Kieu Attempts Suicide

Painting by Ngoc Mai

At this point in the story Kieu has finally realized that she has been sold to a brothel. She has a lot of things weighing on her mind right now. She was already feeling devastated because she was separated from her true love Kim Trong. Now she's realized that there is no way she can live a respectable life. For Kieu, suicide is the only option to preserve her dignity.

Nàng rằng- “Trời thẳm đất dày!

Thân này đã bỏ những ngày ra đi.

Sẵn dao tay áo, tức thì giở ra.

Sợ gan nát ngọc liều hoa,

Mụ còn trông mặt, nàng đà quá tay.

Thương ôi! Tài sắc bậc này,

Một dao oan nghiệt, đứt dây phong trần?

“Oh high Heaven! Depths of the Earth!” Exclaimed Kieu.

“I have given up...This body must be sacrificed, now and forever.

Alas! I have no regrets, none whatsoever!”

Tucked in her sleeve she had a knife ready, she swiftly took it out,

Shattered jade, wasting water in a drought.*

Tu Ba’s face was a pale, blank slate, Kieu bolted out of her way.

Alas! Beauty and talent, slaves to Heaven’s sway,

That wicked blade, can it cut the cord tying her to this life of adversity?

*The original Vietnamese line: nát ngọc liều hoa,literally means something like "smashing jade, tearing up flowers". It refers to someone who has no fear of death.

Kieu is then quickly rushed to a doctor who saves her life. In her stupor of despair and shame, a spirit/ghost visits her. This is the spirit Dam Tien who visited her in the beginning of the story. Dam Tien was another beautiful women who had a terrible life. They are kindred spirits apparently. 

Rỉ rằng: “Nhân quả dở dang,

Đã toan trốn nợ đoạn trường được sao!

Số còn nặng nghiệp má đào,

Người dù muốn quyết, trời nào đã cho?

Hãy xin hết kiếp liễu bồ,

Sông Tiền Đường, sẽ hẹn hò về sau.”

“Your destiny is unfinished.”A small voice said to Kieu. “You cannot escape your mortal debt!

The fate of a woman is heavy, full of strife, and yet

Can people merely choose a fortunate life? How could Heaven allow it?

You are not the willow tree, the yielding reed, don’t quit!*

We will meet again at Tien Duong River...”

*Willow tree's soft and reeds are yielding and according to my research, it is an old Vietnamese saying referring to a woman. Basically Dam Tien is trying to tell her to toughen up.

This is a passage heavy with Buddhist fatalism. Kieu supposedly is having such a hard time because of her bad karma. I think this kind of fatalism is pretty cheesy but it is very interesting and quite moving.