The Solitary Reaper by William Words Worth Ms. Uzma Anam Class-Prep I Academic Year 2010-2011

Poetry “All good poetry is the spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings.” OR “Poetry is spontaneous overflow of emotions recollected in tranquility.” words worth

Romanticism The most sublime period of English Literature where poetry reached its grandeur was the Romantic Age. Romanticism has very little to do with things popularly thought of as "romantic," although love may occasionally be the subject of Romantic art. Rather, it is an international artistic and philosophical movement that redefined the fundamental ways in which people in Western cultures thought about themselves and about their world. “The Five Pillars of Romantic Age”

“Characteristics Of Romantics” Imagination Feelings and Emotions Nature and Its Glory/Returned to Nature Individualism Glorification of common place The Lure of the Exotic Sensitivity

“Imagination” The Romantics tended to define and to present the imagination as our ultimate "shaping" or creative power, the approximate human equivalent of the creative powers of nature or even deity. It is dynamic, an active, rather than passive power, with many functions. Imagination is the primary faculty for creating all art. On a broader scale, it is also the faculty that helps humans to constitute reality, for (as Wordsworth suggested), we not only perceive the world around us, but also in part create it.

“Feelings and Emotions” Romantics mainly believed in human feelings and emotions. Wordsworth emphasized on human connection with nature with its peculiarities, Coleridge worked on the occult that influenced human destiny ,Shelly ‘s landmark was emotional contacts of human with its natural origin, Keats selected human psychology as his subject and Byron was a rebel with all his sensitivity.

“Nature” Nature is apprehended by them not only as an exemplar and source of vivid physical beauty but as a manifestation of spirit in the universe as well .Nature possesses the healing power and according to Wordsworth nature is a teacher.

Who was Wordsworth ? Wordsworth was the senior most of all the Romantics and was also “the high priest of nature.” William Wordsworth was born on 7 April 1770 and died in 1778.Nature for him was everything with its healing power.

Nature the major theme “Come forth into the light of things, Let Nature be your Teacher." No discussion on Wordsworth would be complete without mention of nature. Nature and its connection to humanity makes an appearance in the vast majority of Wordsworth's poetry, For Wordsworth, nature is a kind of religion in which he has the utmost faith .Nature often causes Wordsworth to feel melancholy or sad. Sometimes it gives Wordsworth hope for future.

“Morality” The most important lesson a person can learn, according to Wordsworth, is to be true to his own impulses and desires, but not greedy. A person should be available to help his fellow man, but should not be consumed by other peoples' needs. He should be in communion with nature, with humanity, and with himself.

Summary “The Solitary Reaper” The poet orders his listener to behold a “solitary Highland lass” reaping and singing by herself in a field. He says that anyone passing by should either stop here, or “gently pass” so as not to disturb her. As she “cuts and binds the grain” she “sings a melancholy strain,” and the valley overflows with the beautiful, sad sound. The speaker says that the sound is more welcome than any chant of the nightingale to weary travelers in the desert, and that the cuckoo-bird in spring never sang with a voice so thrilling. Impatient, the poet asks, “Will no one tell me what she sings?” He speculates that her song might be about “old, unhappy, far-off things, / And battles long ago,” or that it might be humbler, a simple song about “matter of today.” Whatever she sings about, he says, he listened “motionless and still,” and as he traveled up the hill, he carried her song with him in his heart long after he could no longer hear it.

The Solitary Reaper Question/Answers Q1 The Solitary Reaper Question/Answers Q1. How does nature come in the poem? Q2.What is the main theme of the poem? Q3.Why do you think the poet has chosen the song of nightingale and cuckoo for comparison with solitary reaper’s song? Q4. Have you read any other Wordsworth poem on a similar theme ? discuss

“Better to understand a little than to misunderstand a lot.” Anonymous