Việt Bắc - Author, Creative Context, Content, Structure, Analysis

Việt Bắc - Author, Content, Structure, Work Analysis

I. AUTHOR TỐ HỮU

* Life:

- Tố Hữu (1920-2002) born as Nguyễn Kim Thành
- Hometown: Quảng Điền, Thừa Thiên Huế
- Tố Hữu was born into a poor Confucian family with a literary tradition
- A prominent revolutionary poet, he actively participated in revolutionary activities. Tố Hữu held key positions in the cultural and revolutionary fronts and in the leadership of the Party and the State.

* Creative Career:

- Tố Hữu stands as the 'forefront flag' of revolutionary poetry in Vietnam.
- In Tố Hữu, there is a harmonious unity between the path of poetry and the path of revolution. His poetic journey consistently reflects the harsh yet illustrious revolutionary path of the nation.
- Notable poetry collections: From Then (1937-1946), Việt Bắc (1946-1954), Heading to the Front (1962-1971), Blood and Flowers (1972-1977), A Sound of the Đàn (1992), Us with Ourselves (1999).

* Writing Style:

- Tố Hữu's poetry is characterized by profound political romanticism.
- Tố Hữu's poetry bears a strong epic quality, drawing emotional inspiration from significant political events in the country.
- Injects intense, sincere, and profound emotions into poetic expression.
- Tố Hữu's poetry distinctly embodies the national spirit.

II. VIỆT BẮC WORK

1. Context of Creation

Việt Bắc is the revolutionary homeland, a steadfast stronghold during the resistance, providing shelter and support for the Party and Government during the arduous years of war. After the historic victory at Điện Biên Phủ and the signing of the Geneva Accords on Indochina (July 1954), peace returned, and the northern region of our country was liberated. A new chapter in the nation's history and a new phase of the revolution unfolded.

In October 1954, the central agencies of the Party and Government left the battleground in Việt Bắc and returned to Hanoi. In commemoration of this historical event, Tố Hữu penned the poem Việt Bắc, capturing the challenging resistance period with heroism, expressing the profound sentiments of the resistance fighters towards the people of Việt Bắc and their revolutionary homeland. Việt Bắc stands as an outstanding work of Tố Hữu's poetry and modern Vietnamese poetry as a whole during the resistance against French colonialism.

2. Significance of the Title:

Việt Bắc is a region in the north of Hanoi, encompassing several provinces in the Northern region. It holds significant historical importance as a revolutionary battleground during the resistance against the French, marked by fierce military achievements. By naming the poem 'Việt Bắc,' Tố Hữu aims to evoke memories of the revolutionary struggle in this area, praising both the revolutionary spirit and the natural beauty and people of Việt Bắc. The title sets the predominant inspiration for the entire poem: a hymn to the revolution and the resilient people of the resistance. Through this, Tố Hữu conveys the message: Remember, engrave deeply, and uphold the precious patriotic traditions and the loyal way of life of the Vietnamese people.

3. Poetic Form: Hexameter (Lục bát)

- Poetic Structure: The poem follows the familiar question-and-answer style of folk verses and ballads.

4. Structure: Divided into 2 parts:

- Section 1 (first 20 lines): Farewell message from those staying behind to those departing.
- Section 2 (the next 70 lines): Words of those departing.

5. Content of the Poem Việt Bắc:

- Việt Bắc vividly reconstructs the farewell scene of the revolutionaries departing from the war-torn land of Việt Bắc.
- Affirms the emotional connection and loyalty of the resistance leaders to the people and the land of Việt Bắc.
- The poem serves as an epic hymn to the challenging yet resplendent days of struggle, portraying the valor and glory of the Vietnamese army and people.

6. Artistic Elements of the Poem Việt Bắc:

- The poem adopts the traditional lục bát poetic form.
- Utilizes the familiar 'self-other' dialogue structure found in folk rhymes, resonating tenderly and sweetly.
- Presents authentic and vibrant poetic imagery; employs simple, rustic language close to everyday speech.
- Effectively employs poetic devices such as simile, metaphor, allegory, etc.

7. Main Points of the Poem Việt Bắc:

* Poignant farewell scenes:

- The first four lines: the words of those staying behind - the people of Việt Bắc.
+ Repetition in the question structure: 'On returning, do we remember ourselves?', 'On returning, do we recall or not?'.
+ The repetitive questioning delves deep into the endless longing and perpetual nostalgia.
+ 'Those fifteen years' evoke the shared bitter and sweet experiences during the difficult times.
+ Familiar images of 'trees,' 'mountains,' 'rivers,' and 'springs' reminisce the noble and loyal way of life.
→ The tone is emotionally charged, whispering with the poignant, stirring feelings of the people of Việt Bắc.

- The following four lines represent the words of those departing - the revolutionary officers and soldiers.
+ The pronoun 'who' resonates with 'earnestly,' emphasizing special emotions and feelings.
+ Emotion-describing adjectives like 'confused,' 'restless.'
+ All emotions seem compressed: 'Holding hands, what to say today.'
- The emotional tone is created by the rich national artistic expression
+ Utilizes fluent, creative, and flexible lục bát poetry - a traditional folk poetry form.
+ The poem's structure is crafted in a dialogue style using the pronouns 'self - us.'

* Emotions of Those Departing:

- Those departing reminisce about the natural landscapes and memories, the days full of difficulties, hardships, and scarcity in Việt Bắc.
+ Remembers the simple yet warm natural scenes, such as the image of the rising moon, the afternoon sun, and the kitchen fire. Also, memories of local landmarks.
+ Recalls the shared activities, the challenges of life, the hardworking and loving Vietnamese mothers carrying children to the fields, and the image of night classes...

* The Quadruple Beauties Painting:

- Winter Painting
· Nature: Harmonious colors evoke a warm, bright winter.
· People: Robust, strong, and proactive, with a 'waist tightened with a belt.' Steadfast, standing tall alongside nature.

- Spring Painting:
· Nature: A beautiful, bright, and pure spring with the white color of apricot blossoms - a characteristic flower of the mountainous forests of Việt Bắc.
· People: Appears quietly. Each movement of 'combing each thread of the broom' suggests carefulness and meticulousness, reflecting the skill and talent of the laborers in Việt Bắc.

- Summer Painting:
· Nature: Described through both color and sound. Sound and color resonate with each other, as if the sound of cicadas has awakened the colors to create a swift movement of 'golden bamboo forests.'
· People: People still silently 'alone' diligently 'picking bamboo shoots.' It portrays the image of laborers enduring, working silently, dedicating themselves to the country, to the resistance.

- Autumn Painting:
· Nature: A beautiful, serene, and poetic natural scene with the moonlight shining, illuminating the entire mountains and forests. 'Moonlight radiates peace' is an image that suggests a bright tomorrow.
· People: It is not portrayed through faces or forms but through the melodious, loyal singing, with the soulful beauty from countless generations of the Vietnamese people: affectionate, loyal, optimistic, and always believing in a bright tomorrow.

* Battle Scene:

- Atmosphere before the battle:
+ Imagery of thousands, tens of thousands of soldiers and civilians marching together.
+ The metaphor of 'night after night': continuous time.
+ Comparative imagery: 'like clay soil,' 'thunderous': expressing the majestic atmosphere of the army.

- Soldiers:
+ The rhythmic 'moving, marching': a powerful, extensive army.
+ The imagery of the 'star at the gun's muzzle': the stars in the sky, the revolutionary ideals, and the spirit of the Vietnamese people.
+ Connection to the poem 'Comrade' by Chính Hữu.

- Image of the civilian workforce:
+ Large numbers, 'countless'.
+ The inverted phrase 'Red torches': the image of flames in the night heading into battle, symbolizing the determined spirit of the soldiers on the way to the battle.
+ 'Footsteps shattering rocks, a myriad sparks flying': the indomitable will of the Vietnamese people, drawing inspiration from the folk saying 'Look to the sky, hard as rock, look to the sea, calm only when the heart is calm.'

- Image of the convoy heading into battle:
+ 'A thousand nights in deep, thick mist': the dark, difficult, and arduous nights of slavery.
+ 'Headlights shining bright': the light of revolution, of ideals.
+ Comparison 'Like tomorrow rising': Symbolic of a bright future, the optimistic spirit and unwavering faith.

- Joy of victory throughout the Motherland:
+ A series of place names listed: victories everywhere in the country.
+ Metaphor 'joyful': the joy and jubilation of our soldiers and people before the victory.
+ The poetic rhythm is intense, lively, and cheerful.
 

III. Analysis of the Poem 'Việt Bắc'

1. Analysis of Tố Hữu's Poem 'Việt Bắc'

Tố Hữu is recognized as a leading figure in the revolutionary poetry of Vietnam. His poetic soul seamlessly blends the revolutionary life with the poetic one. Thus, reading Tố Hữu's poetic works allows readers to witness crucial historical milestones of the nation. Describing Tố Hữu's poems, some have likened them to a slow-motion film capturing the glorious pages of the nation's history. 'Việt Bắc' is one such poem.

'Việt Bắc' was composed in 1954, right after the victorious end of the resistance war against the French. This was the moment when the central Party and government agencies returned from Việt Bắc to Hanoi. Tố Hữu vividly portrayed the farewell full of nostalgia between revolutionary comrades and the people of Việt Bắc after a long period of living, fighting, and bonding through all hardships. In this poem, the author employed the traditional lục bát poetic form of the nation, combined with a call-and-response style akin to folk verses, to depict the parting filled with deep affection between revolutionary soldiers and the people of Việt Bắc...(Continued)

>> See the detailed analysis of the poem 'Việt Bắc' here.

2. Analysis of the First 8 Lines of 'Việt Bắc'

Every citizen possesses a unique fingerprint.
Every genuine poet holds a distinctive scriptural fingerprint...'

(Scriptural Fingerprint - Cao Đạt)

The 'scriptural fingerprint... not mixed' mentioned by the poet or a genuine literary artist, as Cao Đạt refers to, is the author's style, the manifestation of the artist's talent through an artistic work bearing the distinct personal mark of the author. Tố Hữu, the pioneer of Revolutionary poetry, emerged in the literary scene with a unique and captivating poetic style, characterized by profound political sentiments, epic qualities, and romantic inspiration. The culmination of this unique beauty in Tố Hữu's poetry is epitomized in 'Việt Bắc'—an epic ballad and a love song for the revolutionary struggle and its people. Crafting 'Việt Bắc'—a deeply nationalistic ballad, we must mention the first eight lines of the poem...(Continued)

>> See the detailed analysis of the first 8 lines of 'Việt Bắc' here.

3. Analysis of the four-season portrait in the poem 'Việt Bắc'

When mentioning revolutionary writers and poets who matured during the two resistance wars, one cannot overlook Tố Hữu, whose poetry resonates with a spirit of combat, ideals, and a poetic style that combines romanticism with politics. Despite the revolutionary nature of his works, they are still imbued with deeply romantic images, poetic richness, fluidity, and brightness. The four-season portrait in the poem 'Việt Bắc' serves as a quintessential example:

'Upon returning, do we remember ourselves?
Upon returning, we recall the flowers and the people.
The green forest, vibrant red banana flowers,
High mountain passes with the sun's belt tightly fastened.
...
Remembering someone's melodious, affectionate, and loyal song.'

This poetic passage paints a picture of Việt Bắc through the four seasons, encapsulating a poignant sense of longing and the author's steadfast loyalty, shared by the cadre for Việt Bắc...(Continued)

>> See detailed analysis of the four-season portrait here.
 

4. Analysis of the battlefield scene in the poem 'Việt Bắc'

Tố Hữu stands at the forefront of Revolutionary poetry. His monumental body of work includes numerous pieces that rally and praise the revolution and resistance in Vietnam. Prominent among them is 'Việt Bắc,' written when the Party Central Committee and the Government decided to leave the Việt Bắc combat zone and return to Hanoi after the historic victory at Điện Biên Phủ and the signing of the Geneva Accords. Beyond depicting the moments of parting filled with nostalgia and deep connection of revolutionaries to the people and landscapes of Việt Bắc, Tố Hữu vividly recreates the vibrant scenes of the triumphant atmosphere and joy of the Vietnamese people during those days of resistance.

The battlefield scene is vividly portrayed in 12 concise verses. In just twelve short verses, Tố Hữu not only describes the powerful momentum of our troops and people in the resistance against the French colonialists but also evokes the jubilant atmosphere of resounding victory across all battlefields...(Continued)

>> Explore the in-depth analysis of the battlefield scene in the poem 'Việt Bắc' here.