Parallel and deeply interacting with other cultural aspects, the
Vietnamese literature came into being at an early date, including two
major components - folk literature and written literature. Folk
literature held a great significance in Vietnam and made immense
contribution to preserving and developing the national language as
well as nourishing the people’s soul. Folk literary works were
diversified by mythologies, epics, legends, humorous stories,
riddles, proverbs, folk-songs and so on... with many colourings of
Vietnamese ethnic groups.
Written literature was born roughly in the 10th century. Up to the
20th century, there had been two components existing at the same
time: works written in the Han characters (with poems and prose
demonstrating the Vietnamese soul and realities; thus, they were still
regarded as Vietnamese literature) and works written in the Nom
character (mostly poems; many great works were handed down to
the later generations). Since the '20s of this century, written
literature has been mainly composed in the National language with
profound renovations in form and category such as novels,
new-style poems, short stories and dramas... and with diversity in
artistic tendency. Written literature attained speedy development
after the August Revolution, when it was directed by the
Vietnamese Communist Party’s guideline and focused on the
people’s fighting and working life.
Admittedly, the whole Vietnamese nation likes poetry and
composing poems - ranging from kings, mandarins, generals to
monks, feudal scholars, and even revolutionaries. A farmer, an old
boatman, a soldier all know some six-eight-word meters or satirical
verses.
Regarding the content, the mainstream was the unyielding patriotic
literature in every time and the anti-feudalist literature that was often
expressed through the plight of women. Another important theme
was the onslaughts against social vices. Great poets of the nation
were all great humanists.
Modern Vietnamese literature has developed from romanticism to
realism, from heroism in wartime to all aspects of life, and scoured
into ordinary life to find out genuine values of the Vietnamese
people.
Classical literature generated such masterpieces as Truyen Kieu
(Nguyen Du), Cung oan ngam khuc (Nguyen Gia Thieu), Chinh
phu ngam (Dang Tran Con), Quoc am thi tap (Nguyen Trai)...
Vietnamese had some brilliant female poets like Ho Xuan Huong,
Doan Thi Diem, Ba Huyen Thanh Quan... centuries ago.
In the Vietnamese modern prose, there were authors who could
emulate with whoever in the world, namely, Nguyen Cong Hoan,
Vu Trong Phung, Ngo Tat To, Nguyen Hong, Nguyen Tuan,
Nam Cao... They were sided by excellent poets like Xuan Dieu,
Huy Can, Han Mac Tu, Nguyen Binh... Regrettably, great works
that faithfully reflect the country and the times have yet to appear.
