Reading Notes W9: Du, Part A

Nguyen Du, “The Tale of Kieu” (546-586)

Nguyen Du:

·         Vietnamese literature

·         1765-1820

·         Born in 1765

·         Well-educated, born into a learned and powerful family

·         The Tale of Kieu addresses these themes: lust, loyalty, sacrifice, corruption, faith, and justice.

·         Du’s female heroine Kieu is a representation of something. Ex: “flung around by fate and forced to prostitute herself, has long been a folk symbol of what it means to be treated unjustly and struggle to survive, but she may not stand for Nguyen Du’s own discontent, resentment, and shame at having betrayed his own convictions to play the part of a faithful official in order to protect himself and his family” (547). I find this quote to be important because of the link the character Kieu has to the author and real life at that time even though it is just fiction.

First paragraph:

·         “You must go through a play of ebb and flow and watch such things as make you sick at heart. Is it so strange that losses balance gain” (550). Felt like putting this in here because these sentences stick out because it seems to me to mention the balances of life or like the negatives and positives of life (how life flows).

Themes:

·         Corruption/Justice: “I showed them to our League Chief and was told your name is marked in the Book of the damned. We both reap what we sowed in our past lives: of the same League, we ride the selfsame boat” (554). Karma?

·         Loyalty/faith: “By the red leaf, the crimson thread, we’re bound for life-our oath proves matual faith” (560).

·         Lust: “When waves of lust had seemed to sweep him off, his wooing turned to wanton liberties” (561) and “But you named me your bride-to serve her man, she must place chastity above all else” (561). This second quote is also considered loyalty. It is like it is fight between Lust and Loyalty (in the bonds of marriage too?).

·         Sacrifice: “As you must weigh and choose between your love and filial duty, which will turn the scale? She put aside all vows of love and troth-a child first pays the debts of birth and care. Resolved on what to do, she said: “Hands off-I’ll sell myself and Father I’ll redeem” (563).