Class 11 English Ch-3 The Voice of the Rain
By Walt Whitman
Summary of Class 11 English Ch-3 The Voice of the Rain
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 the drought-prone areas and to beautify and purify the earth (its birthplace). 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 also 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 (its originator).
Class 11 English Ch-3 The Voice of the Rain
Question-Answers
Question 1:
There are two voices in the poem. Who do they belong to? Which lines indicate this?
Answer
The two voices in the poem are the ‘voice of the rain’ and the ‘voice of the poet’.
The lines that indicate the voice of the poet and the rain are, “And who art thou? Said I to the soft-falling shower,” and the lines that indicate the voice of the rain are, “I am the Poem of Earth, said the voice of the rain”.
Class 11 English Ch-3 The Voice of the Rain
Question 2:
What does the phrase “strange to tell” mean?
Answer
The phrase ‘strange to tell’ means that it was strange for the soft-falling rain to reply to the poet’s question. When the poet asked the rain ‘who art thou?’ the rain replied ‘I am the Poem of Earth’.
Class 11 English Ch-3 The Voice of the Rain
Question 3:
There is a parallel drawn between rain and music. Which words indicate this? Explain the similarity between the two.
Answer
The rain and music are identical in a way. The rain calls herself the Poem of Earth. Neither can be touched. Both are eternal. Both bring joy to the earth, and beautify it. Rain, the song of the earth, disappears after fulfilling its purpose.
Class 11 English Ch-3 The Voice of the Rain
Question 4:
How is the cyclic movement of rain brought out in the poem? Compare it with what you have learnt in science.
Answer
The poem describes the rain’s cycle accurately. It explains how rain starts as water vapor from the land and sea, forms clouds, and then falls back as rain. This matches what we learn in science about the water cycle.
Class 11 English Ch-3 The Voice of the Rain
Question 5:
Why are the last two lines put within brackets?
Answer
The last two lines are in brackets because they are the poet’s own thoughts and reflections, not part of the conversation with the rain.
Class 11 English Ch-3 The Voice of the Rain
Question 6:
List the pairs of opposites found in the poem.
Answer
land — sea; day — night; same — changed; reck’d — unreck’d; with — without; in — out.
Class 11 English Ch-3 The Voice of the Rain
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