Prepare 'Crossing the Đèo Ngang' by Lady Huyen Thanh Quan

Preparing 'Crossing the Đèo Ngang,' Brief 1

I. Reading and Understanding the Text:

Question 1:
The seven-word, eight-sentence poem consists of 8 lines, each with 7 words.
Rhyming occurs at the end of lines 1, 2, 4, 6, and 8. There's an alternating rhyme between lines 3 and 4, and lines 5 and 6.
It follows the rule of parallelism.

Question 2:
* The portrayal of Đèo Ngang at dusk evokes a sense of solitude and longing for reunion, a desire to return home.

Question 3:
* Đèo Ngang is described with details: grass, flowers, a few peasants, a river, a market, a few houses, the sound of national birds, and cuckoos. The scene depicts desolation and simplicity, with dense vegetation struggling to grow amidst the desolate landscape, while human presence is sparse.
⟹ The scene of Đèo Ngang is desolate, wild, with trees densely growing, struggling amidst the desolate landscape. Human presence is scarce, sparse.
⟹ The use of figures of speech such as repetition and alliteration greatly enhances imagery, evoking a sense of desolation and emptiness.

Question 4: Evaluation of the portrayal of Đèo Ngang:
- The scenery of Đèo Ngang, a natural landscape, with rocks and lush vegetation crowded together.
- The landscape appears wild, desolate, and quiet. Human figures are diminutive and blurred, further highlighting the lonely and desolate atmosphere.
- Life seems sparse, quiet, and bleak.

Question 5: Madame Huyen Thanh Quan's emotions are expressed through two forms:
* Employing scene to express emotions:
- Gia gia – a cry for family reunion, but also symbolizing family (home). The longing for home overwhelms the female traveler amidst the evening scene, where everyone seeks family reunion, while she stands alone in a desolate, sparsely populated place.
- Quốc quốc: the cry of the cuckoo also means country, homeland. It shows longing for the homeland, the country of the Northern female poet.
* Directly describing emotions: evident through the final verse:
'A private emotion between me and myself': expressing deep, solitary sentiments, a profound sense of loneliness, and profound sadness.

Question 6:
Referring to a private emotion amidst the vastness of Đèo Ngang differs from within a confined space because: amidst vast skies, mountains, and waters, the solitary figure holding a private emotion accentuates feelings of loneliness. In contrast, compared to a confined, cramped space, the private emotion would not stand out.

II. Practice:

Question 1: Meaning of the phrase 'me and myself':
'Me and myself,' though two, are one, referring to one person, one sorrow, one loneliness with no one to share except the sky, clouds, mountains, and waters.
The 'me' here is none other than the author alone.

Question 2: Memorize the poem 'Crossing Đèo Ngang'.