The "weary bands" of travelers would be pleasantly surprised and would welcome a nightingale's song simply because they are tired (weary) from their long journey. Also note that they are in a "shady" place. This probably means it is in the evening or at night since it is in a desert. Nightingales sing during the nights as well as during the day. That's where the name (nightingale) comes from. The song would be a nice surprise for a group of weary travelers in a dark place.
It would be thrilling for sailors to hear the cuckoo because it would mean they are getting closer to land. The Hebrides are an archipelago off the coast of Scotland. The cuckoo would break the "silence of the seas" and its song would indicate proximity to land. Both the nightingale and the cuckoo tend to sing alone. This makes both bird songs fitting to compare with the "solitary" reaper.
Note that the speaker in the poem is saying that the solitary reaper has a song that is more welcome and more thrilling than either of these examples. The speaker does not understand the reaper's language. For him, the music is so beautiful that he can only imagine what the subject is.
No comments:
Post a Comment