My Reflections on the Character Tu Hai in 'The Tale of Kieu'

1. Sample Essay 1: My Reflections on the Character Tu Hai in 'The Tale of Kieu'

Kim Trong, Thuc Sinh, and Tu Hai are three characters intertwined with the fate and emotional life of Thuy Kieu. The love between Kim and Kieu is a beautiful first love between 'The national beauty and the talented,' pledged with the oath 'A hundred years with one coin, engraved to the bone.' The relationship between Thuc Sinh and Thuy Kieu is 'Before the wind and moon, afterward becomes a golden stone.' Tu Hai and Thuy Kieu are bound by a bond of 'heroic boy, boat girl' friendship. These characters are beautifully portrayed by the poet Nguyen Du, inspiring humanitarian ideals to shine brightly on the pages of 'The Tale of Kieu.'

Reading the poem 'Kieu meets Tu Hai' through the art of describing people by a talented pen, we can sense the dream of freedom and justice in feudal society through the character Tu Hai.

At that time, Kieu was living in Chau Thai under the control of Bac Ba, Bac Hanh:

'Selling and buying in a flash,
What's missing in a place where clouds drift and leaves float!'

In that situation, the 'guest from the border checkpoint,' from the distant borderlands, arrived at Kieu's place. It was a cool autumn night with a 'gentle breeze, clear moonlight.' The phrase 'suddenly' expresses the surprise, the abruptness:

'In the cool breeze of the tower, under the clear moonlight,
Suddenly, a guest from the border checkpoint comes to visit.'

Not a literary figure with 'golden music,' with 'flags dyed in the colors of the sky.' Nor is he someone who 'makes a hundred thousand laugh with his humor.' Instead, he is 'a heroic figure' with extraordinary stature:

'With a beard like a tiger's, jaw like an eagle's,
Shoulders five spans wide, stature ten spans tall.'

Those metaphors, those measurements, though carrying the symbolic aspirations of ancient poetry, with the rhythmical structure of 2/2/2 in the hexameter and 4/4 in the octameter, the poetic tone becomes powerful and impressive about an extraordinary, majestic appearance. The 'border checkpoint guest' possesses unparalleled martial arts prowess, with strategic brilliance 'combining skills.' He is an outstanding hero:

'Dignified, a true hero's stature,
Martial prowess beyond measure, strategic brilliance combined.'

The mysterious background of the 'guest' gradually unfolds about their origins, name, hometown, about the gallantry 'of a sword-wielding guest, living a life of freedom':

'Born to tread the heavens, walk the earth in this life,
The Từ family, the name Hải, originally from the Vietnamese East,
Familiar with the ways of the martial world, wielding a sword half-burdened, crossing mountains and rivers with a single paddle.'

Nguyễn Du utilized certain Sino-Vietnamese terms such as 'đấng anh hào', 'Côn quyển', 'thao', 'giang vẫy vùng' to depict the heroic character and the longing for freedom of the character Từ Hải. The consonants 'đ' in phrases like 'đường đường', 'đội trời, đạp đất', 'ở đời', 'Việt Đông', resonate with majestic and powerful poetic tones. Later, after Từ Công's demise, Thúc Sinh reminisced with great admiration:

'The grand name Hải, the Từ family,
Battles a hundred, strength surpasses thousands.
Waving through the years,
Making earth shake, heaven tremble,
The great army pressing into the eastern lands...'

It can be said that Nguyễn Du employed the most grandiose language and imagery, the most heroic poetic tone, to extol the extraordinary character, the free-spirited nature, and the heroic spirit of Từ Hải.

Từ Hải is also a very romantic hero. At their first encounter, there was a ceremonious exchange, filled with mutual admiration: 'gaze together... favor together.' The beauty stirred the heart of the heroic figure. It was also a moment of 'initial lingering affection' for the couple:

'Escorting her title to the crimson chamber,
Both sides glance, both hearts favor.'

The dialogue at the 'crimson chamber' between the hero and the beauty further highlights the beauty in Từ Hải's soul. When meeting Kiều at the 'crimson chamber,' Từ Hải's intention is not for the sake of romantic whims, but for 'mutual destiny' in search of 'soulmates.' Therefore, upon hearing the beautiful lady express hope 'Tấn Dương glimpses the dragon clouds occasionally,' and hearing Kiều entrust reliance: 'Wide compassion for the humble grass - A little affectionate concern dares not disturb the future,' Từ Hải nods in delight:

'A word known to us,
A thousand in agreement, is also to be together.'

It is a promise as firm as a hero's oath. Without resorting to schemes like Thúc Sinh's 'bring her home and temporarily hide her away,' Từ Hải redeemed Kiều from the green chamber, handling the situation with utmost integrity: 'The original hundred coins remain intact.' The person 'accustomed to the ways of the world,' who has 'fought a hundred battles,' possesses a very romantic love. Từ Hải, as Kiều's benefactor, changed the fate of a maiden in the tower:

'Heroic lad, boat maiden fair,
Mocking phoenix, beauty rare.'

Through the verse 'Kiều meets Từ Hải,' one can vividly see Nguyễn Du's unique and remarkable art of character portrayal. The poet has employed the finest and most solemn words to depict the extraordinary heroism, longing for freedom, and romantic fervor of the character Từ Hải. From tone to language, everything is solemn and venerable: a legendary figure shimmering with the colors of epic poetry.

The character Từ Hải is like a beacon shining through a short span of Thúy Kiều's life, yet leaving a lasting impression in the hearts of many. The portrait of the hero Từ Hải is a beautiful aspect of the humanitarian inspiration of 'The Tale of Kiều.'

My impression of the character Từ Hải in 'The Tale of Kiều' is a topic, a valuable lesson that students need to grasp firmly. After this lesson, we will continue preparing to answer questions, Compose the poem 'Ecstatic Song' along with the section Compose the battle of Mtao Mxây to better study Vietnamese literature.

2. Sample 2: My Thoughts on the Character Từ Hải in 'The Tale of Kiều'

Từ Hải appears in the work primarily as a worldly hero, with his head held high and his feet firmly planted. When rescuing Kiều from the Green Pavilion, it was for the sake of righteousness, for cherishing Kiều as a confidante. However, when destined with Kiều, Từ truly becomes a passionate individual. Yet, despite his passions, Từ never forgets his identity as a valiant gentleman. In feudal society, a true man had to have the courage to brave the vast world between heaven and earth. Từ Hải is a heroic figure with grand aspirations and the determination to achieve his noble goals. Therefore, even while living with Kiều in days of true tranquility and happiness, Từ never forgets his personal aspirations. Amidst intense happiness, suddenly 'his heart stirred in all directions,' and thus his entire being turned towards the 'vast sky and sea,' with 'a clear sword and a calm horse' embarking on a straight path.

The space within the third and fourth lines (the vast sky and sea, the straight path) vividly portrays the heroic spirit of Từ Hải.

The author constructs the image of 'A clear sword and a calm horse set off on a straight path' before allowing Từ Hải and Thuý Kiều to bid farewell. Is there any illogicality? No, because the phrase 'straight path' can be interpreted as 'hurried words,' rather than departing on a literal straight path before speaking, which would be absurd. Thus, one can imagine that Từ Hải mounts his horse before bidding farewell to Thuý Kiều. And, it can be affirmed that this farewell is quite different from the two previous farewells, with Kim Trọng and Thúc Sinh. Kiều's farewell to Kim Trọng is a farewell to a lover returning to his homeland to mourn his uncle, with the nostalgic sentiment of someone deeply in love bidding farewell to their first love from afar. When parting with Thúc Sinh to allow him to return to the village to seek permission from Hoạn Thư for Kiều to become a legitimate wife, the hope of meeting again is very fragile because both know the character of Hoạn Thư, making it difficult to meet again. Parting with Từ Hải is bidding farewell to a hero to allow him to roam the four seas. Therefore, the nature of the three farewells is vastly different.

Từ Hải's words to Kiều upon parting clearly demonstrate the character's traits. Firstly, Từ Hải is a person of extraordinary determination. When parting, seeing Kiều saying:

She said: 'A girl's fate is obedience,
You go, your concubine wholeheartedly begs to leave.'
Từ Hải replied:
Từ said: 'Mutual happiness and understanding,
Why not break free from ordinary feelings?'

In this response, Từ Hải encapsulates both advice and trust that he imparts to Thuý Kiều. He hopes Kiều understands him; if she is truly a confidante, she will share everything in life. He also encourages and trusts Kiều to overcome the constraints of ordinary affection to become the wife of a hero. He desires to achieve glory, establish his career, and then welcome Kiều into his home with honor:

When ten thousand soldiers march,
The sound of the bell resonates through the land, shadows covering the streets.
Revealing an extraordinary appearance,
At that time, I will escort you as a nobleman'.

Indeed, the farewell words of a great hero, unburdened by weakness as Thúc Sinh was when parting from Kiều. The heroic career is the essence of life for Từ Hải. Moreover, he believes that only by achieving such feats can he be worthy of the trust and reliance of the beauty.

Secondly, Từ Hải is a very confident individual in life:

Resignedly waiting for that is not long,
Is it perhaps, after all, too hasty to wait just a year!

From mindset to demeanor, actions, and words during parting, Từ Hải demonstrates that he is very confident in life. He believes that within just about a year, he will accomplish great deeds and return with a grand plan.

In the excerpt, the author seamlessly combines classical and vernacular language, employing numerous idealized imagery and classical allusions. Particularly, the character Từ Hải is portrayed by Nguyễn Du in an idealized manner. Every word, image, and description used by Nguyễn Du aligns well with this idealized portrayal.

In terms of vocabulary, the author uses the term 'trượng phu,' which is the only instance of this term used and is reserved specifically for the character Từ Hải. 'Trượng phu' signifies a man of great spirit. Secondly, the term 'thoắt' in the pair of lines:

Half a year of fragrant warmth,
The stalwart suddenly stirs the four directions.

If one lacks spirit and determination, during moments of marital bliss, they may easily forget other matters. However, Từ Hải is different; even in happiness, he immediately recalls his life's purpose and direction. Naturally, this spirit aligns with Từ's nature, and he believes that by realizing his great aspirations, he is deserving of the love and esteem bestowed upon him by Thuý Kiều. The phrase 'stirs the four directions,' according to Tản Đà, means 'to contemplate the four directions,' indicating that Từ Hải 'is not just a member of one family, one clan, one neighborhood, or one village but is a person of the world, of the four directions' (Hoài Thanh). The two words 'dứt áo' in 'decisively folding the garment' demonstrate the strong, extraordinary style of the stalwart when parting.

Regarding imagery, 'The wind and clouds have reached the distant sea' is a beautiful and meaningful metaphor. The author compares Từ Hải to a bird riding the wind, soaring high and far beyond the vast ocean. Moreover, the line also captures the human emotion of exhilaration when one's spirit is free to roam, expressing a moment of extraordinary departure. This doesn't mean that Từ Hải isn't saddened by leaving Thuý Kiều; it simply emphasizes the character's strong spirit. The imagery of 'The sword resting on the saddle embarks on a straight path' illustrates that he speaks his farewell only after mounting his horse, portraying his extraordinary character, the demeanor of a stalwart in feudal society.

In terms of description and dialogue, there are also unique aspects. Kiều knows that Từ Hải is leaving in a state of 'having no home,' yet she is willing to follow. The word 'tòng' not only signifies, as in Confucian texts, that a woman's duty is to 'follow the husband's family' but also conveys a sense of shared responsibility, solidarity in supporting Từ when he faces difficulties in life. When Từ Hải wonders why Kiều hasn't yet freed herself from ordinary female sentimentality, it's not a criticism of Kiều's burdens but a hope for her to become stronger to be the wife of a hero. Từ mentions returning with ten thousand soldiers, and Kiều believes him. This further demonstrates their mutual understanding, loyalty, and affection.

The excerpt praises the heroic spirit of the character Từ Hải and reaffirms once again that the relationship between Thuý Kiều and Từ Hải is one of loyalty and affection, not just a simple marital bond.

3. Sample Essay 3: My Thoughts on the Character Từ Hải in 'The Tale of Kiều'

Through the excerpt 'Heroic Spirit,' we are introduced to Từ Hải - a 'hero of the era,' a character embodying Nguyễn Du's ideals of justice. The passage portrays Từ Hải's image with extraordinary heroic spirit, and a fervent desire for freedom.

Từ Hải is an ideal hero. From appearance, speech, actions, character, and even the way he expresses affection, Từ Hải exudes the qualities of a hero. Từ Hải's mindset always encompasses the 'four directions,' he belongs to the 'vast sky and ocean,' ready to take the stance of 'the sword resting on the saddle embarks on a straight path.' Everything happens swiftly, decisively, and resolutely. Từ Hải's demeanor when bidding farewell to Kiều is that of a noble hero: dignified, decisive, and full of dignity.

In 'The Tale of Kim Vân Kiều' by Thanh Tâm Tài Nhân, Từ Hải is simply depicted as a bandit leader: 'At that time, there was a hero named Hải of the Từ family, also known as Minh Sơn, with a broad-minded and wealthy demeanor, disdainful of rules, and even skilled in both brush and sword, earning the title of a hero. He used to be a scholar but failed in many heroic endeavors' (Excerpt from Episode 17). 'The lady (Thúy Kiều) advised him to forbid soldiers from burning and looting, committing adultery, or harming women and children. Minh Sơn obeyed her completely, and wherever the troops went, no harm was done to the local people, all thanks to that woman' (Excerpt from Episode 18).

The excerpt in 'The Tale of Kiều' compared to 'The Tale of Kim Vân Kiều' is entirely creative. Nguyễn Du has omitted the mundane, realistic details and replaced them with imaginative descriptions, refined language, grandiose imagery, and a tone full of grandeur... all revealing the idealistic tendency in constructing the character of Từ Hải.