Welcome dear students! Today we are going to learn about The Solitary Reaper from Class 7 English First Language.
Before we begin our poem, let us think about music. Have you heard the signature tune of the All India Radio? If not, please listen to it sometime. It is played on the violin. It is soul stirring, it is melodious, and it captivates you. In this beautiful poem, the poet William Wordsworth says that he was captivated by a song sung by a young woman. She is reaping crops and singing at the same time. She is a wonderful figure. As we read the poem together, try to find out why the poet is so deeply impressed by her song.
Now, let us listen to the complete poem. I will read every line exactly as written by the poet.
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 travelers in some shady haunt; Among Arabian sands: A voice so thrilling never was heard In spring-time from the cuckoo-bird, Breaking the silence of the seas Among the farthest Hebrides.
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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?
Whatever the theme, the Maiden sang As if her song could have no ending; I saw her singing at her work, And over 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.
Now, let us understand the poem stanza by stanza. In the first stanza, the poet asks us to look at a young woman who is completely alone in a field. He calls her a solitary Highland Lass, meaning a girl from the mountainous regions of Scotland. She is reaping and singing by herself. The poet tells us to either stop and listen, or pass by gently so we do not disturb her. She cuts the grain and ties it into bundles while singing a sad song. The poet says the deep valley is overflowing with her beautiful sound. The word behold simply means to look at carefully. The poet is showing us how a single person's voice can fill a vast, quiet valley.
Moving to the second stanza, the poet compares her voice to two famous singing birds to show how beautiful it is. He says no nightingale ever sang more welcome musical sounds to tired groups of travelers resting in a shady place in the Arabian deserts. He also says a voice so thrilling was never heard in spring time from the cuckoo bird, breaking the silence of the seas among the farthest Hebrides. The Hebrides are a group of islands in Scotland. The poet uses these comparisons to help us imagine how incredibly comforting and clear her voice sounds in the quiet landscape.
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Let us look at the third stanza. The poet wonders if anyone can tell him what the words of her song mean. He guesses that perhaps her sad lines flow for old, unhappy, distant events, and battles that happened long ago. Or maybe it is a simpler song about everyday life. Perhaps it is about some natural sorrow, loss, or pain that has happened in the past, and might happen again in the future. The poet does not understand the language she is singing in, but he deeply feels the emotion in her voice. He is asking himself these questions to explore the possible meanings behind her sad tune.
In the final stanza, the poet concludes that whatever the subject of the song was, the young woman sang as if her song would never end. He watched her singing while working, bending over her sickle. He stood completely still and listened without moving. As he climbed up the hill to leave, he carried the music in his heart, long after the actual sound had faded away. This shows how deeply the song stayed with him even after he walked away. The memory of the music became a permanent part of his thoughts.
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Now, let us learn the important vocabulary words from the glossary. These will help you understand the poem better. Resonant means resounding, or filling the place with sound. Sonorous means having a full, deep sound. Strain means a song. Profound means deep. Chaunt, which is also spelled chant, means to sing. Notes means musical sounds. Bands means groups. Shady haunt means a shady place. Plaintive means sounding sad or sorrowful. Lay means a narrative poem. Seas is used as a plural word but carries a singular meaning here. Theme means the subject of the song. Numbers means the lines of the song she was singing. Melancholy means sad. Hebrides means a group of islands in Scotland.
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Now we will move to the reading, speaking, and writing exercises. I will read each question and give you the complete answer.
Question one: Wordsworth saw a group of reapers at work. True or Not True. Answer: Not True. The poem clearly states that she was single in the field and reaping and singing by herself.
Question two: In this poem the poet speaks to his companion or to himself. Underline the correct answer. Answer: You should underline 'to himself'. The poet is reflecting on the experience alone. He asks questions like 'Will no one tell me what she sings?' which shows he is thinking to himself rather than talking to a companion nearby.
Question three: The poet saw some bundles of grain in the field. True or Not True. Answer: True. The line says she cuts and binds the grain, which means she was making bundles.
Question four: The reaper’s voice was resonant and sonorous. True or Not True. Answer: True. The glossary defines resonant as filling the place with sound, and sonorous as having a full, deep sound. The poem describes the valley overflowing with the sound and calls her voice thrilling.
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Question five: The reaper’s song was joyous. True or Not True. Scan the poem and find three adjectives to support your answer. Answer: Not True. The song was sad. The three adjectives from the poem that support this are melancholy, plaintive, and unhappy.
Question six: What welcomes travellers in the deserts of Arabia? Answer: The song of the nightingale welcomes tired travelers in the deserts of Arabia.
Question seven: When do birds sing in the deserts? Answer: The poem mentions that the nightingale sings to weary bands of travelers, and the cuckoo bird sings in spring time.
Question eight: Can you imagine the silence of the seas? Explain this beautiful expression to your partner. Answer: The silence of the seas refers to the vast, quiet, and peaceful atmosphere of the ocean, especially around remote islands. It is a beautiful expression because it highlights how rare and striking a sound would be in such a quiet, empty place.
Question nine: What breaks the silence of the seas? Answer: The thrilling voice of the cuckoo bird breaks the silence of the seas among the farthest Hebrides.
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Question ten: There are five words in the poem that are related to music. Scan the poem and find them. Answer: The five musical words are singing, strain, chaunt, notes, and song.
Question eleven: The poet wonders what the theme of the maiden’s song could be. What does he say about this? Answer: He says the theme might be about old, unhappy, far off things and battles long ago. Alternatively, it might be a humble lay about familiar everyday matters, or some natural sorrow, loss, or pain that has happened before and may happen again.
Question twelve: What was the effect of the song on the poet? Answer: The song deeply moved the poet. He listened motionless and still, and even after he climbed the hill and the sound faded, he carried the music in his heart long after it was heard no more.
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We have now covered every part of the chapter, from the pre reading discussion to the complete poem, the glossary, and all the exercise questions. I hope you enjoyed exploring this beautiful poem by William Wordsworth. Remember to practice reading the poem aloud to feel its rhythm and emotion. Thank you for listening! Keep revising and practicing. Goodbye! [CHAPTER_COMPLETE]