Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard by Thomas Gray Poem Analysis

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Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard

By Thomas Gray

Thomas Gray - wikipedia

Gray’s poem titled “Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard” gives us as a reader a reflection of a feeling of the inevitability of death and honors according to the lives of ordinary people. This poem is set in a rural graveyard, and the speaker shows the lives of those who were buried there, underlines that death is the destiny of every living being whose degree transcends social status, so that no one can avoid or even cheat death. In each verse, he tries to highlight how every individual, regardless of background or the most ordinary, deserves to be appreciated and receive respect, because behind all that, they all have unique stories and potential that is different from most people that they may not be aware of.

 The atmosphere of this poem is so melancholic, with the sounds of the night through calm poetic elements that can provide perfection for the gloomy atmosphere. Through this poem, “Gray” attempts to emphasize that death is the great equalizer, which in this case means that everyone will eventually face the same fate or destiny "Death" regardless of their wealth or success. By elevating or positioning himself in the lives of "poor villagers", Gray underlines the dignity of their existence and reminds us as readers that all life, every moment of it, is worth remembering, regardless of how insignificant it may seem to some people.By elevating or positioning himself in the lives of "poor villagers", Gray underlines the dignity of their existence and reminds us as readers that all life, every moment of it, is worth remembering, regardless of how insignificant it may seem to some people.

As it opens (Stanza 1-4), ‘Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard‘ , in the first stanza it start with the description of the evening in a rural place. The evening church bell tells the passing of the day. Cattle bleed as they turn homewards. Tired farmers also follow. Darkness begins to cover the world. The speaker, that is, the poet is standing in a graveyard. All is quiet and. Only the beadle buzzes and the owl hoots. Among a group of elm trees, there is the graveyard. It belongs to the village. There are burials of the villagers ’ ancestors in the graveyard.

In ( stanzas 5-8) of ‘Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard‘ , the poet goes on to talk about the people buried in the graveyard. They are sleeping in beds that are low to the ground. No sound can wake them up. The twittering of the swallow, the morning call of the cock, even a horn cannot wake them. Their wives and their children, nobody care for them anymore. They were hard-working men when they were alive. Their plowing, their harvesting, and their farming, all were efficient. The speaker asks not to look down upon their simple life and hard work. Ambitious people think of village life as simple. But the villagers had their joy and sorrow much like others.

Also, the poet says in (Stanza 9-12)that the poor are not inferior to the rich in death. Invariably, every human life ends in death. The beauty, the wealth, the glory all lead to the unavoidable end. The villager ’ s grave does not have the grandness in ceremonies and tombstones. But, none of that can bring a person back to life. So, there is no use of them. One should remember that no one knew that one of the dead villagers may have achieved greatness in life. Therefore, there may be a ruler or a poet buried in there.

In these stanzas (13-16), the poet remarks, the villagers who were dead would also have talent. There might be a Milton or a Cromwell buried there. They did not get opportunities to prove themselves. Like gems hidden deep under the ocean and like desert flowers, they have perished without notice. Given opportunities, they would have also succeeded. People would have read their deeds in history.

To put the content of these stanzas in a nutshell (Stanza 17-20), the villagers did not wish to involve in treachery and deceit. They were honest people and wished to lead simple lives. So, they kept themselves away from the mad crowd of the cities and kingdoms. They were true to themselves. They liked peace and honesty. But still, there were markings to note their memory. The tombstones were simple. The language was ordinary. But, there is truth in their memory.

The dead villagers rest in the graveyard without recognition (Stanza 21-24). Also, this poem will be a tribute to them. They lived their lives with morals. They died in the care of a loving person. And, they closed their eyes with prayers in one ’ s eyes. One day, a kind soul may come and enquire after the dead one out of curiosity.

If someone asks about the poet who rests in the graveyard (Stanza 25-28), one of the villagers may talk about him. A free-spirited man was the poet. He went to the mountains in the morning, stood under the beach tree sometimes. Then, he went to the brook. Besides, he was sometimes muttering his fancies. The villager would say that he missed seeing the man one day. The poet was missing. The villager did not see him in his usual places. But, he saw the funeral procession and how the man was buried in the graveyard.

In this part of the poem (stanza 29-32), he says that his epitaph would read thus: Here lies the young man who was not popular. His life was full of sorrow. Knowledge was his only wealth. He gave his life to misery and all he longed was for a friend to support. One need not look away to know about him. All that he did lies with him, close to god in the lap of earth.

Reference

https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/44299/elegy-written-in-a-country-churchyard

https://poemanalysis.com/thomas-gray/elegy-written-in-a-country-churchyard/

Klages, Mary. Literary Theory: A Guide for the Perplexed. New York: Continuum, 2006.