The Tale of Kieu
| The Tale of Kiều | |
|---|---|
| Truyện Kiều | |
A 1932 copy of Kim Vân Kiều tân truyện published in Hanoi, is better known as Truyện Kiều (Tale of Kiều). | |
| Original title | Vietnamese: Đoạn Trường Tân Thanh Chữ Hán: 斷腸新聲 |
| Also known as | Vietnamese: Truyện Kiều Chữ Hán: 傳翹 |
| Author(s) | Nguyễn Du |
| Language | Vietnamese (written in Chữ Nôm) |
| Date of issue | 1820 |
| State of existence | Emperor Minh Mạng |
| Authenticity | remake |
| Genre | epic poem |
| Verse form | lục bát (6/8) |
| Length | 3,254 verses |
| Personages | Thúy Kiều |
| Sources | Jin Yun Qiao |
The Tale of Kiều is an epic poem in Vietnamese written by Nguyễn Du (1765–1820), well known in Vietnamese literature. The original title in Vietnamese is Đoạn Trường Tân Thanh (斷腸新聲, "A New Cry From a Broken Heart"), but it is better known as Truyện Kiều (傳翹, IPA: [t͡ɕwiən˧˨ʔ kiəw˨˩] ⓘ, lit. "Tale of Kiều").
In 3,254 verses, written in lục bát ("six–eight") meter, the poem recounts the life, trials and tribulations of Thúy Kiều, a beautiful and talented young woman, who has to sacrifice herself to save her family. To save her father and younger brother from prison, she sells herself into marriage with a middle-aged man, not knowing that he is a pimp, and is forced into prostitution. While modern interpretations vary, some post-colonial writers have interpreted it as a critical, allegorical reflection on the rise of the Nguyễn dynasty.
The work is famous for its humane meaning and was translated into 20 languages, such as English, French, Japanese, and Korean.