The church bell is ringing. Each and every soul is different and takes rest for eternity in the graveyard. Still no? Death is an unavoidable and natural thing in everyone’s life. An elegy is a poem that mourns or grieves the deceased (Napierkowski). Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard is by far Thomas Gray’s most popular poem and is probably still one of the most popular poems … However, both men believed that death rendered all men equal in that all went to their final resting place in Mother Nature's bosom. This may comfort you at some point, but what did they leave behind? Or climb his knees the envied kiss to share. Initially, Grey states that death is the great equalizer. Three poetical techniques used in this poem were metaphor, simile and image groups, two of which I will explore. The language was ordinary. tear, / He gain'd from Heav'n ('twas all he wish'd) a friend" Moreover, no man can escape death. But the villagers had their joy and sorrow much like others. a tiny fraction of England. And when that happens, you might find Thomas Gray's "Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard" to be just what the doctor ordered. 36 of the poem. There are burials of the villagers’ ancestors in the graveyard. So you better believe that death is an important theme! It is through advertising that we are able to contribute to charity. People would have read their deeds in history. To quench the blushes of ingenuous shame. (123-24). One day, a kind soul may come and enquire after the dead one out of curiosity. They lived their lives with morals. Bruce believes that there is an irony in these two different meanings. Death makes everybody equal b. Their growing virtues, but their crimes confin’d; Forbade to wade through slaughter to a throne. Their sober wishes never learn’d to stray; They kept the noiseless tenor of their way. They did not get opportunities to prove themselves. The poem “Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard” consists of 33 stanzas. In addition to this, he says that ‘No one is perfect in this world.’ So, he asks the reader not to judge anyone in the graveyard. In " Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard," Thomas Gray 's attitude toward death at first is that everyone faces the same end, regardless of their social standing or … It's dark and a bit spooky. No children run to lisp their sire’s return. The speaker asks not to look down upon their simple life and hard work. Some people might just prefer to live happily and not think of such a natural but terrible thing. There might be a Milton or a Cromwell buried there. An elegy is a poem written to mourn a person’s death. The poem is an elegy in name but not in form; it employs a similar style to contemporary odes, but it embodies a meditation on death, and remembrance after death. But, none of that can bring a person back to life. Gray’s “Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard,” presents the omniscient speaker who talks to the reader. Besides, nothing including any amount of rich or glory can bring the dead to life. War, the death of a mere soldier is often neglected and cast aside. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elegy_Written_in_a_Country_Churchyard The tombstones were simple. In death, all are equal. The atmosphere is subdued and melancholic. In "Cross of Snow", the poet is writing about his deceased spouse, while in "Do Not Go Gentle Into That Goodnight", the poet is addressing his dying father on his deathbed. 1 The curfew tolls the knell of parting day, 2 The lowing herd wind slowly o'er the lea, 3 The ploughman homeward plods his weary way, 4 And leaves the world to darkness and to me. He says that his life is full of sadness and depression. He makes clear that death does not discriminate between the great and the humble. Gray throughout the poem addresses the many forms of death. In this poem, Gray talks about the death and the lives of the middle-class people, the poem follows all the conventions of the elegiac tradition. As far as the setting and mood go, the time is evening and every living being on earth is retiring for the night. The beauty, the wealth, the glory all lead to the unavoidable end. The login page will open in a new tab. his death is to bless the land he dies on. Copyright © 2000-2020. The rude forefathers of the hamlet sleep. They are sleeping in beds that are low to the ground. The boast of heraldry, the pomp of pow’r. So... Memory and the Past Okay, "Elegy Written in a … Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard is a poem by Thomas Gray, completed in 1750 and first published in 1751. The evening church bell tells the passing of the day. But, he saw the funeral procession and how the man was buried in the graveyard. The struggling pangs of conscious truth to hide. Some heart once pregnant with celestial fire; Hands, that the rod of empire might have sway’d, But Knowledge to their eyes her ample page. Within the first half of the poem, Grey states that everything gained in this world is all for none. His listless length at noontide would he stretch. All is quiet and. The swallow twitt’ring from the straw-built shed. Gray shortens this word in order to fit the rhythm of his lines. To begin with, “Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard” has heroic quatrains as stanzas. This leads him to believe that if he dies on Back to its mansion call the fleeting breath? Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard mourns the loss of the common village folk, and the idea of loss discussed in the poem is that of the dreams and opportunities that have been lost and unfulfilled by the common villager because of death. By Thomas Gray. Like gems hidden deep under the ocean and like desert flowers, they have perished without notice. moving part of England. No sound can wake them up. Please support this website by adding us to your whitelist in your ad blocker. Nor you, ye proud, impute to these the fault. Now drooping, woeful wan, like one forlorn. Death is a subject many fear. Only the beadle buzzes and the owl hoots. Some write about enjoying death, not letting it get the best of you, and reflecting on the past. Please log in again. His life was full of sorrow. Within the short story, The Death of the Funeral Business, there are multiple instances where Sandy Hingston, the author, examines different types of ‘memorial services’. Join the conversation by. Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard is a poem by Thomas Gray, completed in 1750 and first published in 1751. Given opportunities, they would have become great men in their times. Gray wrote this elegy in the year 1742. One need not look away to know about him. The graveyard referred to here is the graveyard of the church in Stoke Poges, Buckinghamshire. They died in the care of a loving person. Well, not to bum you out, but chances are that you will—someday. Regardless of all this gloom, the speaker stands in the middle of tombstones in the graveyard. Although it happens to everyone, the topic of death still causes a sense of not only heartache but avoidance. It was sent to his friend Horace Walpole, who popularised the poem among London litera… Initially, Grey states that death is the great equalizer. Their furrow oft the stubborn glebe has broke; How jocund did they drive their team afield! Ambitious people think of village life as simple. Thomas Grey’s Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard addresses death as being the great equalizer, the simple people are the ones who matter in society, and only certain things are left behind that really matter after death. Ev’n in our ashes live their wonted fires. Terminally ill patients are not exactly thinking 100% correctly during their illness. As the poem opens, the speaker is seen at the churchyard; he hears the usual evening sounds. The Yes, yes, and yes. Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard by Thomas Gray Introduction “Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard” is one of Thomas Gray’s most popular poems Structurally, this poem is not an elegy as it is not written in elegiac couplets that involve a hexametric line structure followed by a pentametric line, but thematically, it is an elegy since it is set in a graveyard and expresses … There is a pastoral setting; however, there are no pastoral characters. The poem argues that the remembrance can be good and bad, and the narrator finds comfort in pondering the lives of the obscure rustics buried in the churchyard. Their wives and their children, nobody care for them anymore. A free-spirited man was the poet. the battlefield, the ground on which his corpse decomposes will become And leaves the world to darkness and to me. Writing is a passion of his: professional, academic, and creative. The curfew tolls the knell of parting day, That wreathes its old fantastic roots so high. The poem is an elegy of the common man. Gray's 'Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard' is the culmination of the literature of melancholy as well as of the Churchyard school. Grayintroduces this theme in the title of his poem. marker. Gray wrote this elegy in the year 1742. Originally titled Stanzas Wrote in a Country Church-Yard, the poem was completed when Gray was living near St Giles' parish church at Stoke Poges. (89-90). In a war as brutal and tragic as the Second World In conclusion, the poet, through the speaker, ends the elegy by saying that death is an inevitable event in this world. than particulars, and his shifting from one speaker to another, Now fades the glimm’ring landscape on the sight. Also, the poet says that the poor are not inferior to the rich in death. Death Well, Shmoopers, you probably saw this one coming: "Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard" is a poem that takes place in a cemetery, and it's about how people are remembered after they're dead. The lowing herd wind slowly o’er the lea. An analysis on "Elegy written in a Country Churchyard" "Elegy written in a Country Churchyard" is composed by Thomas Gray.The main idea of this poem is the contemplation of mortality.Thomas Gray's life was surrounded by loss and death. June 10, 2016 Poetry and Death Thomas Gray’s “ Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard ” is one of “the best-known and best-loved poems in the English.” For each of its stanzas, I provide [in brackets] a brief explanation of its meaning which may not be clear to a modern ear. Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard Themes T he main themes in "Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard" are the universality of death, social class and value, and poetry and posterity. Cattle bleed as they turn homewards. Every single person that visits PoemAnalysis.com has helped contribute, so thank you for your support. No one seems comfortable with the idea of dying, nor the situation of someone else dying. “Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard” is mostly.. a. narrative, because it tells a story b. lyrical, because it focuses on feelings c. idyllic, because it celebrates the beauty of nature 2. Sometimes, he will also remark that he had stopped seeing the man one day, and then there was the tombstone. Both of these types of Lee, 2 people are equally wrong. When one dies today, tomorrow, a stranger will see the person’s tombstone. Or Flatt’ry soothe the dull cold ear of Death? by Thomas Gray. Why is this? and effects of his death, but the mental and spiritual ones too. Secondly, the rhyming scheme is abab, cdcd, efef, … Thirdly and most importantly, the poem follows the conventions of an elegy. Mutt’ring his wayward fancies he would rove. The breezy call of incense-breathing Morn. Also, he says that man’s efforts and his struggles to succeed in life comes to an end in death. They were hard-working men when they were alive. Given opportunities, they would have also succeeded. He loves reading poetry, more so to critically analyze them. An elegy, after all, is a poem written to commemorate the dead. Or craz’d with care, or cross’d in hopeless love. Nor Grandeur hear with a disdainful smile. Now fades the glimm'ring landscape on the sight, Thomas Gray’s “ Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard ” belongs to the genre of elegy. His main goal is to depict the reality that everyone must die. Far from the madding crowd's ignoble strife,/ Their sober wishes never learn'd to stray;/ Along the cool sequester'd vale of life/ They kept the noiseless tenour of their way." The pealing anthem swells the note of praise. The poem's speaker calmly mulls over death while standing in a rural graveyard in the evening. They were true to themselves. The shepherds and their cattle are returning home after the day’s work. The very title of “Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard”, has introduced the theme of death. But still, there were markings to note their memory. The speaker does not create a separation between rich and poor but regards everyone as equal. Also, the great memorials Each stanza has four lines. What is the meaning of 1. He went to the mountains in the morning, stood under the beach tree sometimes. Gray’s Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard is believed to have been written in the church graveyard in Stoke Poges, Buckinghamshire in 1750. One should remember that no one knew that one of the dead villagers may have achieved greatness in life. Using the word "apply" would throw off the rhythm of the poem. The curfew tolls the knell of parting day, The lowing herd wind slowly o'er the lea, The plowman homeward plods his weary way, And leaves the world to darkness and to me. Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard. Free, fun, and packed with the most important details! They liked peace and honesty. In addition to its great content, the poem has beautifully executed figures of speech in the stanza that talks about ‘hidden gems’ and ‘desert flowers’. what the graveyard's lonely visitor says earlier: "On some fond breast Out of curiosity, he will ask about the person buried there to a villager. He gave his life to misery and all he longed was for a friend to support. Their name, their years, spelt by th’ unletter’d muse. And drowsy tinklings lull the distant folds; Of such, as wand’ring near her secret bow’r. However, an elegy traditionally memorializes a great leader, a hero, a monarch, or some other notable who has died. Subscribe to our mailing list and get new poetry analysis updates straight to your inbox. The two versions of the poem, Stanzas and Elegy, approach death differently; the first contains a stoicresponse to death, but the final version cont… With its pensive mood and love of twilight it is in the Penseroso vein; in its meditation on death and the grave, it belongs more properly to the school of Blair and Young. Published in February 1751, the poem was a literary sensation and was pirated, imitated, quoted and translated into Latin and Greek. He looks at the dimly lit gravestones, but none of the grave markers are all that impressive—most of the people buried here are poor folks from the village, so their tombstones are just simple, roughly carved stones. Frankly, almost all of these skilful poets are talking to relatives; advising them to not weep for their loss and instead be happy and forget. They were honest people and wished to lead simple lives. It is an elegy for poor villagers. Gray points out that the rich and proud should not mock at the simple life of the poor when in reality they are just like them in that, they also have to die and leave all their wealth and luxuries behind. All of these emotions are written due to the fact that the poets, themselves, may fear Death. Gray's focus, in contrast, is on the "rude forefathers" of a small country village buried in the local churchyard. All three of these poets have something in common. Rich with the spoils of time did ne’er unroll; And froze the genial current of the soul. Kevin has a Ph.D. in English and half a decade of experience in teaching literature in Universities. These people never consider or talk about what they would like to happen if they did die for any reason. Thomas Grey’s Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard addresses death as being the great equalizer, the simple people are the ones who matter in society, and only certain things are left behind that really matter after death. There is no way that any human being should be allowed to decide when another human beings time to die is. The poem is philosophical and emotional at the same time. In 1750, the death of his close friend stimulated him to brood on the philosophy of death Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard mourns the loss of the common village folk, and the idea of loss discussed in the poem is that of the dreams and opportunities that have been lost and unfulfilled by the common villager because of death. Even though death could happen at any moment, most people don’t think it would ever happen to them. The cock’s shrill clarion, or the echoing horn. Gray uses death … It is Gray’s masterpiece. In the end, what counts is friendship, being mourned, being a. Yet ev’n these bones from insult to protect. With incense kindled at the Muse’s flame. The speaker contemplates the end of human life throughout the poem. For them no more the blazing hearth shall burn. The overall theme in Thomas Gray’s, Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard is death. He wrote this poem after the death of his friend Richard West. 5 Now fades the glimmering landscape on the sight, It's about the fear of being forgotten after you're gone. The speaker, that is, the poet is standing in a graveyard. Besides mourning the loss of someone, the speaker in the elegy reminds the reader that all people will die one day. The poem, “Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard”, speaks of ordinary people. While Gray's "Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard" comes across as a social commentary on the English peasants and Bryant's "Thanatopsis" serves as a catalog of American Romantic beliefs, both believe that one must listen to nature, that death makes all men equal, and that man returns to nature after death. A famous writer and poet seemed to come to this conclusion in the end. Dost in these lines their artless tale relate; Some kindred spirit shall inquire thy fate, “Oft have we seen him at the peep of dawn, “There at the foot of yonder nodding beech. So, they kept themselves away from the mad crowd of the cities and kingdoms. Well, Shmoopers, you probably saw this one coming: "Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard" is a poem that takes place in a cemetery, and it's about how people are remembered after they're dead. The twittering of the swallow, the morning call of the cock, even a horn cannot wake them. With uncouth rhymes and shapeless sculpture deck’d. [1] The poem’s origins are unknown, but it was partly inspired by Gray’s thoughts following the death of the poet Richard West in 1742. The poet believes that the only purpose of People who believe that it is justifiable for doctors to assist terminally ill patients commit suicide believe that is acceptable for others to play the role of God. If someone asks about the poet who rests in the graveyard, one of the villagers may talk about him. 1. In this second definition the reward of life may be greater than the fame earned. "Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard" is composed in heroic quatrains of iambic pentameter. The Elegy is the best-known poem of Gray. poet believes that because he is an Englishman he represents a small However, he feels proud of his knowledge. that money can buy do no more for the deceased than a common grave It seems once a person has passed away, the only thing that is remembered is how hard the person worked, how much they contributed to the common good of society. The little tyrant of his fields withstood; Some mute inglorious Milton here may rest. A pentameter consists of ten syllables. Ads are what helps us bring you premium content! In this poem, the poet highlighted the universal truth of life and death. However, he published it only in the year 1751. Subscribe to our mailing list to get the latest and greatest poetry updates. An elegy is a poem written to mourn a person’s death. Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard by Thomas Gray, Ode on the Death of a Favourite Cat Drowned in a Tub of Gold Fishes by Thomas Gray. Scholars look at this poem as a representative piece of literature for the genre of elegy. He would add that he had seen him in various spots. And waste its sweetness on the desert air. And, they closed their eyes with prayers in one’s eyes. But, there is truth in their memory. Thomas Gray and William Cullen Bryant both chose to write about nature and death being intertwined. Gray's "Elegy" isn't just about death, and it isn't just doom and gloom. In these stanzas, the poet remarks, the villagers who were dead would also have talent. First, he stands alone in a graveyard deep in thought. When I was younger and lost my father, it felt like the end of the world. Darkness and silence fill the place except for the hooting of the owl, the buzz of the beetle, and the ringing of the bells. Ode on a Distant Prospect of Eton College. Their plowing, their harvesting, and their farming, all were efficient. Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard. All rights reserved. For thee, who mindful of th’ unhonour’d Dead. In these stanzas of “Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard,” the poet goes on to talk about the people buried in the graveyard. The villager did not see him in his usual places. “Hard by yon wood, now smiling as in scorn. A Comparison of Thomas Gray's Elegy (Eulogy) Written in a Country Churchyard and Bryant's Thanatopsis Firstly I’m going to look at image groups. Darkness begins to cover the world. This sentiment, found in the controversial epitaph, affirms The beauty of the poem lies in its simplicity. "Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard" is the British writer Thomas Gray's most famous poem, first published in 1751. Some pious drops the closing eye requires; Ev’n from the tomb the voice of Nature cries. Death is a concept that people struggle to think about. Rich or poor should end in death. Since Thomas Gray lived in a time of social injustice, he chose to use death to illustrate the problems inherent in a socially stratified society. And all the air a solemn stillness holds. "Ply" is a shorthand form of "apply." Everyone dies, regardless of their stat… The speaker is hanging out in a churchyard just after the sun goes down. Originally titled Stanzas Wrote in a Country Church-Yard, the poem was completed when Gray was living near St Giles' parish … Thomas Gray’s “Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard” is significant in that it not only mourns the death of common men but also examines how they ought to be remembered after their death. If Mem’ry o’er their tomb no trophies raise, Where thro’ the long-drawn aisle and fretted vault. All that he did lies with him, close to god in the lap of earth. So, the poet has written this poem in honoring them. Gray's restraint, his habit of speaking in universals rather In his poem “Elegy Written In A Country Churchyard,” Thomas Gray says, “The boast of heraldry, the pomp of pow’r, / Awaits alike th’ inevitable hour” (33-35). This was a very strange theme to write about, but was the closet personal connection. Along the heath and near his fav’rite tree; Slow thro’ the church-way path we saw him borne. The poem talks about death as an equalizer. We respect your privacy and take protecting it seriously. Therefore, the poet concentrates on not only the physical consequences Death in a Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard by Thomas Grey. Both of these people's beliefs are also disgusting. So, there is no use of them. After logging in you can close it and return to this page. Then, he went to the brook. Invariably, every human life ends in death. Elegy Written In A Country Churchyard Autoplay Next Video The Curfew tolls the knell of parting day, The lowing herd wind slowly o'er the lea, The plowman homeward plods his weary way, And leaves the world to darkness and to me. As an elegy, this poem mourns the death of ordinary men. Thank you! Elegy Written In A Country Churchyard Short Essay. He suggests that power, money, and social prestige will always fall to mortality. The location is rural. Death is a piece that is included within everyone, no matter the age, gender, religion, or time period death will happen to everyone. Knowledge was his only wealth. Also, this poem will be a tribute to them. I would like to point out the fact that Gray did not intend the poem to be a mere praise of countryside people. Sure, you could look at it from a religious standpoint and come up with the comfort that the person is either going to Heaven or to Hell. In the poem, Gray, the poet himself, writes the epitaph of his own. The poem's origins are unknown, but it was partly inspired by Gray's thoughts following the death of the poet Richard West in 1742. Beneath those rugged elms, that yew-tree’s shade. Kevin enjoys a special sense of accomplishment whenever he completes a literary analysis. When viewing his own death Brooke only looks at the thoughts and ways England has provided him with in the course of his life. Besides physical wealth, what will people remember them by? Some Cromwell guiltless of his country’s blood. The villager would say that he missed seeing the man one day. William Cullen Bryant, on the other hand, lived in a rapidly expanding young nation that cherished the vast amounts of untouched nature and he used death to illustrate how man fits into the universal truth of the earth. First, here’s a reminder of the text of ‘Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard’, before we move on to explain 1) why it isn’t an elegy, 2) why Gray didn’t want it published, and 3) how an obscure poet who died young helped to sow the seeds of this great poem. To put the content of these stanzas in a nutshell, the villagers did not wish to involve in treachery and deceit. The epitaph at the end of "Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard" is for the speaker of the poem. " The villager will reply that he knew the man. “One morn I miss’d him on the custom’d hill. He says “The message is that death is the ultimate victor” (Meyer 237). To read the poem without analysis, click here: Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard. He calls it incomparable. Some village-Hampden, that with dauntless breast. Among a group of elm trees, there is the graveyard. In this part of the poem, he says that his epitaph would read thus: Here lies the young man who was not popular. Approach and read (for thou canst read) the lay, Grav’d on the stone beneath yon aged thorn.”, What's your thoughts? The poem ends in the poet’s own epitaph. Tired farmers also follow. However, he published it only in the year 1751. Gray stresses here the equality in “the inevitable hour” or, in other words, in death. The dead villagers rest in the graveyard without recognition. This analysis is faulty. “ Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard” by Thomas Gray is a 1751 poem about the buried inhabitants of a country churchyard and a meditation on the inevitability of … cried for by someone who was close. Needless to say, "Cross of Snow" by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and "Do Not go Gentle Into That Goodnight" by Dylan Thomas are the only two poems about a personal experience, written with a lot of heartache and lament. It belongs to the village. ... Ode on the Death of a Favourite Cat, Drowned in a Tub of Gold Fishes. He says about them: As we know, an elegy is a poem or the song of mourning on the loss or death of any great or dear person. He remarks on the inevitability of death that every individual has to face. They are not famous but they are honest. And while there, he imagines the lives of the dead people who silently sleep there. You can also read more poems by Thomas Gray. The villager’s grave does not have the grandness in ceremonies and tombstones. Therefore, there may be a ruler or a poet buried in there. Thus, death conquers man regardless of his successes and/or failures in his endeavors during his life. Th’ applause of list’ning senates to command. Nonetheless, the poet brings out the ultimate truth about life and death in free-flowing poetic lines. control the powerful feelings these lines call up. This seems to be the main theme of the poem but if the garland represents the second meaning then Bruce would say “What death takes away is not simply a hero but the joys and sorrows of life” (Meyer 237). This pleasing anxious being e’er resign’d. This poem carries a moralistic side about human life. Please continue to help us support the fight against dementia. No more shall rouse them from their lowly bed. Save where the beetle wheels his droning flight. While there, he thinks about the dead people buried there. 123Helpme.com. He stressed that everything in our life is mortal and temporary nothing is to be everlasting. Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard Thomas Gray The curfew tolls the knell of parting day, The lowing herd winds slowly o'er the lea, The ploughman homeward plods his weary way, And leaves the world to darkness and to me. 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Greatest poetry updates buy do no more the blazing hearth shall burn what helps us bring premium. Elegy of the poem, Grey states that everything gained in this poem carries a moralistic side human! Between the great equalizer part of England to an end in death terrible thing of. Standing in a graveyard deep in thought besides mourning the loss of someone else dying spelt... Ordinary men the equality in “ the paths of glory lead but to the ground there were markings note... Everything gained in this poem were metaphor, simile and image groups two! This conclusion in the graveyard the stubborn glebe has broke ; how did. Website by adding us to your whitelist in your ad blocker they have perished without.. Man one day involve in treachery and deceit struggles to succeed in life comes to an end in.... Add that he had stopped seeing the man one day they did die for reason. Way that any human being should be allowed to decide when another human beings time to is! 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Even though death could happen at any moment, most people don ’ t think it would ever to... Was younger and lost my father, it felt like the end of `` apply '' throw...