Unveiling the Art of Depicting Emotional Scenes in the Poem Across Ngang Pass

Đèo Ngang is a geographical location located in the Hoanh Son range, a small branch of the Truong Son mountain range, intersecting and delineating the border between the Quang Binh and Ha Tinh provinces. It is also the place that inspires many poets and writers, including Cao Bá Quát with the poem 'Crossing the Hoanh Son,' Nguyễn Khuyến with 'Across Hoanh Son,' and most notably, 'Crossing Ngang Pass' by Bà Huyện Thanh Quan, one of the two most talented female poets of medieval Vietnamese literature along with Hồ Xuân Hương. In contrast to the distinctive and profound poetic style of the Mistress of Nôm poetry, Bà Huyện Thanh Quan impresses readers with a gentle, profound, and emotionally rich poetic style. Particularly, in the portrayal of the landscape and emotions in the poem 'Crossing Ngang Pass,' her poetic style becomes even more evident.

Upon reading 'Crossing Ngang Pass' once, one will notice that the entire poem almost exclusively describes the scenery. Without grasping the context of creation and the author's emotions, viewers might easily mistake it for a poem depicting a natural landscape with subdued hues. However, upon closer examination of each idea, one can perceive the poet's affectionate sentiments in every line, in every scene. Each description of nature is, in essence, a depiction of emotions, profoundly embedded.

'Approaching Ngang Pass, the shadow of dusk appears
Grasses, rocks, leaves, and flowers intermingle'

The opening of the poem, with two lines, paints a vast, expansive mountain pass, seemingly rich and abundant, yet surrounded by a hint of melancholy. This sorrow originates from a period that the author suggests vaguely with the phrase 'the shadow of dusk.' It implies not a specific time but rather a somewhat blurry description of the sunset about to fade, as the sun hides behind the horizon. What remains are the last rays of light in the day, blending with the darkness of the night to create a dusky hue enveloping the mountains and forests. This shroud extends even to the weary traveler standing by the pass, evoking a sense of faintness, silence, and a melancholic mood. In terms of tone, the phrase 'the shadow of dusk' conveys a gentle descent, a slightly mournful release, as if lamenting the impending end. In reality, as in poetry, the moment of sunset, the end of the day, and the fading light always evoke nameless sorrows. Especially for sentimental individuals like the author, this sorrow becomes even more permeating, profound, and sometimes extends to the vast, expansive space surrounding them. 'Grasses, rocks, leaves, and flowers intermingle' impresses with the poetic device of repetition through 'intermingle' and personification. However, instead of enlivening the natural scenery, it creates a sense of density, obscurity, with plants intertwining in a struggle for life. Standing amidst this scene, one might feel a bit fearful, lonely, and desolate. This, combined with the darkening atmosphere, gives the author much to contemplate.

'Beneath the mountain, a few figures hunch
By the river market, houses appear sparse'

Moving to the vivid scene of desolate nature, signs of human life begin to emerge. However, the use of inverted language, placing the phrases 'lom khom' and 'lác đác' at the forefront of the verses, lends an unusual touch to the poem's meaning. First, considering 'lom khom,' it depicts the bowed stance, the burden of firewood on the smallholders, with the presence of humans, limited to 'a few figures,' seemingly overshadowed by nature. Here, humanity becomes diminutive and reliant on nature, as the sparsity of people amplifies the vast, chilly, and desolate evening landscape. When the poet extends their gaze further, houses, usually sought for warmth and familiarity by travelers, are present but are bleakly described with 'lác đác,' evoking a sense of weariness, exhaustion, and a lack of vitality in the otherwise expansive setting. The warm feeling is entirely replaced, leaving a sense of discouragement, desolation, and fatigue amidst the fading afternoon. Examining the description closely reveals the author's mood—a sense of loneliness, emptiness, a lost feeling within the vast space, and a sense of estrangement in the midst of uncertainty. If one delves deeper, this may be linked to the poet's heartfelt longing for home, a poignant yearning of a person far from home, distanced from the bustling urban life, now surrounded by a sparse and cold evening landscape, intensifying the yearning for their homeland.

'Longing for the homeland, aching deeply
Caring for the home, a tired family'

In the following lines, vitality prominently appears with the echoing melodies of forest birds. However, similar to the emotional tone in the initial verses, the presence of life does not bring joy, vibrancy, or warmth; instead, it evokes a sense of melancholy and sorrow. The national bird and the magpie robin, famous for their mournful cries, are known to be emotionally heavy, making one's heart sink upon hearing them. Their poignant, mournful songs resonate, filling the heart with sadness immediately. Particularly in a vast and desolate space like this, the mournful, poignant cries of the birds accentuate the silence and solitude of the expansive nature, isolating humans in a realm of sorrow. For Bà Huyện Thanh Quan, this reflects a deep, intense love for the homeland, a painful yearning for a distant land, a heartache, and a sense of helplessness in the face of the complex times. Thus, the profound and discreet love for one's homeland, country, is elegantly expressed by the author through the natural landscape.

With talent and the art of depicting emotional landscapes, Bà Huyện Thanh Quan has crafted an exceptionally vivid portrayal of scenery and emotions in the poem 'Over Đèo Ngang.' In addition to demonstrating the art of portraying emotional landscapes in the poem, students can explore details through articles such as: Analysis and commentary: In the poem 'Over Đèo Ngang,' the two most outstanding verses are the concluding lines..., The natural landscape of Đèo Ngang and the emotions of the traveler far from home through the poem 'Over Đèo Ngang,' Analysis of the author's homesickness and love for the homeland in the poem 'Over Đèo Ngang', Analyzing the expressive value of the two verses in the poem 'Over Đèo Ngang:'