CHANGES IN THE PROTOTYPICAL STRUCTURE OF THE IMAGE OF NGUYỄN HUỆ IN VIETNAMESE PROSE AFTER 1986

Abstract

This article clarifies the transformations in the prototypical structure of the heroic image of Nguyễn Huệ under the impact of innovations in artistic thinking. By examining representational strategies across the dimensions of appearance, action, conduct, and dialogue, the study argues that many works no longer absolutize traditional prototypical markers; instead, they progressively reconstruct the character by incorporating everyday elements, personal emotions, and humanistic values. This process of transformation does not dismantle the existing prototypical foundation but renders its structure more flexible, “open,” and dialogically dynamic. Accordingly, Nguyễn Huệ continues to be affirmed as a symbol of the historical hero while also emerging as a multidimensional artistic figure that reflects shifting conceptions of the human subject in Vietnamese literature after 1986.