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Crafting Fate
I. Crafting Fate - Preparation:
* Tips for Answering Preparation Questions:
1. Identifying the Similarities and Differences of Nôm Poetry Stories Compared to Folk Poetry Stories.
- Similarities:
+ Both belong to the genre of Vietnamese folk literature.
+ Both incorporate elements of personal narrative and sentimentality.
+ The plot structures are quite similar, typically consisting of three basic parts: Encounter - adversity (crisis) - Reunion.
+ Characters in the stories are often categorized into character lines: good - evil, virtue - vice, and are depicted through appearance, speech, and actions.
- Point of difference:
2. Context of the Excerpt.
- The excerpt depicts the aftermath of the Vuong family's ordeal. Thuy Kieu, out of filial piety, decides to sell herself. She must break her promise to Kim and instead bestows her fate upon her younger sister, Thuy Van.
3. Main Content of the Excerpt (Who is it about? What happened?...).
- The excerpt 'Fate Bestowed' narrates the event of Thuy Kieu bestowing fate upon Thuy Van, asking Thuy Van to take her place in being destined with Kim Trong.
4. Artistic Highlights and Their Effects in the Excerpt.
- The luc bat poetic form is rich in musicality, with flexible and fluid rhythm, vividly depicting the character's emotional fluctuations.
- Skillfully combines various rhetorical devices, allegories, metaphors, along with idioms to successfully construct the conflicted psychological development of Kieu during the fate bestowal.
- Utilizes carefully selected language, both familiar and elegant.
5. What does the excerpt illuminate about 'The Tale of Kieu' and Nguyen Du?
- Portrays the tragic fate of the main character.
- Describes the beauty within the characters' inner world and personalities.
- Demonstrates Nguyen Du's talent in character construction and portrayal.
II. Crafting Fate - Comprehension:
* Tips for Answering Questions While Reading:
1. Pay attention to Thuy Kieu's words, actions, and reasoning when persuading Thuy Van.
- Words: 'Rely on you, will you heed my plea'
- Action: advising Thuy Van to 'Sit up, then I shall plead'.
- Reasoning:
+ Guidance: 'In the midst of love's burdens/ Glue bonds the surplus threads, my dear'.
+ Narrating the situation: 'Since meeting Kim/.../ Duty and love, two sides bound together'.
+ Plea: 'Spring days still lie ahead, my dear/.../ Smiles of nine streams, fragrance yet near'.
2. What mementos of love did Thuy Kieu leave behind?
- Thuy Kieu left behind 'the hoop,' 'the cloud-like note,' 'the piano keys,' and 'the lingering scent.'
3. What did Thuy Kieu contemplate if, by misfortune, she was 'wrongfully accused'?
- Even when contemplating the prospect of being 'broken like a willow,' becoming a 'wronged woman,' Kieu remains steadfastly devoted, loyal to Kim. However, she is keenly aware of her lowly status.
4. Who does Thuy Kieu speak to? About what? What is Kieu's emotional state?
- This verse is Thuy Kieu speaking to Kim Trong about their fleeting fate, about her wretched destiny.
- At this moment, Kieu's emotional pain is extreme. She blames herself for betraying Kim's trust, yet she is also desperate, lamenting her wretched fate.
Crafting Fate - 11th Grade Vietnamese Literature Canh Dieu
* Crafting Fate - Tips for Answering Questions After Reading:
Question 1, Page 47 of Canh Dieu 11th Grade Vietnamese Literature - Volume 1:
The excerpt 'Crafting Fate' can be divided into 3 parts:
- Part 1 (First 12 verses): Thuy Kieu persuades Thuy Van to accept the fate with Kim in her place.
- Part 2 (Next 14 verses): Kieu hands over the love mementos and instructs Van.
- Part 3 (The rest): Kieu suffers in solitude.
Question 2, Page 47 of Canh Dieu 11th Grade Vietnamese Literature - Volume 1:
To persuade Thuy Van to take her place in fulfilling the commitment with Kim Trong, Thuy Kieu employed elements such as:
- Words: 'Rely on you, will you heed my plea':
+ 'Rely': Dependency, hope, earnest entrusting.
+ 'Heed my plea': Pleading, beseeching.
- Action: 'Sit up, then I shall plead':
+ Attitude of humility, respect, and formality towards superiors.
+ Here, Kieu acknowledges Van's favor and wants Van to sit so she can 'plead' and 'submit.'
- Reasoning:
+ Recounting the romantic moments with Kim Trong: 'Since meeting you, Kim/ From the day of promised fan to the night of pledged cup.'
+ Revealing the circumstances leading to the failed fate, the breakup: 'In the turmoil of life's waves/ Duty and love, two sides bound together.'
+ Expressing plea to Van: 'Spring days still lie ahead, my dear/ Blood-soaked pity replaces words of land and water.'
+ Expressing gratitude towards Van: 'Even if flesh decays and bones wither/ Smiles of nine streams, fragrance yet near.'
Question 3, Page 47 of Canh Dieu 11th Grade Vietnamese Literature - Volume 1:
After relying on Thuy Van to fulfill the commitment with Kim Trong on her behalf, Thuy Kieu's tragedy intensifies as she becomes acutely aware of herself. She knows how deep and loyal her feelings for Kim Trong are, how she yearns for him wholeheartedly. However, the harsh reality, the despair, drives her further away, forcing her to entrust the failed fate to her younger sister.
Question 4, Page 47 of Canh Dieu 11th Grade Vietnamese Literature - Volume 1:
The fact that Thuy Kieu leaves behind love tokens indicates:
- Kieu is determined to leave behind, entrust this unfinished fate to Thuy Van to turn over a new leaf in life.
- 'This belongs to us': Kieu still carries regret, unwilling to let go of the intense affection.
Question 5, Page 47 of Canh Dieu 11th Grade Vietnamese Literature - Volume 1:
- The excerpt 'Crafting Fate' is Kieu's words to Thuy Van, to Kim, and to herself.
- In the text, Thuy Kieu's dialogues are remarkably flexible and skillful, reflecting the character's emotions and inner thoughts. After presenting arguments to persuade Van to accept the commitment in her place, Kieu falls into conflict. She must let go of her deep affection and bid farewell to Kim. Yet, she still yearns for her lover. Even while Van is still present, Kieu suffers in solitary agony, losing touch with reality and retreating into her own world. Through this, we clearly see the intense suffering that Kieu endures.
Question 6, Page 47 of Canh Dieu 11th Grade Vietnamese Literature - Volume 1:
The effects of some literary techniques used to describe the character's inner thoughts in the excerpt 'Crafting Fate':
- Literary devices such as implication: 'broken burden of longing', 'excess thread,'... referring to the breakdown of romantic relationships.
- Inner monologue: 'A hundred thousand humbly sent to the love warrior/.../ Enough, enough, I have failed you from now on'. Thuy Kieu's internal struggle and conflict when she must relinquish her affection for her beloved.
- Utilization of idioms: 'fate like lime', 'broken body compensates for bamboo leaves', 'broken bamboo, shattered mirror,' ... Accentuating and delving deeper into the pain, the dire circumstances, and the tragedy that Kieu has endured.
Question 7, Page 47 of Canh Dieu 11th Grade Vietnamese Literature - Volume 1:
Through the excerpt 'Crafting Fate,' I perceive Thuy Kieu as a woman with many noble qualities. Firstly, she demonstrates herself as a person of integrity. Kieu understands that what she asks of Van will make things difficult. Therefore, she utilized extremely solemn words and gestures to express her gratitude to her younger sister. This demonstrates her cleverness, foresight, and understanding. At the same time, I also sense that Thuy Kieu is a loyal person, devoted to her loved one. When exchanging commitments, she harbors many internal conflicts. Her feelings for Kim Trong never wane, making Kieu even more desperate. Through the delicate and skillful depiction of emotional developments, Nguyen Du has portrayed a beautiful, talented Kieu, embodying many outstanding qualities but still subjected to a tragic fate.
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Just by going through the excerpt 'Crafting Fate,' we can clearly see the tragic fate and the immensely valuable qualities of Kieu. Let's explore more essays on Mytour to better understand the masterpiece 'The Tale of Kieu': Exploring Nguyen Du's Life and Career, Grade 11 Vietnamese Literature Canh Dieu; The Call of the Brave, Grade 11 Vietnamese Literature Canh Dieu; The Oath, Grade 11 Vietnamese Literature Canh Dieu
