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Prompt: The portrayal of nature in the poems 'Night Scene' and 'Full Moon Night'
The Natural Imagery in the Poems 'Night Scene' and 'Full Moon Night'
I. Outline: The Natural Imagery in the Poems 'Night Scene' and 'Full Moon Night' (Standard)
1. Introduction
· Hồ Chí Minh is a poet who loves nature.
· The two poems written in the Viet Bac battlefield: 'Night Scene' and 'Full Moon Night' have portrayed the romantic imagery of nature.
2. Body
a. Natural imagery in the poem 'Night Scene':
· Sound: the clear sound of streams.
· Imagery: moon, ancient trees, flowers...
· Beauty: Scenery like a painting, intimate (from the word 'lồng')
· Human: Anxious for the country's affairs.
=> Harmonious with nature, outstandingly beautiful...(Continued)
>> See detailed outline of the natural imagery in the poems 'Night Scene' and 'Full Moon Night' here.
II. Sample essay: Natural imagery in the poems 'Night Scene' and 'Full Moon Night' (Standard)
Uncle Hồ is a great revolutionary, a person with great personality, and he is also a talented poet, who loves nature and beauty. In the Viet Bac battlefield, during the years of resistance against the French, he composed many excellent quatrains, including the poems 'Night Scene' and 'Full Moon Night' which depicted the beautiful moonlit night in the battlefield, vividly describing the wonderful natural beauty through his excellent poetic pen.
Both poems were written in a period of hardship for the country, yet the poetry is truly beautiful. Especially the poem 'Night Scene', written in a night of worry for the country:
The sound of the stream is like a distant song
The moon hangs over ancient trees, casting shadow on flowers
The scene at night is like a painting, people are still awake
Awake because of worries for the country.
The natural scenery is perceived through many senses, first and foremost is the clear sound of the late-night stream. The sound of the stream echoes in the night, as gentle as a distant song. The simple yet precious simile compares a natural sound to a soaring high song in the late night. It is unique and full of emotions. From that sound, the landscape opens up with the image 'The moon hangs over ancient trees, casting shadow on flowers'. The moon shines down on the ancient trees, and the shadow of the trees tenderly envelops the small flowers. The metaphor 'lồng' makes us feel the intimacy, the embrace of the natural scenery. This is the unique feature of the poem, nature is not indifferent, but full of emotions. Uncle's poetry has a classical beauty, but also a modern beauty. Because the beautiful natural scenery is too much, the poet has to exclaim 'The scene at night is like a painting'. Nature has carved out each delicate beauty, and the poet brings that beauty into the poetry, showing a noble, serene soul. However, the poet is not lost in the beauty and forgets sleep. The surprising explanation brings admiration to the readers: 'Awake because of worries for the country'. Thus, we can see, the image of the person is both harmonious in nature, and outstandingly noble...
Also from the emotional vein of writing about nature during the resistance against the French, poet Hồ Chí Minh also has a very remarkable poem 'Full Moon Night':
The fifteenth of the lunar month, lanterns bright, the moon shines
The spring river, water blending with the sky's color, adding to the spring
Amidst the talk of military affairs
Late at night, the moon shines brightly, boats full on the river.
The painting of the spring night is poetic with details describing the landscape: the sparkling moonlight, the spring river's abundant waves, and the boat drifting gently on the calm flow. All these seemingly familiar details become fresh because of the word 'spring'. The river carries the color of spring, the water gleams with spring light, and spring connects to the vast sky. Just one word makes the whole poem intimate, beautiful, and touching in the spring that stirs people's hearts. The full-moon night of January is both bright and deeply beautiful through Uncle Hồ's pen. And the human presence is also very harmonious in the scenery, amidst the beautiful spring, the poet is also a revolutionary with his comrades 'discussing military affairs'. Despite being busy with national affairs, the poet still does not forget to enjoy the beautiful nature. On the way home, late at night, there is another companion with Uncle Hồ, that is 'boats full on the river under the moonlight'. The boats are filled with moonlight, drifting gently on the river, as if lulling people's hearts into the fascination of the beautiful night on the fifteenth... The poet is truly both a military man and an artist deeply in love with nature.
Both poems in the original are in the form of quatrains. This creates a concise, classical quality for them. In terms of content, we see both poems are beautifully and wonderfully written about the moon, showing that the author is a lover of nature, loves the homeland.
