Asleep In The Valley by Rimbaud - Study Guide

Asleep In The Valley by Arthur Rimbaud - Detailed Study Guide

Fig: Asleep In The Valley by Rimbaud - Study Guide

Asleep in the Valley

Arthur Rimbaud

A small green valley where a slow stream flows
And leaves long stand of silver on the bright
Grass; from the mountain top stream on the sun's
Rays; they fill the hollow full of light.

A soldier very young lies open-mouthed,
A pillow made of fern beneath his head,
Asleep; stretched in the heavy undergrowth,
Pale in his warm, green, sun-soaked bed.

His feet among the flowers, he sleeps. His smile
Is like an infant's — gentle, without guile.
Ah, Nature, keep him warm; he may catch cold.

The humming insects don't disturb his rest;
He sleeps in sunlight, one hand on his breast;
At peace in his side there are two red holes.

Notes And Annotations:

Stanza : 1

Small green valley: The valley is green with vegetation and foliage. It is a perfect place for a tired soldier to rest his weary limbs.

Green symbolises life, vitality and growth. The word "green" is used as a contrast to the lifeless soldier.

Valley: A low area between the hills. The valley where the soldier sleeps is referred here.

The valley is cut off from the rest of the world by hills, similarly the soldier has been separated from life.

A slow stream: a small river that flows slowly.

Flows: shows a sense of movement that contrast with the static body of the lifeless soldier.

Long strands of silver: The river spreads like silvery ribbons over the green valley.

Strands: yarn, thread or fibre.

Bright: radiant; The grass is green and therefore looks bright.

Mountain top: The mountains are high. In different versions of the poem the mountains are called 'proud' for their height.

Stream: The sun rays flow like a stream from the top of the mountain.

Rays: sun rays; The sun is the giver of life. It's rays instil life and energy in all natural objects.

Fill the hollow: The green valley looks like a hollow from the high mountains. Sun rays fill up valley with light.

Hollow: The valley looks like a hole from the top.

One of the lexical meanings of 'hollow' is, however, 'a small valley'.

Full of light: The valley is bathed in sunlight. The sunlit valley is a contrast to the darkness of death that envelopes the soldier.

Stanza : 2

A soldier, very young: Soldiers are said to be pawns, who easily become victims in the battlefield. It is a matter of pity that the young soldiers are the victims of warfare. Rimbaud is sad as he finds in the death of young soldiers, the waste of life.

Open-mouthed: agape. The mouth of the soldier is open. The soldier is in a profound sleep. Actually his appearance suggests that the soldier is lifeless.

A pillow: a soft support for the head.

A pillow of ............ head: The soldier actually has no support to rest his head but nature forms a pillow of ferns, so as to support the head of the dead soldier out of sympathy.

Stretched: extended

Undergrowth: grasses and shrubs that grow in plenty in the valley.

Stretched in the heavy undergrowth: The soldier is sleeping on the bed of ferns and grass, under the sky.

Pale: colourless; The soldier is actually dead. That is why he looks colourless.

Sun-soaked bed: The green bed of the soldier has soaked the energy and vitality of the sun. Here we come across a contrasting situation. The vegetation of the valley is enriched and nourished by the sun, but the soldier will never wake up. Nature can only cradle him in his eternal rest as he lies pale on the ground.

Warm, green: The bed receives the warmth of sunlight and so it is green. Plenty of plants grow here.

Stanza : 3

His feet among the flowers: The soldier lies on the green grass. His feet are in the flowers. There is a rich array of flowers in the valley as if nature is offering flowers to honour the dead soldier.

Smile: showing pleasure by slightly drawing up the corner of lips. It is ironical that the dead soldier smiles. The smile of the soldier is contrasted with the pain of the death.

Infant: child; like an infant — child like.

Gentle: mild.

Guile: trickery.

gentle, without guile: like a child the soldier sleeps with innocence. His face shows that he knows no trickery.

he may catch cold: As the soldier is sleeping in the open air, there is a chance that he might catch cold. Actually, the soldier's body is cold because he has died sometime before.

Nature, keep him warm: Nature can only help the soldier so that he may not catch cold. However, even nature's sympathy is futile as the soldier would never wake up.

Stanza : 4

Humming: making a soft continuous sound.

humming insects don't disturb his rest: The insects make continuous sound but such sound fails to break the sleep of the soldier. He shows no sign of waking.

Sleeps in sunlight: the soldier enjoys the warmth of the sun even in his sleep.

One hand on his breast: the soldier sleeps calmly. His hand is upon his chest. His posture is that of undisturbed sleep.

At peace: The soldier sleeps peacefully in this calm atmosphere.

Two red holes: the bullet wounds that leave blood spots on the side of the soldier. The reader gets a sudden mental shock at the end.

For more Click the given link below: