Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard by Thomas Gray

Thomas gray-haired was the author behind Elegy indite in a unpolished churchyard, which has proven to be a unaltered literary piece. Written and published in the 18th century, the said verse form generally contemplates on death and morality. However, it does non speak of merely whatever kind of death. Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard mourns the spill of the leafy vegetable colonisation folk, and the topic of loss discussed in the song is that of the dreams and opportunities that withdraw been lost and unfulfilled by the general villager because of death. An elegy is a song that mourns or grieves the deceased (Napierkowski).From the title itself, it can be derived that the poem is about death. However, Thomas time-worn wrote the poem in such a focal point that the question of morality is focused on a wholeness subject the common man (Napierkowski). Gray points out that unlike artists, poets, politicians and celebrities, the common man dies without recognition, p raise or applause. The author also dwells on the porta of having a common man who eventually dies to actually gain same recognition given to more famous or richer people, except were neer able to do so because of the loss of their biography (Napierkowski).The poem begins with the piece day, or the end of the day (Gray Cummings). The author describes the disappearing landscape, which is that of the country churchyard, at dusk (Jung). Not until the third stanza within the poem is when reference to the light is mentioned. It also states the underneath the trees are the graves of the forefathers (Gray). In the sixth stanza, Gray wrote, Oft did the harvest to their sickle yield,/ Their furrow oft the stubborn glebe has broke. These twain lines introduce the common people in the poem, and these folks are pictured as workers of the land.Sickle is an instrument used in harvest it is most expansive for its blade which is shaped like a crescent (Cummings). Furrow refers to the crud eness created by a plow for purposes of planting. The word glebe means earth (Cummings). In the seventh stanza, the vocalizer starts his defense of common men. Gray wrote, Let not Ambition mock their useful toil,/Their homely joys, and destiny obscure. This means that the tough work, simple desires and unrecognized efforts of common man must not be looked down upon.Gray continued, Nor Grandeur hear with a disdainful smile/ The wretched and simple annals of the poor. The Grandeur referred to in this line are the stiff and powerful the speaker states that these people entertain no right to be critical of the lives of the poor (Cummings). In the eighth stanza, the speaker simply affirms that careless(predicate) of status in support, all people will die (Cummings). Gray therefore 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 contemplate about the chances lost to com mon men.Gray writes, Perhaps in this overlook spot is laid/Some heart once pregnant with aeriform fire. The speaker considers the possibility that the deceased common people were filled with dreams or goals when they were unbosom alive. The last two lines of the stanza is as follows Hands, that the rod of empire readiness induct 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 king the last lines reference to the lyre implies the chance to be a role player (Cummings).The thirteenth stanza points out two factors that contributed to the unfulfilled dreams of common men the wish of knowledge and poverty. In the first line, But Knowledge to their eyes her sizeable page, the speaker notes that the common men were not educated, which hindered their progress in life (Gray). The stanzas third line reads, Chill destitution repressd their noble rage (Gray). Penury in this line means pove rty their poverty also prevented them from playacting on their passions, and eliminating their ambitions in the process (Gray Cummings).The fourteenth stanza contains the most identified lines in the entire poem (Cummings). It also expresses the intense despair the speaker matte about the lost opportunities for the common man. Full umteen a hoarded wealth 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 desert air (Gray). The speaker compares common men with ocean gems that cede yet to be uncovered (Cummings). The next analogy is regarding flowers whose beauty is change by the desert just like the flowers, the passions and talents of common people were benumbed by circumstance.In the fifteenth stanza, the speaker mentions significant figures whose footsteps the common men would give followed if alone they were given the chance. Two of which were Hampden and Milton. John Hampden was conside red as a crampfish as he was brave enough to defy the authority of exponent 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 green goddess forbad nor circumscribd alone(predicate)/ 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 result 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 through slaughter to a throne meant that their status in life also forbade them from resorting to violence to become king (Cummings).Th eir lot also hindered them to unopen the gates 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 maintained the simplicity of their life (Cummings).At death, the common villager will also have a frail memorial but with uncouth rhymes and shapeless work deckd (Gray). This means that the stone of the grave would only contain simple words, with no elaborate engravings or design. Despite this, it still implores the passing tribute of a sigh (Gray). However simple a gravestone is, it can still cause passersby to sigh (Cummings). The common village folk, unrecognized and destined to be forgotten can only depend on a partner to b e remembered. As Gray wrote, On some fond embrace 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 record cries/ Een in our ashes live their wonted fires (Gray). Indeed, the poem Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard by Thomas Gray high 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 spoken about in the poem is greater than death itself. working Cited Cummings, Michael. Elegy Written in a Country Church-yard. 2003. 8 may 2008 <http//www. cummingsstudyguides. net/ThoGray. html>. Gray, Thomas. Elegy Written in a Country Church-yard. 2007. 8 May 2008 <http//www. blupete. com/Literature/Poet ry/Elegy. htm>. Jung, Sandro. Elegy Written in a Country Church-yard. The Literary Encyclopedia. 30 October 2002. 8 May 2008 <http//www. litencyc. com/php/sworks. php? rec= professedly&UID=5392>. Napierkowski, Marie Rose, ed. Poetry for Students. Detroit Gale, 199