Essay about “The Tale of Kieu”
Introduction:
The “Tale of Kieu” is an impressive story told inform of several poems. It reveals a sense of issues in the Vietnamese writings. It shows a clear transmission of their fictional work from the past. It has strongly built a form of endless sentimental equipment which enables them to handle and correct their past problems especially integrity and political principles. This tale has been a form of information for foreign readers and principally from Europe and America. This essay attempts to accentuate the characterization of Thuy Van from this tale. The essay seeks to assert the moral nature of this character in the tale and goes ahead to work out a comparison among Kieu and the other daughters of Vuong.
Although the whole work in this tale comes out clearly as piece of art full of immoral characters such as Kieu and Van, Van comes out strongly as a sensible personality in a society full of immoral madness (The Tale 1). The work may be immoral but the writer has a positive lesson in mind intended for the readers. The key point here is that the Vietnam society should do something to prevent the moral decadence in their society.
Van is brought in as in the independent minded, a woman who did not rely on her looks to earn protection and care from men. A close comparison between Thuy Van and Kieu indicate the latter: ‘yet Kieu possessed a keener deeper charm than, / surpassing Van and in looks” (Du, 23-30). This means that their women were valued in terms of looks and the lesser the quality of looks, the more the value. Kieu’s value is only in her looks but in terms of behavior and character she is nowhere as compared to Van. Van’s disposition is publicized as one which belongs to a well brought up woman. This is a clear indication that the whole society in this tale is not devoid of morally upright persons. Although her impact is not felt, as much as her colleagues in the novel, Van’s occurrence or dearth, is of essence, in gauging her sister’s uncertainties.
The moral standards of this society are wanting. The evidence of this assertion is seen as a result of the comparison of these two sisters. Kieu is said to be representing the real Vietnamese women. Van is created by the author as the only character to create the checks and balances to the women in the society in question. She does not empathize with an immoral woman. This is seen when she expressed disapproval on her sister’s cry over Dam Tien. She rejected being a culprit of men’s lustful nature when Kim Trong had shown interest to the sisters. She is not easily deceived by the dude’s handsome nature. This means that despite the nature of women in the Vietnam’s culture as shown in this novel, there were also credible women who had decided to uphold integrity.
The reason why it may be hard to accept the notion of immoral work where this book is concerned is that the writer is indirectly informing us of the unfortunate ordeal facing women in Vietnam especially those who cannot stand their grounds like Van (Nguyen N. H.106). Kieu for instance is forced by circumstances to be sold in to an unplanned marriage to rescue her father who had been arrested due to counterfeit indictments. She appears to be more dependable for the wrong reasons but before the marriage had been achieved, Vuong is released and Kieu had already been sold to Kim. Kieu counterchanged Kim to marry her sister to marry Kim on her behalf (39).
Selling women appears to be rooted in Vietnam (Bow S. 33). This means that the girl child was under threat in this society due to this ordeal. Women are seen as the family property, one which could be sold any time to offset the family bills and debts. Van is depicted as a woman who has some reservations shown by the way she cannot do anything without her parents consent. Kieu is not too undemonstrative when it came to her options. It is no wonder she easily accepts to be sold after her father’s arrest. Van on the other hand is a bit flaccid to the extent of accepting her family’s situation. She was also adamant to the espouse theory of being used in substitution of her sisters refusal to marry Kim.
Her morality further comes out strongly after she still appears to adore her sister who had gone for quite sometime (Mar D. 79). A sister who did not appear to cherish her in turn, she could see Kieu in her dreams. Her decision to marry Kim upon his return appears to be self driven by her love to her sister and the entire family. When Kieu returns she was willing to let Kim marry Kieu as well because she recognized how much they adored each other.
Kim also appears to be a morally upright person in this novel. Upon going for some years, He did not get involved to any other woman. When he comes from his father’s burial, he is still committed in marrying Kieu. He still marries Van who was not his preference but when Kieu comes and they got married, he does not stop respecting Van.
Immorality is also evident. Administrators were willing to smuggle suspects out of custody without following the right procedure. When Vuong was arrested, administrators were among those who played a role in his release and only through corruption. This is an evidence of immoral behavior in the society.
In wrapping up this debate, the aspect of morality in this work cannot be questioned as it is evident in the whole novel. It may not be straight forward but the truth is that the author is appears to be indirectly advocating for it to the Vietnamese population of the day.
Work Cited
Bow, Leslie. Betrayal and Other Acts of Subversion: Feminism, Sexual Politics, Asian American Women's Literature. Princeton, N.J: Princeton University Press, 2001. Print.
Du, Nguyen.The Tale of Kieu. Trans. Huynh Sanh Thong. New Haven: Yale U Press, 1983.
Top of Form
Marr, David G. Vietnamese Tradition on Trial, 1920-1945. Berkeley: Univ. of California P, 1981. Print.
Bottom of Form
Nguyen, Nathalie H. C. Memory Is Another Country: Women of the Vietnamese Diaspora. Santa Barbara, Calif: Praeger, 2009. Internet resource.
The Tale. The Tale of Kieu, Vietnam’s Epic Poem: “Truyen Kieu”. Web on 5th Nov.2012 from: <http://www.deanza.edu/faculty/swensson/kieu.html>
