The title of the poem " the solitary reaper" suggests that it is probably set in the country because a reaper generally works in a fields. One interesting element that draw the attention of the reader is the adjective "solitary"; this choice anticipate a melancholic atmosphere. The speaking voice invites the passer-by to look the girl, who is lonely in a fields in Highland of Scotland while she is reaping and singing and says to the passer-by to stop to not disturb her song. The sounds is melancholic and seems to fill all the valley also creating echo effect.

Then the poet compares the beautiful voice of the girl to the song of nightingale, that sings welcome notes to weary bands of travelers in some shady haunt and of the cuckoo-bird in spring-time.

What she sings is unknown to the poet, who ask to himself if the plaintive numbers flow for old , unhappy, familiar matter or some natural sorrow, loss, pain...but doesn't care whatever is the theme, he listens motionless and still while is mounting up the hill.

In the end the speaking voice confess to bring in his heart the music also after long time.

The poem is organized into 4 octaves, where the poet at the first introduces the country scene and compares, with the use of simile, the song of the nightingale and of cuckoo-bird to the voice of the girl, which sings better, then in the least part he makes some hypothesis about the content of the song  and draw the conclusion. There are so two part: one of description and the other to reflection about the music that the poet brig in his heart.

In the first part of the poem the use of open vowel and the soft sounds recreates the immense space of the country and the frequent use of the exclamation mark reproduces the sense surprise of sees a girl, who is working, sings so good and with melancholic mood. In the second part instead of the repetition of question marks gives the idea of doubt that the poet have, because he doesn't know the reason why she sings but in the same time he is ravished of this beautiful sounds.

The frequent use of imperative produces the effect of link between the poet and the reader, in fact in this way he or she must put his or her attention on girl's action. The choice of a completely natural landscape as the setting of the poem makes us understand the importance nature had for the poet. He considered it as man's source of inspiration and as the only way for him to come in contact with moral and spiritual values.