Summary of The Solitary Reaper
The Solitary Reaper is written by William Wordsworth. In the first stanza, the poet sees a single girl in a field, all alone. The solitary reaper is from the Scottish Highlands, working by herself, cutting and tying up the grain. He asks people passing by to stop and listen or keep going quietly. She’s singing a sad song, and the valley is filled with the sound of her song.
The poet compares her singing to how a nightingale, a bird known for its beautiful singing, could cheer up tired travelers resting in a cool place in the Arabian deserts. Her voice is so moving, it’s like no other sound, not even the call of a cuckoo bird in springtime or the quietness of the far-off Hebrides islands.
The poet wonders what her song is about. He thinks it might be about old sad things, like battles from the past. Or maybe it’s about regular, everyday stuff or natural sadness, like losing something or feeling pain that happened before and might happen again.
Regardless of what the song is about, the poet is amazed by The solitary reaper’s singing. It’s like she could keep singing forever. He watches her singing while she works with her sickle. And even when he leaves and can’t hear the music anymore, the feeling of her song stays in his heart for a long time.
Theme of The Solitary Reaper
The theme of the poem the solitary reaper revolves around the solitary Highland girl’s poignant song. It explores the power of music to evoke deep emotions and memories. The girl’s melancholic tune, reminiscent of old sorrows and historic battles, reflects the enduring nature of human sadness and the ability of simple, everyday tasks to carry profound stories. The poem highlights the universal resonance of personal sorrow and the timeless quality of music in expressing complex emotions.
Message of The Solitary Reaper
The poem The solitary reaper conveys the timeless power of music and the depth of human emotions. It emphasizes that simple, everyday actions—like the girl’s solitary work and song—can carry profound emotions and stories. The message lies in the universal resonance of personal sorrows, the enduring nature of historical sadness, and the ability of music to touch hearts deeply, transcending time and place. It suggests that within the mundane, there exists a beauty and poignancy that resonates across generations.
A. Tick the most appropriate options from The solitary reaper
1. The poet wants the travelers to either stop or pass gently so that they
a. hear the song. b. enjoy the day.
c. don’t disturb the girl. d. wait for the song to finish.
2. The song that the girl is singing is
a. sad. b. dreadful.
c. heroic d. happy.
3. When the poet says the deep valley is ‘overflowing with the sound, he means that
a. like water, the song is filling every nook and corner of the valley.
b. the song is very loud.
c. the song can be heard only by a few people.
d. the valley is unpopulated so the song is heard far and wide.
4. One of the themes of the song could have been
a. nightingales. b. weary travelers in a desert.
c. the cuckoo bird. d. a personal sorrow.
Answer
1. The poet wants the travelers to either stop or pass gently so that they
c. don’t disturb the girl.
2. The song that the girl is singing is
a. sad.
3. When the poet says the deep valley is ‘overflowing with the sound,’ he means that
a. like water, the song is filling every nook and corner of the valley.
4. One of the themes of the song could have been
d. a personal sorrow.
B. Answer these questions from The Solitary Reaper
1. In which part of the world has the poem been set?
2. What does the poet compare the young girl’s song to?
3. List the phrases from the poem that refer to a ‘sad song’.
4. No nightingale did ever chant,
More welcome notes to weary bands,
Of travelers in some shady haunt,
Among Arabian sands.
a. For whom did the nightingale sing?
b. Why do you think the travelers are weary?
5. Will no one tell me what she sings?
Perhaps the plaintive numbers flow
For old, unhappy, far-off things
And battles long ago.
a. Why does the poet ask the question in the first line?
b. For whom or for what does the girl seem to be singing ‘plaintive numbers’?
c. What could have been one of the themes of the song?
Answer
1. The poem is set in the Scottish Highlands.
2. The poet compares the solitary reaper’s song to the welcome notes sung by a nightingale for weary travelers in some shady place among Arabian sands.
3. Phrases from the poem that refer to a ‘sad song’:
– “sings a melancholy strain”
– “plaintive numbers”
– “old, unhappy, far-off things”
– “battles long ago”
4. a. The nightingale sang for the weary bands of travelers.
b. The travelers might be weary from their journey in the Arabian sands, seeking rest and relief from their travels.
5. a. The poet asks the question because he’s curious about the content or meaning of the girl’s song and is seeking an answer.
b. The girl seems to be singing ‘plaintive numbers’ for old, unhappy, far-off things and battles long ago.
c. One of the themes of the song could be about past sorrows, perhaps related to battles or sad events from history.
C. Think and write answers from The Solitary Reaper
1. Why do you think the islanders find the voice of the cuckoo-bird thrilling?
2. How did the poet react to the maiden’s song?
Answer
1. Islanders might find the voice of the cuckoo-bird thrilling because its call, especially in spring, signifies the arrival of a new season. It could bring a sense of renewal and the end of winter, signaling the start of a more vibrant and lively time. Additionally, the sound of the cuckoo might be rare in those regions, making it an unusual and exciting occurrence, something out of the ordinary.
2. The poet was deeply moved by the maiden’s song. He was captivated and stood there listening, feeling as though her song had no end. Even after he left and couldn’t hear the music anymore, the feeling and impact of her song lingered in his heart for a long time. The beauty and emotion in her singing deeply affected him, leaving a lasting impression.