POETRY : ARTHUR RIMBAUD
Asleep in the Valley
Short Answer-type Questions : 1 Mark
SAQ : 1 Mark
1️⃣ Who has written the poem, “Asleep in the Valley”?*
👉The poet Arthur Rimbaud has written the poem, “Asleep in the Valley”.
2️⃣ Who wrote “Le Dormeur du Val”?*
👉The French Boy-poet Arthur Rimbaud wrote “Le Dormeur du Val”.
3️⃣ How does the valley in this poem look like?
👉In the poem “Asleep in the Valley” the valley looks like a hollow from the mountaintop.
4️⃣ Where does the slow stream flow?
👉The slow stream flows in the small green valley where a very young soldier lies open-mouthed.
5️⃣ Where does the stream leave ‘long strands of silver’?* [WBCHSE H.S. 2017, 2019]
👉The stream leaves ‘long strands of silver’ on the bright grass in the valley.
Related Question
[I] What does the slow stream leave on the grass?
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6️⃣ How does the stream look like in the poem ‘Asleep in the Valley’?* [WBCHSE H.S. 2016]
👉In the poem ‘Asleep in the Valley’ the stream looks like ‘long stands of silver’ on the bright grass.
7️⃣ What kind of grass is found on the banks of the stream?
👉Bright green grass is found on the banks of the stream.
8️⃣ What happens to the grass as the stream flows on it?
👉As the stream flows on the grass, it looks like a long silvery ribbon on the bright green grass.
9️⃣ From where do the sunrays fall on the valley?
👉From the mountaintop the sunrays fall on the valley.
1️⃣0️⃣ What comes from the mountaintop?*
👉The sunshine comes from the mountaintop.
1️⃣1️⃣ What are the sunrays compared with?*
👉The sunrays are compared with the mountain stream.
1️⃣2️⃣ What is the small green valley filled with?*
👉The small green valley is filled with sunlight streaming from the mountaintop.
1️⃣3️⃣ What do the sun rays do?*
👉The sun rays fill the valley full of light.
1️⃣4️⃣ “…they fill the hollow full of light.” What does ‘the hollow’ describe? [WBCHSE Sample Question]
👉Here ‘the hollow’ refers to ‘the valley’ where the very young soldier lies open-mouthed.
Related Question
[I] What does the word ‘hollow’ refer to in the poem, “Asleep in the Valley “?
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1️⃣5️⃣ How is the soldier depicted in the poem?
👉In the poem, “Asleep in the Valley” the very young soldier in the small green valley lies open-mouthed with one hand on his breast.
1️⃣6️⃣ Why was the soldier lying open-mouthed?*
👉The soldier was lying open-mouthed because he was dead, he had become the casualty of war.
1️⃣7️⃣ In what manner does the soldier lie in the countryside?* [WBCHSE Sample Question]
👉In the countryside, in the valley the soldier lies open-mouthed peacefully in warm sunlight with one hand on his breast.
Related Questions
[I] In what state is the soldier seen in the valley?
[II] How does the soldier sleep?
[III] How did the soldier lie?
[IV] How is the soldier lying in the valley?
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1️⃣8️⃣ What is the soldier’s pillow made of?* [WBCHSE Sample Question]
👉The soldier’s pillow is made of fern which grows plenty in the valley.
Related Questions
[I] What was the soldier’s pillow made of?* [WBCHSE H.S. 2024]
👉The soldier’s pillow was made of fern which grows plenty in the valley.
[II] What is serving as the pillow of the sleeper?
👉Fern is serving as the pillow of the sleeper.
[III] Who builds up the pillow of the soldier?
👉Fern builds up the pillow of the soldier.
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1️⃣9️⃣ “A pillow made of fern beneath his head.” What does this line imply?
👉This line implies that the fern which grows plenty in the valley serves as a pillow beneath the head of the very young soldier who lies open-mouthed there.
2️⃣0️⃣ What is serving as the bed of the sleeping soldier?
👉’Heavy undergrowth’ is serving as the bed of the sleeping soldier.
2️⃣1️⃣ What does the phrase ‘heavy undergrowth’ refer to?*
👉The phrase ‘heavy undergrowth’ refers to the plentiful bushes and plants which grow in the valley.
2️⃣2️⃣ Why is the soldier pale?* [WBCHSE H.S. 2018, 2022]
👉The soldier is pale because he is dead.
2️⃣3️⃣ What does the stretched body of the soldier indicate?
👉The stretched body of the soldier indicates that he is dead.
2️⃣4️⃣ What is meant by ‘sun-soaked bed’?
👉By ‘sun-soaked bed’ the poet means the bed of the dead soldier which gets full sunlight.
2️⃣5️⃣ Where does the soldier lie stretched?* [WBCHSE H.S. 2019, 2022]
👉The soldier lies stretched on the ‘heavy undergrowth’ in the small green valley where a slow stream flows.
2️⃣6️⃣ What has Nature given to the feet of the soldier in his last sleep?
👉Nature has given flowers to the feet of the soldier in his last sleep.
2️⃣7️⃣ Where are the feet of the soldier placed?* [WBCHSE H.S. 2015, 2020]
👉The feet of the soldier are among the flowers in the valley.
2️⃣8️⃣ How is the dead soldier shown respect by nature?*
👉To show respect to the dead soldier nature gives bountiful gifts to him by providing flowers near his feet.
2️⃣9️⃣ What is the soldier’s smile compared to?* [WBCHSE H.S. 2020]
👉The soldier’s smile is compared to that of an infant’s—gentle, without guile.
Related Question
[I] What is the smile of the dead soldier compared to?*
[II] How does the poet describe the soldier’s smile?*
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3️⃣0️⃣ How does the poet bring out the innocence of the soldier in ‘Asleep in the Valley’?* [WBCHSE H.S. 2018]
👉In ‘Asleep in the Valley’ the poet brings out the innocence of the soldier through his smile which is like that of an infant’s—gentle, without guile.
3️⃣1️⃣ What is described as ‘gentle, without guile’?* [WBCHSE H.S. 2017]
👉The smile of the dead soldier is described as ‘gentle, without guile’.
3️⃣2️⃣ Why does the poet ask Nature to keep the soldier warm?* [WBCHSE H.S. 2016]
👉The poet asks Nature to keep the soldier warm because he may catch cold.
Related Question
[I] Why does the poet ask Nature to keep the sleeper warm?
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3️⃣3️⃣ “He may catch cold” Why does the poet fear so?*
👉The poet fears so because the soldier is dead and so he may catch cold.
3️⃣4️⃣ How is the soldier’s body kept warm?
👉The soldier’s body is kept warm by nature by providing him necessary heat.
3️⃣5️⃣ What are the insects doing in the poem “Asleep in the Valley”?*
👉In the poem “Asleep in the Valley” the insects are humming sweetly near the soldier.
3️⃣6️⃣ Which adjective is used to qualify the insects?
👉The participle adjective ‘humming’ is used to qualify the insects in the poem “Asleep in the Valley”.
3️⃣7️⃣ “The humming insects don’t disturb his rest;” Why?* [WBCHSE Sample Question]
👉The humming insects don’t disturb the soldier’s rest because he is dead.
Related Questions
[I] Why do the insects fail to disturb the sleeping soldier?
👉The insects fail to disturb the sleeping soldier because he is dead.
[II] Why did the humming insects fail to disturb the young soldier?
👉The humming insects failed to disturb the young soldier because he was dead.
[III] Who is not expected to disturb the soldier’s rest?* [WBCHSE H.S. 2024]
👉The humming insects do not disturb the soldier’s rest.
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3️⃣8️⃣ Where is one hand of the soldier seen?*
👉One hand of the soldier is seen on his breast.
3️⃣9️⃣ “At peace. In his side…..” What does the phrase ‘At peace’ mean here?*
👉Here the phrase ‘At peace’ means ‘peacefully in eternal sleep’. Actually the soldier is dead.
4️⃣0️⃣ In what state is the soldier seen in the valley?
👉In the valley the soldier lies peacefully open-mouthed in warm sunlight with one hand on his breast.
4️⃣1️⃣ How did the soldier die in the poem “Asleep in the Valley”?*
👉In the poem “Asleep in the Valley” the soldier died when he was shot with two bullets. Actually he had become a casualty of war.
4️⃣2️⃣ What is seen on the side of the soldier?* [WBCHSE H.S. 2023]
👉There is seen two bullet wounds on side of the soldier.
4️⃣3️⃣ When does the reader come to know about the death of the soldier?
👉At the end of the poem when viewed closely there are visible two bullet wounds in the side of the soldier. Viewing this horrible sight, the reader comes to know about the death of the soldier.
4️⃣4️⃣ What is the main theme of the poem “Asleep in the Valley”?
👉The main theme of the poem “Asleep in the Valley” is the futility of war.
4️⃣5️⃣ What message is revealed through the poem, “Asleep in the Valley”?*
👉The message revealed through the poem, “Asleep in the Valley” is the futility of war or the pity of war.
4️⃣6️⃣ What does the phrase ‘without guile’ signify?
👉The phrase ‘without guile’ signifies that the smile retained on the face of the dead soldier is like an infant’s–gentle, without any trickery.
Related Answer
👉By the phrase ‘without guile’ the poet means the smile of the soldier is like an infant’s bearing no trickery.
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4️⃣7️⃣ What do the ‘two red holes’ in the poem ‘Asleep in the Valley’ signify?* [WBCHSE H.S. 2015]
👉In the poem ‘Asleep in the Valley’ the ‘two red holes’ actually signifies the ‘two bullet wounds or injuries’ visible in the side of the soldier.
Related Questions
[I] What do the ‘two red holes’ indicate in the poem “Asleep in the Valley”?
[II] What are the ‘two red holes’ in the soldier’s side?
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4️⃣8️⃣ What does the concluding line of the poem reveal?*
👉The concluding line of the poem, “Asleep in the Valley” reveals that the soldier is not sleeping, actually he is dead.
4️⃣9️⃣ What is the setting of the poem “Asleep in the Valley”?*
👉The setting of the poem “Asleep in the Valley” goes back to the war which is 1870s Europe when France was involved in war with Russia in 1876 [The Franco Prussian War].
