The Solitary Reaper Man and the Natural World Quotes

How we cite our quotes: (Line)

Quote #4

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. (13-16)

As in lines 9-12, despite the solitary reaper's special relationship to nature, she's still not quite one with it. Her song is different than the cuckoo-bird's song, way out there near the Hebrides. The implication is that you could travel "way out there" (to the Hebrides) and still not find a natural counterpart.

Quote #5

I saw her singing at her work,
And o'er the sickle bending;— (27-28)

She's singing, and she's bending over her sickle. Like we saw in lines 5-6, art and nature are very close here. It's like she can't sing if she's not engaged with the natural world.