Appearing in the form and essence of a fictional character in the namesake novel by the literary genius - Lev Tolstoy, one might wonder, does Anna Karenina only exist within the realm of printed pages, or has the story of her life transcended the fiction-reality boundary and become a resolute voice in a society filled with prejudices against women?
In quest of her freedom…
“Every single harmonious family bears a close resemblance to one another; however, each has a torment in its own way”. Anna appeared to have a superficially happy family with Karenina, a wealthy and successful man. She acted in the role of a good wife: beautiful and graceful, a befitting image of a noblewoman. However, as days went by, she became engrossed in a theatrical performance known as "The Benefits of Matrimony." While her physical form remained tethered to the title of Anna Karenina, her spirit was transformed into that of an eighteen-year-old Anna—a soul brimming with hope and conviction, a liberated being poised to soar into an expansive future. And so, she opted for a divorce and embarked on a quest to seek the freedom she had long concealed. Like a butterfly confined within a glass case, seemingly innocuous, she bravely broke free, commencing a journey of countless miles that she would never regret. Though it was uncertain whether that butterfly could survive through the freezing blizzards or endure the scorching days when sunlight pierced through its delicate and fragile wings or not, only it knew that it had determined to soar on its own wings and live a life of its own!
In quest of her love…
“Oh, how dreadful! She will no longer be the wife of anyone, as if her life has collapsed!”. Since when was a woman’s life defined by her marriage? Since when was the life of a woman stuck with the obligation of becoming a wife, standing under a man’s shadow? Since when did they lose their right to listen to the beat of their own hearts? The case is different with Anna! The elegant butterfly had had the courage to break through its comfort zone, to brave the tumultuous waves and take flight towards the promised land. And along the currents flowing ablaze with longing and desire to love and to be loved, she encountered Captain Vronsky. After countless moments of being hurt and anguished, after her marriage games were drawn aside, now she truly understands what it feels to be loved, to be happy, to be the authentic Anna without any masks. To live and to be loved, aren't these fundamental rights of every human being? Why is it that this moment feels so unfamiliar to Anna? She feels estranged within her own self, yet also fears that this fleeting happiness will shatter at the break of dawn.
In quest of her fate…
Escaping the whirlwind of social constraints is no less harder than escaping from her apathetic husband. Ill fate eventually brought her back to the very starting point: a butterfly caged inside the harsh twist of fate, of reasoning and feelings. The romance she once aspired to now paradoxically dampened her courage. Under the pressure of public opinions, of anxiety and skepticism, Vronsky left her behind following multiple disputes and fights. Anna went in search of him, leaping through places where they had been, only to return to where it all began - where the fateful encounter happened; where trains run in parallel, never crossing each other’s railway; where the wheel of life continues its cycle restlessly. Thereafter, Anna’s lifelong desire for freedom was further away than ever. Anna died a silent death, a death without miserable mourning nor heart-wrenching wailing, for all the weeping would soon be drowned out by the noise of the train station and the bustling trains forever passing by. Her demise was silent, but nonetheless vocal. It condemns social stereotypes and prejudices, and at most, highlights the rights and freedom of self-expression women ever deserved.
what is there at the end of the tunnel?
What do we find after a long quest? Love? Happiness? Or Death? In the end, women never received assurance in persisting, nor were they allowed to follow their hearts and live a life of their own, hence poignant poems born out of their hopeless grievances:
“I am frightened. Cold has spread everywhere;
The moonlit sky with its bone-chilling cold.
For the maiden: it's haven under the old trees;
For her man guest: the unmoored boat is free to roam around
The tear-filled words the courtesan uttered
Amid the intense love that raged during the act.
The joy seeker that left his heart back way yonder
Shrugged off the snarling hand after the fact.”
Xuan Dieu. The Courtesan’s Words. Translated by Thomas D. Le
Seemingly, the overflowing stream of disquiet, ponderings, and contemplations of the courtesan permeates these verses. Abominable, she felt, upon judging herself and acknowledging her fate. She wandered slowly into the darkness of estrangement. While life was still tearing her apart, her soul remained blissful and engulfed in passionate feelings. Though "loosely tied" or "tension-filled", she remained herself, with her flirtatious smiles and rosy cheeks, she repressed fears and sorrow in the deepest corners of her heart. She soon fell into a pitiful, unprincipled state, without a care about the future, for her fate guaranteed no happy ending. As days went by, she was terribly immersed in endless orgies. Unlike Anna, in The Courtesan's Words, there is no deaths or gaps of silence; instead, boisterous sounds of party animals, the image of poetic moonlight and the heartbreaking cries for the life of the courtesan - the one who got shunned away and disdained by people, the one who was surrounded by countless prejudices are always present. After all, she still has the rights to live, love, and relish life!
Only after rummaging through those pages and coming back to reality can we lament how unfair life could be! “I want to be loved, to be free, and to cherish life!” - a request that, to all appearances, seemed shockingly simple, yet at the same time luxurious! This provokes even greater empathy for the souls bound to society’s prejudices in the past, along with reverence towards all the women who have bravely stood up against such injustices.
Author: Ngo Mai Phương Translators: Pham Khanh Linh, Hoang Dang Xuan My
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