Learning Paths » 5C Interacting
ARazza - The Solytary Reaper Analysis (Dictate)
by - (2009-10-30)
Up to Romanticism and Its Theory
Right from the title the intelligent reader understands the content of the poem may deal with somebody's feelings and may expect the poem is set in the countryside:" Solitary" is an adjective that hints to feelings of solitude. Also "reaper" recalls countryside activities. Therefore the reader might be curious to find out the reason for the reaper feelings.
A careful reading of the poem will show the text deals with the poet's memory of the scene he happened to live while walking into the country. The speaking voice sees a young lady from Scotland while she is reaping in the country: she is alone and while working she is singing. This song is melancholic and it's eco effect feels all the valley. The effect is so pleasant that the poet invites any passer by to stop and listen or viceversa to walk on without disturbing the lady's singing.
The second part of the poem mainly expresses the poet's comparison of the girl's song effect with the chant of the Nightingale refreshing some tired travellers along the sands of an Arabian desert. In addition the reaper's song is also compared to the voice of a Cuckoo bird that seems to disturb the silence of the Hebrides.All in all, the pleasant atmosphere and positive mood conveyed by the girl's song seems to win all competitions.
The poet is curious about the possible content of the song, probably, because he cannot make out the precise words of the song.
He wonders whether somebody is able to tell him what the reaper's song is about. But, on a second thought, he does not seem to be really interested in any of the possible hypothesis he has made about the song content (the song may be about unhappy experiences of the past, perhaps battles of a very distant time or even about tragic family experiences or loss, or sorrow).
Because what really matters to him is that he was totally captured by the singing, and the song and such feelings are so strong that he still feels that music in his heart.
The poem ends with the poet's regret he can no longer listen to that song.
The text is organised into four partsof eight lineseach that is into four octaveseach one playing a definite function in the economy of the poem.
The first octave introduces the scene, the second one expresses the poet's comparisons, the third conveys his curiosityabout the content of the girl's singing, to end up with the poet's convinction that the real thing is the pleasant feelings of the girl's music which still he misses.
A careful reading of the poem will show the text deals with the poet's memory of the scene he happened to live while walking into the country. The speaking voice sees a young lady from Scotland while she is reaping in the country: she is alone and while working she is singing. This song is melancholic and it's eco effect feels all the valley. The effect is so pleasant that the poet invites any passer by to stop and listen or viceversa to walk on without disturbing the lady's singing.
The second part of the poem mainly expresses the poet's comparison of the girl's song effect with the chant of the Nightingale refreshing some tired travellers along the sands of an Arabian desert. In addition the reaper's song is also compared to the voice of a Cuckoo bird that seems to disturb the silence of the Hebrides.All in all, the pleasant atmosphere and positive mood conveyed by the girl's song seems to win all competitions.
The poet is curious about the possible content of the song, probably, because he cannot make out the precise words of the song.
He wonders whether somebody is able to tell him what the reaper's song is about. But, on a second thought, he does not seem to be really interested in any of the possible hypothesis he has made about the song content (the song may be about unhappy experiences of the past, perhaps battles of a very distant time or even about tragic family experiences or loss, or sorrow).
Because what really matters to him is that he was totally captured by the singing, and the song and such feelings are so strong that he still feels that music in his heart.
The poem ends with the poet's regret he can no longer listen to that song.
The text is organised into four partsof eight lineseach that is into four octaveseach one playing a definite function in the economy of the poem.
The first octave introduces the scene, the second one expresses the poet's comparisons, the third conveys his curiosityabout the content of the girl's singing, to end up with the poet's convinction that the real thing is the pleasant feelings of the girl's music which still he misses.