Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard by Thomas Gray

Thomas G jibe was the author behind plaint Written in a Country Churchyard, which has proven to be a timeless literary piece. Written and published in the 18th century, the said metrical composition in general think overs on death and morality. However, it does not speak of merely any winning-hearted of death. threnody Written in a Country Churchyard mourns the termination of the common colonization tribe, and the idea of tone ending discussed in the poem is that of the dreams and opportunities that arouse been lost and unfulfilled by the common villager be endeavour of death. An elegy is a poem that mourns or grieves the deceased (Napierkowski).From the title itself, it can be derived that the poem is roughly death. However, Thomas Gray wrote the poem in such a itinerary that the question of morality is focused on a single domain the common opus (Napierkowski). Gray points out that unlike artists, poets, politicians and celebrities, the common man dies without fruit ion, praise or applause. The author to a fault dwells on the mishap of having a common man who eventually dies to actually gain resembling recognition disposed(p) to more famous or richer people, but were never commensurate to do so because of the loss of their life (Napierkowski).The poem begins with the split day, or the end of the day (Gray Cummings). The author describes the disappearing landscape, which is that of the country churchyard, at evenfall (Jung). Not until the leash stanza within the poem is when reference to the dead is mentioned. It alike states the underneath the trees are the graves of the forefathers (Gray). In the sixth stanza, Gray wrote, frequently did the harvest to their sickle yield,/ Their furrow oft the stubborn glebe has broke. These two lines infix the common people in the poem, and these folks are portrayed as workers of the land.Sickle is an instrument used in harvest it is most distinguished for its trade name which is shaped like a cres cent (Cummings). Furrow refers to the indentation created by a plow for purposes of planting. The word glebe actor earth (Cummings). In the 7th stanza, the vocaliser starts his defense of common men. Gray wrote, Let not inspiration mock their useful toil,/Their homely joys, and destiny obscure. This means that the hard work, wide desires and unrecognized efforts of common man must not be looked big money upon.Gray continued, Nor Grandeur hear with a disdainful smile/ The short and candid annals of the poor. The Grandeur referred to in this line are the wealthy and right on the talker states that these people pass water no right to be scathing of the lives of the poor (Cummings). In the eighth stanza, the speaker simply affirms that regardless of berth in life, all people will die (Cummings). Gray thusly concluded that The paths of glory lead but to the grave (Cummings). The idea of loss in the poem is first conveyed in the twelfth stanza. The speaker begins to contempla te more or less the chances lost to common men.Gray writes, Perhaps in this neglected mo is laid/Some heart once pregnant with celestial fire. The speaker considers the possibility that the deceased common people were filled with dreams or goals when they were becalm alive. The last two lines of the stanza is as follows Hands, that the rod of empire might have swayd/ Or wakd to ecstasy the living lyre (Gray). The phrase rod of empire refers to the possibility of common man to become either an emperor or power the last lines reference to the lyre implies the chance to be a musician (Cummings).The thirteenth stanza points out two factors that contributed to the unfulfilled dreams of common men the lack of familiarity and poverty. In the first line, But Knowledge to their eyes her ample page, the speaker notes that the common men were not educated, which hindered their progress in life (Gray). The stanzas third line reads, Chill Penury repressd their noble rage (Gray). Penury in this line means poverty their poverty overly prevented them from acting on their passions, and eliminating their ambitions in the process (Gray Cummings).The fourteenth stanza contains the most identified lines in the good poem (Cummings). It also expresses the intense despair the speaker felt about the lost opportunities for the common man. Full many a gem of purest ray serene The dark unfathomd caves of ocean bear Full many a flower is born to blush unseen, And waste its sweetness on the relinquish air (Gray). The speaker compares common men with ocean gems that have so far to be uncovered (Cummings). The next analogy is regarding flowers whose beauty is dulled by the desert just like the flowers, the passions and talents of common people were dulled by circumstance.In the fifteenth stanza, the speaker mentions significant figures whose footsteps the common men would have followed if exactly they were given the chance. Two of which were Hampden and Milton. John Hampden was co nsidered as a hero as he was brave enough to defy the authority of King Charles I (Cummings). Meanwhile, John Milton is a renowned poet. The speaker believed that the village could have produced similar personalities. The sixteenth to the eighteenth stanza expresses the advantages and disadvantages of the common peoples way of life.Gray wrote, Their lot forbad nor circumscribd alone/ Their growing virtues, but their crimes confind. On one hand, the lot of common village folk forbade them from getting recognition from their virtues or contributions to society (Cummings). One of their contributions was their efforts to provide food, as they are mostly farmers. This remains unnoticed. On the other hand, their lot also forbade them to commit crimes they would have done if they were rich and powerful. The line Forbad to wade by slaughter to a throne meant that their perspective in life also forbade them from resorting to violence to become king (Cummings).Their lot also hindered them to shut the render of mercy on mankind, which meant to show mercy to those who need it (Gray Cummings). By the nineteenth stanza, the speaker resumes in speaking about the life of the common village folk. According to Gray, Their sober wishes never learnd to stray. This meant that the common people remained in that kind of simple lifestyle (Cummings). Also, They kept the noiseless tenor of their way (Gray). This meant that they hold the simplicity of their life (Cummings).At death, the common villager will also have a frail memorial but with uncouth rhymes and shapeless sculpture deckd (Gray). This means that the stone of the grave would only contain simple words, with no flourish engravings or design. Despite this, it still implores the passing tribute of a breathe (Gray). However simple a gravestone is, it can still cause passersby to sigh (Cummings). The common village folk, unrecognized and destined to be disregarded can only depend on a friend to be remembered. As Gray w rote, On some fond breast the parting soul relies. However, even at death, the common man seeks to be remembered (Cummings). As in the last lines of the twenty-third stanza Een from the tomb the voice of Nature cries/ Een in our ashes live their wonted fires (Gray). Indeed, the poem threnody Written in a Country Churchyard by Thomas Gray elevated the status and standing of common village folk. They may not have experienced fame and fortune as others had, but they deserved the same privileges if only they were given the chance. The death of a person is a cause for despair, but there is greater despair in not achieving what could have been done.The loss talk about in the poem is greater than death itself. Works Cited Cummings, Michael. Elegy Written in a Country Church-yard. 2003. 8 May 2008 . Gray, Thomas. Elegy Written in a Country Church-yard. 2007. 8 May 2008 . Jung, Sandro. Elegy Written in a Country Church-yard. The Literary Encyclopedia. 30 October 2002. 8 May 2008 . Napierk owski, Marie Rose, ed. Poetry for Students. Detroit Gale, 199