Theme, Tone and Central Idea of Song of the Rain by Khalil Gibran

In this article, we are highlighting the theme of the poem Song of the Rain– a poem written by Khalil Gibran. While the central idea of the poem reflects the primary theme, one can still capture the various other themes that the poet wanted to convey after a thorough read.

Central Idea of the Poem Song of the Rain:

Rain says he can beautify nature, and bring joy to every member of the natural world. He acts as a messenger carrying letters of love between the cloud and the field. Thunder and rainbow accompany him wherever he goes. His existence is as brief as human life. Every man can feel the rain, but only the sensitive can appreciate his presence. The sigh of the sea gives birth to the rain, the tears of the gods give the rain its form, and it exists to spread happiness in the fields.

Themes in the poem Song of the Rain: 

Contrasts: The rain contrasts himself with the hills, the flowers and the fields, since his tears bring them happiness. The rain also contrasts his arrival and his departure. His arrival is foregrounded by something that alarms the human mind, that is, thunder. On the other hand, his departure is heralded by something that soothes the human mind, that is, rainbow. He also contrasts the majority of human beings with the minority. The majority are insensitive, and they can only hear the rain without understanding what its arrival spells. On the other hand, the minority is composed of the emotional ones who know too well that rain can bring much-needed relief from the summer sun.

Similarities: As opposed to the many contrasts that make up this poem, only two sets of similarities are found here. The rain compares its existence with human life. Both human beings and rain are born of the elements that are said to make up this world. Both must pass away at some point of time or the other. The rain also compares himself to a woman who draws her strength from man only to overpower man in the end. Similarly, rain also has its source in the hot air of the atmosphere and he ends up getting rid of this warmth.

Christian metaphors: Two Christian metaphors occur in this poem. When rain says that human beings are born out of the elements, he has in mind the passage from Genesis (3:19) that says “Dust thou art, and to dust shalt thou return”, which means that man is but a mere mortal. Again when rain refers to how woman draws her strength from man, he is probably talking about the Creation Myth which says that Eve was created out of Adam’s rib.

Tone of the poem Song of the Rain:

The tone of this poem is predominantly serene and peaceful. As the rain explains its life cycle, he makes us thankful for his presence in nature for he beautifies nature and makes the heat of summer bearable.

Conclusion: 

“Song of the Rain” is very typical of Gibran’s style. Instead of speaking in his own persona, Gibran chooses to speak in the voice of rain. He also uses the poem to reveal a larger philosophy – that we must always give back. Rain is born of the elements of the earth and gives back to the fields and flowers that make up this earth.

Suggested Reading: Summary of Song of the Rain by Khalil Gibran in Hindi

Detailed Analysis: We have considered your feedback and did a detailed analysis of quite a few poems at Beamingnotes. Luckily, the poem you’re reading now, Song of the Rain does have a detailed analysis. This will help you understand the poem in great dept and help you score good! Here are the following links- For detailed summary: Summary of Song of the Rain ; For complete annotations: Song of the Rain Meaning ; For detailed critical analysis: Critical Analysis of Song of the Rain ; For theme, tone, central idea of the poem: Tone and Central Idea of Song of the Rain and for suggested solved questions:  Solved Question and Answers from Song of the Rain.

Whether you’re aiming to learn some new marketable skills or just want to explore a topic, online learning platforms are a great solution for learning on your own schedule. You can also complete courses quickly and save money choosing virtual classes over in-person ones. In fact, individuals learn 40% faster on digital platforms compared to in-person learning.

Some online learning platforms provide certifications, while others are designed to simply grow your skills in your personal and professional life. Including Masterclass and Coursera, here are our recommendations for the best online learning platforms you can sign up for today.

The 7 Best Online Learning Platforms of 2022

About the author

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat.

Other related Posts

You may also like