Essay Prompt: Vietnamese literature in the early 20th century until 1945 vividly portrays the patriotism of our nation during this era. Provide evidence through the studied works.
Sample Essay: Vietnamese literature in the early 20th century until 1945 vividly portrays the patriotism of our nation during this era. Provide evidence through the studied works.
Sample Work: Vietnamese literature during the early 20th century until 1945 vividly portrays the patriotism of our nation during this period. Demonstrate through the studied works.
A prominent, glorious aspect of Vietnam in terms of morality is the love for the country, which has become a precious tradition, evident in various historical periods. From the early 20th century to 1945 was a period of significant changes for our country. It was a cruel period of French colonial rule, exploiting our country to the extreme. Feudal kings and officials ruthlessly exploited the people. Revolutionary movements continuously emerged, especially from 1930 onwards when the Communist Party was founded and led the revolution. Vietnamese literature during this period is the voice of patriotism, compassion, and calls for the nation to rise up to save the country and home of scholars, patriots, and revolutionary soldiers.
During this particular historical period, authors used their pens to express their deep and intense love for the country. Many works, from folk songs to secret poems written in colonial prisons, have demonstrated this. They are voices of passionate dedication, rallying cries, encouraging the entire nation to rise up to save the country and its people.
In the early 20th century, every Vietnamese was moved to hear the bold and dignified verses of Phan Boi Chau:
Embrace tightly, holding onto the economic lover,
Smile wide, dissipating the clouds of vengeance.
(Reflecting on his time in Quang Dong prison) Phan Chau Trinh, amidst the hardships of Con Dao, still affirms one belief:
Enduring days preserving a resilient soul
Rain or shine, the iron will remains unyielding.
(Stone pounding at Con Lon)
With patriotic fervor, enmity towards foes, the pioneers of the century achieved 'Three inches of tongue and a blade of a gun - A feather as white as snow, yet as resounding as a gong.' And from across the European skies, echoing praises of 'a hero, a celestial envoy, worthy of sacrificing oneself for independence, revered by twenty million souls under colonial oppression' were sent by Nguyen Ai Quoc to the beloved national leader in the short story 'Ingenious Schemes' which Varen Phan Boi Chau published in a newspaper right in the heart of Paris. Not just Phan Boi Chau, Phan Chau Trinh, but countless 'offspring of Lac, descendants of Hong, despite being in a state of homelessness 'Dwelling as guests without a home across four seas - Yet laughing amidst the five continents' (Composed in Quang Dong Prison) never wavered in spirit. They only viewed imprisonment as a respite after 'exhausting their legs' in the arduous journey to save the country. They self-acknowledged their status as 'sky menders' with a tone filled with optimistic fervor, indomitable determination:
Glorious amidst the mountains and rivers
Swinging the hammer to shatter years, seven heaps
Unleashing fists to break hundreds of stones.
(Stone pounding at Can Lon - Phan Chau Trinh)
However, not everyone has the ability and conditions to directly engage in combat, sacrifice for the cause of independence. Many, despite being powerless to wield weapons, not worthy of slapping the enemy's face with fervent and courageous poems like the two venerables Phan or Nguyen Ai Quoc, still contribute their discreet, remote, yet equally earnest voices. When Tan Da wearily murmured:
Oh sister Hang, such a melancholic autumn night!
Lost in this mundane world, I now feel weary...
(Wishing to become Cuoi)
We sense a faint sorrow for the nation, yet also a profound sadness for our own helplessness in the face of the nation's tragedy.
In the era of New Poetry, the image of the tiger in The Memory of the Forest by The Lu vividly portrays a grand reminiscence of the glorious past, the splendor of the nation, intertwined with the poignant agony of the present scene 'now reduced to humiliation and oppression.' That heartfelt tone, lamenting the golden past, resonates deeply in the image of the 13th-century officials still sitting there:
No one knows the path ahead
Golden leaves fall on paper
Outside, rain and dust dance in the air.
(The Elder, Vu Dinh Lien)
Could it be an expression of compassion for the talented intellectual class of the country suffering from the Westernization of the colonialists? Heartbroken by that reality, it can be seen as a sentiment of patriotism, lamenting the nation's pain.
We can assert: a series of literary works produced throughout the first half of the century, converge at one point: fervent patriotism, a desire to save the nation, sorrow over the loss of the country. Despite differing expressions, varying degrees of enthusiasm, they all affirm a sincere, profound love for the country and its people.
Our forefathers once proudly raised the flag of patriotism and preserved the integrity of the nation's territory to this day. The passionate voices of our venerable predecessors of countless generations, how can we not embellish them, brighten the national tradition with the prosperity of this era.
Beside Vietnamese Literature in the early 20th century until 1945 vividly demonstrates the national patriotism of our people during this period. Prove through the studied works, you can further explore the content Perception of the Last Leaf or the section My Perception when reading the excerpt Fighting with the Windmill to enhance your writing skills.
The Vietnamese Literature Mind Map is a useful tool to help students grasp the trends and achievements of Vietnamese literature during this period. Particularly, the mind map from the August Revolution of 1945 until the end of the 20th century summarizes the events, works, and famous writers, helping students understand more deeply the development and contribution of literature in the cultural history of the country.
