and misleading her child'. It was truly painful, truly humiliating! Vu Nuong's life tragedy stemmed from unjust religious rites and the patriarchal regime. A man with authority over fate, the life of a woman pushed Vu Nuong to a dead-end.

The unjust and heart-wrenching death of Vu Nuong, who could have imagined that the perpetrators of that tragedy were her own husband and child, the loved ones she cared for immensely. She, a girl who always yearned for even a modest, simple happiness, until she threw herself into the river, her life was truly a series of tragedies. Happiness seemed so distant, a feudal society that denied her the chance to experience 'family joys and sorrows' even once in her life. Her injustice reached the heavens. In the past, Quan Am Thi Kinh killed her husband out of 'immediate love and reasonableness'. But Thi Kinh also understood the source of her injustice. Yet, as she sank deeper into the water, Vu Nuong still had no idea why she had to die. Vu Nuong's tragedy is a condemnation of a feudal society that values the authority of the wealthy and men within the family, while expressing sympathy for the unjust fate of women. A virtuous woman not only received no defense or protection but also faced unfair, irrational treatment; simply because of the naive words of a milk-mouthed child and the jealousy and brutality of her husband that led to her demise. Behind her injustice lies the countless grievances of other women in the feudal regime who suffered silently.

Moved by the agony of women being trampled upon, Nguyen Du seemed to want to vindicate and compensate for her virtues with a different life in the human realm. But in the 'cloudy palace of water', Vu Nuong couldn't shake off the memories of injustices and suffering in the mortal world. Living amidst the enchanting, mystical fairyland, she never seemed to cease her familial affections, forever mourning the pitiful state of her desolate family. She pleaded for justice, longing to regain the honor of a virtuous woman. And finally, her grievance was resolved. From the water palace, Vu Nuong 'sat on a flower sedan in the middle of the stream, followed by fifty flag-bearing carriages, adorned with colorful curtains, sometimes visible, sometimes hidden'. But sadly, she 'could not return to the mortal world'. Her love's grievance was vindicated, relieved, yet the paths of the living and the dead diverged, she would never be a wife, a mother in the mortal realm. Little Dan would forever be a motherless child. If she were to return to the mortal realm, would the unjust feudal society have a place for this beauty, offering her a warm, peaceful life, or once again, would she suffer and be miserable? Though returning to the beautiful fairyland, in the end, her lifelong dream, the happiness of 'family joys and sorrows', would forever remain a distant dream.

The character of Vu Nuong embodies the epitome of compassion and the beauty of a woman. Yet her life encounters great tragedy. It is the profound tragedy of Vietnamese women under the cruel feudal regime, a regime of backwardness and eternal darkness. It makes us deeply sympathetic towards the fate of women.

'Painful is the fate of women
Words of silver, indeed, are words of all'

4.  Reflection on the character of Vu Nuong through the work of The Story of the Woman from Nam Xuong, model number 4:

Nguyen Du is an outstanding writer in the medieval Vietnamese literature. He was highly educated, but only served as an official for a year before retreating into seclusion due to the decline of the feudal era. It can be said that 'Truyen Ky Man Luc' by Nguyen Du is a representative work of the legendary genre in Vietnam, in which 'the girl from Nam Xuong' is based on folk tales but with remarkable creativity and deep love for humanity, Nguyen Du made many readers shed tears of pity for the life and fate of Vu Nuong - a virtuous woman with an unfortunate fate.

At the beginning of the story, the author Nguyen Du introduced Vu Nuong as a girl: 'gentle, graceful, and well-mannered'. Although she came from a poor family and married a wealthy but suspicious and uneducated husband, her kindness, intelligence, and skillful behavior bridged the gap of the heavy view of feudal morality and maintained a warm, happy atmosphere in the family 'never having a discord'. It can be said that although her life was short, she fulfilled the duties of a virtuous wife, a gentle daughter-in-law, and a mother who loved her child endlessly. Firstly, Vu Nuong was a devoted and loyal wife to her husband. Living in chaotic times due to lack of education, the name Truong Sinh had to be listed as a first-class soldier.

During the farewell to her husband before going to the battlefield, she poured a cup of wine and bid farewell to her husband with gentle, earnest words: 'On this journey, I dare not hope for you to return with a noble title, wearing silk robes, just bring back the two words 'peaceful days' and that will be enough'. Reading this, readers are touched by Vu Nuong's simple desires and dreams. Behind that desire and dream is a heart full of sincere love, beyond the temptations of material wealth and glory. Loving her husband, she longed for the day when her husband returned peacefully because above all, her greatest desire was to enjoy the joy of 'family joys and sorrows' together, with children around, she could fully be a mother, a wife. When Truong Sinh was away at the front, her feelings always turned to Truong Sinh. The image of 'butterflies fluttering in the garden, clouds covering the mountains' is a natural image evoking the flow of time that made 'the sadness of the corner of the sky could not be stopped'. The author described Vu Nuong's subtle and genuine longing, silent but poignant, deeply. Every evening, she would stand by the wall pretending to be her father to speak to her child, not just to play with her child but also to comfort herself, imagining in the small house of the two mothers and children, there was always the shadow of Truong Sinh, that thought eased the loneliness in her heart. During the three years Truong Sinh was away, she maintained her chastity. Her makeup and adornments had never faded, her heart remained loyal to her husband Truong Sinh.

The essay Reflecting on the character of Vu Nuong through the work The Story of the Woman from Nam Xuong has a clear structure

Not only that, Vu Nuong was also a dutiful daughter-in-law. While her husband was away, she took on all the chores, endured hardships alone, took care of her elderly mother-in-law, and raised her children without a word of complaint. When her mother-in-law fell ill, she showed great compassion and care, just like her own mother would. Her mother-in-law's words before passing away, 'In the future, heaven will reward those with virtuous hearts with blessings, just as you have never failed me', testified to the sincere love of a filial daughter. She was a mother who loved and cared for her children wholeheartedly, nurturing them. Every evening, she would stand by the wall and pretend to be their father, not only to play with them but also to ensure they remembered their father's presence. She was also a woman of integrity.

When falsely accused, Vu Nuong pleaded earnestly, swore innocence, but to no avail. Her impeccable reputation was gravely tarnished by false accusations, and she chose death to uphold her integrity and loyalty. Despite longing to live and reunite with her family, she sacrificed her life to protect her honor - something she valued above all else, an ideal that transcended the illusion of perfection. This further illustrates her generosity, tolerance, and forgiveness. Even in the underwater palace where she lived a fulfilled life in a world of goodness and harmony among people, she always yearned for her family, husband, and children. Her words to Phan Lang were tear-inducing: '...the horse heads north, the Vietnamese bird perches in the south, I must one day return'. Although she had every right to resent the earthly realm that led her to a wrongful death, her heart bore no grudges; she remained compassionate and forgiving. Through this, readers perceive Vu Nuong as a woman of noble character.

But alas! pity the unjust fate of Vu Nuong, a woman who sacrificed her entire life hoping for happiness yet died unjustly, unable to enjoy what she had sacrificed. She encountered misfortune in her youth. Nguyen Du pitied Vu Nuong, a woman of beauty and virtue who had to marry Truong Sinh - an uneducated, suspicious man. It was even more tragic when her husband doubted her, always being 'excessively cautious', not long after their marriage, she had to bid farewell as her husband went off to fight. Truong Sinh left his young wife to care for his mother and child.

After her mother-in-law's death, only Vu Nuong and her child remained in the empty, lonely house. Reading this, readers cannot help but feel sorrow for the young wife who only knew how to share joys and sorrows with her innocent child. When the war ended, Truong Sinh returned from distant battles, but Vu Nuong did not enjoy the happiness of a reunited family because of a 'shadow' spoken by their young child that Truong Sinh 'was convinced' meant his wife was unfaithful, leading to verbal abuse and expulsion of Vu Nuong. Truong Sinh ignored all pleas and explanations, even the pleas from relatives and neighbors. She was pushed into a tragic situation, accused of infidelity, one of the most despised and cursed offenses for women in the feudal era. Her cherished integrity, the most valuable aspect to her, was gravely violated. The pain she endured was immense, as she was pushed to the brink of life, choosing death while still longing for the happiness of her family.

Why did Vu Nuong have to die unjustly like that? Was it because of the innocent, unintentional words of the child, 'Oh, so you're also my father? You can speak unlike my father, who always remained silent...every night, mother Dan comes and goes, mother Dan sits and stands' that ignited the existing flame in Truong Sinh's heart? It was indeed her husband - Truong Sinh, a petty, jealous, and dictatorial man, who, because of the innocent words of the child, became convinced of his wife's infidelity, disregarding her explanations, the defense of relatives, and the pleas of neighbors, ultimately pushing Vu Nuong to a cruel death. Behind the narrative, the story also reflects the feudal ideology of 'favoring men over women' and the inequality between the rich and the poor. Additionally, it portrays the consequences of the unjust feudal warfare; Truong Sinh had to go to war, Vu Nuong had to endure injustice, leading to Vu Nuong seeking a tragic, unjust death. All these reasons drove Vu Nuong to the brink of choosing death to protect her dignity. Vu Nuong's death is a painful tragedy, a poignant accusation against the unjust, irrational feudal society that deprived her of the right to live and the right to enjoy human happiness.

Thus, 'The Tale of the Nam Xương Maiden' transcends the status of a fairy tale, 'The Trương Couple,' thanks to Nguyen Du's artistic innovation. The author constructed unexpected storylines, adding drama to the narrative with the innocent words of the child leading to Truong Sinh's misunderstanding. The success of the story lies in the author's use of fantastical elements, contributing to the realism and humanistic significance of the work, enhancing the beauty of Vu Nuong - a typical woman in 16th-century Vietnamese literature. She was a perfect woman yet faced a tragic fate. Similar to Vu Nuong in ancient feudal society, there were countless women living such lives, as depicted in the poem 'Floating Rice Cakes' by Ho Xuan Huong.

'My body is both fair and round
Seven float, three sink in the water'
Or in Nguyen Du's 'Tale of Kiều' it is written:
'Painful is the fate of women
The saying that fate is but a common thread'

In summary, Nguyen Du's 'The Tale of the Nam Xương Maiden' is a remarkable literary work - a representative of the legendary genre and is considered a 'miracle of ancient literature.' The story not only portrays the tragic fate of women in feudal society but also emphasizes the beauty of compassion - exemplified by the character of Vu Nuong. Through this story, readers increasingly appreciate the value of life for women in today's society. They are striving to take control of their lives, their destinies, and modern women must live equally, respected by all as men.