Top 10 Analytical Essays on the Excerpt 'The Solitary Condition of the Woman Warrior' by Đặng Trần Côn

'The Solitary Condition of the Woman Warrior' is a representative excerpt from Đặng Trần Côn's 'Chinh phụ ngâm.' This passage not only captures the emotional state of a woman whose husband is away at war but also showcases the author's artistic talent. With profound and skillful writing, Đặng Trần Côn reflects the societal reality of war, which affects not only those directly engaged in battle but also the families of soldiers, particularly their wives.

The excerpt first illustrates the loneliness, sorrow, and longing of the woman, evolving from a sense of isolation into despair and hopelessness:

“She paces the silent corridor, her steps light and slow,

Sits by the curtain, awaiting news of her dear one’s return,

But no word comes, only the silent light of the lamp beside her.

The lamp, though ever-lit, remains unaware,

Of the deep sorrow within her heart, all alone.”

Her steps through the empty corridor show how deeply lonely she feels, wandering aimlessly with only the curtain and the flickering lamp for company. She moves as though lost, not caring about where her feet lead her, reflecting her deep sadness and yearning for her husband. When she sits, the constant anxiety and longing for him weigh heavily on her heart. She waits for a sign, but all she receives is silence. She wonders if the lamp, which keeps her company through the night, understands her longing. But of course, it cannot—its light is lifeless and unaware of the emotions that consume her. Her mood shifts from aimless wandering to a deeper sense of sadness and hopelessness.

She waits through the long hours, each passing moment feeling like a year, and the sorrow in her heart only grows. As she gazes around, she becomes more and more consumed by self-pity. She tries to burn incense to calm herself, but it only makes her more lost in her thoughts. She even tries to look at herself in the mirror, but all she finds is tears and sorrow for her own loneliness. Desiring to play her instrument to ease her longing, she hesitates, fearing the delicate strings may snap or the chords may go flat:

“She forces herself to burn incense, but her soul drifts away,

She forces herself to look in the mirror, but tears fill her eyes,

She forces herself to play the strings, but fear grips her heart,

The strings may break, the chords may falter.”

She longs to express her unshakeable devotion to her husband, to send her thoughts and worries through the wind:

“This heart sends its message with the Eastern wind,

Though far, it reaches the mountains of Yên,

Though these mountains may be distant and unreachable,

My thoughts for him stretch as far as the sky.”

She hopes the wind will carry her feelings to him, but she knows this is merely a fleeting fantasy—her longing remains unanswered. Even the surroundings reflect her sadness. The sounds of the night and the dim light of the moon echo her loneliness:

“The rooster crows in the distant fog,

The locust tree sways in the cold breeze,

The hours stretch endlessly like years,

My sorrow deepens like the vast ocean.”

The rooster’s call becomes mournful, and the once vibrant locust tree now appears drooping, reflecting her sadness. The poet uses nature to mirror her inner turmoil, painting a picture of both beauty and sorrow. The scene is filled with imagery of drooping locust flowers and silent, falling rain—symbols of her yearning and the coldness of her solitude. The woman, though still young, is confronted with the possibility of becoming a widow, her loneliness intensified by her constant longing for her husband.

In the feudal society of ancient times, many literary works focused on the emotional suffering of women whose husbands went off to war. Sometimes these wars were unjust. The pain they endured was something unspeakable, only felt in their hearts and kept in silence. Among the literary works of the 18th century, one cannot overlook the masterpiece 'Chinh phụ ngâm khúc' by Đặng Trần Côn, with the superb Nôm writing style of Đoàn Thị Điểm.

The opening verses in the poem immediately make one reflect, the quiet sadness within them seeming to speak of a woman’s heartache as she anxiously waits for news of her husband on the battlefield. Once, they walked side by side, in deep love, but now only the solitary figure of the wife remains, staring out from behind the curtain, yearning for any sign of her beloved:

“She walks silently on the empty veranda, her steps soft,

Sits behind the curtain, waiting for news from afar,

But the bird outside does not bring any tidings,

And the lamp inside, does it understand?”

The opening four lines, using the traditional 'song thất lục bát' rhythm, evoke a sense of longing and sorrow. The wife, day by day, waits for her husband’s safe return, hoping for a signal from the distant battlefield. Yet, day after day, she hears no news. Each night, she sits alone by the lamp, its light offering warmth, yet her heart remains cold and weary as she waits for her loved one. The warmth of the lamp can never understand her inner turmoil:

“Each hour drags on endlessly, like a whole year,

My sorrow stretches as vast as the distant sea.”

These two lines vividly compare time to an endless ocean, much like Xuân Quỳnh’s own verses:

“Days without you pass,

The sea whispers with longing.”

The woman’s longing is endless, as if the ocean has no shore. Her wait seems to last forever, and her heart grows more distant, as if the ocean is far beyond reach.

“She forces herself to burn incense, her soul wandering,

She forces herself to look into the mirror, her tears flowing,

She forces herself to play the strings, her fingers trembling,

The strings snap, the sound of the lute falters.”

In these four lines, three use the word 'force,' showing the wife’s struggle to keep up appearances and hold on to some sense of normalcy. She tries to make herself beautiful, burn incense to soothe her soul, and play music, but she realizes none of these actions matter when no one is there to hear her, to appreciate her efforts, or to share in her sorrow. Her music is no longer as sweet as it once was, like a broken string on a lute, unable to produce the melody of love and togetherness she once knew.

“This heart sends its message with the eastern wind,

Though distant mountains may prevent its reach,

Even though these mountains are far away,

My thoughts for you stretch endlessly, like the sky above.”

Where once she hoped for news carried by the birds, now she sends her love on the eastern wind. She wonders if the wind can truly reach him and carry her deepest feelings. Her yearning for him is as vast as the sky, but will he ever return to her?

“The heavens are too vast to comprehend,

My longing for you remains, unfulfilled,

The sadness is overwhelming,

The branches are covered in mist, and the sound of distant rain falls.”

In the final four lines, the rhythm slows, deepening the melancholy. The woman’s sorrow has seeped into the world around her, reflecting her inner desolation. The once joyful scene is now somber, as even the environment seems to reflect her pain and longing for a husband lost to an unjust war.

In conclusion, 'Chinh phụ ngâm khúc' speaks to the deep love of a wife for her husband and condemns the injustices of war that tear families apart. It highlights the pain of separation, the longing for reunion, and the immense toll that war inflicts not only on soldiers but also on their loved ones. The poem captures the timeless yearning for family, the desire for peace, and the enduring human hope for a better life, making it an enduring work of literature in the 18th century and beyond.

In reality, aside from specialized researchers, most readers seldom pay attention to the original Chinese version of the Chinh Phu Ngam by Dang Tran Con – from the village of Nhan Muc, Thanh Tri district (now part of Nhan Chinh ward, Thanh Xuan district, Hanoi). Instead, they are familiar with the Vietnamese rendition by female scholar Doan Thi Diem (1705-1748) from the village of Giai Pham, Van Giang district, Kinh Bac region (now in Hung Yen province).

Similar to Nguyen Gia Thieu's Cung Oan Ngam Khuc in affirming human values and reflecting the fate of women, as well as skillfully using the genre of ngâm khúc and the traditional song thất lục bát poetry, the Vietnamese version of Chinh Phu Ngam simplifies philosophical reflections and focuses more on everyday life. The emotions of the female warrior express a longing for her husband, a desire for a simple family life, and a yearning for reunion. In a broader context, her dream is more serene, simple, and relatable compared to that of the palace maid. The excerpt “The Solitary Condition of the Woman Warrior” clearly reveals the loneliness of the wife waiting for her husband to return from war, showcasing the exceptional skill of Dang and Doan in depicting the psychological state, especially Doan Thi Diem’s superb Vietnamese rendition.

The predominant mood in this 36-line excerpt out of 408 total lines is the expression of solitude and emptiness. It begins with the recognition of an individual’s existence within the context of surroundings and relationships, framed by time and space. The protagonist, the female warrior, appears almost ethereal, alternating between being fully aware of each action—whether it's walking or adjusting the curtain—before slipping back into apathy and indifference:

She walks along the silent veranda,

Sitting by the curtain, she waits, lost in thought.

In the first stanza (lines 1-16), two key images are repeatedly emphasized: the curtain and the lantern. The female warrior “sits by the thin curtain” gazing outside, waiting for news of her husband, yet sees nothing. The “within the curtain” symbolizes confinement in a narrow, stagnant space. The transitional line, “Within the curtain, the lantern knows not,” further enhances the sense of emptiness and solitude, as she faces her own reflection, symbolizing her lifeless existence, a human transformed into a mere shadow, akin to the dimming light of a lantern. Even the outside world seems draped in mourning, indifferent, with fleeting, elusive sensations, such as the “chickens calling in the mist” or the “weeping trees swaying in the breeze.” Time becomes a continuous wait, filled with solitude yet devoid of life, events, or human presence:

She waits endlessly, as if years have passed,

Her sorrow stretches as far as the distant sea.

In her waiting, the female warrior feels a time that seems both short and endlessly long, her sorrow swelling like an infinite ocean. The adverbs “endlessly” and “stretching” create a mournful, lingering rhythm, akin to a sigh from a woman anxiously waiting for her husband. Ultimately, even when the female warrior’s figure returns, it remains one of despair, resignation, and feigned joy: “The incense is reluctantly lit,” “The mirror is reluctantly examined,” “The sword is reluctantly strummed,” unable to mask the reality of unfulfilled desires: “Her soul has wandered,” “Her tears overflow,” and “The bond of love has broken, the harp strings have loosened...”

In the following stanza (lines 17-28), the female warrior’s feelings toward her husband are reflected. However, if the image of the husband is distant and vague, the longing itself becomes an illusion. The reunion is impossible due to vague news and the distant, symbolic nature of locations like “Yen Mountain,” “the path to the heavens,” and “far beyond comprehension.” Words like “vast,” “aching,” and “intense” evoke the yearning and longing that continuously haunt her heart. The depth of her longing intensifies, from a distant hope for her husband to an overwhelming sorrow that feels unending:

– I miss him, the path so distant,

My longing for him, unending.

Much like the lament of Thuy Kieu in the Tale of Kieu: “What scene is without sorrow? When one is sad, the world feels sorrowful,” the female warrior sometimes perceives the world as lifeless, yet at other times, she senses the world around her urging, changing, without the mutual understanding between humanity and nature:

The sorrowful world mirrors her heart,

The trees, heavy with dew, echo the rain’s sound.

The dew strikes like an axe, severing the willow’s roots,

The snow feels like a saw, cutting the corn branches.

Comparisons like “dew like an axe” and “snow like a saw” dramatize the external disturbances through the female warrior’s perception, as she can no longer tolerate even the simplest of things, and these ordinary sensations transform into eerie obsessions. These contrasting feelings coexist within one person, creating a split in how she perceives nature and life. The solitary condition of the female warrior generates emotional conflicts, infiltrating the natural world with all its contradictions, disappointments, fragile hopes, fleeting moments of peace, and raging storms within her heart.

In the final stanza (lines 29-36), the female warrior reaches out to a wider space with the veranda, wind, flowers, and moon, but it’s just another cold, lifeless nature, devoid of belief or warmth. The landscape appears detached from humanity, with no trace of human activity, emphasizing the coldness and contrast with the woman’s inner turmoil as she becomes more hidden, more submerged:

The flowers bathe in moonlight, the moon prints its image,

The moon encircles the flowers, each petal a deep shade of red.

The moon and flowers intertwine,

Before the flowers, beneath the moon, her heart grows heavy.

The final two lines begin to reveal the heart of the female warrior in comparison. She gazes at the moonlit flowers, her heart full of sorrow for her own fate, her solitary existence before the moon and flowers. From this point, we can perceive the early stirrings of individual awareness, a longing for the right to live, to experience joy, and to partake in a shared love.

Artistically, the poem’s structure of seven-character and six-eight-line verses, combining the subtle and elegant style of Tang poetry with the traditional rhythm of Vietnamese folk poetry, creates a continuous, sorrowful flow of emotions. Upon close examination, one can see each set of four lines forms a stanza, with the first two lines introducing the idea and the next two expanding, deepening, and developing it. This poetic progression mirrors the undulating waves of emotion. Even within individual lines, small oppositions create a sense of balance, emphasis, and resonance:

– The bond of love breaks / the harp’s strings weaken,

– The dew-covered branches / the sound of insects as the rain falls,

– The ants call in the wall / the temple bell rings out.

Additionally, the Vietnamese version retains and adapts many Chinese idioms and cultural references (such as “Yen Mountain,” “iron sword,” “love bond,” “harp strings,” “eastern wind”), while many ideas from the original have been transformed into emotionally rich, poetic expressions. For example, the phrase “Sorrow as vast as the ocean – Time as long as the years” has been reinterpreted into the more emotionally charged line:

Endless waiting, like years passing,

My sorrow stretches as far as the distant sea.

This excerpt and the entire Chinh Phu Ngam represent the lament of a woman waiting for her husband, longing for him across distant battlefields. Her solitude is reflected in her perception of endless waiting, an overwhelming emptiness surrounding her, and the loss of life’s energy. Above all, it captures the deep loneliness and the realization of a life lost without hope, without the joy of living, and severed from a larger connection to the world.

This emotional state both condemns the senseless wars that send men to battle and result in the sorrow of women waiting for them, while also affirming the need to express feelings and the awareness of a woman’s right to live and find happiness, even in this life. This is the heart of the poem, expanding the topic, delving deeper into the human soul, and highlighting the profound humanistic values this work offers, marking a significant step forward in 18th-century literature and in the development of national literary traditions.

Dang Tran Con is a writer who beautifully captures the emotions and moods of women enduring loneliness and sorrow. These feelings are woven throughout his works, with the most prominent being the solitude of the chinh phu (soldier's wife).

The women left behind by husbands who go off to war express deep emotional struggles. Their longing and sorrow fill their hearts, evoking a profound sense of empathy in us. The image of these women standing, casting their shadows onto the empty spaces, reflects their overwhelming feelings of longing. The poet's words focus intensely on the emotions of these women:

The quiet veranda echoes with each step,

The thin curtains fall as if calling to someone.

No news comes from beyond the window,

Inside, the dim light flickers in the dark.

Does the light know what it represents?

My heart is filled with sorrow, only I know.

Grief is too heavy to express in words,

As the lantern’s glow mirrors the sorrowful figure of the woman.

The lonely steps of the woman on the quiet veranda reflect the emptiness within her heart, where longing builds up a deep, emotional current. She walks alone, with only her shadow as company, each step heavy with sorrow. The curtains pull down, creating an atmosphere of longing and silence. Once again, the author emphasizes the natural setting as a backdrop to the woman's emotions, highlighting her isolation in a vast, desolate landscape.

Loneliness becomes her only companion as her thoughts wander to her distant lover, her heart entwined with love and longing. The poetic image of the empty space and the dim light echo her despair. These feelings become more intense as time passes, with every moment stretching into an eternity of waiting and yearning for the return of her loved one.

The emotional conflict in these scenes is palpable. The feeling of isolation is overwhelming, yet the woman's heart is full of hope and love. The author captures the subtle interplay between yearning, solitude, and the passage of time:

The rooster’s crow echoes through the mist,

The weeping willow sways, casting shadows around her.

The hours drag on, endless like the years,

The sorrow stretches far, like an endless sea.

Each crow of the rooster intensifies the woman's sense of abandonment. The once lively surroundings are now muted and distant. The passing of time weighs heavily on her heart, and her grief deepens like the endless sea on the horizon. The passage of time and the call of nature blend seamlessly with her personal suffering, creating a powerful sense of melancholy.

The rooster’s crow fades into the quiet night, a constant reminder of the long, lonely years. Despite the long passage of time, the woman’s longing remains unchanging. The sorrow lingers like the endless sea, and the distance between her and her husband grows ever wider, making her heart ache with a deep, undying love. Yet, through this enduring sorrow, the woman remains steadfast, her love for her husband unwavering as she waits, day after day, in the shadows of her solitude.

Even as the darkness surrounds her, the woman's emotions remain strong. The gentle flicker of the lantern represents the tender memory of her lost love. The sorrow may seem endless, but the heart of the woman is filled with a deep, unwavering love, unspoken yet deeply felt.

The final image is one of quiet sorrow, where the woman’s soul reflects the painful emotions she experiences in her solitude. Her heart is heavy, filled with love and longing, but also filled with the quiet understanding that love, like the moonlight, shines endlessly, even if it is never fully returned.

These final lines echo the endless waiting, the feeling of solitude that permeates the woman’s life. Her heart remains tender, as she continues to carry the weight of her emotions, quietly enduring, waiting for the return of the one she loves, in a world that remains empty and silent:

In the quiet of the night, the cricket’s song plays,

A row of trees sways in the gentle breeze.

The curtains flutter as the wind whispers,

The flowers and moon cast shadows, mingling with the night.

The flowers embrace the moonlight, as the moon wraps around them,

The moon and flowers form a delicate bond,

The flowers and the moon echo one another,

Under the flowers and the moon, the heart aches with longing.

The final images of the poem resonate with the loneliness of the woman, and the constant emotional pull between the woman and the vast, silent world around her. Her heart aches as she waits in the shadows, yearning for a reunion that may never come.

Humanitarian inspiration runs deep through the entirety of national literature, especially during the late 18th to early 19th centuries, a time of intense historical turmoil. Numerous peasant uprisings erupted to overthrow the feudal regime, and the basic rights to life and happiness were severely threatened. During this period, for the first time, the image of women was widely discussed in works by several authors, with notable works like "Chinh Phu Ngam" by Dang Tran Con and Doan Thi Diem. The soldier's wife, after bidding her husband farewell for the battlefield, imagines the scene of war, feeling sorrowful and anxious for him, as well as for her own lonely state. These feelings are deeply conveyed through the following excerpt:

"The quiet courtyard, each step echoes,

Lifted curtains fall again, a sign of despair."

The first two lines of the excerpt portray the soldier's wife alone at home, pacing the courtyard, going back and forth between the open veranda and her room, pulling the curtains up and letting them fall repeatedly. These repetitive movements seem purposeless, driven by the inner turmoil of her heart. Time feels tedious, heavy, and monotonous, veiled in a restless, uneasy state of mind, with no one to share her sorrow. Her footsteps seem to echo the lonely, sorrowful steps of the palace maid in Nguyen Gia Thieu's "Cung Oan Ngam":

"Tired of walking, lost in thought, after many hours."

In contrast, the footsteps of Thuy Kieu in Nguyen Du's work: "Stepping briskly, on the lonely garden path at night" are full of love and joy, whereas the soldier's wife walks with a heart weighed down by longing and sorrow. Externally, she appears to live a life of peace and leisure, but internally, she endures a life of hardship and loneliness—her husband gone, her youth fading away. Who can truly understand her loneliness and sorrow?

In the soldier's wife's thoughts, she mentions the swallow, but the silence of the bird only deepens her frustration, leading her to question whether even the lamp can understand her sorrow. At first, she hoped the lamp might share in her feelings, but then she realizes that even if it knew, it would offer no comfort:

"The swallow outside the window offers no news,

Does the lamp within even know?"

The lamp, though a silent witness to her sleepless nights, cannot comfort her. The repetition of "no" emphasizes not only the swallow's silence but also the deep despair of the soldier's wife. She asks, searching for understanding and companionship, but the lamp cannot provide the empathy she seeks. The repeated use of "no" marks three stages of deepening disappointment, despair, and hopelessness in her grief. Yet, the more hopeless she feels, the stronger her desire to share her burden grows.

The soldier's wife returns to face her loneliness, as the image of herself cast by the lamp highlights her weariness and fading spirit. The imagery evokes thoughts of Vu Nuong's shadow, who, even while separated from her husband, found comfort in their child. In contrast, the soldier's wife has no such solace, left only with her own thoughts and the lamp for company. The image of the shadow also calls to mind Thuy Kieu bidding farewell to Thuc Sinh:

"The person returns, their shadow lingers through the night,

While the other ventures far into the unknown."

Her sympathy for the lamp is, in essence, her sympathy for herself, both subjects intertwined in their isolation. The words "know" and "sorrow" are repeated to intensify the feelings of loneliness. This highlights the translator's skill in conveying the emotional state of the character through evocative language. The poetic creations of Doan Thi Diem and Dang Tran Con reflect an infinite compassion, a powerful condemnation of the unjust wars that have shattered lives and families. The endless sorrow of the soldier's wife transcends both time and space:

"The rooster cries faintly at dawn's first light,

The branches of the loquat tree sway in the breeze."

The external environment mirrors her internal turmoil. The sound of the rooster at dawn reflects the character's inner restlessness, as the passing of time is measured in agonizing moments. The sight of the loquat tree’s shadow is not one of idle observation but a symbol of her counting the minutes that drag on.

"The hours drag on like endless years,

The sorrow stretches far, like an endless sea."

The soldier's wife perceives time in a uniquely painful way. Compared to the original text, Doan Thi Diem has creatively intensified this perception by adding emotionally charged words, comparing each moment of waiting to an entire year, and her sorrow to the vastness of the sea, overwhelming and unfathomable. Her grief is immense and persistent, consuming both space and time. In her solitude, she struggles to break free from the crushing weight of loneliness:

"The incense burns, though it cannot ease the ache,

The mirror reflects tears that cannot dry,

The fingers play the zither, but the strings break,

And the melody falls silent, heavy with regret."

Her attempts to escape loneliness only lead her deeper into her sorrow. Lighting incense to warm the room brings no comfort. Looking into the mirror only intensifies her feelings of solitude. Playing the zither, she fears the strings will snap, a symbol of the fragility of her relationship with her husband. The soldier's wife, after bidding farewell to her husband, feels the pain of waiting and loneliness, the soul withering away in isolation. But after reaching the height of her despair, the tone of the poetry becomes lighter, the emotional cadence shifts toward a sense of hope:

"This heart sends its love on the winter winds,

My soul, though far, reaches out to the Yên mountains."

The phrase "This heart" conveys the deep yearning of the soldier's wife, as she desperately seeks to share her love with her husband. The repetition of "sending" expresses her longing and desire for a connection. The distant Yên mountains, though not the battleground, symbolize the separation between them, evoking a vast, lonely expanse. The words "soul" and "moon" reflect the timeless nature of their separation and the endless longing that transcends earthly boundaries.

"The spirit of the fallen warrior is swept by the wind,

His face illuminated by the moon's cold gaze."

The place where the soldier battles is unknown, just as the ultimate return is uncertain. The vast, desolate space reflects the separation between the two, and the deep sense of longing continues to dominate. The infinite distance between them is captured in the poetry, as the soldier’s wife’s sorrow intensifies, unable to bridge the gap. The imagery evokes the limitless, boundless nature of love and loss, one that cannot be measured, returned, or easily understood. This poignant depiction highlights the unrelenting, all-consuming sorrow of the soldier’s wife, as her heart is overwhelmed with longing, grief, and isolation. The poet masterfully conveys these emotions, blending nature and inner turmoil, to explore the depths of the human condition and the enduring strength of love in the face of separation.

Unlike the early period of medieval literature, which was passionate in praising the heroic hearts and deeds of warriors, as well as celebrating the great victories of the entire nation, the 18th and 19th centuries marked a time when the feudal state began to fall into a deep crisis, plagued by continuous internal wars that shattered the peace of many homes. During this time, literature flourished and developed, driven by humanistic inspiration, replacing the fervent cries for the right to life. Among the prominent works of this period is 'Chinh Phu Ngam' by Dang Tran Con, translated by Doan Thi Diem. The work is one of the greatest voices of humanism in its time, exemplified by the excerpt 'The Lonely Situation of the Chinh Phu.' 'The Lonely Situation of the Chinh Phu' is an excerpt from lines 193 to 228 of 'Chinh Phu Ngam.' After a farewell, the chinh phu (soldier's wife) returns home, imagining the dangerous battlefield filled with death, feeling sorrow and anxiety for her husband. Once again, she wonders why couples must be separated, why all their plans together have failed. These unanswered questions leave her in deep despair. She also laments the situation of 'raising the elderly and teaching the young alone,' expressing her loneliness. This section vividly captures her emotions, highlighting the deep and unspoken sorrow she feels. The first 16 verses unfold her endless loneliness, despair, and hopelessness.

After sending her husband away beyond the 'green mulberry fields,' the chinh phu returns to the narrow confines of her room, overwhelmed with thoughts of her husband's dangerous battlefield. The pain of longing, emptiness, and solitude is reflected in her hesitant steps: 'I walk the silent porch, each step uncertain.' She stands and sits repeatedly, lost in thought. The curtain falls and rises repeatedly without purpose, symbolizing the emotional turmoil and disarray she feels. The unconscious actions emphasize her trapped existence, her youth confined in a suffocating cage, and her restless soul, filled with anxiety about her husband's perilous situation. He is far away, uncertain when he will return, while she remains behind, waiting endlessly. Her eyes search for news, yet 'the thread gives no sign.' This line is an accusation, as her hopes have been dashed, and the silence from the messenger bird turns her longing into hopelessness. The chinh phu then places her hope on the 'lamp' inside the room, which has witnessed her restless nights and understands her worries.

She questions whether the 'lamp' knows her pain, but immediately, hope is extinguished: 'The lamp knows nothing.' The lamp is an inanimate object and cannot offer companionship or comfort, leaving only the sorrow of her lonely heart: 'My heart is filled with sadness.' The sorrow weighs heavily on her mind, and in her grief, she feels a deep isolation, like the lonely shadow and the dim light. The fire has burned out, and she has stayed awake through the night, consumed by longing and sadness. She is like Vu Nuong, waiting for her husband season after season, but Vu Nuong had her child to bring joy and hope, while the chinh phu has nothing but despair.

In the next 8 lines, the chinh phu attempts to escape the overwhelming sorrow that fills both her space and soul. She seeks solace in external sounds, such as the crowing of a distant rooster or the swaying of a tree, but these only deepen her pain and loneliness in the 'early clouds and late night.' Ultimately, all that remains is the chinh phu with her endless sorrow, longing stretching out through time. Even though she forces herself to burn incense, look into a mirror, and play her zither, she fears that she will lose herself in her sorrow, 'the soul lost in the melody,' 'the tears flowing like pearls,' 'the strings snapping,' and thus, she returns to her tragic solitude. In her grief and loneliness, the chinh phu longs to send her deep love and longing across the distance to her beloved.

'Can I send my heart with the east wind, to the far-off land of Non Yen?' This is a heartfelt, undying expression of her love, sent to the distant mountains of Non Yen, which symbolizes the separation between two people, the hopelessness of a love that remains unanswered. 'Even if Non Yen cannot be reached, my longing for him is eternal.' The greater the distance, the deeper the yearning, an aching longing that even the vast sky cannot understand, and the endless sea cannot measure the depth of. As her thoughts calm, the chinh phu returns to the reality around her, where everything seems desolate: 'The mist, like an axe, cuts through the willow's roots; the snow, like a saw, cuts the corn branch.' The world is cold and barren, reflecting her inner emptiness, making the scene before her appear dull, sorrowful, and aching. 'Every scene is filled with sorrow,' as Nguyen Du said: 'No matter the scene, sorrow clings to the heart.' It is unclear whether the sorrow arises from the surroundings or from within herself, but the external world mirrors her inner state.

Yet, through the immense inner strength of her soul, the chinh phu rises once more, reaching for the vast world beyond, seeking liberation for her spirit. She observes: 'The curtain sways with the wind; the flower's shadow follows the moonlight.' The image of the moon and flowers symbolizes her longing for a joyful past with her beloved, intertwined and inseparable. The words 'sway, pass through, follow, shine, imprint, embrace, bloom' emphasize her deep desire to be with her loved one, to hold onto happiness. However, tragically, reality is different: 'Before the flower, under the moon, in my heart, it hurts.' Although the moon and flowers meet, they are still separate entities, unable to merge. The longing for closeness is buried in the past, in the hopeless realm of memories, and with this overwhelming longing comes an unbearable pain, a silent sorrow that cannot be voiced.

This small excerpt from 'Chinh Phu Ngam' beautifully expresses the spirit of the entire work. The dominant theme is deep sorrow. Amidst this sorrow, there are occasional bursts of burning desires, deep emotions, and endless longing. But in every note, the beauty of the woman is portrayed through the image of the chinh phu. Most notably, the work serves as a powerful critique of the senseless wars that have left deep emotional scars, wounds that may never heal, and voids that can never be filled. The excerpt embodies the essence of the entire work, the author's thoughts, and the historical and literary context of the time.

The "Chinh Phu Ngam" is a work by the author Dang Tran Con, created in classical Chinese around the mid-18th century, a period marked by social upheaval. Continuous wars, from the conflict between the Le and Mac dynasties to the struggle between the Trinh and Nguyen factions, split the country in two. The throne of the Le Dynasty was decaying. Farmers, discontented with the situation, rose up in revolts everywhere. People lived in chaos, separated from loved ones, with families torn apart. Literature from this period largely depicted the brutality and reactionary nature of the ruling class, as well as the suffering of those oppressed by a decaying system. Dang Tran Con's "Chinh Phu Ngam" resonated deeply with Confucian scholars, and many, including female writer Doan Thi Diem, translated it into the vernacular, with Diem's version hailed as the most faithful in capturing the essence and artistry of the original.

The content of "Chinh Phu Ngam" reflects an attitude of disdain for the unjust feudal wars and highlights the desire for love, life, and the happiness of romantic unions—topics that were rarely explored in poetry before. The Chinh Phu, a noblewoman, bids farewell to her husband as he heads off to battle, hoping he will achieve fame and return to her with honor and wealth. However, shortly after the farewell, she finds herself in a lonely situation, constantly anxious about her husband. Over time, she realizes her youth is slipping away and that the dream of reuniting with her husband grows increasingly distant, plunging her into a state of profound sorrow and loneliness. The poem captures this emotional turmoil vividly.

The excerpt "The Lonely Situation of the Chinh Phu" (lines 193 to 228) portrays various emotional stages of loneliness and sadness in the young Chinh Phu as she yearns for love and happiness. This section can be divided into three parts: the first (lines 1-16) reflects the Chinh Phu's loneliness and the passage of time, her failed attempts to distract herself; the second (lines 17-28) expresses her longing for her distant husband, with the somber atmosphere heightening her sorrow; and the third (lines 29-end) contrasts the natural world with her desire for love and happiness.

After bidding her husband farewell, the Chinh Phu returns home, haunted by thoughts of the dangers of war and the potential death of her husband. She questions why lovers must be separated and why she is left in solitude. These questions remain unanswered. Her inner turmoil is depicted with sharp psychological insight, as the poet uses delicate descriptions to express her feelings. Sadness and longing dominate the tone of this passage. The actions and emotions of the Chinh Phu are brought to life through the poet's keen pen:

She paces silently along the empty porch,

Sits by the curtain, feeling restless and alone.

No news comes from beyond the curtain,

And yet, there is a dim light within.

Does the light know her longing, or does it not?

Her heart is filled with sorrow, nothing more.

She struggles to speak, yet words fail her,

As the dim light seems to mirror her own heartache.

The Chinh Phu silently paces along the deserted porch, her footsteps slow and deliberate, creating an atmosphere of stillness. The rhythm of the poem mirrors the suspension of time. In the quiet space, her footsteps echo loneliness. The poet uses her restless movements—pulling the curtain, hoping for a message—to amplify her anxiety. She longs for someone to share her sorrow, but only the flickering light keeps her company. Initially, she imagines the light understands her grief, but soon realizes the light is just an inanimate object, offering no solace. In the light's dim glow, she sees her own reflection, her heart aching for the lost days of togetherness with her husband.

The poet captures the Chinh Phu's sense of isolation in eight lines, emphasizing the pervasive loneliness she feels at all times—whether day or night, inside or outside. The surrounding environment cannot alleviate her sorrow; instead, it intensifies it:

The rooster's crow adds to the silence of dawn,

The trees sway, casting long shadows in every direction.

Time stretches endlessly, like years,

Her sorrow feels as vast as the distant sea.

The rooster's crow marks the morning, but only deepens the quiet. The trees, with their leaves fluttering, add a sense of melancholy. In this atmosphere, the Chinh Phu feels smaller and more isolated. In the following stanzas, the poet describes her sorrow through each action, even without directly mentioning the war:

She lights incense, hoping to calm her restless soul,

She gazes into the mirror, tears welling up again.

Her fingers strum the strings of a harp,

But the broken sound of the strings only deepens her sadness.

The Chinh Phu tries various distractions—applying makeup, playing the harp—but these only lead her deeper into despair. Each attempt reminds her of her loneliness and the unyielding separation from her husband. Lighting incense and gazing into the mirror remind her of lost times shared with him, while playing the harp only evokes the pain of their separation. Ultimately, she returns to her solitude, her heart heavy with sorrow.

The harp, the mythical birds (representing the couple), and the strings are symbols of marital love and devotion. But now, with the couple separated, these symbols have lost their meaning. The Chinh Phu avoids them, as they serve only as painful reminders of their happy days together and their current estrangement. Her emotional state is unstable, trapped between hope and despair, leaving her feeling restless and insecure. Waiting for her husband, filled with fear and hopelessness, she can only send her love on the winds:

Can this heart be carried by the eastern wind?

Let my heart reach him, beyond the distant mountains.

After the intense frustration of feeling trapped, the Chinh Phu has a moment of poetic inspiration, hoping that the spring wind can carry her love to her husband, who faces daily dangers in battle. She believes he, too, longs for their home and for her warmth.

Though the mountains may seem far, my thoughts travel even farther,

The road to him is endless, as is my longing.

The poet compares the vastness of the space between the lovers to the boundless universe, evoking a sense of deep longing. The sky and earth are limitless, yet they cannot contain the pain and longing of the Chinh Phu. This metaphor emphasizes her immense sorrow, echoing the ancient saying that while the earth may be vast, the heart knows no boundaries in its pain.

Her deep sorrow is mirrored by the landscape around her, as the scene becomes a reflection of her inner turmoil:

The sorrowful sky seems endless,

The branches of the tree sway, soaked in dew, the sound of rain a distant cry.

The contrast between the vastness of the universe and her sorrow, expressed in the poet's vivid imagery, highlights the unbearable loneliness of the Chinh Phu. Her sorrow, endless and inescapable, reflects her isolation in a world that cannot understand her plight.

Though the environment around her may seem serene, it only amplifies her inner distress. In the quiet, the Chinh Phu's isolation deepens as her thoughts spiral in longing and sorrow, magnified by the stillness of the night.

Through the artful interplay of emotion and imagery, the poet captures the heart-wrenching pain of the Chinh Phu. The scene flows from her personal sorrow to the broader setting, reinforcing the sense of unrelenting solitude. In this piece, the poet not only illustrates the inner torment of the Chinh Phu but also critiques the devastating impact of war on personal happiness, highlighting the importance of love and peace in the face of societal chaos.

Born in the early 18th century with the original text written in Classical Chinese by Đặng Trần Côn, the "Chinh Phụ Ngâm" quickly captured the hearts of all classes of people. Over the past two and a half centuries, it has retained its value as a brilliant literary gem, a source of pride for a land known for its rich literary tradition. Among the sections, the excerpt describing the lonely situation of the female soldier vividly reflects the loneliness of a wife longing for her husband at war, as well as the remarkable depiction of emotions by the authors Đặng and Đoàn, especially the exquisite Nôm verse style of the female writer Đoàn Thị Điểm. The excerpt portrays the lonely and sorrowful existence of a woman whose husband is away at war, without any news:

“The silent courtyard echoes her steps,”

“She sits behind the thin curtain, yearning for him.”

Similar to Nguyễn Du’s portrayal in Kiều, where Kiều speaks of the phrase ‘a woman’s duty is to follow her husband’, or in the poem "Tân Hôn Biệt", where it says ‘I vow to follow him wherever he goes,’ a wife’s destiny compels her to stay home while her husband is off to battle. Though her husband is away, she can still prepare tea and drink with soldiers, but when they leave, she is left to wander the courtyard alone, counting each step as if counting the days he’s been gone, burdened with the weight of longing and separation. No measure of time or space can truly express the depth of her yearning.

“No news from outside the curtain,”

“Only the light of the lamp seems to know her sorrow.”

Even though birds—creatures that can fly across vast distances—remain unaware of the situation, the wife waits alone, just like the ancient story of Bá Nha losing his friend Tử Kì. She lights the lamp, waiting in the stillness of night, not daring to sleep, hoping her husband might return. The rooster crows at dawn, but his figure is still absent.

The classic poem of the past, ‘One day without seeing is like three autumns,’ is succinctly condensed by Nguyễn Du into ‘Three autumns are compressed into a long, dreadful day.’ For the female soldier, ‘each moment feels like a year,’ and the sorrow stretches on endlessly, like an infinite sea.

The narrator’s longing becomes almost unbearable, asking the wind to carry her message to her distant husband in the perilous battlefield:

“Can this heart be sent with the eastern wind? A thousand gold to be carried to Mount Yên.”

Her plea to the wind represents her hopeless longing, a fleeting hope that quickly fades, leaving only the harsh reality of waiting.

Her sorrow is described through vivid metaphors: “The sky is too vast and distant to understand her longing,” symbolizing her unfulfilled yearning for her husband.

The imagery of the weeping willow and the cold, dewy branches serves to deepen the melancholy atmosphere of the poem, reflecting the coldness of her solitude and the weight of her continuous, painful longing. Just as the famous lines in Kiều state, ‘No joy in the world when sorrow weighs the heart,’ so too does the female soldier in this story experience deep emotional turmoil as she waits for the return of her beloved.

The sorrow of missing someone becomes painfully vivid as the poet contrasts her love with the endless loneliness of war. Through the verses, the poet eloquently voices the deep, sorrowful cry against the injustice of war, emphasizing the human desire for love and happiness, free from the pain of separation.

In this literary work, the poet successfully conveys the emotional complexity of longing and heartache, using the distinctive couplet structure of song thất lục bát. Through the careful crafting of words and metaphor, the poem speaks to the universal desire for love and the harsh reality of war.