Who was Nam Cao?
Nam Cao was one of the greatest realist writers of twentieth century Vietnamese literature. He was closely associated with the subject matter of peasants and poor intellectuals in the society before the August Revolution, and his name is usually mentioned together with "Chí Phèo" and "Lão Hạc". His real name was Trần Hữu Tri, born on 29/10/1917 in Đại Hoàng village, Cao Đà canton, Nam Sang district, Lý Nhân prefecture, Hà Nam province, now part of Hoà Hậu commune, Lý Nhân district, Hà Nam.
How did the pen name Nam Cao come about?
The pen name Nam Cao is formed from the first characters of the name of his district and the name of his home canton. This way of choosing a pen name shows a bond with his homeland right in the name he used in the literary world. He also signed other pen names such as Thúy Rư, Xuân Dư, Nguyệt, Nhiêu Khê.
Why is "Chí Phèo" so significant?
The short story "Chí Phèo", printed in 1941, is the work most associated with his name. At that time, Vietnamese literature had many different directions, and a short story about the fate of peasants pushed into impoverishment and thuggishness created its own resonance. What gives the work its weight is not an exciting plot, but the way the writer looks straight at the process by which a person is corrupted, and from there raises the question of human dignity.
What is distinctive about Nam Cao's writing?
He wrote about peasants and poor intellectuals before the August Revolution, with a sober narrative manner and much anguish about human character in destitution. It was precisely these people, rarely spoken of in the literature of the time, who became the centre of his pages. That sober voice does not stand outside the characters to judge them, but follows them closely through every small turn of life.
How are his works recognised?
Nam Cao's works are included in the Vietnamese general education literature curriculum. For an author to appear in the general curriculum means their works are chosen as study material for many generations, and the way they are read is passed on through schools. He was also posthumously awarded the Hồ Chí Minh Prize in literature and the arts, first round.
What is certain and what remains anecdote?
The certain record includes his real name, date of birth, place of origin, pen names, the year "Chí Phèo" was printed, and the date of death. The parts concerning his private life, family circumstances and final years are mostly recounted through the recollections of relatives and colleagues, so when reading one needs to distinguish between textual evidence and handed-down accounts.
How did his final years pass?
He died on 28/11/1951. His literary career closed while he was still at a vigorous age, leaving a body of work that has been read and studied to this day.