Poem: The Solitary Reaper

 Poem: The Solitary Reaper

By William Wordsworth

Behold her, single in the field,
Yon solitary Highland Lass!
Reaping and singing by herself;
Stop here, or gently pass!
Alone she cuts and binds the grain,
And sings a melancholy strain;
O listen! for the Vale profound
Is overflowing with the sound.

No Nightingale did ever chaunt
More welcome notes to weary bands
Of travellers in some shady haunt,
Among Arabian sands:
A voice so thrilling ne'er was heard
In spring-time from the Cuckoo-bird,
Breaking the silence of the seas
Among the farthest Hebrides.

Will no one tell me what she sings?—
Perhaps the plaintive numbers flow
For old, unhappy, far-off things,
And battles long ago:
Or is it some more humble lay,
Familiar matter of today?
Some natural sorrow, loss, or pain,
That has been, and may be again?

Whate'er the theme, the Maiden sang
As if her song could have no ending;
I saw her singing at her work,
And o'er the sickle bending;—
I listened, motionless and still;
And, as I mounted up the hill,
The music in my heart I bore,
Long after it was heard no more.

Stanza 1 Behold her, single in the field, Yon solitary Highland Lass! Reaping and singing by herself; Stop here, or gently pass! Alone she cuts and binds the grain, And sings a melancholy strain; O listen! for the Vale profound Is overflowing with the sound. Paraphrase: Look at the girl working alone in the field— That Highland girl is completely by herself, harvesting and singing as she works. You should either stop and listen to her or walk by quietly. She is cutting and tying the grain all by herself, and she is singing a sad song. Listen carefully! Her sorrowful song is so powerful that it fills the entire deep valley. Difficult Word Meanings: Behold – Look at Yon – That (archaic for "yonder") Highland Lass – A young girl from the Scottish Highlands Reaping – Cutting crops for harvest Strain – A tune or musical sound Vale profound – Deep valley Overflowing – Completely filled with Poetic Devices: Apostrophe:   Definition: addressing someone absent or abstract. Example: Behold her, single in the field, Assonance:                     Definition: repetition of vowel sound                     Example: “Behold her”,  repetition of “e” sound and “single in the field,” repetition of “i” sound. Enjambment:         Definition: Enjambment is when a line of poetry continues its meaning onto the next line without a pause or punctuation at the end of the line.      Example: “O listen! for the Vale profound Is overflowing with the sound”. The line is continue to the next line with pause. Imagery Definition: Descriptive language that appeals to the senses. Example: “Behold her, single in the field” (visual); “Vale profound is overflowing with the sound” (auditory). Alliteration Definition: Repetition of initial consonant sounds in nearby words. Example: “And sings a melancholy strain;” – repetition of the ‘s’ sound. Assonance Definition: Repetition of vowel sounds. Example: “Behold her,” repetition of “e” sound and “single in the field,” repetition of “i” sound. Personification Definition: Giving human qualities to non-human things. Example: “The vale is overflowing with the sound” – the valley is described as if it can be filled like a vessel. Imperative Mood Definition: The use of direct commands. Example: “Behold her,” “Stop here,” “O listen!” Enjambment Definition: Continuation of a sentence beyond the line break. Example: “And sings a melancholy strain; / O listen! for the Vale profound…” Stanza 2 No Nightingale did ever chaunt More welcome notes to weary bands Of travellers in some shady haunt, Among Arabian sands: A voice so thrilling ne'er was heard In spring-time from the Cuckoo-bird, Breaking the silence of the seas Among the farthest Hebrides. Paraphrase: No nightingale has ever sung a song more pleasing to tired travelers resting in the shade of the Arabian desert. Even the cuckoo bird’s springtime song never sounded as emotionally stirring as this girl’s voice, which seemed to break the deep silence over the distant Hebrides islands. Difficult Word Meanings: Chaunt – Archaic spelling of "chant" or sing Weary bands – Tired groups (of travelers) Haunt – Resting place or retreat Arabian sands – Deserts of Arabia Thrilling – Emotionally moving Cuckoo-bird – A bird known for its unique sound Hebrides – Remote islands off the coast of Scotland Poetic Devices: Metaphor: Definition: direct comparison Example: “No Nightingale did ever chaunt”. There is a direct comparison with the bird Nightingale. Enjambment:  Definition: Enjambment is when a line of poetry continues its meaning onto the next line without a pause or punctuation at the end of the line. Example: “Breaking the silence of the seas Among the farthest Hebrides”. The meaning continues onto the next line (“Among the farthest Hebrides”) to complete the image. There is no punctuation at the end of the first line, so this is enjambment. Allusion Definition: Reference to famous places or events. Example: “Arabian sands,” “Hebrides” – global imagery contrasts the Highland setting. Hyperbole Definition: Exaggeration for effect. Example: “No Nightingale did ever chaunt...” – exaggerates the beauty of the reaper’s song. Imagery Example: “Shady haunt,” “Silence of the seas” – strong visual and auditory images. Alliteration Example: “Silence of the seas” – repetition of the ‘s’ sound. No Nightingale did ever chaunt repetition of “n”.  “Breaking the silence of the seas” repetition of “s” sound. Assonance Example: “ More welcome notes to weary bands”—repetition of ‘e’ sound.. “Among Arabian sands:” repetition of “a” sound. Contrast Definition: Opposing ideas placed side by side. Example: Exotic deserts vs. Scottish highlands. Stanza 3 Will no one tell me what she sings?— Perhaps the plaintive numbers flow For old, unhappy, far-off things, And battles long ago: Or is it some more humble lay, Familiar matter of today? Some natural sorrow, loss, or pain, That has been, and may be again? Paraphrase: Can no one tell me what she is singing? Maybe it is a sad song about tragic, distant events or battles from the past. Or maybe it’s a simple song about everyday life and personal sorrow— some natural grief, pain, or loss that has happened before and will happen again. Difficult Word Meanings: Plaintive numbers – Sad verses or lines of poetry Far-off things – Events from long ago or distant places Lay – Song or short poem Familiar matter – Common experiences Natural sorrow – Ordinary human grief Poetic Devices: 1. Alliteration: "Will no one tell me what she sings"? repetition of "W" sound "Perhaps the plaintive numbers flow" repetition of "P" sound " Some natural sorrow, loss, or pain", repetition of "S" sound " that has happened before and will happen again". repetition of "H" sound. Rhetorical Question Definition: A question asked for effect, not for an answer. Example: “Will no one tell me what she sings?” Antithesis Definition: Contrasting ideas placed in parallel structures. Example: “Old, unhappy, far-off things” vs. “Familiar matter of today” Assonance Example: “Some natural sorrow, loss, or pain” – repetition of the ‘o’ sound. Tone Definition: The speaker’s emotional attitude. Example: Curious and reflective – the poet wonders about the meaning of her song. Enjambment Example: The thought continues from line to line: “Perhaps the plaintive numbers flow / For old, unhappy, far-off things...” Stanza 4 Whate'er the theme, the Maiden sang As if her song could have no ending; I saw her singing at her work, And o'er the sickle bending;— I listened, motionless and still; And, as I mounted up the hill, The music in my heart I bore, Long after it was heard no more. Paraphrase: Whatever the subject of her song, she sang as though it would never end. I watched her singing as she worked, bending over her sickle. I stood still and listened silently. Even as I climbed up the hill and moved away, I carried the music in my heart long after the sound itself had faded. Difficult Word Meanings: Whate’er – Whatever Maiden – Young woman Sickle – A curved tool used to cut grain Mounted – Climbed Bore – Carried (past tense of “bear”) Poetic Devices: Simile  Definition: A simile is a comparison using the words “like” or “as.” In this line, her song is being compared to something endless, using “as though.” Functions as a simile because it suggests a comparison between her singing and endlessness.        Enjambment Example: The final lines flow without pause: “And, as I mounted up the hill, / The music in my heart I bore…” Alliteration Example: “she sang” repetition of the ‘s’ sounds. Example: “ I stood still and listened silently.” repetition of the ‘S’ sound repeated. Assonance Example: “Maiden sang” repetition of the ‘a’ vowel sounds. "long after the sound itself had faded". repetition of ‘o’ vowel sounds. Symbolism Definition: Using one thing to represent another idea. Example: “The music in my heart I bore” – symbolizes lasting emotional impact and memory. Tone Example: Reflective and peaceful as the poet remembers the moment. Imagery Example: “O’er the sickle bending” – creates a clear visual of the girl's working posture. Summary: In the poem “The Solitary Reaper” the poet William Wordsworth comes across a solitary Highland girl reaping and singing in the field. Her song is so enchanting that the poet is spellbound. Although he does not understand the language, the melancholy music suggests themes of loss or nostalgia. Her song surpasses the nightingale’s and cuckoo’s song in beauty. The poet pauses to listen and carries the music in his heart long after he leaves the scene. Central Idea: The central idea of the poem “The Solitary Reaper” written by William Wordsworth is the emotional and lasting impact of natural beauty and music on the human soul. The poem celebrates how a simple, solitary moment watching a young girl sing while working can deeply move the observer and leave a lasting memory. Theme: The eternal resonance of music and natural beauty. The universal language of human emotion. Nature’s power to inspire and uplift the human spirit.