1. Sample Article #1
2. Sample Article #2
3. Sample Article #3
Prompt: Lecturing on the poem Since then
3 exemplary essays Lecturing on the poem Since then
Sample Essay #1: Lecturing on the poem Since then
Tố Hữu is a great poet, closely connected with generations of Vietnamese people. Tố Hữu's poetry possesses enduring vitality due to the intoxicating essence of lofty ideals, sincere love for humanity, and unwavering faith in the future. The poem Since then captures the moment of the poet's enchantment upon encountering the illuminating light of the Party. It embodies not only the emotions of joy and excitement but also the noble qualities of a communist eager to integrate and dedicate their entire life to the cause.
Everyone has significant, sacred moments in life. For a mother, it's when her beloved child is born and starts to speak and walk. For lovers, it's when they first meet, feeling like they've known each other forever. The poet Xuân Diệu once experienced such a moment:
Since the time we loved, flowers have bloomed endlessly
In the fragrant garden of my soul
For Tố Hữu, the ultimate happiness lies in recognizing the right path, encountering the ideal light of the Party. It marks a significant turning point in the life of a passionate and eager young patriot. Joining the Party at a very young age, seventeen, Tố Hữu's revolutionary fate brought miraculous changes to his emotions, soul, and awareness:
Since then in me, the summer sun shines brightly
The sun of truth dazzles through the heart
My soul is a garden of leaves and flowers
Deeply scented and filled with the sounds of birds.
Since then, at the beginning of the poem, acts as a clear boundary wall between two periods of time. The poet's life divided into halves before and after Since then shows us the difference in one person. Before Since then, life was stagnant, without escape, lonely, desperate, and tedious:
In the days of old, I remember myself
Lost in search of the meaning of life
Wandering endlessly in circles
Wanting to break free, yet steps don't depart.
(Reminiscence)
That wasn't just the poet's mood but represented an entire young generation at that time, leaving school desks and colliding immediately with ironic scenes. They were pessimistic, indecisive, not defining a direction or a decisive ideal. Lost amidst two streams, Choosing one to let the water flow. Since then, closing the days of torment, pain, darkness, it opens up a promising life. It emanates from the strong vitality within, from the miraculous awakening. Tố Hữu captures that transformative moment with rich and vivid imagery of the summer sun, the kind of bright, vibrant light that illuminates everywhere, especially shining into the deepest corners of the soul, intellect, and perception. The sun of truth is a metaphor for the Party's ideals, possessing the power to both enlighten and stir not only cognition, intellect, but also emotions, the human side of the poet. It's as if there is a rapid transformation, akin to someone living in the dark suddenly turning on a spotlight, everything becomes clear, detailed, and emotions come alive. True joy is surging when the poet's soul has a new, joyful, and vibrant life:
My soul is a garden of leaves and flowers
Deeply scented and filled with the sounds of birds.
The comparison of my soul to a garden of leaves and flowers fully expresses life, abundant vitality, and flourishing. The poet's deep emotions and excitement are spread out so vividly. It is a life full of colors, sounds, and flavors, with the peaceful green of leaves, of flowers, the fragrance of flowers, and the lively sounds of birds. All the echoes of life are filtered by the poet to nurture the life of the human soul. It is pushed to the highest threshold. By using adjectives indicating intensity like vibrant, dazzling, very, deep, lively, Tố Hữu shows the enthusiasm, enchantment of the communist soldier when following the ideal light of their life. Recording a significant step in life, but the poet doesn't escalate, still maintaining a light, decisive poetic tone that is soaked with joyful, sincere emotions, like a lifeblood spreading everywhere, even in the deepest places.
The finest interpretations of Bình giảng bài thơ Từ ấy
Từ ấy marks a life-changing event, transcending into the rejuvenation of an individual. From this point, that vitality will be multiplied, the soul will be like a garden of leaves: pure, innocent:
Then one day I felt myself
Gentle as a lark
Intoxicated by the joyful sun of fellow countrymen
Singing on the ninth floor, the sky vast and bright.
After moments of bliss realizing the lofty ideals to pursue, the communist soldier must adopt an attitude, an action worthy of it. Primarily, it is a sense of responsibility towards life. The poet, in the voice of the soldier's self, expresses the aspirations, the vision:
I bind my heart to everyone
To experience situations in countless places
For my soul to embrace various sufferings
Being closer and stronger in the flow of life
Individuals are gradually fading away, making room for the vast self - the self aimed at life and everyone. The narrow, selfish barriers preventing the self from connecting with others no longer exist; the path of integration is wide open. Achieving this is not easy; it requires struggle, consideration, choices based on a sense of responsibility stemming from sincerity and voluntary commitment. I - the poet willingly bind myself with everyone. It is a decisive, strong attitude determined by enlightened reason. The binding thread with everyone has eliminated the inherent opposition, the resentment that used to dominate my soul, while establishing love and connection between people. It is empathy, sharing the pain and joy of countless human lifetimes. The voluntary spirit of binding to create a closely-knit, strong life is the ultimate goal to enhance the revolutionary's qualities. Love makes each person harmonize into the shared life, becoming a true human in its essence.
The concluding verses emphasize the specific responsibility of individuals before the vastness of life:
I am a child of a thousand families
A sibling of countless generations
A brother of a myriad of small heads
Without hesitation for food and clothing.
Model 2: Commentary on the poem 'From that time'
Tố Hữu, born Nguyễn Kim Thành in 1920 in Thừa Thiên - Huế, is a prominent poet in the revolutionary poetry of Vietnam. His poetic journey is inseparable from the revolution. Each of his works is a historical milestone, a triumph of our people under the leadership of the Party and President Hồ: 'From that time' (1937 - 1946), 'Viet Bac' (1954), 'Stormy Wind' (1961), 'Heading to the Battlefield' (1972), 'Blood and Flowers' (1977)... The poem expresses the joy and happiness of a patriotic youth encountering the revolutionary ideals of the Party, feeling connected to the people's cause.
'From that time' is the moment when the poet awakens to Marxist-Leninist ideology, a profound memory for a patriotic youth encountering the revolutionary ideals that he later articulates in a poem: 'As I grow up, I seek Revolution - Brother Lưu, Brother Diểu teaches me to go - Mother is no more, but the Party remains - Guiding me when I knew nothing (Homeland).
The tired sun is a metaphor praising revolutionary ideals, extolling communism that has illuminated the soul, shining through the heart, bringing the light of life like a sunrise in the summer - A very fresh and poetic expression of ideals.
From that time, within me, the summer sun blooms
The weary sun shines through my heart with profound light
Revolutionary ideals have completely transformed an individual, a life. A comparison to assert a miraculous transformation brought about by revolutionary ideals:
My soul is a garden of leafy flowers
Intensely fragrant and filled with the sound of birds
The soul has become a garden of flowers, a beautiful, intoxicating spring garden, rich in fragrance, resounding with the song of birds. This is the most eloquent and romantically colored stanza in Tố Hữu's poetry. In addition to creating metaphorical images (the sun of truth), simile images (a garden of leafy flowers), the author selects and employs precise language, vivid imagery, and sensuality: blooms, shines, intense, resounding - to express the profound enthusiasm for the ideals that the Party has bestowed upon me, enlightening my eyes and heart (Agagông - French)
Guidance for analyzing the poem 'From that time'
Verses 2 and 3 express the revolutionary soldier's class love. In the light of Communist ideals, the poet feels his soul connected with the people's shared struggles:
I bind my heart with everyone
To experience conditions in countless places
For the soul to blend with numerous suffering souls
We draw closer, strengthening the life block.
Verbs and predicates like bind, experience, draw closer convey the deep connection of the revolutionary soldier with the suffering masses. Terms like everyone - countless places, numerous suffering souls signify the vast population that the poet aims to unite for building a stronger, more closely knit life block in the worker-peasant alliance. The repeated use of 'I' in the stanza reflects a sincere emotion, the heartfelt voice of the revolutionary.
The final stanza employs repetition with words like child, younger sibling, brother appearing consecutively, intensifying the poetic tone: is a child...is a sibling...is a brother. The use of numbers like 'ten thousand' (ten thousand homes), 'ten thousand' (ten thousand mixed life experiences), 'ten thousand' (ten thousand small heads) reflects the revolutionary soldier living within the hearts of the people, loved and nurtured by them. Tố Hữu expresses a vibrant, revolutionary sentiment, and class love in a lively way.
I am a child of ten thousand homes
A sibling of ten thousand mixed life experiences
A brother of ten thousand small heads
No clothes or rice, regardless...
'From that time' carries a youthful, vibrant, intense, and passionately overflowing poetic spirit, filled with love. Intoxicated with ideals and class affection, it creates profound emotions in the poem.
The poem 'From that time' embodies a youthful, lively, and intense poetic spirit, infused with love. Passionate about revolutionary ideals and class affection, it evokes deep emotions in the poem.
Model 3: Commentary on the poem 'From that time'
Tố Hữu, born Nguyễn Kim Thành in 1920 in Phù Lai village, Quảng Thọ commune, Quảng Điền district, Thừa Thiên - Huế province. He actively participated in the revolution, joining the Communist Youth Union at 16 and becoming a Communist Party member at 18. This period marked a decisive moment in Tố Hữu's revolutionary life and poetic career. 'From that time' is one of the best poems composed during the author's early involvement in the revolution. The poem is a joyful shout of a dedicated soldier passionate about ideals, love for the country, and life, willing to dedicate his youth to the homeland and the people. It can be considered a declaration for the collection 'From that time' and for Tố Hữu's entire poetic career in general. This is the poet's profound perspective on the intimate relationship between the individual and the suffering masses, with humanity toiling under the brilliant light of the Communist Party.
The first stanza expresses the immense joy and sacred emotion of the patriotic youth upon grasping the revolutionary ideals:
From that time, within me, the summer sun blooms
The weary sun shines through my heart with profound light
The aim of that ideal was to expel French colonialists, eradicate traitorous feudal lords, and achieve independence for the nation. 'From that time,' the summer sun blooms within me, perhaps the moment the poet gained revolutionary insights and willingly stood among the working class to struggle for liberation. It marks the beginning of the poet's revolutionary life and a radiant moment in the heart of the young man before the threshold of life.
That ideal, like the true sun, dispelled all darkness, coldness, and sorrow in the minds of the people who had lost their country. Like many Vietnamese at that time, Tố Hữu deeply felt the shame of national slavery. Therefore, the poet's emotions upon encountering revolutionary ideals mirror the shared sentiments of most youth at that time.
The commentary on the poem 'From that time' is outstanding, carefully selected.
Tố Hữu metaphorically compares communist ideals to the true sun, signifying it as a brilliant source awakening both intellect and heart. This ideal not only influences the intellect but also the emotions of the poet (shining through the heart). It demonstrates that the content of revolutionary ideals encompasses profound humanitarianism.
The poet embraces ideals not only through mature thoughts and accurate perceptions but also with youthful, vibrant enthusiasm. The light of ideals brings joy to the poet and evokes many beautiful dreams of a world full of colors and sounds.
My soul is like a garden of leaves, rich in fragrance and resounding with bird songs...
Elevated and romantic, the verse expresses the utmost joy of a patriotic youth upon encountering ideals, discovering the true essence of life through artful comparisons. It is the dazzling light of summer, the vibrant green of a lush garden emitting a fragrant aroma, and the lively melodies of singing birds. Communist ideals—the true sun—not only warm and illuminate the soul but also infuse life into the young man's heart.
Tố Hữu joyfully welcomes thoughts like plants and leaves welcome the sunlight. Communist ideals have filled the soul of that young man with vitality and love for life, giving meaning to existence. Tố Hữu, as a poet, finds the beauty and freshness of the soul to be synonymous with the beauty and vitality of poetry. The revolution does not oppose art; on the contrary, it has sparked new life and brought fresh creative inspiration to Tố Hữu's poetic soul.
The author's choice of words in the poetic passage has the potential to express intense emotions: blooming (summer sun), dazzling (through the heart), rich (fragrance), lively (birdsong). The images: summer sun, the true sun dazzling through the heart, a garden of leaves, rich fragrance, lively birdsong... not only present a radiant beauty but also encompass profound existential meanings.
The third stanza is the consequence of realizing the true essence, a spoken reflection akin to a way of life, a determination, a sacred pledge. It is a voluntary commitment to the revolution, willingly connecting with the suffering masses:
I bind my heart with everyone
To traverse conditions everywhere
So my soul interweaves with various sorrows
Closely united, we strengthen the block of life.
If in the previous stanza, the author employed metaphorical devices (summer sun, the true sun, a garden of leaves) with lofty and romantic verses, in this stanza, the author utilizes simple, rustic language, with a gentle and profound melody. It is a candid expression of the poet's sincere aspirations; the reflections of a 'revolutionary self.' Binding my heart with everyone is entirely the voluntary act of the poet towards the working class. The poet wishes for his emotions to be spread everywhere, becoming a tightly knit thread connecting with the hearts of the suffering class to form a solid block of life, a colossal force to break the feudal regime, constructing a new and better system.
In the conception of life for the bourgeoisie and petite bourgeoisie, there is a tendency to exalt the 'individual self.' Upon attaining the ideal, Tố Hữu affirms a new perspective on life, emphasizing the harmonious bond between the 'individual self' and the 'collective us.' The verb 'bind' signifies Tố Hữu's profound voluntary consciousness and elevated determination to transcend the limitations of the 'individual self' to live in harmony with everyone. The term 'experience' portrays the poet's soul extending itself to life, deeply empathizing with the circumstances of each individual.
The next two lines reveal Tố Hữu's affection for humanity, not as a generic compassion, but as a deep-seated camaraderie within the class. In his connection with people, the poet especially cares for the suffering masses. 'Block of life' is a metaphor for a mass of people sharing the same fate in life, tightly united, striving together towards a common goal. It can be understood that when the 'individual self' harmonizes within the 'collective us,' when an individual integrates into a collective with the same ideals, the strength multiplies manifold. Placing himself in the midst of life, within the vast environment of the suffering masses, the poet finds new joy and strength not only through awareness but also through the affection and resonance of hearts. Through these verses, Tố Hữu also affirms the profound connection between literature and life, mainly the life of the common people.
The third stanza indicates a profound transformation in Tố Hữu's emotions. The poet desires that his warm affection becomes a tightly woven thread binding the hearts of those who share similar hardships, creating a colossal force to shatter the oppressive and unjust regime:
I am the child of countless homes
The sibling of myriad embryonic lifetimes
The brother of innumerable small heads
No clothes, wandering aimlessly...
Explore the intricate details of the section Street painting in the district and the emotional state of the character Related to Thach Lam's pen in the short story Two Children to excel in the subject of Grade 11 Literature.
