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Essay Prompt: Express reflections on Lorca's untimely death in the poem 'Song of our Sorrow' by Lorca.
I. Outline
II. Sample Essay
Outline and Sample Essay: Expressing reflections on the unjust death of Lor-ca in the poem 'Song of our Sorrow' by Lor-ca.
Essay:
Tip: How to appreciate a piece of poetry or prose effectively
In the realm of modern Vietnamese literature, one cannot overlook poet Thanh Thao - one of the prominent young poets who emerged during the resistance war against America. His poetry always reflects various aspects of life and stands out in the surrealistic symbolic poetry. Thanh Thao constantly craves innovation to seek novelty in his own art. The poem 'Song of our Sorrow' by Lor-ca is one of the exemplary and outstanding works showcasing his talent. Especially, the poem has constructed the image of the artist Lor-ca with his unjust death, leaving endless grief for the nation.
Lor-ca's figure permeates throughout the poem, serving as its focal point. Thanh Thảo vividly portrays Lor-ca's sudden and shocking death, which horrifies, saddens, and deeply grieves millions of Spanish hearts. It's a death filled with injustice and profound sorrow, yet also heroic. Wrapped in the cloak of beloved homeland, Lor-ca resembles a warrior on the battlefield fighting against the looming fascist regime, striving for freedom, democracy, and the artistic innovations of the homeland. He courageously marches into battle, upright and solitary:
'the sounds of guitars
Spain draped in bold red
Li-la-li-la-li-la
wandering towards solitude
under the bewildering moon
exhausted horses trudging'
The most barbaric and hateful moment is when the fascist forces cruelly kill Lor-ca and toss his body into a well for disposal. It's a cruel, ruthless, and merciless reality of the enemy:
'Spain
sings mournfully
suddenly horrified
drenched in bloody drapery
Lor-ca carried to the execution ground
he walks like a dreamer'
the brown guitar's sound
the sky that girl
the green leaves' guitar sound who knows how many
the round guitar sound bursts of water breaking apart
the guitar sound continuous
blood flowing'
Lor-ca's death has left boundless grief for the people. That death has killed freedom, love for life, the fighting spirit of the artist. Yet, Lor-ca's image remains immortal with the land, the nation:
'no one buries the guitar sound
the guitar sound like wild grass
teardrops of the moon
sparkle at the bottom of the well
the pointing finger line has been severed
the river vast beyond measure
Lor-ca swims across
on the silver guitar
he tosses the leaves of enchantment to the girl Di-gan
into the swirling water
he throws his heart
into sudden silence
li-la-li-la-li-la...'
The guitar sound symbolizes art, the beauty of the spirit that the enemy can never kill. It becomes eternal life, forever engraved in the heart of the nation like those wild-growing grasses, eternally resilient, still green despite hardships. Lor-ca's death brings tears to many, motivating them to live stronger to continue his desires, to continue the unfinished journey of artistic innovation by the talented Spanish writer. Continuing his passionate, intense love, and thirst for innovation to reach new horizons of creativity. Because art is to 'awaken the unawakened sources and create what has not yet been.'
The guitar sound 'li-la-li-la-li-la...' like a haunting melody sends profound condolences to Lor-ca, sending to the poet of the world sympathy, admiration, and respect for his great talent and character.
