I remember in 1971, when I first entered the Literature Department, Ms. Sam was still very young, probably only about 40 or 41 (later I learned that she was born in 1930). At that time, I was a student so I rarely had the opportunity to get to know her well, meaning I only occasionally saw her from afar, but I never got close enough to talk to her. In my disjointed memory, I remember her first lectures on French realism literature as a fresh stream that cooled our “dry” heads (because I came from a rural area very far from Hanoi). During the time when the war against the US was still fierce, names like Hugo, Balzac, Standhal, or Flaubert were still very unfamiliar, but the first time I heard her lecture, those names suddenly became familiar. In my student life, to be honest, I have rarely heard such an engaging and attractive way of communicating. The words and phrases in Ms. Sam's lectures seemed to have no extra or missing words. It was as if the texts had been polished and polished beforehand. That engaging way of teaching was also reflected in her daily speech, in conversations with anyone, whether they were relatives or strangers, she was always gentle and polite.
The impression I have of People's Teacher Le Hong Sam is so profound for another reason: in the "warm nest" of the French Literature Department of the Faculty of Literature at that time, there was a "pair" of female teachers, whose presence for a long time was like a "perfect pair". That was the "couple" Le Hong Sam - Dang Thi Hanh. They were both strangely similar and different. Their similarities were expressed in their profound erudition, in their unselfish enthusiasm for their professional work, and in their wholehearted love for their students. But they were also very different: One, when we first met and still is, seemed very approachable (Ms. Le Hong Sam); the other, on the contrary, seemed a bit strict (Ms. Dang Thi Hanh). Ms. Sam seemed romantic but taught realistic literature; Ms. Hanh seemed realistic but taught romantic literature (exactly like Balzac and Hugo). When writing a textbook together, the title the two teachers chose also created in the reader a gentle and interesting comparison:19th Century Western Romantic and Realistic Literature. Also very good at French, but Meritorious Teacher Dang Thi Hanh revealed that she could not handle a full translation session when teachers from Paris 7 came to give lectures; but Ms. Le Hong Sam "did it all" (and still does it now). Even in the daily organization and management at work, although Meritorious Teacher Dang Thi Hanh was once the Principal of a very famous high school in Hanoi (Trung Vuong School), she admitted that management work was a "heavy punishment" for her; meanwhile, Ms. Le Hong Sam, in addition to managing the Western Literature Department for many years "as light as air", completed other tasks, from the role of "coordinator" during the period of cooperation between Hanoi National University and Paris 7 University, to being the editor-in-chief of major research and translation works of the department, she also completed them all easily. It did not seem like a hardship at all. Many of her colleagues in the Faculty of Literature, including very respectable and energetic professors (like Professor Ha Minh Duc, Professor Phan Cu De...) had to admit: "Women like Ms. Sam are truly rare."
Since his retirement nearly 30 years ago, this respectable man still goes about his work every day, like a bee making honey, sitting in front of an old computer, producing thousands of pages of textbooks, research, and translations.
In her private life, as well as in her public work, People's Teacher Le Hong Sam has suffered losses and disadvantages. Her life partner, if she had not died early, could have given her a warmer, more solid support so that she could devote herself more fully to her profession. At work, if she had been "treated" fairly like her colleagues of the same age, she could have contributed more, especially in guiding and tutoring generations of students. But being close to her for a long time, I have never seen that "disadvantaged woman" complain. She still lives and works quietly with her love. And although she has to raise her child alone, up to now, few people have been more proud than her, when she has raised her beloved daughter Le Hong Mai to become a decent person. Under the warm roof of her only daughter's family, Ms. Le Hong Sam now has a full and peaceful life both materially and spiritually. Of course, regarding the loss, only occasionally, when sitting down to chat, did she reveal a little regret. Meanwhile, since her retirement nearly 30 years ago, this respectable person still goes about her work every day, like a bee making honey, sitting in front of an old computer, producing thousands of pages of textbooks, research, and translations. Not only that, she is also present at almost all major events at the French Cultural Center L'Éspace; travels back and forth between France and Vietnam in professional seminars; is a member of the Balzac International Research Association... Indeed, looking at the "mountain" of work she has done, it is hard for anyone to imagine how in such a short time, a woman now 83, could have done it? There were times when I "dared" to make this comparison: perhaps like Balzac, the writer she loved, in his not-so-long life he wrote nearly a hundred works, with thousands of pages.The joke of life, Ms. Le Hong Sam also "works with two brains".
That is my never-fading feeling about my respected teacher. Of course, I know that feelings are more or less emotional and subjective. They may be right or wrong. However, I am always confident that the accuracy of my "feelings" is not low. Because in more than 40 years of being present at the Faculty of Philology, now the Faculty of Literature (although she has retired for nearly 30 years), I have always had the opportunity to meet her, talk and even discuss work (a couple of times she and I sat together in the French literature forum at L'Éspace). Therefore, I will never forget her work habits, lifestyle and daily personality. As I said above, when meeting her for the first time, through the way she spoke and looking at her elegant and gentle appearance, no one could help but comment that she had the nobility of a "well-bred family". It was hard for anyone to stop talking to her. She always knows how to attract and convince the interlocutor with wise comments, with her vast knowledge, and with gentle, seductive words. Ms. Sam's charm can even be revealed in a small conversation, with a very "small" subject, a "girl or boy" student. I once knew that there were students who met her only once and were "crazy, crazy about her", and even after that, they never stopped admiring her.
In terms of expertise, it must be admitted that Ms. Sam has devoted most of her life to translating French literature. Her research may not be much, although the number of textbooks and scientific articles she has written is not small (around 30). But anyway, the readers' impression of the name Le Hong Sam is probably inclined towards translation. Looking at the number of translated books she has, anyone doing this job must be "coveting". In just that many years, translator Le Hong Sam has published dozens of books. Among them are very difficult books to translate, nearly a thousand pages thick (Confessions,Emile or about educationof Rousseau, many works in nearly 60 volumesThe joke of lifeof Balzac…). In translating French, Ms. Sam is careful, meticulous and responsible to the end. For Le Hong Sam, translation work means following the principle of “creative obedience”. The above argument seems contradictory at first, but in fact it is consistent. Like her peer, Associate Professor Dang Thi Hanh, in her profession, Ms. Le Hong Sam loves honesty and accuracy to the utmost. Admitting that translation work is a difficult task, it is difficult for anyone in life to not make a few mistakes. The most important thing is that the translator must be truly sincere, must know how to listen, and know how to sacrifice his or her ego for the accuracy of the original text. I still remember a small memory surrounding the translation story between People's Teacher Le Hong Sam and Professor Do Duc Hieu. When receiving the Chief Editor of the massive book seriesThe joke of life, know partPrefaceis difficult and requires the utmost precision, she asked Professor Do Duc Hieu to take on the task. However, when she received the translation from the teacher, there was only one word that translator Do Duc Hieu insisted on changing compared to the previous translators: "I write under the light of two eternal truths: Religion and Monarchy". In this sentence, there is the phrase "à la lueur", previously someone had translated it into Vietnamese as "under the light", now the senior kept asking to change it to "under the light of the light", Ms. Sam refused. According to her, the old translation was fine. However, she still felt guilty towards the teacher. During an international conference on Balzac, she brought up this concern to ask her French colleagues, and it turned out that her concerns were correct. Professor Do Duc Hieu passed away 10 years ago. But every time this matter was mentioned, I still saw Ms. Le Hong Sam feeling guilty, if only the teacher were still alive? I know her personality is like that. In academia, when forced to dialogue to find the truth, with any colleague, she always gently but fiercely defends.
With young colleagues, when she needed help, she was just as determined. I remember when I first “stumbled” into French literature, my French was still very poor, let alone the desire to set foot in the land of Hugo and Balzac. However, it was Ms. Le Hong Sam who inspired our young generation, to help me have faith that one day, I would be able to speak French fluently, to set foot in the homeland of two French literary masters Balzac and Hugo. I remember around 1983, 1984, when Professor Jean Dupeb from Paris 7 University came to work with the department, Ms. Sam, at that time as the deputy head of the Foreign Literature Department, but also the leader of the French Literature group, decided to “direct” me to meet and get to know him. True to her word, she encouraged me to boldly go with her to the Thang Loi Hotel to meet and talk with that professor. But at that time, my French was still very poor, how could I talk? I was very worried. It would be better to avoid him, to wait until later, because if I revealed my "ignorance", everything would be ruined. But it turned out that Ms. Sam had prepared a "discours" for me. It was simple, I just needed to memorize it. And yet the first meeting with the French teacher was a success beyond imagination. Of course, Jean Dupeb later knew everything. That was why he was determined to convince the responsible people at Paris 7 to let us, some young teachers of the Literature Department, go to France for training, opening a new page for the subject of Western Literature. Later, when I went to France, I had the opportunity to meet and talk with Mr. Dupeb for a longer time, I honestly told him everything. Dupeb laughed and said he knew everything. That was why he intervened to help us realize our dream. Thanks to my "internship" trip to France, I later participated in many professional jobs such as writing textbooks, translating anthologies, and participating in translating some pages of the series.The joke of lifeand also learned from her, actively spreading French culture. It can be said that the contribution of People's Teacher Le Hong Sam in building the French Literature department in particular, and Western Literature in general, is extremely great. For a long time after that and even now, she still plays the role of "coordinator" in the French - Vietnamese relationship. It was from her example that in 2003, I boldly stood up to take on the job of "coordinator" of the film project sponsored by the Ford Foundation. After 10 years of operation, now the Faculty of Literature has a new department (Art Studies), and surely in a short time, there will be an additional major in Art Studies at the Faculty of Literature, University of Social Sciences and Humanities.
Now the name Le Hong Sam is very familiar to Francophone Vietnamese. History has also returned her some “justice”: the greatest reward for her, in my opinion, is the name she left behind (translator, culturalist Le Hong Sam), which will surely be remembered forever by those who love French literature. She has been recognized by the state with the title of People's Teacher, and received the Phan Chau Trinh Award, one of the noblest awards for translators. Ten years ago, on March 25, 2003, affirming her great contribution in the role of connecting French culture and spirit with Vietnamese readers, the French government awarded her the Academic Palm Medal. She is like a tireless bird, bringing knowledge and joy to the world of intellectuals. I think, for a teacher and an intellectual, that is greater than any title.
Author:Tran Hinh
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