The poem ‘Asleep in the valley’ brief questions & answers

The poem ‘Asleep in the valley’ brief questions & answers for Class - XII


1. How is the nature described in the poem ‘Asleep in the valley’?

Or—Write a note on the image used by Rimbaud in the poem ‘Asleep in the valley’.

Or—Give a description of the valley as found in Rimbaud’s poem ‘Asleep in the Valley’.

Or—Give the central idea of the poem ‘Asleep in the Valley’.

Or—Give the substance of the poem ‘Asleep in the Valley’.

Or—Justify the title of the poem ‘Asleep In the Valley.’

  
Ans.  Arthur Rimbaud describes a beautiful picture of a valley in his poem, ‘Asleep in the Valley.  It is a green valley surrounded by high mountains. A stream flows softly as if it spreads silver ribbons on the grass. The sun rays fill up the valley with its brightness. A young soldier sleeps open-mouthed with a pillow made of ferns. The feet of the soldier are among the flowers. In his sleep he appears pale but smiling innocently like a child. The poet appeals to nature to keep the body of the soldier warm with its motherly touch because he can catch cold in that open air. At the end of the poem we come to know that there are two deep bullet wounds in the side of his body. The cruel brutality of war easily took away the life of the young soldier in the Valley. [For title only] + The title ‘Asleep in the Valley’ is meaningful as it relates the theme of the poem.

2. Briefly describe the poet’s attitude towards was in the poem ‘Asleep in the Valley.’

Or—What picture of war do you get in the poem ‘Asleep in the Valley’?

Or—Do you think that ‘Asleep in the Valley’ is an anti-war poem?

Ans. Arthur Rimbaud was a soldier in the Dutch Colonial Army. He realized the futility of war. The poem opens with a beautiful view of a valley where a soldier is found sleeping. However, at the end of the poem a closer look reveals that the soldier has two bullet-wounds on his body. He is a casualty of war. The life of this young soldier had no importance in war. Destruction, horror and cruel killing of the young soldiers were the result of war. Grim death is the inevitability of war and the poem ironically present the monstrous destruction that a soldier has to experience in warfare.