THROUGH VU DINH LONG’S PLAY TOA AN LUONG TAM UNDER GENRE-BASED PERSPECTIVE

Abstract

The modernization of literature that occurred at the beginning of the 20th century created the conducive environment for the formation of drama. Alongside established folk performance forms, drama emerged on the Vietnamese stage with a composition method influenced by the Western knowledge. Vu Dinh Long is considered the first playwright of Vietnamese drama. This study will examine in depth Vu Dinh Long’s play Toa an luong tam under a genre-based perspective to highlight his contributions during the early years of Vietnamese drama, while also identifying the limitations encountered by Vietnam’s first playwright. These limitations were determined by various factors, ranging from the subjective opinions of the writer to societal and historical issues. We will analyze the research subject through the lens of tragedy to address the most crucial questions surrounding this dramatic work.