Understanding 'Melancholy' in The Solitary Reaper

The question asks about the meaning of the word "melancholy" in the context of the phrase "The Solitary Reaper is a melancholy song". To answer this, we need to understand what the word melancholy means.

The word "melancholy" is an adjective used to describe a feeling or state of pensive sadness, often without an obvious cause. It suggests a quiet, thoughtful kind of sadness.

In the poem "The Solitary Reaper" by William Wordsworth, the speaker describes a Highland girl singing a song while working alone in a field. The song she sings is described as "melancholy". This description tells us about the mood or feeling conveyed by her singing.

Let's look at the given options and see which one best matches the meaning of melancholy:

1. expressing joy: Joy is the opposite of sadness. Melancholy is not about joy.
2. expressing sadness: This aligns directly with the definition of melancholy.
3. expressing humour: Humour is about being funny or amusing, which is not what melancholy means.
4. expressing anger: Anger is a strong feeling of displeasure or hostility. While sadness can sometimes be linked to other negative emotions, melancholy specifically refers to sadness, not anger.

Therefore, a "melancholy song" is a song that expresses sadness or has a sad mood.

Considering the options, the word melancholy in this context means expressing sadness.