Madame Luna Tells All About Kieu
by Stacey L.
Imagery, being one of the major elements in literature, plays an important role
in poetry. The frequent use of imagery in poetry often helps developing the
theme of the story. Among all the varied types of imagery, symbolic imagery is the
most effective one to convey the messages of writers, and to make the readers or audiences
receive their information clearly. Symbols in a poem,
story, or a play are always carefully chosen from things in our environment,
or natural phenomena in the world. Element of nature such as the moon is
often favored by writers and used in literature, especially in Asian literature. Chinese
writers commemorate the graceful moon goddess by praising the beautiful image of the
moon in their poetry and stories. In Vietnam, there is a Nguyen Du using the element
of moon to convey his messages in THE TALE OF KIEU, a masterpiece in Vietnamese literature.
The symbol of moon
metaphorically illustrates the main character, Kieu's strong will and pureness despite
her heartrending destiny and things happened to her. I say this because the moon is
used to portray the beautiful appearance of Kieu, to describe her mental state, and
the moon witnesses the life events of Kieu which shows her determination to remain
the same character as she is.
The moon portrays the attractive appearance of Thuy sisters. Thuy Kieu and
Thuy Van are both pretty and charming. Van is described as having "her face
[of] a moon, her eyebrows two full curves." (Du 3) Yet Kieu is even more
beautiful than Van. The moon used here metaphorically represents their
charming looks and pureness. Their attractive appearances are being compared with
the beautiful image of moon. Moreover, Kieu's beauty is praised by men
later in the poetry: "She [Kieu] ought to rule the moon." (57) Ancient Chinese believe
in the existence of moon goddess, Chang-O. Just like Venus, the moon goddess in Roman
mythology, Chang-O the moon ruler also has an important status in people's minds,
and they glorify her feminine beauty over generation
and generation. The implicit comparison between Kieu and Chang-O implies
that Kieu is as beautiful and gentle as the noble moon goddess. The use of the moon
in the poetry illustrates Kieu's attractive and graceful appearance as the epitomized
qualities of the moon.
The moon in the poetry represents Kieu's mental state about the environment
and situation she encounters. Kim is Kieu's first lover. They love each other
deeply that they pledge vows under the moon: "The stark bright moon was
gazing from the skies/ as with one voice both mouths pronounced the oath."
(25) The moon is shiny and bright. It metaphorically suggests that at that time, Kieu's
mood is merry and delightful just like the big bright moon hanging on the sky. Moreover,
in the end of the story, Kieu reunites with her family and Kim
after fifteen years of separation. "The waning moon shines more than at its
full." (161) The moon shines more brightly than when it's full represents that
Kieu feels overjoyed with the marvelous gift that Heaven gives her after her miserable
life for all past fifteen years. She has escaped from the cruel fate eventually and
is going to lead a serene life soon. Kieu cannot feel more lighthearted at that time.
The bright moon corresponds to her bright mood. Besides, the moon does not only appear
when Kieu is happy, but also when
she is lonely and sad.
"An autumn night-through windows wafts of breeze;/
high in the sky, a crescent moon, three stars." (85)
Kieu is sitting by the window, waiting for Thuc who left to see his wife back in
his hometown. The bare sky in a bleak autumn night composes a desolate
picture, which illustrates the lonesome feeling inside Kieu. A crescent moon usually
does not glow brighter than a full moon. It represents that Kieu's mood
is dull and gloomy. Moreover, a crescent moon and three stars implicitly tells
that Kieu is missing Thuc, for that a crescent moon and three stars resemble a Chinese
character, heart, pronounced Tam in Vietnamese, which is a part of Thuc's given name.
Kieu's loneliness is expressed vividly through the use of the moon. The moon is like
a shining mirror that precisely reflects Kieu's emotion
and feeling.
Furthermore, the physical presence of the moon once again sets in to witness
the dramatic events in Kieu's life, which proves her strong determination to remain
her same personality-innocent and faithful. "We've had no chance to tie the marriage
tie./ But it's still there, the moon that we swore by:/ not face to face, we shall
stay heart to heart." (29) Kieu and Kim exchange oath under the moon. The moon witnesses
one of the important events in Kieu's life. Kieu and Kim choose the pure moon to prove
their love represents that they are as innocent as the moon is. It is hard to forget
their vow whenever they see the moon hanging on the sky. Therefore, when Kieu sees
the moon after she is
sold to a man to pay for her father's debt, she "felt shame at her love vows."
(49) This exemplifies the loyalty in Kieu because she thinks she has betrayed
her oath with Kim. Although Kieu's body is sold to the others, her heart is still
faithful to her first lover. Furthermore, the existence of the moon is also
showed in another form in this poetry. "In the back porch there hung her moon-shaped
lute." (25)
"He [Scholar Ma] made her play/
the moon-shaped lute, write verses on a fan." (35)
Kieu is proficient in playing lute. The moon-shape lute metaphorically suggests that the moon does not only gaze Kieu from the sky, but also accompany her in different shape. Life in brothel is dusky:
"The autumn night was waning.
Wind-lashed trees/ spilt leaves; the woods had swallowed up the moon." (59)
The tall trees in forest under autumn night cover the moon imply Kieu is in a
dark condition at that time for that she is forced to be a prostitute. Even so,
her true character is still as pure as the moon. The moon would never disappear-it
won't lose its glow and change its essence even if the clouds or
trees temporarily cover it. Kieu is just like the moon. Her nature is as innocent
as the moon is, and she won't change into a low and indecent woman despite
her occupation in brothel.
"She felt such shame just hearing what was taught./
What ironies the tides of life throw up!" (65)
Kieu's profession does not change her point of view towards things. She just
feels hopeless because she cannot control and change her destiny. The natural phenomenon
of low tides and high tides are results of the revolution of the
moon around the earth. It implies that the moon has witnessed Kieu's ups and downs
in her life. The existence and witness of the moon is once again being pointed out:
"Since she put on a nun's drab brown attire,/
the autumn moon had crossed the zenith twice." (101)
The moon sees the big transition in Kieu's life-how she becomes a Buddhist
nun. The pure quality and loyalty to Buddha of a nun suggest Kieu's innocent
and faithful character. The moon is still there at Kieu and Kim's reunion.
"The moon, the flower, lashed by wind and rain/
for all that time, has lost some of its glow." (155)
Kieu is being compared with the moon and the flower. The moon represents
her purity, and flower her beauty. It is the torture and distress in the past
fifteen years that make Kieu lose some shininess. The moon has witnessed the growth
of Kieu in all aspects. Her figure might dwindle and spirit might feel fatigued, but
she is determined to keep her heart and true character, to remain faithful and pure
as before. Kieu's personality has not changed despite her degrading occupation and
miserable life in her past.
Through the imagery of the moon, Nguyen Du illustates the beautiful appearance of Kieu, describes her mental state, and he expresses Kieu's stern resolution to remain her true character by the witness of the moon throughout her life. The symbol of moon metaphorically demonstrates Kieu's strong will and innocence despite her difficult destiny and things happened to her. The existence of the moon is crucial in developing the story. This natural element is deliberately chosen among all the natural elements and it plays a significant role in the poetry.
As a Chinese proverb says: "The moon may be dim, bright, full or wane; one's
life may be full of sorrow, happiness, separation or reunion." The constant
change in moon's shape corresponds to Kieu's uneasy life, which is full of separation
and uncertainty. However, the pure essence of the moon will never vanish and change.
Kieu is just like the moon: despite her occupation and pitiful fate, she still remains
her innocent, decent, and faithful personality which is the true character inside
her.
WORKS CITED
Du, Nguyen. THE TALE OF KIEU. Trans. Huynh Sanh Thong.
New Haven:Yale University, 1983.
"Moon." CHINESE IDIOMS AND THEIR ENGLISH EQUIVALENTS.
3rd ed. 1986.