Questions and Answer From "Asleep In The Valley" (BAQ).

*** In this article, we will provide the large answers type questions and answers from the poem "Asleep In The Valley". The answers are written in proper, simple and understandable language.

** "Asleep In The Valley" was originally written in the French language. Later it was translated in English. its original name was "Le Dormeur du Val". 

The Questions Here

1.“They fill the hollow full of light”. -------What is the ‘hollow’ referred to in the line? How does the hollow look? Who is lying in the hollow? How is he lying there?

2. How does the poet Arthur Rimbaud look upon the war in the poem “Asleep in the Valley”?

3. How does the soldier lie in ‘Asleep in the Valley”? 

4. What kind of poem is ‘Asleep In The Valley.’ What is war poem and anti-war poem? Express the anti-war attitude of the poet in the poem.

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

6. “His smile is like an infant’s.”
----Whose smile is referred to here? Why is his smile compared with that of an infant? How does nature treat him?

7. How does Rimbaud use various images in the poem “Asleep in the Valley”?

8. “The humming insects do not disturb his rest.”  ---What is the source of the above line? Who is the word ‘his’?  Where is ‘he’ taking rest?  Explain the significance of the quoted line. 

9. “In his side there are two red holes”  --- Who has ‘red holes’ by his side?  What do the ‘red holes’ signify?  What attitude of the poet to war is reflected here?

10. Justify the title of the poem “Asleep In The Valley.”

ASLEEP IN THE VALLEY

Arthur Rimbaud.

CLASS-XII

Important Broad Questions And Answers.

1.“They fill the hollow full of light”. -------What is the ‘hollow’ referred to in the line? How does the hollow look? Who is lying in the hollow? How is he lying there?

Answer-

     The 'hollow’ in the line refers to the beautiful green valley in the poem ‘Asleep in the Valley.'
    The valley is described as a small and green valley and it is surrounded by high mountains. A stream flows softly through it. As the sun shines from the top of the mountain, the sun rays fill the valley with their brightness. The flowers and insects increase the beauty of the valley. In fact, everything in the valley except the soldier is full of life and energy.
    A young soldier appears to be lying asleep in the valley.
    He lies open-mouthed with an innocent smile on his face. His head is supported by a pillow made of ferns. The green grass of the valley serves as his bed. Mother nature keeps him warm. The humming insects do not disturb his rest. It appears that he is sleeping. In reality, he is the victim of war. He is lying dead with two bullet wounds on his side.

2. How does the poet Arthur Rimbaud look upon the war in the poem “Asleep in the Valley”?

Answer-. 

     The French poet Arthur Rimbaud is critical in his view of the war in the poem ‘Asleep in the Valley.' The French poet Arthur Rimbaud reveals the horror and the futility of modern warfare. The poet suggests the futility of war as it is an organised butchery for young boys and it is organised by the warmongers. The young soldier, described in the poem, appears to be sleeping in a valley. The landscape is beautiful and everything is peaceful. But soon two bullet wounds are found in the body of the soldier. The line reveals the pity, brutality, and futility of war. This brings the reality of war to the readers. The young soldiers are the victims of warfare, not the leaders and the warmongers who are the reason for a war. The young soldier is supposed to live a normal life and enjoy his life, but he is forced to endure the harsh reality of war on the battlefield. The innocence of the soldier is in sharp contrast with the horrors of war. The beauty of nature, the soothing sun rays, cannot revive the dead soldier. The poet is therefore ironically giving his view of the war in the poem.

3. How does the soldier lie in ‘Asleep in the Valley”? 

Answer- 

     The soldier who is quite young lies peacefully in the midst of a beautiful and green valley. The warm sun rays make the atmosphere pleasant. The soldier is lying relaxed in this valley. The heavy undergrowth of the valley has prepared a soft bed for the soldier. The ferns make a pillow for the young soldier. His tired feet were covered with flowers. The humming insects do not disturb his sleep. The soldier seems to enjoy his rest as he has one hand on his breast, a posture of peace. But the red holes in the side of the soldier clarify that he is not sleeping. Readers realize that the soldier is a casualty of war and the images of peace and happiness are ironically used in the Poem.

4. What kind of poem is ‘Asleep In The Valley.’ What is war poem and anti-war poem? Express the anti-war attitude of the poet in the poem.

 Answer- 

     The poem ‘Asleep In The Valley’ is a kind of anti-war poem. The poem deals with the futility and brutality of war.

     War poems are poems composed in the context of war, but anti-war poems are composed against the futility and brutality of warfare.

     There is no direct reference to the war in the poem ‘Asleep In The Valley’. In the poem, the poet presents a very young soldier, a victim of the war, who is in his final sleep i.e., death. The poem describes the soldier as sleeping peacefully in a sunlit and beautiful valley. Until we reach the last line, we are not aware that the sleeper is dead. The young soldier is supposed to live a normal life to enjoy his life, but he is forced to endure the harsh reality of warfare.

   Yes, it is an anti-war poem. The poet wants to stop the horrors, futility, brutality and destructions of war. He strongly suggests that it is inhuman. The young soldier looks innocent and without any guile, but the war has not spared him. This is the horror and futility of war.

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

Answer-

       Arthur Rimbaud in his poem, ‘Asleep in the Valley’, gives a beautiful picture of a valley. The vegetation of the valley is nourished by the sunlight and the sparkling waters of the silvery stream that moves softly at its will beautify the valley. The whole valley looks bright and lovely as the sunlight fills up the place. Ferns grow in plenty and the soldier, sleeping in the valley, has a pillow of ferns underneath his head. There is also a wide variety of flowers of different colours. Besides, there are also various species of insects. They sweetly hum near the soldier. The landscape is so beautiful that the reader receives a rude shock when he comes to know that the soldier is actually dead.

6. “His smile is like an infant’s.”
----Whose smile is referred to here? Why is his smile compared with that of an infant? How does nature treat him?

Answer-

    In the poem “Asleep in the Valley” the smile of the young soldier, sleeping peacefully in the valley is referred to here.

   The soldier, sleeping peacefully in the valley, has a beautiful smile on his face. The smile on his face has no guile. It appears that after being tired on the battlefield, he has got a chance to rest his weary limbs. The peace the soldier is enjoying during his sleep makes his smile as innocent as that of an infant.

   Mother Nature plays a vital role to provide comfort to the young soldier in the poem. The sufferings of the soldier seem to be removed by the comforts provided by Nature. Nature provides a sun-soaked bed for the tired soldier. Nature supports his head on a pillow made of ferns. Moreover, Nature places flowers at his feet to show her respect for the dead soldier.

7. How does Rimbaud use various images in the poem “Asleep in the Valley”?

 Answer- 

      Arthur Rimbaud uses various images in his poem “Asleep In The Valley”. To present the vastness and beauty, the valley is described as ‘green’ and ‘hollow’. The stream is described as long threads of shining silver. The dead body of the soldier lies on the grassy ground which is’ Sun-soaked bed and the leafy fern beneath the soldier’s head is compared with a pillow.  The innocent smile ‘in the face of the lead soldier points out the futility s of the war.  ‘Two red holes’ indicates the bullet injuries that prove fatal to the soldier. The poet approaches to nature to keep the soldier ‘warm’ which is ironic as the soldier is already dead.

8. “The humming insects do not disturb his rest.”  ---What is the source of the above line? Who is the word ‘his’?  Where is ‘he’ taking rest?  Explain the significance of the quoted line. 

Answer- 

    The above line has been taken from the poem ‘Asleep in the Valley’ composed by Arthur Rimbaud.

    Here the word ‘his’ refers to the young soldier, who is found lying dead in the green valley. 

   ‘He’ is taking rest on the green valley which is nourished by the dazzling sunlight and sparkling waters of the silvery stream passing through the valley. 

   The soldier lies on the green valley in his last sleep having the fatal bullet injury which causes his death.  His eternal sleep cannot be disturbed by any insect as he is not able to respond to any disturbances, caused by any insects.

9. “In his side there are two red holes”  --- Who has ‘red holes’ by his side?  What do the ‘red holes’ signify?  What attitude of the poet to war is reflected here?

Answer- 

     The young soldier, lying on the ground, has ‘red holes’ by his side.  The ‘red holes’ signify that the soldier revives two – bullets on his side of the body and is lying dead in the valley Through the poem, the poet conveys his strong feelings against the brutality of the war.  The poet draws the picture of the war victim in the background of nature perfectly.  The young soldier lies open-mouthed and his innocent smile depicts the gentle purity within him.  But at the end, two red holes represent two bullet marks that tell us the brutality of war.  The poet sympathises profusely with the vein young man who is seduced by the war-mongers.

10. Justify the title of the poem “Asleep In The Valley.”

 Answer- 

     The poem was originally written in French and its French title is 'Le Dormeur du Val', which literally means the sleeper of the valley. The title of the poem is ironic. The irony is available in the word ‘Asleep’ as the soldier is not sleeping, he is actually dead. The content of the poem makes it clear that the sleeper is a young soldier. He has fallen asleep forever because he is killed by two bullets on his side in the warfare. The title draws attention to both the sleeper and the valley in where he is lying in his last sleep. The valley is green and a silvery stream is flowing through it. The field is full of ferns and it provides a soft bed to the sleeper. There are also flowers growing around him. But the sleeper is lying open-mouthed and unconscious of the surroundings. But at last, he is covered with peace in a peaceful atmosphere. Yet it is a pity that the peace has been earned through death. The context of the violence of war is in sharp contrast to the gentle and beautiful valley. So, we can say that the title of the poem is appropriate.