Chapter--2
Asleep in the Valley. 2
Arthur Rimbaud
—---------------------------------------------------------------
MCQ
1. The sleep of the soldier should not be disturbed
a) by the flowing stream
b) by the flow of sunrays from the mountaintop
c) by the humming insects ✔
d) by the cold of the grass bed
2. The humming insects don't disturb the soldier, in 'Asleep in the Valley', because
a) he is asleep
b) he is tired
c) he is peaceful
d) he is dead ✔
3. The feet of the young soldier was kept
a) in thick bushes
b) in the pile of sand on the riverbank
c) in the heap of flowers ✔
d) on the green grass of the sunlit valley
4. In the poem 'Asleep in the Valley' there are two red holes in the soldier's
a) head
b) breast
c) side ✔
d) feet
5. The smile of the dead soldier is compared to that of
a) an infant ✔
b) an angel
c) an innocent child
d) a tired man
6. The only sound in the valley is that of the
a) bullets
b) soldier snoring ✔
c) humming insects
d) bird's singing
7. The smile of the soldier in 'Asleep in the Valley' is
a) cunning
b) foolish
c) gentle ✔
d) absurd
8. "... gentle without guile." Here 'without guile' means
a) pure and innocent ✔
b) harsh and cruel
c) kind and childish
d) manly
9. The soldier's innocence is indicated through
a) face
b) smile ✔
c) rest
d) death
10. The color that brings out the tragedy of war in 'Asleep in the Valley' is
a) green
a) silver
c) red ✔
d) golden
11. One hand of the soldier is on his
a) face
b) gun
c) breast ✔
d) side
12. The feet of the soldier are lying on
a) a log
b) some ferns
c) a pillow
d) an array of flowers ✔
13. The innocence of the soldiers is expressed best through his
a) sleep
b) posture
c) smile ✔
d) weapons
14. The smile of the soldier in the poem 'Asleep in the Valley' is
a) gentle ✔
b) witty
c) foolish
d) cunning
15. As the soldier is sleeping in the open air, it is apprehended that he may
a) catch cold ✔
b) enjoy his sleep
c) be stung by some insects
d) awaken very soon
16. The soldier sleeps in the
a) night
b) twilight
c) dusk
d) sunlight ✔
17. The soldier keeps one of his hands
a) inside his pocket
b) on his breast ✔
c) on his head
d) on his side
18. The two red holes are marks of
a) stabs
b) bullets ✔
c) bayonets
d) glory
19. Rimbaud wrote the poem when he was probably only
a) 16 years old ✔
b) 18 years old
c) 17 years old
d) 23 years old
20. The innocence of the soldier is compared with
a) an old man
b) a flower
c) a child ✔
d) humming insects
Short Question Answer
1. Where does the young soldier lie? lie stretched?
Ans. The young soldier lies asleep in the valley.
2. How does the stream flow through the valley?
Ans. The stream flows slowly leaving long strands of silver.
3. Where from the sun's rays come?
Ans. The sunrays come from the mountaintop.
4. Where does the stream leave 'long strands of silver'?
Ans. In the small green valley, the stream leaves long strands of silver.
5. Through what does the stream mentioned in the poem 'Asleep in the Valley' flow?
Ans. The slow stream flows through the valley.
6. How does the stream look like in the poem 'Asleep in the Valley'?
Ans. The stream looks like long strands of silver.
7. "... they fill the hollow"-What does the word 'hollow' mean here?
Ans. The word 'hollow' suggests a valley surrounded by mountains.
8. What are the sunrays compared with?
Ans. The sunrays are compared to a softly flowing stream.
9. How is the young soldier lying?
Ans. The young soldier is lying open-mouthed in the valley with a pillow of ferns under his head.
10. How is the bed of the dead soldier?
Ans. The bed of the soldier is made of soft grass and plants with a pillow made of ferns and this natural bed has soaked the warmth of the sun.
11. What is meant by 'heavy undergrowth'?
Ans. 'Heavy undergrowth' suggests the plentiful growth of bushes and plants in the Valley.
12. Give an example of an image used by Rimbaud in the poem?
Ans. An image used by Rimbaud in the poem is the sunrays filling up the hollow like a stream.
13. What is meant by the phrase 'sun-soaked bed'? ['Sun-soaked bed'
Ans. The phrase 'sun-soaked bed' suggests that the valley absorbs the warmth of the sun and lush vegetation grows there abundantly
14. What does the epithet, 'very young', suggest in the poem?
Ans. The epithet (এপিথেট), 'very young, suggests that young men go to the battlefield (ব্যাল্ফিল্ড), and are sacrificed (স্যাকরিফাইড্) in the warfare.
15. In what manner does the soldier lie in the countryside?
Or, How does the soldier lie?
Ans The soldier lies asleep in the valley, with his mouth open and one of his hands resting on his chest.
Long Question Answer
1. Describe the small valley after Rimbaud as you find it in 'Asleep in the Valley'. 'Asleep in the Valley'
Ans. Arthur Rimbaud in his poem, 'Asleep in the Valley, gives a beautiful picture of a valley. The vegetation (ভেজিটেশন) of the valley is nourished (নারিশড্) by the sunlight and the sparkling (স্পার্কলিং) waters of the silvery stream that moves softly at its will beautifies the valley. The whole valley looks bright and lovely as the sunlight fills up the place. Ferns (ফার্নস) grow in plenty and the soldier,
sleeping in the valley, has a pillow of ferns underneath (আন্ডারনীথ) his head. There is also a wide variety of flowers of different colors. Besides, there are also various species (স্পিসিজ) of insects. They sweetly hum near the soldier. The landscape (ল্যান্ডস্কেপ) is so beautiful that the reader receives a rude shock when he comes to know that the soldier is actually dead.
2. Describe the small valley after Rimbaud as you find it in 'Asleep in the Valley'. 'Asleep in the Valley'
Ans. Arthur Rimbaud in his poem, 'Asleep in the Valley, gives a beautiful picture of a valley. The vegetation (ভেজিটেশন) of the valley is nourished (নারিশড্) by the sunlight and the sparkling (স্পার্কলিং) waters of the silvery stream that moves softly at its will beautifies the valley. The whole valley looks bright and lovely as the sunlight fills up the place. Ferns (ফার্নস) grow in plenty and the soldier,
sleeping in the valley, has a pillow of ferns underneath (আন্ডারনীথ) his head. There is also a wide variety of flowers of different colors. Besides, there are also various species (স্পিসিজ) of insects. They sweetly hum near the soldier. The landscape (ল্যান্ডস্কেপ) is so beautiful that the reader receives a rude shock when he comes to know that the soldier is actually dead.
3. The poem 'Asleep in the Valley' rests on two contrasting pictures-Discuss the use of two contrasting pictures in the poem.
Or, How does Rimbaud bring out the contrast between the small green valley and the sleeping soldier in the poem 'Asleep in the Valley'? [Asleep in the Valley'
Ans. The poem 'Asleep in the Valley' presents two pictures. The beautiful hollow of the valley is contrasted (কনট্রাস্টেড) with the two deep holes in the soldier's body. In the peaceful (পিফুল) ambience (অ্যামবিয়েন্স) of the valley the soldier seems to sleep deeply. But such a beautiful picture is contrasted with the shocking (শকিং) close-up picture of the soldier at the end. There are two bloody holes in the side of his body which are actually bullet wounds. The peaceful atmosphere is therefore marred by the horrors of war. The warmth of the sun and the abundance of vegetation found in the valley are contrasted with the coldness of death. Such contrasting pictures however evoke (ইভোক) a sense of pity in the mind of the readers for the helpless victims of warfare.
5. Bring out the futility of war expressed by the poet in the poem 'Asleep in the Valley'. ['Asleep in the Valley'
Or, Discuss 'Asleep in the Valley' as an anti-art poem. ['Asleep in the Valley' Outpitch Church Coll
EDITING BY--Liza Mahanta
