Rain on the Roof (Beehive) - Theme and Summary
CBSE Class 9 - English Poem
Poet: Coates Kinney
Coates Kinney (November 24, 1826 – January 25, 1904) was an American lawyer, politician, journalist and poet who wrote Rain On The Roof.
Introduction
❑ Rain on the Roof by Coates Kinney is a beautifully written lyrical poem that presents the memories aroused in the poet’s mind by the showers falling on the tin roof.
❑ Through a number of metaphors, the poet shows that the drops of rain falling on the shingles of the roof sends a train of thoughts running in his mind.
❑ He is reminded of the way his mother used to bid him and his siblings a goodnight and put him to bed.
❑ The poet connects his present with his past through the memories revived by the rain.
Theme
❑ The poem deals with the healing power of rain
❑ The musical sound of raindrops falling on the rooftop at night has the ability to revive sweet memories and rouse fancies in an otherwise busy mind.
❑ The rain thus soothes and comforts an overworked mind by taking it back to its lovely past.
Summary
❑ This is a lyrical poem.
❑ The poet expresses his love for nature and praises the healing power of rain, especially when heard lying in his bed in a cottage.
❑ The poet says that when the clouds packed with rain vapours fleet in the sky and feel us thrilled.
❑ The sadness weeps in wet tears.
❑ It may be very exciting to hear the pattering sound of gentle rain at the shingle of the roof. This makes an echo inside the poet's heart.
❑ Many recollections and fantasies take place in the poet's mind.
❑ He feels happy at remembering his dead mother. He also recalls how his mother used to love him in his childhood.
❑ He lies down at the pattering of the rain on the roof. The sound of rain makes the poet happy and puts him in a state of bliss.
Explanation
Stanza 1
When the humid shadows hover
Over all the starry spheres,
And the melancholy darkness
Gently weeps in rainy tears,
What a joy to press the pillow
Of a cottage-chamber bed,
And to listen to the patter
Of the soft rain overhead!
In this stanza, the poet describes his experience of rain one night while lying in his cosy bed in his cottage. He listens to the soothing music made by way of the showers of rain falling overhead at the roof. The poet states that when the star-studded sky is thickly overcast with clouds, it spreads gloomy darkness all around. It makes him sad and reflective, and the rain additionally appears to reflect his emotions as it looks like tears falling softly from human eyes. At that moment curling up pillow brings joy to him. Though his cottage is small, the sound of raindrops helps him get over his melancholic mood.
Poetic Devices used:
i. Alliteration: The repetition of a consonant sound in two or more consecutive words.
‘Humid Hover’, ‘starry spheres’, ‘press pillow’, ‘lie listening’.
ii. Onomatopoeia: The use of sound words to create a dramatic effect and auditory imagery.
‘Patter’ is the use of the sound word. It is the sound made by the raindrops falling on the rooftop.
iii. Personification: Treating a non – living thing as a living being.
Darkness has been personified when he says that it is sad.
Stanza 2
Every tinkle on the shingles
Has an echo in the heart;
And a thousand dreamy fancies
Into busy being start,
And a thousand recollections
Weave their bright hues into woof,
As I listen to the patter
Of the rain upon the roof.
The sound of falling raindrops on the shingles resonates with his heart. Every tinkle reverberates in his heart similar to the sound of rain. He experiences a series of fancies playing before his eyes and he enjoys this figment of the imagination. It also brings his old memories coming back to him. He finds all his past memories are entwined with one another as he listens to the sound continuous falling raindrops.
Poetic Devices used:
i. Alliteration: The repetition of a consonant sound in two or more consecutive words.
‘busy being’, ‘their thread’, ‘rain roof’.
ii. Onomatopoeia: The use of sound words to create a dramatic effect and auditory imagery.
‘Tinkle’, ‘patter’ – sounds made by the raindrops.
iii. Personification: Treating a non – living thing as a living being.
‘Recollection’ is personified when he says that they weave dreams.
iv. Transferred Epithet: The use of an adjective with a noun when it refers to another noun.
‘Dreamy fancies’ – it does not mean that the fancies are dreamy but refers to the people who have dreams.
Stanza 3
Now in fancy comes my mother,
As she used to, years agone,
To survey her darling dreamers,
Ere she left them till the dawn;
Oh! I see her bending over me,
As I list to this refrain
Which is played upon the shingles
By the patter of the rain.
From his entwined memories, he cherished his childhood moments spent with his mother and his siblings. His mother used to look down at him and his siblings as they were sleeping and having pleasant dreams. The poet can still feel that his mother is looking at him as he listens to the song made by the raindrops falling on the rooftop of his room. The sound of the rain makes him correlate his past with his present.
Poetic devices used:
i. Alliteration: The repetition of a consonant sound in two or more consecutive words.
‘Memory my mother’, ‘Darling dreamers’.
ii. Onomatopoeia: The use of sound words to create a dramatic effect and auditory imagery.
‘Patter’ – the sound of raindrops falling on the shingles of the roof.
👉See Also:
The Road Not Taken (MCQs)
The Road Not Taken (Summary)
The Road Not Taken (Q & A)
Ch2: The Sound of Music (Chapter Theme and Summary)
Ch2: The Sound Of Music (Q & A)
Chapter: Wind (Poem) - Summary and Q & A
The Lost Child (Q & A)
The Lost Child (Summary and Theme)
Chapter 4 - Truly Beautiful Mind (NCERT Answers)
Chapter 5: The Snake and The Mirror (Summary and Q & A)
amazing explanation !
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