The Solitary Reaper
Initial Impression:
The poem is about a man noticing the beautiful voice and intriguing message of a women he encounters while going up a hill. The woman, who is in a valley, sings about misery from some tragedy, possibly war or something of that nature. The narrator wonders if the lyrics of the lady’s song pertain to some battles of long ago or modern day battles. Regardless of what she is singing about, there seems to be a deep sorrow in her voice that the narrator retains, even after he has travelled far uphill and cannot hear her anymore.
Paraphrase:
Alone in the field, behold her,
On a solitary piece of ground!
Singing with reaping lyric in solitude;
Either you will stop and listen or you slowly pass!
Alone the lady collects and stitches the grain,
And sing a sad long song;
O listen! for the Valley
Is being filled with her music.
No Nightingale could ever sing as great
These notes are welcoming to tired
Travelers on a unknown, disturbing task,
Near the Arabian sands:
The thrill the voice gives
In the Spring away from other loud birds,
Breaking the monotony off the waters beyond
Among the most distant islands.
Someone please tell me about her music ?—
Maybe there exists a regular flow
For old, detestable things, or even
Battles from long ago:
Or is it about more regular thing,
Familiar matter of nowadays?
Some natural sadness or pain
That may be again or has already been?
Regardless of the theme, the Maiden sang
Like the song could never end;
I saw her singing while at work,
And oh the sickle bending;--
I heard, without moving;
And, while I went up the hill,
The sound stayed in my heart,
Even after I couldn’t hear it.
SWIFTT-
SW- The poem consists of four stanzas, each of which is eight lines. The rhyme scheme of the poem is AABA, which closely resembles the scheme of a ballad. The words behold and profound in the beginning stanza heighten the claims the poet makes. As the poem continues, the poet shows admiration for the singer he listens to. This is made evident when he describes her voice as thrilling and with no ending.
I-There is a significant amount of both auditory and visual imagery in the poem. When the poet describes the singer’s voice as having a distinct thrill and sounding better than a Nightingale’s, the poet evokes a beautiful voice. The description of the place the lady sings about creates images of a deserted open area, for the poet says she is among Arabian sand.
F- The author doesn’t use too much figurative language. However, there is a simile in the final stanza: “as if her song could have no ending.” The simile is effective because it shows the everlasting quality of the singer’s voice.
T- The tone throughout the poem is appreciative. The author is in awe of the genuine voice and meaningful lyrics of the singer. This is clear when the narrator become motionless and bore the music, even after leaving the singer.
T-The poem explores the theme of an everlasting effect of music. The poet’s deep admiration to the singer’s voice makes it clear that music should be appreciated.
Conclusion:
My conclusions to the poem haven’t really changed from my initial reaction. I continue to believe that the poem is about the everlasting beauty of one’s voice. However, after analyzing the poem, I now have a deeper appreciation and understanding of the various aspects that make of the poem, namely tone, figurative language, and diction. The tone that the poet creates comes from a diction that shows admiration. I found it interesting that poet used a simple diction, as the poem contained mostly simple words that appeal to a broad audience. Additionally, the figurative language effectively contributes to the admiration the poet has for the beautiful voice of the singer.
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