ASLEEP IN THE VALLEY

 VIVEKANANDA COACHING CENTRE

 TUTOR : - SWAPAN KUMAR RAY ( M.A , B.ED)

POEM : - ASLEEP IN THE VALLEY.

 A. complete each of the following sentences , choosing the correct option from the alternatives provided : 

1. ' Asleep in the valley ' is written by ---- Gieve Patel / Arthur Rimbaud / William Shakespeare / john Keats .

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2. ' Asleep in the valley ' is the poem about --  love / war / relationship / Young boy.

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3. ' Asleep in the valley ' is --- Italian sonnet / Shakespearean sonnet / modern sonnet / none of above.

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 4. Rimbaud's nationality was Dutch / French / German / Russian . 

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5. The poet wrote the poem when French was involved in war with -- Germany / Russia / Spain / Portugal . 

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 6. The poem ' Asleep in the valley ' contains --- 12 lines / 14 lines / 16 lines / 10 lines . 

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 7. One hand of the soldier is on his -- face / gun / breast / side .

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8. The soldier's pillow is made of --  flowers / fern / grass / leaves .

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 9. The marks of wound of the soldier are -- on his leg / on his head / on his chest / on his side . 

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10.  The sunrays fall from the -- trees / sky / mountain top / roof top . 

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11. The stream flows -- fast / slowly / swiftly/quickly.

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12. The soldier has --- red holes on his body. -- one/two/three/four . 

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13. The insects are  -- humming / hopping / chirping / buzzing.

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14. The poem reflects --  the pity of war / the glory of war / the beauty of the valley / the beauty of the nature .

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15. The overall colour of the valley is -- yellow / green / blue / red .

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 16. The soldier's bed is warm , green and ---- soft / sun soaked / damp / cold . 

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17. The poet asks the nature to keep the soldier ---- warm / safe / dry / lovely . 

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18. The dead soldier was ---- not very young / middle aged / very young / an aged person . 

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19. The soldier lies --- calmly / open - mouthed / patiently / with open eyes .  

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20. The dead soldier looks ---- cold / warm / pale / sun - soaked . 

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 21. The smile of the soldier is ---- gentle / witty / foolish / cunning . 

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22. Whom does the poet direct to keep the soldier warm ? ---- sun / nature / God / mountain .

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23. The two red holes depict ---- blood colts / stab marks / bullet wounds / none of above . 

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  24. The feet of the soldier were among -- the forest / flowers / bushes / fruits . 

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25. The smile of the soldier was like -- a moon / sun shine / an infant / flower . 

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 26. What is the colour of the stream ? ---- black / golden / silver / green . 

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27. The soldier looks ---- healthy / angry / handsome / pale . 

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28. The colour depicted at the end of this poem is ---- black / yellow / blue / red .

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B. answer the following questions, each in a complete sentence :-

1. What comes from the mountain top? { --- + (v+es/s) +p + obj)

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2. How does the stream look like in the poem ' Asleep in the valley ' ?  ( Sub + ( V + es / s ) + ---)

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4. Where does the slow stream flow ?  {Sub + ( V + es / s ) + P + ----- }

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3. What kind of grass is found on the bank of the stream ?  ( --- + Aux + V3 + Obj ) 

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5. Who wrote " Le Dormeur du val " ? ( ---  + V² + Obj )

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6. What is the small green valley filled with ? ( Sub + Aux + v3 + p + ---)

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7. " they fill the hollow full of light " ---- What does the ' hollow ' describe ?  { Sub + ( V + es / s ) + --- } 

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8. What is the soldier's pillow is made of ?  ( Sub + Aux +v3 + p + ---)

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9. In what manner does the soldier lie in the countryside ? ( Sub + ( V + es / s ) + ---)

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 10. Why was the soldier lying open - mouthed ? {Sub + Aux + ( V + ing ) + Obj + Because + ---) 

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11. What does the ' heavy undergrowth ' refer to ? {Sub + ( V + es + s ) + P + ---}

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12. Why is the soldier pale ? ( Sub + Aux + V + Because + ---)

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 13 Why did  the poet ask nature to keep the soldier warm ? ( Sub + V2+ Obj +  Because ---)

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14. " He may catch cold " --  Why does the poet fear so?  { Sub ( V + es/s ) + so + as + ---}

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15. Where are the feet of the soldier ? ( Sub + Aux + P + ---)

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16. " The humming insects don't disturb his rest " - Why ?  ( Sub + can't + V + Obj + Because + ---)

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 17. Where is the young soldier lying ? {Sub + Aux + ( V + ing ) + P + --- }

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  18. What are the sun rays compared with ? ( Sub + Aux + V3 + P + ---)

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 19. What did  the sun rays do ? ( Sub + V² + ---)

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20. What do the ' two red holes ' in the poem " Asleep in the valley " signify ? ( Sub + V + --- )

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C. Answer the following questions within 100 words:- 

1. Give a description of the valley as found in Rimbaud's poem , " Asleep in the valley " . 

 Or , Bring out the natural scenery described in the poem ' Asleep in the valley ' . 

 Ans : - In the poem ' Asleep in the valley " Rimbaud portrays a fine picture of a valley . The valley is small . It is green with grass . A stream flows across it gently . From the mountain top the sunrays are coming . The warm rays of the sun fill the hollow of the valley with light . All around are dunes bushes and plants . The flowers are blooming brightly in the valley . It helps the soldier sleep peacefully . Even the humming insects do not disturb him. In short , the valley enjoys the richest  wealth of nature . 

2. Justify the title of the poem Asleep in the valley . " 

Ans : Asleep in the valley means sleeping in a valley . The poem reflects that a very young soldier is lying on the ground of a valley open - mouthed with a innocent smile . The poet thinks that the soldier is sleeping peacefully in the open sunlight . So , the poet requests the nature to keep him warm and to the insects not to disturb his rest. Suddenly two red holes are noticed by the side of his body which indicates that the young soldier is already dead . His sleep is eternal sleep and he will never wake again . Through this poem Rimbaud describes the futility of war . War only catches young life . So the title is suggestive and appropriate . 

3. Write the central idea of the poem " Asleep in the valley . " 

Or , Discuss " Asleep in the valley " as an anti - war poem .

Ans Arthur Rimbaud's ' Asleep in the valley ' is a beautiful poem dealing with death of a young soldier . The central idea of the poem is  the futility of war . The poem presents before us a picture of a young  soldier who is lying in a valley amongst the flowers and the humming insects. With one hand on his chest , the soldier lies open mouthed smiling like an innocent child . This scenes suddenly turns into a brutal one when we find the ' two red holes ' in his side . The bullet marks at the side of his body sets the soldier in contrast with the whole landscape . 

4. " Ah , nature keep him warm ; he may catch cold . " Who is he ? Why may he catch cold ? Why does the poet ask Nature to keep him warm ?

Ans : He refers to the very young soldier who is asleep in the valley . 

He may catch cold as he is lying under the open sky . The poet ask nature to keep him warm . 

Rimbaud requests the nature to keep the soldier warm . Actually he ironically portrays the futility of war . The nature cannot make the person alive who was already dead . A cold lifeless body can never receive warmth again . The irony in the request expresses the dark side of war and the consequence of violence . 

2. ' In his side there are two holes .'- Who is the person referred to here ? What do the two red holes signify ?

 Ans : - A young soldier is referred to here in the poem ' Asleep in The Valley ' .

 The two red holes are noticed by the side of the soldiers body which depicts that the young soldier is already dead . The poem reflects that a very young soldier is lying on the ground of a valley open - mouthed with a innocent smile . The poet thinks that the soldier is sleeping peacefully in the open sunlight . So , the poet requests the nature to keep him warm and to the insects not to disturb his rest. Suddenly two red holes are noticed by the side of his body which indicates that the young soldier is already dead . His sleep is eternal sleep and he will never wake again . Through this poem Rimbaud evokes the futility of war . War only catches young life .