Here's a breakdown of how the poem explores this theme:
* The image of the reapers: The poem opens with a stark image of the reapers, described as "black" and "bent" with "sweat" and "sun" beating down on them. This instantly establishes the arduousness of their work and the oppressive conditions they endure.
* The rhythm and repetition: The rhythmic, repetitive nature of the lines, especially the phrase "black reapers with the sound of steel" reflects the monotonous, cyclical nature of their labor. They are reduced to machines, their humanity obscured by the rhythm of their work.
* The lack of individual identity: The reapers are presented as a collective, a group of anonymous figures, their names and individual stories lost in the larger picture of their labor. This emphasizes the dehumanization of their experience.
* The "sorrow" and "song": Despite the brutal reality of their work, the reapers are described as having "sorrow" and "singing." This suggests a sense of inner struggle, a tension between their suffering and their need to maintain a semblance of humanity.
* The final image of the "white" field: The poem ends with a powerful contrast between the "black" reapers and the "white" field they are harvesting. This underscores the racial and economic disparity that fuels their labor, highlighting the stark reality of their subjugation.
In essence, "Reapers" paints a bleak portrait of the human cost of labor, emphasizing the dehumanizing conditions and the systemic inequality that define the lives of the working class.