The Solitary Reaper Summary

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Solitary Reaper First, a short summary of each stanza is provided. Additional line by line explanation is along with some of the poetic devices used is given at the end. Please note that the first and the third stanzas of the poem have been composed in the present tense while the second and the fourth stanzas are composed in the past tense. Similarly, the summaries of the first and third stanzas are in the present tense while those of the second and fourth stanzas are in the past tense. Summary of the first stanza The poet, William Wordsworth, introduces us to the subject of the poem, the solitary reaper. She is standing alone in the field, reaping and singing. She sings a morose, gloomy song while she cuts and binds the sheaves of grain. It seems to the poet as if the surrounding valley is brimming over with the song of the reaper. Summary of the second stanza According to the poet, the reaper’s song surpassed, in its beauty, the sweet notes of the nightingale that welcomed tired groups of travelers into an oasis in an Arabian desert. The voice of the harvester was more breathtaking than that of the cuckoo singing in spring in the Hebrides islands. Summary of the third stanza The poet, however, does not understand the words of the reaper's song. He starts to speculate on the subject of the song. He thinks that perhaps it is about an ancient incident which occurred in a distant land or a battle which may have taken place years ago. He further wonders, whether the song has something to do with the day to day life of the solitary reaper. He thinks that she might be singing about grief and sadness which has occurred and might return. Summary of the fourth stanza To the poet, it seemed that the song of the solitary reaper would not end. She sang as she worked, bending over her sickle. For a long time the poet listened to the song, enchanted and transfixed. As
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