The Solitary Reaper (William Wordsworth)

Linda Arellano

Srygley, Cheryl

AP Literature

The Solitary Reaper

William Wordsworth

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 10

Of travellers in some shady haunt,

Among Arabian sands:

A voice so thrilling ne'er was heard

In spring-time from the Cuckoo-bird,

Breaking the silence of the seas

Among the farthest Hebrides.

Will no one tell me what she sings?--

Perhaps the plaintive numbers flow

For old, unhappy, far-off things,

And battles long ago: 20

Or is it some more humble lay,

Familiar matter of to-day?

Some natural sorrow, loss, or pain,

That has been, and may be again?

Whate'er the theme, the Maiden sang

As if her song could have no ending;

I saw her singing at her work,

And o'er the sickle bending;--

I listened, motionless and still;

And, as I mounted up the hill 30

The music in my heart I bore,

Long after it was heard no more.

1. First Impression: William Wordsworth wrote this poem about a lonely maiden who reaps the fields, thus the title of ‘The Solitary Reaper’. My first impression is that the girl which inspired this poem must’ve had a beautiful voice, so beautiful it moved the author to express his admiration in poetry. He compares the “Highland Lass” to nightingales and states that not even they can sing as beautifully as her. However he can’t understand what she sings, for he doesn’t know the theme.

2. Paraphrase:

a. Observe her, all by herself in the field,

b. Faraway lonely highland girl

c. Reaping and singing by herself;

d. Stop here, or gently pass!

e. She cuts and packages the grain alone

f. And sings a melancholy strain;

g. O listen! For the valley is filled

h. And overflowing with her chant

i. No nightingale did ever sing

j. More welcoming songs to long lines

k. Of travelers in some shady haunt

l. Among Arabian sands;

m. A voice so thrilling was never heard

n. In spring-time form the cuckoo-bird

o. Breaking the silence of the seas

p. Among the farthest Hebrides (an archipelago off of UK)

q. Will no one tell me what she sings?-

r. Perhaps the sad numbers flow

s. For old, unhappy, far-off things,

t. And battles long ago:

u. Or is it some more humble theme,

v. of a current matter?

w. Some natural sorrow, loss or pain,

x. That occurred or may have happened again?

y. Whatever the song is about, the maiden sang

z. As if her song would never end;

aa. I saw her singing at her job,

bb. And over the sickle bending;

cc. I listened, very still,

dd. And as I rode away up the hill,

ee. I carried her music in my heart,

ff. Long after I could no longer hear her.

3. Syntax and Word Choice: The author used iambic pentameter; the poem consists of 32 lines, divided into 4 stanzas of 8 lines each. The rhyme scheme is ababccdd. The poem is written in old English therefore enhancing the setting and scenery of which the poem talks about. The author carefully chose his words in order to clearly depict the impact the maiden’s song had had on him. The poem is lyrical, therefore it was written as a ballad.

4. Imagery: The central image in the poem is that of a female reaper who is collecting and packaging the grain in a large field. The images are filled with scenes from an open field of wheat perhaps. The maiden however isn’t only working, she is also singing. Her song is so beautiful that it has caught the attention of a traveler who then compares her to having a song more beautiful than the nightingale’s.

5. Figurative Language: As most of old English, the poem contains some alliterations. The poem doesn’t particularly use similes but metaphors are used to describe her voice/singing. The author also uses hyperbole to explain how her voice stretched over the entire valley. The author also uses geographic locations in the poem (Hebrides, Scotland).

6. Tone: In order for an author such as Wordsworth to write a ballad like this he must have been extremely moved by the maiden’s song. Therefore the poem greatly reflects Wordsworth’s admiration and fascination for such a beautiful voice. There is also a tone of confusion for the lack of understanding of the maiden’s song, nevertheless he reiterates his appreciation for such beautiful talent

2. Theme: The poem’s predominant theme is that of unity in solitude. The reaper, though lonely, represented the unity of her and nature. The author could feel this unity, for she expressed it with every vibrating tone of her voice and even though he couldn’t understand what she was saying he felt that connection too. The author also portrays a theme of imagination which is expressed by him mentioning to drastically different geographic locations as the Arabic desserts and the coasts of Scotland.

3. Conclusion: This poem is most likely a result of the author visiting Scotland. Here he came across a lovely maiden in the fields all alone. The reaper herself and her sweet song made a deep impression on the poet and moved him to compose these verses. The lovely singer appeared to be a part of that beautiful scene of nature, which is reflected on the poem.

The Wild Swans at Coole (W.B. Yeats)

Linda Arellano

Srygley, Cheryl

AP Literature

The Wild Swans at Coole (W.B. Yeats)

THE TREES are in their autumn beauty,
The woodland paths are dry,
Under the October twilight the water
Mirrors a still sky;
Upon the brimming water among the stones	5
Are nine and fifty swans.
The nineteenth Autumn has come upon me
Since I first made my count;
I saw, before I had well finished,
All suddenly mount	10
And scatter wheeling in great broken rings
Upon their clamorous wings.
I have looked upon those brilliant creatures,
And now my heart is sore.
All’s changed since I, hearing at twilight,	15
The first time on this shore,
The bell-beat of their wings above my head,
Trod with a lighter tread.
Unwearied still, lover by lover,
They paddle in the cold,	20
Companionable streams or climb the air;
Their hearts have not grown old;
Passion or conquest, wander where they will,
Attend upon them still.
But now they drift on the still water	25
Mysterious, beautiful;
Among what rushes will they build,
By what lake’s edge or pool
Delight men’s eyes, when I awake some day
To find they have flown away?	30

1. First Impression: My initial reaction is that this poem was written based on the constant observation and fascination from the author to the wild swans. W. B. Yeats reflects his fascination for nature and the detailed watch on these graceful birds. I could feel as if I were part of the autumnal scene and I was watching the swans at the edge of the pond myself.

2. Paraphrase:

a. The trees show it is now autumn

b. The paths in the woods are dry

c. Under the October twilight the water

d. Mirrors a still sky

e. Across the water and stones

f. Are fifty-nine swans

g. The 19^th autumn has arrived

h. Since I first counted

i. I saw, before I had finished

j. A scatter wheeling in a great broken rings

k. With their clamorous wings

l. I have watched those brilliant creatures

m. And now my heart hurts

n. Everything has changed since I, heard at sundown

o. The first time on this shore

p. The bell beat of their wings above my head

q. Trod with a lighter tread

r. Enduring still, one by one

s. They paddle in the cold

t. Companiable streams or across the air

u. Their hearts have not grown old;

v. Passion or conquest, go wherever they go

w. Attend upon them still

x. But now they drift on still water

y. Mysterious, beautiful;

z. Among what rushes will they build,

aa. By what lake’s edge or pool

bb. Delight men’s eyes, when I awake some day

cc. To find they have flown away?

3. Syntax and Word Choice: The poem is very easily to understand, the words are clear and precise and reflect what the author is trying to convey. The poem is structured by 5 stanzas of 6 lines each; a sestet. Since the narrator is expressing his feelings, the reader can assume that this is a lyrical poem written in ballad format. The rhyme scheme for this poem is abcbdd.

4. Imagery: The central image is that of the swans at the lake. Within the opening stanza there are several images. The poem opens with autumnal scenery, the trees are changing colors and it is mid October. There is also the image of the October sunset, a beautiful reflection across the water. The imagery used in this poem is very naturalistic and peaceful. Swans are graceful, elegant creatures and therefore the image of a white swan is nearly imprinted in the reader’s mind.

5. Figurative Language: The use of figurative language in this poem is rather minimal for the concept is very elemental. The author poses a few rhetorical questions mid way, but other than that there is no usage of elements such as metaphors and simile. Nevertheless, the swans nearly personify freedom and passion. They endure the streams and air and can always fly away as they please.

6. Tone: The tone of this poem is very admirable yet depressed. He is observing everything around him as if he was a spectator who is watching everything come to an end. He dreads the day he will awake and find that the swans have flown away. Nevertheless it is clear that he admires the beauty of nature.

7. Theme: The poem has an overall theme of entrapment and immortality. Entrapment for the author observes that the seasons pass and he only grows older while the swans “the nineteenth autumn has come upon me…” “and now my heart is sore/ all’s changed since I, hearing at twilight/ The first time on this shore” To him, the swans seems majestic and immortal. Nineteen years have passed, yet the swans remain unchanged in their beauty and their mystery; “But now they drift on the still water/ Mysterious, beautiful;” The reader gets the notion that the swans are an annual reminder to the speaker of the poem that he is ageing.

8. Conclusion: The poem is very peaceful. It is a reflection on nature and the passing times. The swans reflect the changing times, the arrival of a new season and the end of another. They are majestic, mysterious and beautiful. They are constant like the water that flows through a stream and perseverant through whatever conquest they might face. The author on the other hand simply wishes he had some of those qualities for he is pessimistic of his stagnant life.

To an Athlete Dying Young (A.E. Housman)

Linda Arellano

Srygley, Cheryl

AP Literature

To an Athlete Dying Young (A.E. Housman)

HE time you won your town the race
We chaired you through the market-place;
Man and boy stood cheering by,
And home we brought you shoulder-high.
To-day, the road all runners come,	5
Shoulder-high we bring you home,
And set you at your threshold down,
Townsman of a stiller town.
Smart lad, to slip betimes away
From fields where glory does not stay,	10
And early though the laurel grows
It withers quicker than the rose.
Eyes the shady night has shut
Cannot see the record cut,
And silence sounds no worse than cheers	15
After earth has stopped the ears:
Now you will not swell the rout
Of lads that wore their honours out,
Runners whom renown outran
And the name died before the man.	20
So set, before its echoes fade,
The fleet foot on the sill of shade,
And hold to the low lintel up
The still-defended challenge-cup.
And round that early-laurelled head	25
Will flock to gaze the strengthless dead,
And find unwithered on its curls
The garland briefer than a girl's.

1. First Impression: Initially the poem opens with a sort of reminiscence of the athlete’s life and then moves on to his/her premature death. The poem goes on to talk about the funeral; the author makes a comparison of how the athlete was once carried on the shoulders on men when he won a race and now he is carried on the shoulders in a casket. Due to the nature of the poem, it strikes the reader with the athlete’s death. The reader is also impacted by the author’s emphasis on the physical glory of the character.

2. Paraphrase:

a. The time you won a race for the town

b. We carried you through the market-place;

c. Everyone stood cheering

d. And we brought you home shoulder high

e. Today all runner come

f. Shoulder-high we bring you home

g. And set you at your doorstep

h. Townsman of a even quieter town

i. Smart boy, to slip before time away

j. From field where the glory does not stay

k. And early through the laurel grows

l. Withers quicker than a rose

m. The night shut your eyes

n. Can’t see the record cut

o. And silence sounds no worse than cheers

p. After earth has stopped the ears

q. Now you will not swell the riot

r. Of people that wore their honors out

s. Famous runners who outran

t. And the name died before the man

u. So set, before the echoes fade,

v. The army on the edge of the shade

w. And hold to the low beam up

x. The still-defended challenge-cup

y. And around that worshiped head

z. The crowd will gaze at a dead body

aa. And find a young man

bb. Dead before it was even his time

3. Syntax and Word Choice: The title of A. E. Housman’s poem gives away much of what the poem will be about. To an Athlete Dying Young is a 7 stanza poem of four lines each. Every stanza has an aabb rhyme scheme throughout the entire poem. Except for the last stanza, every stanza has the word “And” at the beginning of either the 3^rd or fourth line. This poem also contains alliteration on every stanza as well as the repetition of the vowel “o”.

4. Imagery: Initially the poem immortalizes this young athlete who has brought honor to the town, therefore there is the imagery of a boy being carried through the streets of his town, “We chaired you through the market place; Man and boy stood cheering by, And home we brought you shoulder-high.” On the second paragraph of the poem, the scenery becomes dark and quiet, for this time the athlete returns shoulder high only that instead of cheering there is mourning; “Shoulder-high we bring you home… Townsman of a stiller town” There is also the imagery of flowers and plants, laurels, roses and garlands in particular. The overall imagery is that of victory and death.

5. Figurative Language: The poem itself seems to be a paradox, for the athlete was very famous when he brought back the town’s glory, nevertheless when he died he became even more famous. Other than that, the poem doesn’t have similes or personifications. There were also no uses of hyperbole or metaphors.

6. Tone: The poem’s tone is grief-filled, for the death of someone is often not something that is celebrated. The poem talks about the life of an athlete that ended at a very pre-mature stage, nevertheless he won the love and appreciation of the town to the point that people seemed to pour to pay their respects to this athlete. Therefore I also believe that the author portrayed a tone of grief and respect to this athlete.

7. Theme: As the title hint’s the reader, To an Athlete dying Young, the poem has a prominent theme of death. Nevertheless it also has a theme of glory and invincibility. Initially the athlete is placed on this sort of pedestal and worshipped greatly for his accomplishments, to the point that it almost makes him look vain. The abrupt death leaves everyone in the town silent, in the last stanza clearly depicts how they all gather around and look in surprise.

8. Conclusion: In addition to the first impression, I believe the author did a great job in paying his respects to this athlete and many others who lose their lives at a very young stage.