Song Of The Rain
THEME:
“Song of the Rain” is a first person account of the rain‟s formation and journey from the womb of the sea to the sky and back to the earth again. This autobiography highlights the divinity (divine nature) of the rain. It also reveals how nature makes it an instrument to enhance its beauty and to embellish (adorn) it.
MESSAGE:
Very subtle, the poet conveys a message through this poem that rainfall should not be taken as commonplace phenomenon of nature. The occurrence is a marvel of nature and a boon to the earth and mankind. It deserves to be admired and appreciated as something divine. However to perceive its divinity one needs to have refined sensibilities.
TITLE:
“Song of the Rain” is an apt and a well-chosen title. The poem describes the journey of rain‟s life. Singing about its origin the rain describes what it does, how it rejuvenates the earth and infuses everybody around with joy. In its song it also wishes all joy and bliss for all the people around. The poem has a song like music of its own, hence the title “Song of the Rain” is a suitable title.
LITERARY DEVICES:
A fine example of poetic craftsmanship the poem makes an abundant use of literary devices. Personification is the practice of attributing human qualities, character or personality to inanimate things or non-human creatures such that they appear to be living human beings. The rain has been personified – human qualities of mercy, humility, concern and consideration have been attributed to the rain all through the poem.
Hence we find the rain
● crying – when I cry the hills laugh
● bowling – when I bow, all things are elated
● acting as a messenger – I am a messenger of mercy
● gently touching – I touch gently at the windows
● seeing and embracing – when I see a field in Need, / I descend and embrace the flowers.
Clouds and fields projected as lovers have also been personified.
Metaphor
This is rather like a simile except that metaphor is an implied comparison, by which two things are compared without the use of „as‟ and „like‟. The poet does not say that one object is like another. He says it is another. The abundant use of metaphors makes the description of rain as lucid and life-like, that we can visualize it very vividly.
Examples:
● Following metaphors have been used in the poem where rain has been called
- dotted silver threads
- beautiful pearls
- messenger of mercy
- sigh of the sea
- laughter of the field
- tears of heaven
Simile
In a simile, a comparison between two distinctly different things is indicated by the word „like‟or „as‟.
Example:
●Making a direct comparison between life of rain and earthly life, the poet uses a simile in the following line: „I am like earthly life‟.
Alliteration
Alliteration is “the repetition of usually consonant sounds occurring recurrently at the beginning of a
word or of a stressed syllable within a word.”
Examples:
In daughter of Dawn; messenger of mercy and sigh of the sea a musical effect has been created by repeating „d‟, „m‟ and „s‟ sound respectively.
Onomatopoeia
Onomatopoeia (sometimes called echoism) is applied to a word, or a combination of words, whose sound seems to resemble the sound it describes.
„Bang‟, „pop‟, „hiss‟, buzz etc. are onomatopoeic words.
Examples:
● sigh of the sea
● laughter of the field
● tears of heaven
„Sigh‟, „laughter‟ and „tears‟ give a concrete form to the abstract idea of the mood of the seas, field and heaven through this mental pictures.
Read the following extracts and answer the questions:
1] „When I cry the hills laugh;
When I humble myself the flowers rejoice;
When I bow, all things are elated.‟
a) What does „When I cry‟ means ?
b) Why do hills laugh when „I‟ cries ?
c) What sort of atmosphere is brought about when „I‟ „cries‟, „humbles‟ and „bows‟ itself ?
2] „The field and the cloud are lovers
And between them I am a messenger of mercy.
I quench the thirst of the one;
I cure the ailment of the other.‟
a) What attributes of self are highlighted by „I‟ in the stanza ?
b) In the third and the fourth line who is „one‟ and who is „the other‟?
c) How is the rain „a messenger of mercy‟ for the „lovers‟?
3] „I emerge from the heart of the sea and
Soar with the breeze. When I see a field in
Need, I descend and embrace the flowers and
The trees in a million little ways.‟
a) What is meant by „a field in need‟?
b) Explain: “embrace the flowers and the trees in a million little ways”.
c) How does the stanza cover I‟s entire life-cycle?
4] „I touch gently at the windows with my
Soft fingers, and my announcement is a
Welcome song. All can hear, but only
The sensitive can understand.‟
a) Why does „I‟ touch the window panes softly ?
b) How is I‟s arrival taken by everyone ?
c) Why can „all hear‟ I‟s arrival ?
Short Answer Questions:
a) Why does the rain call itself “the dotted silver threads” ?
b) Explain: The rain is heralded by thunder and the rainbow announces its departure.
c) How do you think the rain quenches the thirst of the fields and cures cloud‟s ailment ?
d) “I am like earthly life…. .” Why does the poet call rain as earthly life ?
e) Explain the ending of the song.
LONG ANSWER QUESTION:
a) Cry, humble and bow indicate different intensity with which the rain falls. Explain the three in context.
Please click on below link to download CBSE Class 9 English Song of the Rain Worksheet
