Introduction
Xuân Quỳnh is a prominent female poet of modern Vietnamese poetry, known for two main areas of writing: poetry about war and poetry about love. Her poetry has been described as sincere in emotion and natural in poetic art.
Career and activities
From the beginning of her writing path, Xuân Quỳnh showed a beautiful and profound lyrical self. She once confided about the poetry vocation: “Because of enjoyment. Doing literature feels like being able to live one more life. Because of frustration. When I first entered the profession I was pushed around and looked down on, so I had to decide to live. And to live means to write.”
During the period when American air power expanded its attacks on the north, whenever there was an opportunity to go on field trips she set off: sometimes to the mountainous hills of Bắc Giang, sometimes to the rice fields of Thái Bình, or to the sea area of Thanh Hóa. In that situation, she wrote the poem Sóng, which surprised readers and those interested because its writing power was much deeper and stronger than before. The poem Sóng was copied into notebooks by many poetry lovers at the time and copied and sent to each other as a gift of affection.
In the two years 1969 and 1970, Xuân Quỳnh traveled for many months into the fire line of Quảng Bình and Vĩnh Linh. The poem Gió Lào cát trắng, written in 1969, presents a human condition in the land of white sand, with the depth of resistance life.
Before 1973, she already had truly good love poems, such as Sóng and especially Thuyền và biển. The poem came into being and was immediately praised by readers and colleagues, then was set to music and this song was also extremely loved by listeners. Many readers and those interested consider Thuyền và biển a brilliant highlight in the successes of Xuân Quỳnh's poetry.
In 1973, the poet Xuân Quỳnh and the poet Lưu Quang Vũ built a new family. This was a major turning point in Xuân Quỳnh's life as well as her poetic life. At this stage, a gentle and devoted Xuân Quỳnh, loving passionately, became clear. Those who know a little about her private life, reading the poem Tự hát, know that she wrote about Lưu Quang Vũ. The poem Tự hát is considered a very good love poem by Xuân Quỳnh and also a truly good love poem of modern Vietnamese poetry.
After the first two jointly published poetry collections, she had additional collections: Gió Lào cát trắng (1974), Sân ga chiều em đi (1984), Tự hát (1984), Lời ru trên mặt đất (1987), Hoa cỏ may (1989). She also wrote a number of poetry and story collections for children.
Xuân Quỳnh's poetry is consistent throughout her life with sincerity in emotion and extremely natural poetic art. A literary critic commented: “Xuân Quỳnh's poetry is natural, as if being a woman means one must give birth to children.”
Main milestones
- Wrote the poem Sóng during the period when American air power expanded its attacks on the north.
- In 1969 and 1970, went into the fire line of Quảng Bình and Vĩnh Linh for many months.
- In 1969, wrote the poem Gió Lào cát trắng.
- Before 1973, wrote the poem Thuyền và biển.
- In 1973, built a new family with the poet Lưu Quang Vũ.
- Poetry collections: Gió Lào cát trắng (1974), Sân ga chiều em đi (1984), Tự hát (1984), Lời ru trên mặt đất (1987), Hoa cỏ may (1989).
Xuân Quỳnh died together with Lưu Quang Vũ and their child, due to a traffic accident.