Asleep In The Valley Questions and Answers – Check Long And Short Q & A here!
The poem ‘Asleep in the Valley’ by Arthur Rimbaud was written in 1870. The poem was written against the backdrop of the France-Germany war. The poem was originally written in French. Then it was translated into English. It is an anti-war poem. It talks about the death of a young soldier as a result of war. It mocks war in a very ironic way. The whole poem is all about absolute peace and tranquility. It’s only the last line when the readers come to know that the soldier is dead. Let’s discuss Asleep In The Valley questions and answers.
- “Asleep in the Valley” is an Italian sonnet.
- The poet Arthur Rimbaud has the poem in Free Verse.
- The poem was published originally by the name of ‘Le Dormeur du Val’.
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Asleep In The Valley Long Questions And Answers
Q.1 “The humming insects don’t disturb his rest.”- Who is he? Where does he take a rest? Why is his rest not disturbed by the humming insects?
Ans: The above line has been taken from Arthur Rimbaud’s poem ‘Asleep in the Valley”. Here “he” refers to the young soldier who is a victim of war.
The young soldier is taking a rest in a small green valley surrounded by the mountains under the sun’s rays in soft green grass with a pillow made of fern under his head.
The rest of the soldiers cannot be disturbed by the humming insects because he is in eternal sleep. He is dead. The cruel war has taken his life. So the humming insects cannot disturb his sleep.
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Q.2 “His smile/ Is like an infant’s…” Whose smile is being referred to here? Why is his smile compared to the smile of an infant? How does nature take care of him?
The young soldier’s smile, mentioned in the poem ‘Asleep in the Valley” by Arthur Rimbaud is referred to here.
The smile of the soldier has been compared with that of an infant. His smile is as innocent and childish as an infant’s. It seems like he is taking a rest in that green valley after a tiresome day on the battlefield. He was unaware of the cruelty of the war. And now he is taking eternal rest without any worries of this mundane world. His bed is soaked with sun rays so he will not catch a cold.
Nature treats him very gently. He is sleeping on soft green grass. There is a pillow made of fern under his head. His bed is soaked with sun rays so he will not catch a cold. Also, nature puts flowers on the soldier’s feet to show him respect.
Q.3 How does the poet express the futility of the war through his poem “Asleep in the Valley”? What message does he want to convey?
Ans: In his poem “Asleep in the Valley”, the poet Arthur Rimbaud shows his attitude towards war. He is against war. He is against the organized butchery of young soldiers in the battlefield.
At first, it seemed that the soldier is enjoying the natural beauty of the valley. But the next line gives a reality check about the horror of war.
The poet reveals his anti-war attitude. The war only brings destruction. It is not a matter of glory to die on the battlefield. Nature stands in sharp contrast to war. It brings joy and fulfillment to our lives.
Q.4 “In his side there are two red holes.”- Who is the person referred to here? What do the two red holes signify? What attitude of the poet to war is reflected here?
Ans: In his poem “Asleep in the Valley”, the poet Arthur Rimbaud talks about a young soldier. He is a victim of war. He is shot by bullets in his breast.
Two red holes’ suggests those two bullet wounds.
The poet expresses his strong feeling against war. He is against the young people being slaughtered ruthlessly. Simultaneously he talked about nature and its affection for us. The poet here presents an ironic tone about the whole situation.
Q.5 “A soldier, very young, lies open-mouthed” – Who is the soldier referred to here? Narrate in your own words how the soldier lies in the valley.
Ans: Here the poet refers to a very young soldier. He has received fatal wounds from the bullets and it has caused his life.
The young soldier lies there open-mouthed. He has a pillow made of ferns under his head. There are two bullet wounds in his breast. His skin has become pale. His feet are under flowers.
The soldier is sleeping so peacefully that humming insects cannot disturb him.
Asleep In The Valley Short Questions And Answers
What is the theme of the poem ‘Asleep in the Valley?
Ans: The central theme of the poem is the brutality and futility of war.
In which state is the soldier found?
Ans: The soldier is found dead amidst a small green valley.
What is meant y the term “heavy undergrowth”?
Ans: It talks about the plentiful grasses and leaves there in the valley.
What does the poet fear?
Ans: The poet fears that the soldier might catch a cold.
What does the stream look like?
Ans: The steam looks silvery.
How is the bed of the soldier?
Ans: The bed of the soldier is green warm. It is sun soaked with plentiful plants and grasses.
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Asleep In The Valley Question and Answer – FAQs
The poem ‘Asleep in the Valley’ is a war poem
The valley is illuminated by the bright sun rays.
The soldier looks pale because he has died in the war.
Nature pays respect to the soldier with flowers on his feet.
The valley is small but green. It is surrounded by mountains. There is a slow stream flowing by it.
