The Image of Farmers Battling Invaders in Văn tế nghĩa sĩ Cần Giuộc

Topic: The Image of Farmers Battling Invaders in Văn tế nghĩa sĩ Cần Giuộc

Sample essay analyzing the portrayal of farmers fighting invaders in Văn tế nghĩa sĩ Cần Giuộc

1. The Image of Farmers Battling Invaders in Văn tế nghĩa sĩ Cần Giuộc, Sample #1:

More than 160 years have passed since the first gunshot of the French colonialists invading our country on September 1, 1858, a pivotal historical event that brought immense pain to the Vietnamese people in the years to come. At that time, our people lived in the chaos of a semi-feudal colonial regime, a double oppression, indescribable misery, both painful for the loss of the nation and extreme due to the heavy burden of oppression. The most affected were the farmers, inherently honest and simple, who worked in the fields year-round. In the midst of extreme circumstances, the farmers had no choice but to rise up, struggle, sacrifice themselves for the nation, for the country, leaving behind a heroic and indomitable sacrifice for our people at that time and for future generations. Nguyễn Đình Chiểu wrote Văn tế nghĩa sĩ Cần Giuộc to commemorate the martyr farmers, among whom the image of farmers fighting invaders appears genuinely, simply, yet with the heroic, indomitable, and courageous spirit of the dragon lineage from ancient times to the present.

Nguyễn Đình Chiểu (1822-1888), known as Mạnh Trạch, with the pen names Trọng Phủ and Hối Trai, was born into a Confucian family in Huế. Despite a diligent academic pursuit, he could not pass the imperial examination, enduring a lifelong fate of blindness due to mourning for his deceased mother. Overcoming his fate, he moved to Gia Định, where he opened a school, gaining a reputation across the provinces. He was a man of integrity and compassion. His poetry always elevated high ideals of morality and humanity, desiring that people live together with loyal affection, benevolence, and sincerity. He emphasized the idea that goodness will always triumph over evil. One of the exemplary works reflecting this spirit of Nguyễn Đình Chiểu is the poem Lục Vân Tiên, a work that deeply penetrated the consciousness of the Vietnamese people. As the French colonialists invaded our country, Nguyễn Đình Chiểu's poetry shifted to express love for the nation, hatred for the enemy. His works primarily encouraged and praised the indomitable spirit of our nation, especially the suffering peasant class.

Essay: The Image of Farmers Battling Invaders in Văn tế nghĩa sĩ Cần Giuộc

Văn tế nghĩa sĩ Cần Giuộc is a eulogy written by Nguyễn Đình Chiểu, commissioned by the Gia Định regional administration Do Quang, to honor the martyrs who sacrificed themselves in the guerrilla attack on the French military post in Cần Giuộc. While the battle did not achieve the desired results, it made the enemy wary. The sacrifice of these martyrs served as a great encouragement and inspiration, laying the groundwork and providing lessons for the nation's historical battles. For the first time in the work, the image of farmers fighting invaders is portrayed in a heroic, grandiose manner that deeply moves the audience. Despite the melancholy emotions, there is no trace of despair, only an added enthusiasm for the anti-foreign aggression movement.

Opening with poignant verses, Nguyễn Đình Chiểu expressed the profound sorrow for the loss of the country:

'Oh!
The enemy's guns shake the land;
The people's hearts are revealed.
Ten years of toil shatter the fields, yet our fame doesn't resonate like a gong;
A battle against the Western invaders, though our bodies may lose their echo, our spirit resounds like a temple bell.'

Amidst the tumultuous upheavals of the world, one can truly feel the profound patriotism and national pride emanating from the silent farmers, who have been quietly toiling in the fields with their buffaloes for generations. In the eyes of the feudal regime, these farmers were considered the lowest class in society, often overlooked. However, when the nation faced turmoil, it was these very farmers who stepped onto the frontline, showcasing their unwavering commitment to the homeland and the people. Their sacrifices, shedding blood and bone without hesitation, not only went unnoticed but also eternally engraved their names in history.

Nguyễn Đình Chiểu nostalgically reflects on the image of farmers before they entered the battlefield with deep empathy and compassion:

'Remember the ancient spirits:
Bowing down to farm;
Only concerned about poverty.
Not used to riding horses, never touched velvet robes;
Only familiar with plowing fields, working with oxen.
Tasks of hoeing, plowing, harrowing, planting were their accustomed hands;
Training shields, practicing guns, mastering spears and flags, their eyes had never glanced.'

The portrayal of farmers emerges as simple and authentic. Their entire lives revolved around farming, entwined in the struggles of poverty. A life of meager sustenance, where riding horses, shooting arrows, or engaging in martial training seemed beyond imagination. Farmers were accustomed to their fields and the oxen, integral to a life already burdened with concerns. The notion of ancient military affairs never crossed their minds. Such matters were the domain of the imperial court, nurturing elite armies with advanced weaponry. Farmers, entrenched in their traditions, were adept with tools like plows, hoes, and sickles, immersed in the constant labor of cultivating the land. The thoughts of wielding instruments of death for self-defense were alien and horrifying, never fathoming a day when they would be involved.

Alas, the ruthless enemy forces, seemingly from nowhere, suddenly invade, causing countless atrocities. They violate territories, create chaos, oppress everywhere—once peaceful villages and beautiful homes are now in ruins, and life, already difficult, becomes even more unbearable. The deep-seated hatred for the invading forces wells up in the heart of every farmer, reaching the point where:

'Seeing a hovering white parachute, one desires to devour its essence;
Watching the black smoke rise, one yearns to bite its throat.'

The farmers, who originally trusted the court and believed that the officials and military ranks would soon quell the arrogant invading forces, restoring peace to the villages and allowing people to resume their lives, were disappointed. Instead of action, they received indifference and cowardice from the Nguyen dynasty, 'The sound of the drum has beaten for over twenty months, waiting for news from officials is like waiting for rain in a drought,' despite the rapid invasion of the enemy. Faced with adversity, the distant ruler proved ineffective, prompting the farmers to rise up in resistance. They demonstrated a profound national pride and love for the country, becoming towering heroes ready to sacrifice for the beloved homeland. These farmers, who had never aspired to anything beyond peaceful livelihoods, suddenly harbored an intense desire—to engage in battle, to bring back peace to the homeland. This longing is expressed in the words:

'Waiting for no one to demand, to catch; at this moment, we exert strength to sever the enemy's neck;
Not bothering to retreat, forward or backward, this journey is committed to hand-to-hand combat like a tiger's claws.'

The voluntary spirit, the precious hearts of these noble farmer patriots, truly deserve the title 'nông dân nghĩa sĩ' (farmer intellectuals). However, what do they use to combat the enemy? The answer lies in the following verses, penned by Nguyễn Đình Chiểu with a poignant and empathetic tone towards the plight of these farmers:

'Quite pitiful:
Originally not soldiers, not defenders, following the army as foot soldiers;
Not belonging to the aristocracy, nor the gentry, loving loyalty makes them military recruits.
Eighteen martial arts techniques, no time for training;
Ninety military strategies, no chance to study.
With only a piece of cloth for armor, no waiting to wear bulletproof vests;
In their hands, a bamboo pole, rather than swords and military manuals.'

These farmer intellectuals march into battle with a dignified and courageous demeanor, yet simple and impoverished. They use a piece of cloth as armor and a bamboo pole as a weapon, without the need for martial arts or military manuals. They fight with everything they have, regardless of the lack of weaponry or equipment.

'Setting fire with straw, burns down the enemy's preaching house;
Wearing a sword made from a sharpened blade, cuts off the head of the oppressive official.'

However, it is truly a source of pride and admiration that, in the hands and creative mind of these fabric-clad heroes, even straw becomes a weapon, and a simple knife can behead the invaders. The intellectuals, undeterred by the imminent threat of bullets, glide forward with the predetermined resolve that this journey is a matter of life or death. Their indomitable spirit instills fear in the Western intruders:

'Some stab crosswise, others chop lengthwise, causing demons and spirits to tremble;
Last summer, the crows behind, ignoring the tin and copper ships, the guns explode.'

In targeting the enemy without concern for life or death, these heroic intellectuals force even the well-equipped adversaries to tremble. Looking back at the invaders from last summer and the ones behind, still in disarray like ants, their unsettled state is a laughable sight for these defenders of the nation.

As the battle concludes, the enemy suffers significant losses, but more painful is the eternal rest of these heroic intellectuals on the land they sacrificed their lives to protect. It's a monumental loss for those left behind, yet the image of the farmer intellectuals will remain immortal in the hearts of the Vietnamese people for generations to come. Though the battle is filled with sorrow, it leaves no scars, showcasing the proud resilience, courageous spirit, and readiness to sacrifice of the Vietnamese farmers of that time.

Whenever the country is oppressed by the ruthless invasion of foreign foes, the people's fierce and resounding resistance emerges. Farmers have been part of the battle since ancient times, but it was only with the creation of 'Tribute to the Can Giuoc Martyrs' that a vivid monument to the heroic farmer truly came to life. The image of farmers fighting invaders under the pen of Nguyen Dinh Chieu appears both valiant and proud, yet cannot escape the pain and loss.

'Tribute to the Can Giuoc Martyrs' was written at the behest of Do Quang, the provincial chief of Gia Dinh, to commemorate the martyr farmers who sacrificed themselves in the attack on Can Giuoc fortress on the night of December 16, 1861. The author employed the funeral oration genre - Phu Duong Luat - to express condolences for the fallen. The image of the Can Giuoc martyr thus emerges with a majestic and emotionally stirring beauty.

Before the invaders arrived, they led a life of 'quiet toil for sustenance; worry and poverty were constant companions.' They were accustomed to plowing, hoeing, harrowing, and planting, their hands familiar with the toil. It was a life intertwined with the fields, a female buffalo plowing, enduring hardship and toil, yet still impoverished. When the enemy invaded our land, despite being unfamiliar and ignorant of the military's tasks, fueled by a deep-seated hatred for the invaders, they rose up to resist. Their aversion was explicitly expressed in the language of rural life: 'the scent of scorched incense has lingered for three years, despising habits like a farmer despises weeds,' 'when they see white clouds covering the sky, they want to eat liver; when they see black smoke rising, they want to go bite a neck.' The heinous actions and blatant, provocative rampage of the enemy forces destroying the lives of farmers left them unable to contain their rage. They recognized their responsibility in the face of the country's situation and turned that awareness into action without needing any encouragement: 'Who waits for whom to demand or force? This time we exert ourselves to cut the enemy down.'

The finest analyses of the image of farmers fighting invaders in 'Tribute to the Can Giuoc Martyrs'

Above are two exemplary essays analyzing the image of farmers fighting against invaders in the Văn tế nghĩa sĩ Cần Giuộc, compiled and synthesized by Mytour. In addition to the essay on Văn tế nghĩa sĩ Cần Giuộc, the Literature program for grade 11 is also famous for essays such as Analyzing the emotions of travelers in the poem Short Song Walking on the Sand, Analysis of the poem Thương vợ to highlight the author's heartfelt expression of worldly sorrows, Let's analyze the artistic use of unique language through the essay Autumn Fishing,... Students should refer to these exemplary essays to learn, review knowledge, and supplement their composition exercises in class.