Poem The Solitary Reaper (William Wordsworth) Summary Imp Qs Ref Explanation

Poem The Solitary Reaper (William Wordsworth) Summary Imp Qs Ref Explanation

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Poems:

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 nighthingale did ever chaunt
More welcome notes to weary bands
Of travellers in some shady haunt
among Arabian sands;

A voice so thrilling nev'r was heard
In spring-time from the Cuckoo-bird.

Breaking the silences 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 more humble lay,

Familiar matter of today?
Some natural sorrow, loss or pain.
That has been, and may be again?

Whatever 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

William Wordsworth

English poet born Cockermouth, Cumberland, 7 April, 1770, died 23 April, 1850.

A lawyer's son, Wordsworth was educated at Cambridge. In 1791, inspired by the Revolution, he went to France where an affair with Annette Vallon produced daughter. His revolutionary faith broken by Napoleon's ambitions, Wordsworth was consoled by his sister Dorothy. In 1799 he went to Dove Cottage, Crasmere, and in 1802 married Mary Hutchinson. He was made Distributor of stamps for Westmoreland and Cumberland in 1813 and was appointed Poet Laureate in 1843. Whether writing long philosophical reflections in the Prelude (1850) or short pieces, as in, for instance, The Lyrical ballads (1798), he impresses by the imaginative quality of his meditation, as in his Immortality Ode:

"To me the meanest flower that blows can give Thoughts that do often lie too deep for tears."

Idea of Poem:

This is a delightful poem by Wordsworth. During his tour of Scotland he came across a lovely maiden at work in the fields all alone. Her lovely presence and her song in a foreign language local dialect had a deep impression and moved the poet to compose these verses. The lovely singer appeared to be a part of the beauty of Nature representing its sweetness, joy and mystery. The recollection of this happy experience became a pleasure giving permanent possession, retrievable like computer-memory. Thus:

The music in my heart I bore,

Long after it was heard no more.

Words                          Meaning

Melancholy strain        sad song

Vale profound              deep valley

Chaunt                         sing

Hebrides                      A group of Islands off western Scotland.

Humble lay                  simple song.

The Solitary Reaper (William Wordsworth)

It is a sweet and beautiful poem which tells us about a lonely highland girl in the middle of her fields. She is cutting and binding the crop. She is also singing a sweet sad song in some language unknown to the poet. Even then the poet is greatly impressed by the song of the reaper girl and remembers it long afterwards.

Summary

The Solitary Reaper, a lyrical poem by Wordsworth, a renown romantic poet deals with the common experience of daily life. The poet recounts an incident of the past beautifully in verse. This is an excellent example of the poet' aesthetic sense and high artistic taste.

One day the poet saw a mountain girl who was all alone reaping grain and singing by herself. The poet did not like the singing girl to be disturbed by the passers by.

She was cutting and binding the grain and during the course of her work she was singing a melancholic song. The song was more sweet and melodious than the songs of nightingale who used to greet the weary travelers among the Arabian Oasis and was more thrilling than the songs of the cuckoo in the Spring time. The whole valley was full of this musical song and her beautiful tune was breaking the silences of the sees among the farthest Hebrides.

The poet could not understand the theme of the song as it was in foreign local dialect yet he tried to guess the meaning. He guessed that the song was perhaps a complaint about old unpleasant far-off events and battles which took place long ago. It might be a simple matter related to the past or present.

In the end the poet does not bother about the theme. He got absorbed in the miraculous sight. He stood motionless and still, listening to the sweet strain and looking the girl.

The music impressed him so much that he hears it in his solitude even now when it is heard no more. Hence this sweet poem proves the truth of Keats, “A thing of beauty is a joy forever”.

Tender feelings, past memories, natural beauty and loneliness mixed with realistic and sentimental style make this narrative a true representation of Wordsworth. The beauty of song is given a romantic touch by hinting at the Arabian Oasis, Island of Hebrides, Weary travelers and unknown language. Loneliness is the main feature giving the song fairy-tale like impression. Most probably the song would not be so impressive if it was not heard in solitude. Monosyllabic as well as polysyllabic vocabulary, subject matter of the song, similes of the nightingale and the cuckoo and suitable rhyming scheme are the remarkable features of this lyric.

Important Questions

Question 1: The poem deals with a common experience of life. Discuss.

Describe the scene presented in this poem.

Answer: The Solitary Reaper is a personal poem in which the poet has narrated his personal experience. During his tour to Scotland, he happened to see the solitary reaper. She was reaping the crop and singing a song. She appeared a part of the beauty of nature.

Her lovely presence and enchanting voice forced the poet to write this visit in verse. The poet compared the melody of the girl's voice with that of the singing nightingale. Her song was more soothing than that of the nightingale.

Her voice was thrilling. It was more thrilling than the voice of the cuckoo bird which broke the silence of the seas in the spring season. Though the poet could not understand the song of the girl yet he guessed that song was true in its nature.

The poet was impressed by the song that he could not forget it in his future life. She was a simple rustic girl. Her presence and physical appearance were simple. She was not a modern lady. But the poet was inspired by the song she presented.

He considered her a part of nature. She was as beautiful as natural surroundings. Her song appeared to be unending to the poet. For all these reasons we can say that the poem deals with the common experience of life.

Most of the words used are from everyday life experiences, field, lass, cuts, thrilling, matter, sorrow, maiden, music, etc having musical as well as thrilling matter, sorrow, maiden as pictorial qualities.

Question 2: What is the significance of the song in the Solitary Reaper?

Discuss the central idea of the poem, The Solitary Reaper.

The poem leaves a lasting impression on the poet's mind. Discuss

Why does Wordsworth call the Solitary Reaper's song A melancholy strain?

How has the poet used the idea of association and memories?

Answer: The solitary reaper in the poem was reaping or cutting the crop and then singing beautifully while continuing her work. She was all alone in the mountain valley and only the poet could see her and listen to her. Wordsworth was a romantic poet.

He was highly imaginative and could feel the beauties of nature in unusual ways. He could appreciate the fine shades of a singing voice in romantic mountainous surroundings. The voice of the highland girl left a soothing impact on the poet's mind. The most forceful lines of this poem are:

The music in my heart I bore

Long after it was heard no more

Wordsworth felt that the Scottish girl was singing a melancholy song. Again he called her verses or song plaintive. He did not understand her language. He did not know what the song was about. He liked it because of its sad and serious and sweet tone or music.

The poet was so much impressed by the music of the girl's song. Although his meeting with the girl was temporary yet he remembered her song and music in his later life. Her song and voice became the permanent source of pleasure for the poet.

It was an unforgettable incident of his life. He remembered her personality and song in his rushed life. This memory gave him a soothing impact. The girl's song created a connection between its note and the poet's inner sadness.

Question 3: The Solitary Reaper by Wordsworth is a romantic poem. Discuss.

What are the elements of romanticism in The Solitary Reaper? Elaborate.

Answer: The Solitary Reaper is a romantic poem. It has all the elements of romantic poetry. Firstly, the poem deals with the life of common people. In this poem, a highland girl is a common girl. She is innocent and lovely.

Secondly, the poem is full of romantic images as the field, reaping and singing, alone she cuts, highland lass, Arabian sands, springtime, etc. Thirdly, the poem is written in simple and direct language.

Fourthly, the girl is a representative of pure natural beauty. She appears in the poem as an object of nature. As Wordsworth is a famous poet of nature so he describes the effect of nature on the human mind.

According to him nature never betrays the heart of a lover who loves all-natural beautiful scenes. Nature is always a source of pleasure and joy for human beings. The poem is one of the most beautiful and romantic poems of Wordsworth as almost all main characteristics of romanticism are found in it.

Like all the romantic poets Wordsworth also has a keen interest in the long ago, remote, and far off places. Here he ponders on the theme of the song but is at a loss to understand it. He likes to think that the song may be about some battles long ago.

Far old, unhappy, far-off things

And battles long ago

The atmosphere of the surroundings where the girl is singing is full of strange loneliness. The valley in which the young girl is reaping and singing a sad song is a far-off place. It is beyond the common experience of life. The young girl has a sweet voice but she is singing a melancholy song.

A voice so thrilling nev'r was heard

In springtime from the cuckoo bird

The subjective feelings, love of nature, and sad mood of the poet indicate that it is a romantic poem. Lyricism, pictorial quality, romantic atmosphere, and sad sentiments are the main feature of this poem.

Reference:

These lines have been taken from the poem “The Solitary Reaper” written by Wordsworth.

Context:

In this poem the poet tells us the story of a lovely Highland Girl, who is working in a filed and singing a song. He is deeply impressed by her song and remembers the melody of her song even after he has left the place. He cannot understand the language of the song but the sad beauty of her voice goes straight to his heart. The atmosphere of the poem and the song of the girl as a part of the beauty of Nature leave a lasting impression on the mind of the poet.

Explanation:

Lines 1 – 4

Behold her, single  in the field,
Yon solitary Highland lass;
Reaping and singing by herself;
Stop here, or gently pass.

In these lines the poet tells us about a young girl of Scotland. He tells us to look at the girl who is reaping grain and also singing a sweet song. He advises the passerby to stop short and listen to her song or pass very silently by her, so that she is not disturbed.

Lines 5 – 8

Alone she cuts and binds the grain,
And sings a melancholy strain;
O listen; for the Vale profound
Is overflowing with the sound.

The poet says that the highland girl cuts and binds the grain in sheaves. She is also singing a sad song. She is very busy in her song as well as her work. The poet once again advises the passerby to listen to her song. He says that the whole deep valley is echoing with her sweet song. The whole dale is listening to her sweet voice. We should also listen to her song and enjoy it.

Lines 9 – 12

No nighthingale did ever chaunt
More welcome notes to weary bands
Of travellers in some shady haunt
among Arabian sands; 

In the given lines the poet compares the sweet voice of the girl to that of a nightingale. Nightingale is considered a sweet-voice bird. The poet says no nightingale has so far sung as melodious a song as the girl sings. When some group of tired travelers reaches a shady place, in the Arabian deserts, the nightingale welcomes the caravan with its sweet song. It is obvious that commonly there is no nightingale in the deserts. But if there is some oasis, it is but natural that a nightingale is found there. So when a tired caravan reaches any oasis or shrubby area the nightingale welcomes it. The poet says that the voice of the singing girl is rather sweeter than that of a nightingale.

Lines 13 – 16

A voice so thrilling nev'r was heard
In spring-time from the Cuckoo-bird.

Breaking the silences of the seas
Among the farthest Hebrides. 

These lines show a comparison between the song of the girl and the song of the cuckoo. He says that such a sweet voice was never heard from the cuckoo even in the spring season. The song of cuckoo is always very sweet but the voice of the girl, who was singing, was sweeter than the cuckoo?s. The voice of the girl was so sweet that it broke the silence of the seas and of the far off islands on north-western coast of Scotland. These islands are never disturbed by any storm but the voice of the girl intruded into the silence of this group of islands. This was because of the praiseworthy song of the girl which even affected the seas.

Lines 17 – 20

Will no one tell me what she sings?

Perhaps the plaintive numbers flow

for old, unhappy, far-off things,
And battles long ago.

In these lines the poet tells us about the language of the song. He does not understand the alien language of the song. He says will no one tell him the meaning of the song of the girl. He says that perhaps the girl is singing some sad song of the past. He guesses the language and the meaning of the song. Perhaps the girl is singing some unhappy song or singing about events that have taken place in the past. Perhaps she is singing about battles which have been fought in the far off past.

Lines 21 – 24

Or is it more humble lay,

Familiar matter of today?
Some natural sorrow, loss or pain.
That has been, and may be again? 

These lines are also an expression of the un-understandable language of the song. The poet again guesses at the theme. Perhaps she is singing a simple song on some ordinary matter of the present age. Perhaps she is singing simple sorrow of loss or of some misery. May be she is singing for the lover who has jilted her. Probably, the incident of loss or pain has taken place in the past and it may be experienced again in future.

Lines 25 – 28

Whatever 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-

These lines also show that the poet did not know the theme of the song. He says whatever theme she sang, irrespective of that, it seemed that the song of the young girl would not come to an end. The poet says that he saw the girl busy at her work and also singing while reaping with a sickle in bent motion.

Lines 29 – 32

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

These are the concluding lines of the poem. The poet says that first he listened to her song standing still and motionless. But as he mounted up the hill of Scotland, the tune of the song was so sweet that it struck the heart of the poet. He was sop impressed that he carried, the melody of the song with him long after the song was ended by the girl. Actually, the poet, being a poet of nature, was profoundly impressed by this natural scene. He remembered this song for its natural melodious effect.