New Poetry Movement, a special mark in
Vietnamese literature flow
New poetry (1932 – 1945) is a remarkable poetry crusade, occurring in the Vietnamese early
20th-century scenario when the country gradually adapted to Western culture. Though 90 years
have already passed, stories related to New poetry are still the focal points for the nostalgic
view, aiming to form a more thorough awareness of literature heritage in the past and, at the
same time, realize its energy and influence on modernizing Vietnamese poetry.
Output of a comprehensive modernization.
Regarding the context, New poetry is the result of the interference between the traditional
Vietnamese culture imbued with Eastern identity and modern features coming from the Western
region. Western culture followed French colonists to infiltrate all aspects of life, which caused
changes to the social structure and fostered literature modernization.
What is New Poetry? This notion was defined in comparison with “old poetry” (medieval poetry).
Since then, in comparatively from 5 to 7 years, the division of new and old poetry was provoked
radically. New Poetry stimulates the liberated spirit of personal egoism, thus expressing the
enigmatic private world in one’s inner self. With a customary writing style, which is for everyday
use, the movement created a “revolution in poetry” when gradually denied values which was
considered outdated in old poetry. Those old-fashioned points are frameworks of the old poetry
(mostly the old tetrameter which is out of pith) constraining personality and artistic literature.
Getting rid of rules and becoming flexible in the amplitude of each verse and each poem,
increases conversational language, and especially, changes the aesthetic value system. Just
began from around 1932 to 1945 before the National Resistance War, New Poetry gained a
victory over old poetry step by step and established its status on the poetry forums with famous
poets such as The Lu, Luu Trong Lu, and Xuan Dieu.
A lesson to integrate culture and literature
Not constrained by the composition, the number of sentences and words, prosody and not
limited or ruled by the ancients’ concept, New Poetry is literally a universe of private personality,
which helps one define himself and become both happy and miserable with his own life. It is the
place to express personal styles, which is completely different from the homogeneity of the
conventional values of classical poems. Therefore, it can be said that New Poetry’s topic and
aesthetic ideology are diverse. People can join the fairy world with The Lu, explore love with Luu
Trong Lu, become “insane” with Han Mac Tu, Che Lan Vien, amorous with Xuan Dieu, and sad
with Huy Can.
In reality, although 90 years have passed, the revolution brought by New poetry to Vietnamese
literature has been a topic worth discussing. Currently, New poetry still has a great influence on
Vietnamese lyrical poetry. A large number of contemporary poets are still attracted to New
poetry, which makes modern poetry creations possess a similar appearance in the protracted
period of New Poetry. However, simultaneously, it also reflect on the failing aspect of inventive
effort in today’s world. New Poetry, anyway, was a poetic phenomenon in the past. The
endeavor to revolutionize poetry in the circle of Vietnamese literature history is still occurring.
Currently, we still witness those efforts in the poems of Nguyen Quang Thieu, Mai Van Phan, Le
Vinh Tai, etc. Nonetheless, looking back at the New Poetry Movement when it is 90 years later,
transforming poetry, integration, and development, and harmonizing both Western and Eastern
values to enrich Vietnamese cultural heritage are invaluable lessons. After modernization,
Vietnam has shifted to a globalized lifestyle (for the second time), right now, the values of New
Poetry are still recognized thoroughly, clearly, and more appreciated. The behavior proves the
pith of the Vietnamese New Poetry movement from 1932 to 1945.
