The construction of national identity in the historical fiction Tay Son Phung than ky by Thanh Chau

Abstract

Tay Son Phung than ky is a novel in the epic Tay Son Ky by writer Thanh Chau. With historical materials and themes, Tay Son Phung than ky has made the significant contributions to the inheritance and development of the historical novel genre. Moreover, by exploiting national heritage and folk materials, and building the image of national heroes, the novel has also partly created and consolidated the Vietnamese national identity. The national identity research in historical novels is not new in the field of Literary Studies. However, through Thanh Chau’s study, a young author, and Tay Son Phung than ky – a recently published novel, the research team will provide new perspectives, thereby more clearly showing young authors’ contributions in continuing the development of the historical novel genre. The study will clarify the construction of national identity in the work through the two main arguments: the construction of national identity from the national heritage and the construction of national identity from the national pride through the image of the hero. The analysis and clarification of the issue of the national identity construction in Tay Son Phung than ky will contribute to the positive impacts on the national pride and the noble spirit of the Vietnamese people in order to arouse patriotism and national identity in the hearts of each reader, especially young readers.