Here is The Solitary Reaper, a detailed exploration and explanation of the figure of speech and its many facets.  In this post, we have explained various examples of figurative speech, providing a comprehensive understanding of The Solitary Reaper in terms of all Poetic Device. We have also told the reason why a particular figure of speech occurs in a particular line. This is going to help the children of various classes Class IX. Dive in for figure of speech examples- 

Figure of Speech in The Solitary Reaper Stanza 1

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.

1. Figure of Speech: Invocation
Exact Line: “Behold her, single in the field,”
Reason: This line serves as an invocation, directly calling the reader’s attention to the Highland Lass in the scene.

2- Figure of Speech: Imagery
Exact Line: “Reaping and singing by herself;”
Reason: These words create a vivid visual image of the lass working alone in the field.

3- Figure of Speech: Metaphor
Exact Line: “And sings a melancholy strain;”
Reason: The phrase “melancholy strain” metaphorically describes the nature of her singing. The word “strain” here refers to a segment of music, and “melancholy” imbues it with a quality of deep sadness or wistfulness. This metaphor effectively conveys the emotional tone of her song, suggesting that it is filled with or expresses melancholy.

4. Figure of Speech: Hyperbole
Exact Line: “Is overflowing with the sound.”
Reason: This line uses hyperbole to emphasize the extent to which the lass’s song fills the valley, exaggerating for effect to convey the power and pervasiveness of her singing.

5. Figure of Speech: Apostrophe
Exact Line: “O listen!”
Reason: The exclamation ‘O listen!’ is an example of apostrophe, where the speaker directly addresses the reader or an imagined listener, urging them to pay attention.

6. Figure of Speech: Enjambment
Exact Lines: Throughout the stanza
Reason: The continuation of sentences across lines without punctuated 

7. Figure of Speech: Onomatopoeia
Exact Line: “Reaping and singing by herself;”
Reason: While not explicit, there is a subtle onomatopoeic quality in “reaping” and “singing.” These words suggest the sounds associated with their respective actions – the rhythmic swish of the scythe and the melody of the song – contributing to the auditory imagery of the scene.

Also Read:

Hard Words : The Solitary Reaper

The Solitary Reaper Poetic Device Stanza- 2

No Nightingale did ever chaunt
More welcome notes to weary bands
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.

1- Figure of Speech: Hyperbole
Exact Line: “No Nightingale did ever chaunt More welcome notes to weary bands”
Reason: This is an exaggeration to emphasize the superior beauty of the Highland Lass’s song compared to that of a nightingale.

2- Figure of Speech: Imagery
Exact Line: “Of travellers in some shady haunt, Among Arabian sands:”
Reason: This line creates a vivid image of travelers resting in a shady place amidst the Arabian sands, enhancing the sensory experience.

3- Figure of Speech: Alliteration
Exact Line: “Breaking the silence of the seas”
Reason: The repetition of the ‘s’ sound in “silence of the seas” creates alliteration, adding a musical quality to the line.

4- Figure of Speech: Imagery
Exact Line: “Among the farthest Hebrides.”
Reason: This line evokes a clear image of a remote and tranquil location, the Hebrides, contributing to the poem’s setting and mood.

5. Figure of Speech: Simile
Exact Line: “A voice so thrilling ne’er was heard / In spring-time from the Cuckoo-bird,”
Reason: The comparison of the Lass’s voice to that of the cuckoo bird in springtime is a simile, illustrating the uniqueness and beauty of her voice.

6. Figure of Speech: Personification
Exact Line: “No Nightingale did ever chaunt”
Reason: The nightingale is personified, as the bird is attributed with the human ability to chant or sing in a deliberate and artistic manner.

7. Figure of Speech: Metaphor
Exact Line: “Breaking the silence of the seas”
Reason: The phrase “Breaking the silence” is metaphorical, suggesting that her voice has the power to disrupt or penetrate a profound stillness, likening its impact to a physical act.

8. Figure of Speech: Enjambment
Exact Lines: Throughout the stanza
Reason: The continuation of sentences across lines without punctuated pauses, especially between “More welcome notes to weary bands” and “Of travellers in some shady haunt,” adds to the fluidity and continuous narrative flow of the poem.

Figures of Speech Poem – The Solitary Reaper Stanza- 3

Will no one tell me what she sings?—
Perhaps the plaintive numbers flow
For old, unhappy, far-off things,
And battles long ago:
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?

1- Figure of Speech: Rhetorical Question
Exact Line: “Will no one tell me what she sings?—”
Reason: This line is a rhetorical question, used not to elicit an answer but to express the speaker’s contemplative state.

2- Figure of Speech: Alliteration
Exact Line: “Perhaps the plaintive numbers flow”
Reason: The repetition of the ‘p’ sound in “Perhaps the plaintive” constitutes alliteration, adding a musical quality to the line.

3- Figure of Speech: Imagery
Exact Line: “For old, unhappy, far-off things, And battles long ago:”
Reason: These lines evoke vivid images of past events, sadness, and distant battles, enhancing the emotional depth of the poem.

4- Figure of Speech: Juxtaposition
Exact Line: “Or is it some more humble lay, Familiar matter of to-day?”
Reason: The contrast between the grand themes of history and the ordinary matters of everyday life in these lines is an example of juxtaposition.

5. Figure of Speech: Enjambment
Exact Lines: Throughout the stanza
Reason: The continuation of sentences across lines without punctuated pauses, particularly between “Perhaps the plaintive numbers flow” and “For old, unhappy, far-off things,” contributes to the fluidity of the poem and reflects the speaker’s stream of consciousness.

6. Figure of Speech: Assonance
Exact Line: “Some natural sorrow, loss, or pain,”
Reason: The repetition of the ‘o’ sound in ‘sorrow,’ ‘loss,’ and ‘or’ adds a melancholic and reflective tone to the line, contributing to the overall mood of the stanza.

7. Figure of Speech: Hyperbole
Exact Line: “And battles long ago:”
Reason: Referring to ‘battles long ago’ can be seen as an exaggeration to emphasize the dramatic and historical depth of the song, even if it’s not literally about ancient battles.

The Solitary Reaper Poetic Device Stanza- 4

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,
The music in my heart I bore,
Long after it was heard no more.

1- Figure of Speech: Hyperbole
Exact Line: “As if her song could have no ending;”
Reason: This is an exaggeration, as no song can literally have no ending. It emphasizes the lasting impression her song makes.

2- Figure of Speech: Imagery
Exact Line: “I saw her singing at her work, And o’er the sickle bending;”
Reason: This creates a vivid visual image of the maiden working and singing in the field.

3- Figure of Speech: Enjambment
Exact Line: “I saw her singing at her work, And o’er the sickle bending;—”
Reason: The continuation of a sentence without a pause beyond the end of a line, couplet, or stanza.