Philosophy of Life in the poem Haste and Regret by Xuân Diệu

Prompt: Through analyzing Xuân Diệu's poem Haste and Regret, please identify the Philosophy of Life in the poem Haste and Regret.

Essay Analyzing the Philosophy of Life in the poem Haste and Regret by Xuân Diệu
 

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I.  Outline for Analyzing the Philosophy of Life in the poem Haste and Regret by Xuân Diệu

1. Introduction

- Haste and Regret by Xuân Diệu is a poem with heartfelt and passionate verses, concealing within it a profound system of philosophies about spring, human life, youth, representing a poetic soul with deep and subtle insights.

2. Main Body

* The philosophy of life in Haste and Regret originates from the vibrant tapestry of life, a synthesis of the two elements of spring and love.
- The spring landscape combined with the element of love is creatively vibrant.
- Xuân Diệu's concept of beauty comes from the familiar elements around us; true happiness must come from real-life experiences, where people must appreciate, seek, and perceive the hidden beauty in every object and event around us.
=> Spring, love, and humanity have a close correlation... (Continued)

>>  See the Detailed Outline for Analyzing the Philosophy of Life in the poem Haste and Regret by Xuân Diệu here.
 

II. Sample Essay on the Philosophy of Life in the poem Haste and Regret by Xuân Diệu

Hoài Thanh writes, 'Xuân Diệu's poetry is a vibrant source of life unprecedented in this quiet land. Xuân Diệu is immersed in love, enchanted by the sky, living hastily, living passionately, wanting to savor the brief moments of life. In joy or sorrow, people are intensely passionate.' All these observations align perfectly with Haste and Regret, one of Xuân Diệu's finest works before the August Revolution. However, is the poet merely superficial, desiring enjoyment for the pleasure of life? Behind those intensely passionate verses lies an intricate system of profound philosophies about spring, human life, youth, representing a poetic soul with deep and subtle insights. This realization might make first-time readers laugh at Xuân Diệu's exuberant and innocent poetry, but upon revisiting, they discover Xuân Diệu's truly complex and sophisticated poetic soul, progressively absorbing the contemplation and burning desire within.

Professor Nguyễn Đăng Mạnh passionately commented on Haste and Regret and the poetry collection, 'This is the voice of a soul that loves life, loves living with enthusiasm. But behind those emotions, there is a new philosophy of life not seen in traditional poetry.' The philosophy of life in Haste and Regret originates from the vibrant tapestry of life, a synthesis of the two elements of spring and love. He initiates this picture with bold desires and wishes, seemingly attempting to control nature in the first four lines.

'I want to extinguish the sun
So that the colors don't fade away
I want to restrain the wind
So that the fragrance doesn't fly away'

Afterwards, he begins interpreting another unique desire through a vibrant spring nature painting. It becomes evident that Xuân Diệu in those four lines is not difficult to understand at all. It's just that spring, in the eyes of the poet, is too beautiful, compelling him to selfishly 'extinguish the sun,' 'restrain the wind,' and even want to wrap up those wonderful feelings, keeping them for personal enjoyment and satisfaction.

'This honeybee's here for its honeymoon;
Here are the flowers in the green fields;
Here are the leaves on swaying branches;
This is the song of love for the swallows.
And here is the twinkling light in eyelashes;
Every morning, joy knocks on the door;
January tastes like a pair of lips close;'

The spring picture emerges through the subjective perception of the poet with full flavors, colors, and tones. It portrays bees and butterflies frolicking together in a 'honeymoon week,' the scene of vibrant flowers decorating the 'green fields,' leaves on branches swaying gracefully, and the sweet melody of swallows with a 'song of love.' Most importantly, spring cannot be complete without a gentle and warm light covering everything. It is the dazzling light that falls on the eyelashes of the young girl, pure and gentle, adding warmth to the poet's soul, making the poet love spring and life even more. For Xuân Diệu, every day is a new joy, just being able to live and immerse oneself in spring is enough. It's like having the 'joyful spirit knocking on the door' of the heart, awakening the poet to quickly enjoy the beautiful scenery of spring. This perspective shows that Xuân Diệu's concept of beauty comes from the very familiar things around us. There is no need to imitate ancient aspirations to distant utopias; true happiness comes from real-life experiences, where people must appreciate, seek, and feel the hidden beauty in every object and event around us. In the end, while we dream of a heavenly paradise, realizing that dream remains elusive, resulting in disappointment and disillusionment. Thus, true happiness must be built from the real-life experience.

But for Xuân Diệu, spring is not just about that. Spring without a hint of love would render the life picture in his poetry inaccurate. This is the distinctive and another life philosophy of Xuân Diệu—spring and love go hand in hand. It is observed that, although the author seems to be simply describing the spring scene with an enthusiastic and lively poetic tone, with the sensitivity of the senses, deep within it lies the beauty of love. Bees and butterflies reveling together, sweet as honey, reminiscent of a couple in the enchanting moment of marriage; flowers and grass in the green field also have a serene happiness; leaves and branches are fluttering, soft, along with the sweet sound of swallows and their 'love song.' And most importantly, spring is never lacking the touch of love, the poet's infatuation with the young girl under the spring sun, fresh, full of vitality. It is evident that the spring landscape carries love, and the poet's soul is never without love, besides the emotions of the couple, the most prominent is still the love for nature and life with deep affection. It even appears somewhat intense, hence the interesting association, 'January tastes like a pair of lips close.' Beyond the emotional transition from the senses, it is also observed that Xuân Diệu is comparing spring to love, nature to humans. In fact, it is not a comparison but a combination, a close relationship, which is Xuân Diệu's concept of spring, love, and life.

If the first ten lines represent the outward appearance of a passionate, intoxicated, and deeply life-loving soul, then the subsequent verses embody the profound depths of Xuân Diệu's soul. Here, we encounter philosophical reflections, delicate reasoning about spring, life, and the laws of nature. Xuân Diệu transitions from surface emotions to contemplative emotions, much like a musical composition with its highest crescendo, gradually slowing down to seep deep into the human soul. In 'Vội vàng,' that moment of intersection is encapsulated in two lines.

'I am joyful but in haste halfway
I do not wait for the late summer sun to long for spring'

The poetic flow, initially fervent and life-loving, suddenly halts. It seems that the entire subsequent passage serves to interpret the line, 'I do not wait for the late summer sun to long for spring.' What is it that makes the poet rush so much? What prompts someone enjoying bliss to abruptly cut that enjoyment in 'half in haste'? It's because Xuân Diệu has grasped the cruel law of nature.

'Spring is coming, meaning spring is passing,
Spring is still young, meaning spring will age,
And when spring is over, it means I am lost too.
My heart is vast, but the measure of heaven is tight,
Does not allow the long-lasting youth of mankind,
Speaking of cycles, spring seems to continue,
If it does not return, it is not to meet again.
As for heaven and earth, but I won't last forever,
So hesitatingly, I regret both the land and sky;'

Nature, specifically spring, always has its own laws, the law of time. Three months of spring each year, spring comes and goes, but does humanity experience spring in the same way? Y Van wrote: 'Oh, how many? 60 years of life, the first 20 years, joy lasts only briefly, the next 20 years, sorrow looms high and vast, the last 20 years are what?' In the end, humans don't get many springs; all fleeting in the blink of an eye. The final human life becomes dust, not reborn, not cyclical. This is an unchangeable law of nature, and no one can resist the cold, linear march of time, even if it's ruthless and poignant. Hence, for Xuân Diệu, a life of less than a hundred years could never be fulfilling. He harbors a profound obsession with time, always lamenting the human scene, regretting life, especially mourning spring in both literal and metaphorical senses. So why does Xuân Diệu not rush, not desire, not selfishly hold onto and enjoy life while he can? From the law of time and nature, Xuân Diệu unfolds a new philosophy of life, clearly evident in the closing verses.

'Quickly go! The evening sun has not yet tilted,
I want to embrace
All the new life beginning to bloom;
I want to chase the drifting clouds and the wandering wind,
I want to be intoxicated with butterfly wings and love,
I want to immerse in a kiss so rich
With landscapes, and trees, and blooming grass,
Filled with the overwhelming scent, full of light
For the sweet freshness of the youthful season;
- Oh pink spring, I want to bite into you!'

Returning to the rhythmic poetry, urgent and fervent, Xuân Diệu urges, 'Quickly go! The evening sun has not yet tilted,' to experience all the wonderful things in life before spring and life fade away. It is evident that after recognizing the clear law of nature, the poet's desire to enjoy life, the love of life, becomes more intense, intoxicating, and passionate. His fervor culminates with the line, 'Oh pink spring, I want to bite into you!' This is the true emotion of the poet, before the intangible things we earnestly desire, the desire for possession increases manifold. Perhaps, Xuân Diệu wants to assert his sovereignty over spring, or sometimes he wants to swallow the 'pink spring' to be forever with it, indulging to the fullest, which is a plausible interpretation. In summary, Xuân Diệu's philosophy of life boils down to a few words: Enjoy with all your heart and body while you still can!

Xuân Diệu is an eternal young soul of poetry, with fierce, abundant, and enduring creativity. He has contributed valuable humanistic works to Vietnamese literature, particularly in 'Vội vàng,' where new philosophies about beauty, time, and life, worthy of respect, originate from a poet with a comprehensive and exquisite worldview. It must be said that loving Xuân Diệu's poetry, reading Xuân Diệu's poetry, one seems to feel younger, no matter how many years one has lived.