Reflections on the Poem 'Wife's Affection'

Prompt: Reflections on the Poem 'Wife's Affection'

Reflections on the Poem 'Wife's Affection'

1. Reflections on the Poem 'Wife's Affection', Sample Essay 1:

'Wife's Affection' is a deeply moving self-expression poem by the poet Tú Xương about the hardships and struggles of a wife, as well as the self-blame and helplessness of oneself in the face of the wife's hardships.

Sample Work:

In the literary history of our country, there have not been many poems written about wives. Therefore, poetry that authentically, profoundly, and emotionally addresses this topic is even rarer. Hence, Trần Tế Xương can be seen as a special case. In his poetry, he mentions his wife many times.

At times, he carved her name on a golden stone slab to honor his wife's face. He asked officials for his wife's salary. He brought up the story of a hundred years to the table. At times, He stroked his beard to flatter his wife, child, and dog. There were also times when he wrote on paper and stuck it right on the pillar. He asked if his mother was stupid or not. In moments of high spirits and arrogance, the writer wrote prose to praise his wife's life. But the pinnacle of this poetic genre of his must be said to be the poem 'Wife's Affection':

All year round trading at the river bend
Raising five children with a single husband
Diving deep for clams during the lonely intervals
Waist bent, face against the water in the winter ferry

View detailed sample HERE.

2. Reflections on the Poem 'Wife's Affection', Sample Essay 2:

'Wife's Affection' is the deepest expression of love and appreciation by the poet Tú Xương for his resilient wife.

Sample Work:

The poet Tú Xương, whose real name is Trần Tế Xương, is one of the satirical poets of Vietnamese literature in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Alongside his satirical works criticizing the old society, he also has very unique romantic poetry. One of his significant works is the poem 'Wife's Affection'.

All year round trading at the river bend,
Raising five children with a single husband.
Diving deep for clams during the lonely intervals,
Waist bent, face against the water in the winter ferry.
One fate, two debts, such is destiny,
Ten years of sun, ten rains dare not claim credit.
Parents live for wealth, but with a negligent husband, it's as if they don't exist!

He could be said to be one of the writers, poets who had a tumultuous life in terms of career. Although intelligent, he had to take the exam eight times before passing. Being poor and having children, teaching was unstable in the declining society at that time, so Mrs. Tú became the backbone of the family, taking care of the livelihood for her husband and children. This virtuous wife inspired him to compose the poem 'Wife's Affection'. This is also his heartfelt message to his capable, dignified wife, who silently bears it all without complaint. Tú Xương began the poem by summarizing somewhat the profession of Mrs. Tú and the family circumstances.

View detailed sample HERE.

3. Reflections on the Poem 'Wife's Affection', Sample Essay 3:

Through a humorous yet poignant satirical tone, Tú Xương in the poem 'Wife's Affection' not only expresses sympathy for the hardships of his wife and self-blame but also deeply condemns the feudal and negative aspects of society.

Sample Work:

The image of women has always been a timeless topic in Vietnamese literature. However, writing about a wife from the perspective of a husband, let alone one who is still living, is even rarer. And Trần Tế Xương is one of the rare authors of classical Vietnamese poetry who portrayed his simple wife while she was still a fresh flower on life's journey in romantic poetry, yet with a touch of satire that highlights the sacrificial nature and compassionate heart of his life companion, Mrs. Tú. Through this, he also expresses gratitude to his wife:

All year round trading at the river bend,
Raising five children with a single husband.
Diving deep for clams during the lonely intervals,
Waist bent, face against the water in the winter ferry.
One fate, two debts, such is destiny,
Ten years of sun, ten rains dare not claim credit.
Parents live for wealth, but with a negligent husband, it's as if they don't exist!

Trần Tế Xương, commonly known as Tú Xương, lived in a period filled with poverty, half under French colonial rule and half under feudalism. He was intelligent, studious, flamboyant, and rebellious, with a talent for writing poetry that was both satirical and romantic, infused with a touch of sarcastic humor stemming from his dedication to the people, the nation, and life.

View detailed sample HERE.

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Along with the reflection on the poem 'Wife's Affection', you can also explore: Reflections on the character Vũ Nương in the work 'The Story of the Girl Nam Xương'; Reflections on the beauty of Đăm Săn in the excerpt 'Victory over Mtao Mxây'; Reflections on the opening verse of the poem 'Tây Tiến'; Your reflection on the autumn scene in 'Fishing in Autumn' by Nguyễn Khuyến; Reflection on the 'Ode to Autumn' by Nguyễn Công Trứ