12th class Poem " The Solitary Reaper"
Original Readings
→ The poet asks us to look at the girl who is working alone in the field.
Yon solitary Highland Lass!
→ That lonely young woman from the Highlands of Scotland.
Reaping and singing by herself;
→ She is cutting the crops and singing a song at the same time, all by herself.
Stop here, or gently pass!
→ The poet tells the reader to either stop and listen to her song or to pass quietly without disturbing her.
Alone she cuts and binds the grain,
→ She is all by herself, cutting the crop and tying the sheaves of grain.
And sings a melancholy strain;
→ The song she sings sounds sad and full of deep emotion.
O listen! for the Vale profound
→ The poet urges us to listen, because the deep valley below—
Is overflowing with the sound.
→ —is completely filled with the echo of her beautiful song.
→ The poet says that no nightingale has ever sung—
More welcome notes to weary bands
→ —a songs more pleasant and comforting to tired groups of travellers—
Of travellers in some shady haunt,
→ —who rest in a cool, shady place—
Among Arabian sands:
→ —in the hot deserts of Arabia.
A voice so thrilling ne’er was heard
→ The poet adds that no voice as sweet and full of feeling has ever been heard—
In spring-time from the Cuckoo-bird,
→ —not even from the cuckoo bird singing in the spring—
Breaking the silence of the seas
→ —whose voice breaks the quietness of the seas—
Among the farthest Hebrides.
Will no one tell me what she sings?-
→ The poet wonders if anyone can tell him what the girl’s song is about.
Perhaps the plaintive numbers flow
→ Maybe her sad song expresses—
For old, unhappy, far-off things,
→ —about sorrowful events that happened long ago—
And battles long ago:
→ —perhaps about wars or heroic battles from the distant past.
Or is it some more humble lay,
→ Or maybe it is a simpler song—
Familiar matter of to-day?
→ —about common things that happen in everyday life.
Some natural sorrow, loss, or pain,
→ Perhaps she sings about common human emotions like sadness, loss, or pain—
That has been, and may be again?
→ The poet says further that as he doesn’t know what her song is about, but the girl kept on singing.
As if her song could have no ending;
→ She sang as if her song would never end.
I saw her singing at her work,
→ The poet watched her sing while working in the field.
And o’er the sickle bending;-
→ She bent over as she cut the crops with her sickle.
I listened, motionless and still;
→ The poet stood completely still, listening quietly.
And, as I mounted up the hill,
→ As he walked up the nearby hill afterward—
The music in my heart I bore,
→ He carried the memory of her song in his heart—
Long after it was heard no more.
Short Questions and Answers of the Poem-The Solitary Reaper, by William Wordsworth:
Q1. Who is the “Solitary Reaper”?
Ans. The “Solitary Reaper” is a young Highland girl who is working alone in the field, cutting and binding the grain while singing a sad song.
Q2. What is the girl doing in the field?
Ans. She is reaping (cutting the crop) and binding the grain while singing a sweet and melancholy song.
Q3. Why does the poet tell the passers-by to “stop here, or gently pass”?
Ans. The poet tells them to stop and listen to her beautiful song or to move quietly so that they do not disturb her singing.
Q4. How does the poet compare her song with that of the nightingale and cuckoo?
Ans. The poet says that her song is sweeter and more touching than the songs of the nightingale and the cuckoo bird.
Q5. Could the poet understand the meaning of her song?
Ans. No, the poet could not understand the language of her song, but he felt its deep emotion and beauty.
Q6. What does the poet imagine about the theme of her song?
Ans. He imagines that her song might be about old unhappy events, past battles, or common human sorrows like pain and loss.
Q7. What effect did the song have on the poet?
Ans. The song left a deep and lasting impression on the poet’s heart. Even after he walked away, the memory of her song stayed with him.
Q8. What message does the poem convey?
Long Questions and Answers of the Poem-The Solitary Reaper, by William Wordsworth:
Q1. Describe the scene that the poet saw in the poem “The Solitary Reaper.”
Ans. In the poem “The Solitary Reaper,” the poet describes a beautiful and peaceful scene of a young Highland girl working alone in a field. She is reaping and binding the grain while singing a sad and melodious song. Her voice is so sweet and touching that it fills the whole valley. The poet is deeply moved by the beauty of her song and the simplicity of the moment. The scene leaves a deep emotional effect on him, showing the harmony between nature and human feeling.
Q2. Why is the poet so impressed by the song of the solitary reaper?
Ans. The poet is greatly impressed by the song of the solitary reaper because of its sweetness, sadness, and deep emotion. Though he cannot understand the language of her song, its melody touches his heart. He compares it with the songs of the nightingale and the cuckoo and finds it far more beautiful and soothing. The reaper’s song expresses universal human emotions that move the poet deeply, leaving a lasting impression on his heart even after the sound has faded away.
Q3. What comparisons does the poet make to describe the sweetness of the girl’s song?
Ans. The poet compares the song of the solitary reaper to that of two famous birds—the nightingale and the cuckoo. The nightingale’s song comforts weary travelers resting in the Arabian deserts, while the cuckoo’s song breaks the silence of the far-off Hebrides islands. Yet, the poet feels that the reaper’s song is more melodious and heart-touching than both. These comparisons highlight the natural beauty and emotional power of the girl’s voice.
Q4. What is the central idea or message of the poem “The Solitary Reaper”?
Ans. The central idea of the poem is that simple and natural experiences can have a deep emotional effect on human hearts. The poet shows how the song of a common village girl can express universal feelings of sorrow, loss, and beauty. Although he does not understand her words, he feels the depth of her emotion. The poem conveys that true beauty and emotion in nature can touch the soul and remain in memory long after the moment has passed.
Q5. How does the poet feel after hearing the song of the reaper?
Ans. The poet is completely spellbound by the reaper’s song. He listens silently and attentively, without moving or speaking. The melody fills his heart with peace and emotion. Even after he walks away up the hill, the music stays in his memory. It becomes a part of his inner experience, showing how deeply the song has touched his soul.
Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) of the Poem-The Solitary Reaper, by William Wordsworth:
1. Who wrote the poem “The Solitary Reaper”?
A) Robert Frost
B) William Wordsworth
C) P. B. Shelley
D) John Keats
✅ Answer: B) William Wordsworth
2. What is the Highland girl doing in the poem?
A) Dancing and singing
B) Reaping and singing
C) Drawing and painting
D) Reading and writing
✅ Answer: B) Reaping and singing
3. What type of song is the girl singing?
A) A joyful song
B) A patriotic song
C) A sad and melancholy song
D) A wedding song
✅ Answer: C) A sad and melancholy song
4. What does the poet ask the listener to do?
A) Sing with the girl
B) Stop and listen, or pass quietly
C) Leave the place immediately
D) Ask the girl to stop singing
✅ Answer: B) Stop and listen, or pass quietly
5. Which two birds are mentioned in the poem?
A) Dove and Sparrow
B) Parrot and Peacock
C) Nightingale and Cuckoo
D) Eagle and Swan
✅ Answer: C) Nightingale and Cuckoo
6. Where does the nightingale sing according to the poem?
A) In the forests of England
B) Among Arabian sands
C) On the mountains of Scotland
D) Near the sea shore
✅ Answer: B) Among Arabian sands
7. Where are the “Hebrides” mentioned in the poem located?
A) In India
B) In Africa
C) In Scotland
D) In Arabia
✅ Answer: C) In Scotland
8. Could the poet understand the language of the song?
A) Yes, completely
B) No, not at all
C) Only a few words
D) He didn’t try to listen
✅ Answer: B) No, not at all
9. What effect did the song have on the poet?
A) It annoyed him
B) It made him sleepy
C) It left a lasting impression on his heart
D) It reminded him of his childhood
✅ Answer: C) It left a lasting impression on his heart
10. What is the main theme of the poem “The Solitary Reaper”?
A) Love and friendship
B) Nature and human emotion
C) War and heroism
D) Death and destruction
✅ Answer: B) Nature and human emotion
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