THE HISTORICAL MATERIALS AND THE FICTIONAL ELEMENTS IN CÔNG CHÚA ĐỒNG XUÂN HISTORICAL NOVEL BY TRẦN THÙY MAI

Abstract

Trần Thùy Mai achieved notable success in the genre of the historical novel with Từ Dụ Thái hậu (2019). With the subsequent publication of Công chúa Đồng Xuân (2023), she once again affirms her mastery of this literary form. Historical material and fictional elements are indispensable components of the historical novel. In Công chúa Đồng Xuân, Trần Thùy Mai skillfully orchestrates a harmonious interplay between artistic imagination and historical truth—on the one hand, making history more accessible to the general public, and on the other, offering readers a work of literature rich in aesthetic value. By employing a comparative approach between history and literature, and analyzing the novel through the lens of genre poetics, this study seeks to elucidate the manifestations of the interweaving of historical substance and fictional invention, as well as to identify their aesthetic effectiveness in Công chúa Đồng Xuân. Such an interdisciplinary perspective underscores the role of history in providing authentic material for literature and in expanding the scope of the genre, while simultaneously enriching and deepening the reader’s experience in understanding and interpreting the past.