The voice of the Rain Question Answer and summary of class 11 AHSEC English book. Also Previous Year's paper's solution and extra-important notes. Assam board.
Summary
In the poem, the poet asks the soft-falling shower, 'Who are you?' to which she replies that she is the poem of earth. It is a strange thing for the rain to reply to the poet. The rain told the poet that she cannot be touched as she rises in the form of water vapor in the sky from the land and the bottomless sea. It changes its shape yet it remains the same. The vapor changes into clouds due to condensation.
It falls back on the surface of the earth to provide water to drought-prone areas and to beautify and purify the earth. It provides life to the seeds inside the earth and helps them grow.
The rain doesn't care if anyone bothers about her deeds or not, she completes her work and comes back home. The poet compares the rain with a song as they both
share a common journey. The song originates from the heart of the singer, travels across to fulfill the aim, and comes back with due love for the singer.
Textual Question Answer
Think it out
1. There are two voices in the poem. Who do they belong to? Which lines indicate this?
Ans: One voice is of the poet himself. The other voice is of the rain. This is indicated by the following lines:
" And who art thou? said I to the soft-falling shower,
Which, strange to tell, gave me an answer, as here translated:
I am the Poem of Earth, said the voice of the rain"
2. What does the phrase “strange to tell” mean? (2020)
Ans: There was a soft shower of rain falling and the poet asked it who he was. This question was more instinctive and he perhaps never expected a reply. But when the rain answered him back he was surprised and said that it was "strange to tell".
3. There is a parallel drawn between rain and music. Which words indicate this? Explain the similarity between the two. (2012, 14)
Ans: The parallel drawn between rain and music is indicated by the last two lines of the poem which are within a bracket. Here the poet compares rain with music. According to the poet, the song or the music is born in a poet's mind, the heart, to put it so. Once he has sung his song, i.e. expressed his feelings he feels happy and his soul remains pure by his own soul. Likewise, rain is born from the earth (evaporation) and returns to the earth after many activities above the sky. Back in its original place, it purifies its dirt and makes it beautiful.
4. How is the cyclic movement of rain brought out in the poem? Compare it with what you have learned in science. (2015, 17, 18)
Ans: If we analyze from the scientific point of view, the description given by the poet is appropriate. The rain emerges from the land, it is raised from the earth and the unseen bottom of the seas. It goes up to the highest point of the sky through the process known as evaporation and takes an inexplicable shape in the form of clouds. It again turns to rain and is showered on the earth full of dirt, impurity, and ugliness, making it clean and attractive. It is again turned to vapours and raised upwards. In this way, the cycle keeps continuing.
5. Why are the last two lines put within brackets?
Ans: The most important theme of the poem is the voice of the rain which the poet translates in his own way. The whole poem is about the rain's answer to the poet's question. But the last two lines are the poet's own thoughts - his comparison between rain and music. So, he keeps his own views separate from the rain's voice and keeps them within a bracket.
6. List the pairs of opposites found in the poem.
Ans: The pairs of opposites found in the poem are:
Land - sea
Changed - same
Day - night
Reck'd - unreck'd
In - out
With - without
Previous Years Notes
1. What does the rain do to the drought, atomizes, and dust of the globe? (2014)
Ans: After becoming vapors the rain goes up to the sky and turns to clouds. From there it comes down back to the earth and satisfies the dry and thirsty lands. It wets every particle and cleans up all the dirt and pollution of this world. It purifies and beautifies the earth in this manner.
2. How is the cyclic movement of rain brought out in the poem 'The Voice of The Rain'? (2015, 17, 18)
Ans: See Qn. 4 (Textual Question Answer)
3. "And who art thou ?" Said I to the soft-falling shower.
Which, strange to tell, gave me the answer, as here translated:
"I am the Poem of Earth, said the voice of the rain,
Eternal I rise impalpable out of the land and the bottomless sea". (2016)
(i) Where do these lines occur?
Ans: These lines occur in the poem "The Voice of the Rain" by Walt Whitman.
(ii) How does the shower fall?
Ans: The shower falls softly, as described by the phrase "soft-falling shower." It implies a gentle and delicate descent of the raindrops.
(iii) Where does the rain rise from?
Ans: The rain rises from the land and the bottomless sea, as mentioned in the line, "Eternal I rise impalpable out of the land and the bottomless sea." It suggests that the rain's origin is both terrestrial and aquatic.
(iv) Find a word in the passage that refers to "something that cannot be touched".
Ans: The word that refers to "something that cannot be touched" is "impalpable." It is used to describe the rain's rising nature, indicating that it cannot be physically grasped or felt.
(v) Why does the rain describe itself as the Pem of Earth?
Ans: The rain calls itself the "Poem of Earth" because it believes it is an important and beautiful part of how the Earth works. Just like a poem expresses emotions and ideas, the rain expresses the Earth's natural processes. It helps plants and animals by giving them water, which is necessary for life. The rain's presence and actions are like a poem, showing how everything in nature is connected and how it brings new life and beauty. It is a creative and life-giving part of nature, just like a poem brings meaning, freshness, and harmony.
4. "And who art thou ?" Said I to the soft-falling shower.
Which, strange to tell, gave me ^ answer, as here translated:
"I am the Poem of Earth, said the voice of the rain,
Eternal I rise impalpable out of the land and the bottomless sea". (2018)
(i) What does the poet ask for rain?
Ans: The poet asks the rain, "And who art thou?" This question seeks to understand the identity and nature of the rain.
(ii) What idea do you form about the relationship between the rain and the earth from your reading of the quoted lines?
Ans: The rain, personified as the voice of the rain, describes itself as the "Poem of Earth." This implies a deep and interconnected relationship between the rain and the earth. The rain is eternal and originates from within the earth, rising from the land and the bottomless sea. It nourishes and revives the earth, bringing life and vitality to dormant elements. The rain's role is to purify and beautify the earth, acting as a poetic force that sustains and renews the natural world.
(i) Who is the speaker here?
Ans: Rain is the speaker here.
(ii) From where does the speaker rise?
Ans: The speaker rises from the land and bottomless sea.
(iii) What is meant by altogether changed, and yet the same?
Ans: "Altogether changed, and yet the same" means that although the rain undergoes transformation and takes on a different form as it rises to the sky, it still retains its fundamental essence or identity.
(iv) What are 'atomies'?
Ans: "Atomies" refers to tiny particles or atoms. In this context, it represents the minuscule components that make up the droughts, dust layers, and other dry elements on the Earth.
(v) How does the speaker go up and come down again on droughts, atomies, and dust layers?
Ans: The speaker goes up to the sky and comes down again as rain, falls upon the droughts, atomies, and dust layers. This process is part of the natural cycle of rain, where it evaporates from the Earth's surface, condenses in the atmosphere, and then falls back down as precipitation, moisturizing and rejuvenating the dry elements it encounters.
6. What does the phrase "strange to tell" mean in the poem The Voice of the Rain'? (2020, 21)
Ans: See Above Qno. 2(Textual Question Answer)
7. And who art thou? Said I to the soft-falling shower,
Which, strange to tell, gave me an answer, as here translated :
I am the Poem of Earth, said the voice of the rain,
Eternal I rise impalpable out of the land and the bottomless sea,
Upward to heaven, whence, vaguely form'd, altogether
changed, and yet the same, (2021)
(i) To whom the question is asked?
Ans: The question is asked from the rain.
(ii) Who is the Poem of Earth?
Ans: The Poem of Earth refers to the rain itself.
(iii) Who rises eternally?
Ans: The rain, described as the voice of the rain, rises eternally.
(iv) To where does it rise?
Ans: It keeps rising up from the land and bottomless sea.
(v) Write a brief summary of the above stanza.
Ans: In this stanza, the speaker poses a question about the soft-falling shower, personifying the rain. Surprisingly, the rain responds, identifying itself as the Poem of Earth. It keeps rising up from the land and sea, even though we can't touch or hold it. It goes up to the sky, where it changes a little but still stays the same. This stanza shows how the rain is connected to the Earth, and how it keeps going through a cycle of renewal and change.
7. What does rain do to the earth, as has been said by the voice of the rain? (2021)
Ans: The voice of the rain in the poem describes what it does to the Earth. It rises from the land and sea, transforms as it reaches the sky, and then descends back to Earth. When it falls, it nourishes and replenishes the dryness, tiny particles, and layers of dust on the Earth. Without the rain, these things would remain lifeless and unproductive. The rain brings life, purifies, and beautifies the Earth, providing essential sustenance for plants, animals, and all living things. Its continuous cycle ensures that it gives back to its place of origin and fulfills its purpose with love and care.
8. What will happen if it does not rain? (2022)
Ans: If it does not rain, the Earth will become dry and parched. Plants will wither and die without water, leading to a decline in vegetation and food sources for animals. Rivers, lakes, and other bodies of water will dry up, causing a scarcity of drinking water for both humans and animals. The soil will become cracked and infertile, making it difficult to grow crops. This can result in droughts, famine, and a negative impact on the overall ecosystem.
9. Write in your own words what the rain speaks about itself? (2022, 19)
Ans: In its own words, the rain describes itself as the Poem of Earth. It sees itself as an eternal force that rises from the land and the bottomless sea, transforming as it reaches the heavens. The rain emphasizes its role in bringing life to the Earth, making it pure and beautiful. When it comes back down, it helps make things alive again, cleaning and making them beautiful. The rain is like a song that makes everything fresh and new.
10. "And forever, by day and night, I give back life to my own origin,
And make pure and beautify it:
(For the song, issuing from its birthplace, after
fulfillment, wandering Reck'd or unreck'd, duly with love returns.) (2022)
(i) What does the rain give to her own origin?
Ans: The rain gives back life to its own origin. This means that the rain nourishes and sustains the Earth, replenishing the sources from which it originates.
(ii) What are the two things that the rain does to the place of her own origin?
Ans: The rain makes its own origin pure and beautifies it. This means that the rain cleanses the Earth, washing away impurities and making it more beautiful.
(iii) Where does the song issue from?
Ans: The song issues from its birthplace. In the context of the poem, the rain is compared to a song, and the birthplace refers to the origin or source of the rain, which is the land and the bottomless sea.
(iv) Describe the never-ending cycle of rain.
Ans: The rain has a never-ending cycle. It starts by rising up from the land and the sea. As it reaches the sky, it changes its form. Then, it comes back down to Earth to bring life to dry and sleeping things. This cycle happens all the time, during the day and at night. The rain keeps nourishing its own source, making it alive and beautiful. It's like a song that starts, finishes, and then freely moves around before coming back with love. This cycle of rain is always happening, and it's a beautiful and eternal process.
The Voice of the Rain
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