Page 53 - BB_Textbook

The Queen of Nôm Poetry
Hồ Huân Hương was a poet in the time of the Tây Sơn Rebellion, which led to Emperor Gia Long establishing the Nguyễn dynasty. Hồ Huân Hương was married, then remarried as a “second-wife” concubine, and later as a widow she was the consort of two more men. As the character Kieu in Nguyễn Du’s epic poem, so too Hồ Huân Hương defied Confucian custom.
She wrote irreverent verse that challenged the patriarchal norms of her time. Her poetry was accessible to the general public since she wrote in vernacular chữ nôm script. With wit and double entendre, she criticized corrupt feudal times.
Her poetry endures because it exemplifies a literary
skill and gendered perspective that are valued to this
day. Vietnam has promoted gender equality with laws supporting women’s rights. For example, the government passed the Law on Gender Equality (2006) and the Law on the Prevention and Control of Domestic Violence (2006). Still, women face a higher incidence of poverty, wage discrimination, inaccess to financial services, and unpaid labor.
Step One. Working with three classmates, identify your favorite Hồ Huân Hương poems. Here is one that is recognized by many as keen poetry that questions the imbalanced burden of men and women in bearing a premarital pregnancy.
Because I pitied, this happened, I wonder if he knows?
Our match had not begun When fate intervened.
The sin he will have to bear, for a hundred years - Right now, love's burden is all mine.
Step Two. Identify the street in Cần Thơ that is named for her. Bike or motorbike over to that street, and ask others if they have a favorite poem by the Queen of Nôm Poetry.
Step Three. Do people still find her poetry to be profound? What does she question about gendered norms? Refine your definitions of “gender” and “norms” in English. From Hồ Huân Hương’s vantage point as a woman—twice married, a concubine, and a consort—is her perspective as valuable as that of anyone else?
Step Four. Square: As a group of four, write a short paragraph that explains your argument about the value (or not) of Hồ Huân Hương poetry and legacy. Share: Once your group paragraph is carefully edited, read it
aloud to your class, and invite your classmates’ critique. Write down the points that they make. Can your original paragraph be improved on the basis of their critique? If yes, rewrite.
Step Five. Identify other Vietnamese poets who helpfully challenge gendered norms.
Step Six. Continue to write down what you have now learned about gendered perspective. Add to your previous two perspective notes from “Snack Attack” and the two pictures.
A Universe of Perspective
On the Bending Bamboo website, your class may view the illustrated book, Zoom, by Istvan Banyai (New York: Puffin Books, 1998).
Step One. As a class, move through
Zoom one illustration at a time,
taking 30 seconds to freewrite as
many descriptive thoughts as you
can. When your teacher asks for
comments, call out words that describe the picture. Work your way through the entire book.
Step Two. Compose a class paragraph on what Zoom adds to your understanding of perspective.
Step Three. Add to what you have written on the importance of perspective from the above tasks on “Snack Attack,” the two pictures, and the poetry of Hồ Huân Hương.
Rural and Urban Perspectives
The final perspective that is addressed in this chapter is that of rural and urban citizens. In Grade 11 Productive tasks, you considered Chú Hai Lúa folklore and Tranh Đông Hồ woodcut prints. These suggest differences of profession (farmer and fisherman vs. businessperson and scholar). They may also point to income disparity (rural vs. urban wages and opportunities).
In response, Vietnamese proverbs, poetry, and word play challenge perspectives that discriminate against one group of people. For instance, the following two proverbs change just one letter, and arrive at two entirely different meanings.
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1. 2.
cái khó bó cái khôn cái khó ló cái khôn