ASLEEP IN THE VALLEY

1. Give the substance of ‘Asleep in the Valley’.

Ans. “Asleep in the Valley”, a symbolic poem, begins with the description of a bosky valley. A creek
flows here, leaving long strands of silver on the bright grass. The sun shining from the mountain-top
makes the valley bubbling with the flooded sun beams. A young, very young, soldier is found lying agape
blissfully in the bushes and plants there. The nape of his neck rests on the pillow of fern. He lies fully
stretched on the sun-soaked sod with his feet among the flowers. There is innocent smile about his face
looking pale. Cradled in the lap of nature, he has no fear of catching cold. Buzzing insect and one of his
hands being on the breast suggest the tranquility of his mind and body. But to everyone’s horror and
shock, a close-up view reveals two bullet wounds marked by blood in his body. Ironically, the tranquility
of his mind is that of the grave.

2. Write a note on the anti-war feeling of “Asleep in the Valley”?

Ans. “Asleep in the Valley”, a poem by the symbolist Arthur Rimbaud is about a young

soldier who is seen enjoying a pleasant nap in the soothing blissful sunlit valley. His head is on the pillow
made of fern, with his body lying on heavy undergrowth with his legs being among the flowers. There is
child like innocent smile about his face. But to everyone’s shock, two red holes on his side gives the
evidence of his death, meaning he is never to be awaken. The warmth of sunlight, the growth of bushes,
flowers, plants and the co-existence of nourishing stream cannot preserve his smile living. There is a
latent anger against the war. The poet upholds that so powerful are the atrocities of war that it snatches
the youthful life in short.

3. “His smile is like an infant’s”

- whose smile is referred to here? Why is the smile compared with that of an infant? How does nature
him? Ans. The smile referred to here is that of the young soldier who is found asleep in the valley by the
poet. The soldier found asleep there seems to be submerged in deep slumber. The soothing sleep that
he enjoys in the bosky valley on the heavy sod takes him to the reverie of extreme pleasure. There is no
mark of apprehension, tiredness, and fear about his face. For he is now enjoying his perpetual sleep,
undisturbed, unfazed, so the smile about his face is pure, gentle and innocent. Nature takes utmost care
to keep him warm there. She has spread heavy undergrowth with readying a pillow of fern to let his
head rest on it. For his legs, she has made electrifying flowers bloom about them. All the things she
harmonises for his majestic soothing sleep are very much natural, dipped in bright on livening sun
beams. Such is nature’s treatment for her soldier- souls slumber.

4. write a note on the images used by Rimbaud in the poem “Asleep in the Valley”.

Ans. Rimbaud’s “Asleep in the Valley” is a poem full of symbolism and imagery. The poem opens with
green, the colour of life, but ends with red that of brutal death. It depicts a sunlit bosky hollow with a
creek gargling on its own. This personified image of a river running through grassland, pulling at the
green grass, dipping in it, is a nice imagery. But it generates a kind of violence, desperation and urgency
in an otherwise pastoral panorama. From the mountain top gleams the sun which accompanied with the
gleaming river creates a visual effect of fountain of light streaming from the mountain top. A young
soldier is found sleeping there. Sun-soaked sod and fern-made pillow give him a sound sleep. The
innocent smile about his face shows how relaxed and creepy he is. Cradled in nature’s lap he is warm.
But to everyone’s shock two red holes are revealed on his sides, which manifests the violence of war.
The first bullet wounded him, but as he hopped about, he was shot dead to be sure.