Class: Degree 2nd year
Sem: Degree 3rd Sem
State: Telangana
Sem: Degree 3rd Sem
State: Telangana
Subject: ENGLISH
Year - 2023 Syllabus
Lesson: The Solitary Reaper
Topic - The Solitary Reaper by William Wordsworth summary
In "The Solitary Reaper," a poem by William Wordsworth, the poet finds a young solitary woman in a Highland field. She is busy in reaping grain, but she is also singing a sorrowful song. The poet believes her song is more beautiful and haunting than the well-known nightingale and cuckoo songs. The poet is happy and joyful with the woman's voice as it sounds throughout the valley.
The poet is unaware of the song's meaning because he cannot understand the language. He wonders if she sings of more sorrows or old battles. Even without knowing the song's subject, he followed the song by its emotion and feelings. As he turns to leave, he understands that the song has stayed with him in his mind and feelings. Even though, he can no longer hear it.
Firstly, He begins by comparing her song to that of a nightingale. In poems and stories, nightingales are frequently associated with both love and sadness. Their songs are also believed to soothe weary or depressed souls. Wordsworth suggests that the girl's song is soothing and beautiful, much like a nightingale's, by drawing a comparison between it and the nightingale's.
Secondly, He then draws a comparison between her song and the springtime cuckoo's song. Because Cuckoos sing in the spring when the weather gets warmer, their songs are associated with happiness and the beginning of good times. This analogy demonstrates how the poet is also uplifted and hopeful by the girl's song.
Her song's universal sentiment and depth of emotion stand in stark contrast to the straightforward scene of a woman working in a field. The Solitary Repear's singing transforms an ordinary task into something remarkable. This is a reminder that the subject matters. The beauty and meaning of the song can be found in the most unexpected places that sense us and put us in a feeling.