Exposition on Lục Bát Poetry

2 Exemplary Essays Describing Lục Bát Poetry

I. Outline of Exposition on Lục Bát Poetry (Standard)

1. Introduction

Introduce the Lục Bát poetic form

2. Body

- What is Lục Bát Poetry? + It is the traditional poetry of Vietnam + A Lục Bát poem typically consists of two or more lines, alternating between six and eight syllables, forming a couplet.

- Origin: + The exact emergence time of Lục Bát poetry is still undetermined. + Many opinions suggest that Lục Bát poetry was used in the 16th century.

- Characteristics of Lục Bát Poetry: + Number of lines: Unlimited, a poem can have one or many Lục Bát couplets

+ Flexible poetic rhythm:

• Lục Bát Line: 2/2/2; 2/4; 3/3
• Bát Line: 2/2/2/2; 4/4;3/5;2/6

+ Rhyming Technique:

• The 6th syllable in Lục Bát and Bát must rhyme with each other
• The 8th syllable in Bát introduces a new rhyme, connecting with the 6th syllable of the next Lục Bát and Bát couplet.

3. Concluding

Asserting the position and significance of the lục bát poetry:

II. Exemplary Essay Elaboration on the lục bát poetry

1. Exposition on the lục bát poetry, sample 1:

Lục bát poetry is a traditional form of Vietnamese poetry, often referred to as 'six, eight' poetry. The majority of folk poems are written in lục bát:

Bobby's fan spins with delight
Mr. Phu proposes swapping three ripe buffaloes
I'm a maiden, untouched and fair
Selling liquor, I reach Mr. Nghè's mansion with flair

'The Tale of Kieu' by Nguyễn Du, consisting of 3254 verses in the luc bat form, stands as the masterpiece of classical Vietnamese poetry. Almost every poet has a few verses in this classic form, be it just a couplet or a triplet.

Each luc bat poem varies in length, ranging from 2 to 4 verses for short ones to hundreds or even thousands for the epic ones.

a. The rule of equivalence.

In luc bat poetry, the rules of rhyme and rhythm are easily distinguishable. The even lines 2, 4, 6, 8 are structured as follows:

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Hexameter: B T B
Octameter: B T B B

- Odd numerals (1, 3, 5): can alternate between rhyme and blank verse.
- The seventh position in the octameter: predominantly falls into blank verse.
- The sixth and eighth positions in the octameter are both rhymed, but with a distinction as follows:
+ If the sixth is rhymed (unaccented), then the eighth must be rhymed (accented).
+ If the sixth is rhymed (accented), then the eighth must be rhymed (unaccented).

For example:

Sparkling waters mirror the sky's hue,
A city rises, veiled in azure smoke, mountains bathed in golden glow.

(The Tale of Kieu)

In the heart, two maidens of noble grace,
Thuy Kieu, the elder sister, and Thuy Van, her youthful embrace.

(The Tale of Kieu)

Exceptional case: When the hexameter forms a small couplet (3/3), the second word shifts to the offbeat:

Mai's core distant, snow's spirit near,
Each one, a distinct look, ten perfect tens appear.

or:

Dote on tea smooth, a Western affair,
Clean and sleek, scoop wealth for the greedy's share.

(The Tale of Kieu)

b. Rhyme in Poetry

Luc bat poetry boasts both foot rhyme and tail rhyme, all in perfect accord. The rhyme scheme is woven as follows:

- The sixth position in hexameter rhymes with the sixth in octameter;
- The eighth in octameter rhymes with the sixth in hexameter;
- Continue this rhythmic dance until the poem concludes.

For example:

In the distance, a scholar's form,
Loosely holding a scroll, steps on the frosty path.
Bent back, the wind-filled bag slung on the shoulder,
A few playful kids trailing behind, a lively aftermath.

(The Tale of Kieu)

- Exceptional case: The sixth word in hexameter starts rhyming with the fourth in octameter.
- Example:

Dear sir, extend your helping hand,
Do I have a heart? Play your bamboo flute and understand.

(Vietnamese Folk Song)

Climbing the pomelo tree, plucking flowers with glee,
Stepping into the tomato garden, gathering blossoms of spring so free.

(Vietnamese Folk Song)

c. Rhyme Scheme

The rhyme scheme of luc bat primarily follows an even rhythm: 2/2/2; 2/2/2/2; or 4/4. Only in unique cases does an odd rhythm emerge. When reading luc bat poetry, it's crucial to convey the nuances accurately for proper expression.

In summary, the above encompasses some fundamental aspects of the poetic form of luc bat, essential for learning and composing this intricate style.

Explore further insights into the art of luc bat poetry.

- Composing Luc Bat Poetry
- Finest Luc Bat Poems
- Luc Bat Poems About Teachers

2. Explanatory Essay on Luc Bat Poetry, Sample 2:

Luc Bat is one of the two major poetic forms in Vietnam (Luc Bat and Song Thất Lục Bát). Luc Bat poetry has been transmitted and developed for centuries in Vietnam. It permeates the soul of the Vietnamese people, existing in folk songs, communal chants, and lullabies. Today, modern poets continue to embrace, refine, and maintain the significance of Luc Bat poetry in contemporary Vietnamese literature. Luc Bat poetry is simple in its rules, often employed to express various emotions within the human psyche.

Rooted in our ancient traditions, Luc Bat is a national poetic form, consisting of stanzas with at least two lines. Each pair of lines combines a hexameter (six syllables) and an octameter (eight syllables), alternating between hexameter and octameter throughout the poem. The number of lines in a poem is limitless. Typically, a stanza begins with a hexameter and concludes with an octameter. However, it may end with a hexameter for a whimsical, melodious effect. Therefore, delving into Luc Bat poetry means exploring its rules and rhyme schemes. The tonal rules enhance the harmony of the verses, while the primary rhymes serve as the adhesive linking the lines together.

Tonal Rules in Luc Bat Poetry: Luc Bat, with its standard two lines - Hexameter and Octameter, adheres to the strict rules, similar to the Tang Dynasty poetic form. It follows a rule of one, three, five with flexibility and two, four, six with precision. Meaning, the first, third, and fifth syllables in a line can be tonally free, while the second, fourth, and sixth syllables must strictly adhere to the tonal rule. The rules are as follows:

Hexameter: Sequencing of the second, fourth, and sixth syllables as Rhyme (R) - Offbeat (O) - Rhyme

Octameter: Sequencing of the second, fourth, sixth, and eighth syllables as R-O-R-R

For example:

Midnight in Nghi Xuan district (R-O-R)
Aching, recalling Grandfather, mourning for Miss Kieu (R-O-R-R)

(Tố Hữu)

Regarding tonal pairing, only the fourth syllable is obligated to be offbeat, the second, sixth, and eighth syllables must be onbeat. However, in the eighth line, the sixth and eighth syllables must have different tones. If the sixth has a grave tone, the eighth must be unmarked, or vice versa:

A single bamboo doesn't make a hill
Three bamboos clustered, a towering mountain they fulfill

However, at times, there's freedom in the second syllable of the hexameter or octameter, perhaps converted to an offbeat tone. It's also possible to maintain the hexameter while altering the octameter to follow the pattern O-R-O-R. Verses crafted in this manner are known as variant luc bat.

For example:

If stirring, disturb only the water (O-R-O)
Don't muddy the water, little egret, it hurts (O-R-O-R)

Or:

The stork navigates along the riverbank (O-R-O-R)
Bearing rice to sustain, cries echo in the distant hills

Rhyming in Luc Bat Poetry: Luc Bat employs a distinctive rhyming technique, different from other poetic forms. Multiple rhymes are woven into verses, creating flexibility. Typically, the last syllable of the hexameter rhymes with the sixth syllable of the octameter, and the sixth syllable of the octameter rhymes with the final syllable of the hexameter in the following pair. This pattern continues until the end of the Luc Bat:

A hundred years in the realm of humankind (R-O-R-O)
Talent and fate despise each other with a cunning mind (R-O-R-O-R)

In addition to foot rhyme occurring in the sixth and eighth lines, there's also tail rhyme within the eighth line. Rhyming couplet in Luc Bat: This involves the offbeat in the second (or fourth) syllable of the octameter rhyming with the eighth syllable of that line. If the latter has a grave tone, the former must be acute, and vice versa.

For example:

Agony replaces a woman's fate (R-O-R-O)
Words say silver destiny is a shared dictate (R-O-R-O-R)

(Enchanting Parallel Verses)

Breaking the rhythm in Luc Bat: Typically, Luc Bat employs an even rhythm, either 2/2/2 or 4/4, capturing emotions of love, sorrow, and more.

Beloved, oh dear, my beloved (O-R-O-R)
Where to go, leaving the fragrance, so indifferent

Sometimes, for emphasis, one may switch to an odd rhythm, such as 3/3: Why the husband, and why the wife? (O-R-O-R-O)
It's just a debt, why make such a fuss. When expressing obstacles, confusion, strength, sudden emotions, or uncertainties, one can shift to odd rhythms like 3/3, 1/5, 3/5, etc. Luc Bat poetry, with its simple rhyme scheme, tonal pairing, and rhythm, is incredibly versatile, rich, and diverse, making it highly expressive. Over 90% of folk verses, according to researchers, are composed in this poetic form.

From these structural and semantic characteristics, it's evident that Luc Bat remains a fundamental and meticulously regulated poetic form, with clear rules regarding rhyme, rhythm, and the role of each line in the form. However, there are times when hexameter spills into octameter, lines become excessively long, tonal pairing shifts, and rhyming patterns are disrupted—this is the variant Luc Bat. This transformation stems from the evolving need to express a wider range of emotions, breaking free from the conventional 6/8 structure. Despite these variations, the basic sound laws, rhyme schemes, and rhythm of Luc Bat persist. These distinctive features allow us to recognize it as Luc Bat even when it takes on different forms.

In addition to traditional Luc Bat, there are variant forms where the lines maintain the Luc Bat structure but deviate from the conventional six to eight syllables. There's a certain flexibility in syllabic count and rhyme scheme. The phenomenon of variant Luc Bat is a noteworthy aspect of folk verses, where we observe cases of increasing or decreasing syllables in variant Luc Bat lines.