"Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard" by Thomas Gray
"Elegy Written in a Country
Churchyard" is a poem written by Thomas Gray, first published in 1751. It
is considered one of the greatest and most influential English poems of the
18th century. The poem reflects on the lives and deaths of the rural poor
buried in a churchyard.
The poem begins by setting the scene in a country churchyard at evening, where the speaker, presumably Gray himself, walks among the graves.
"Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard" by Thomas Gray-He observes the simple and humble lives of the
villagers buried there and contemplates their forgotten stories and potential.
The speaker muses on the universal nature of death, emphasizing that even the
most lowly and unknown individuals deserve to be remembered.
"Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard" by Thomas Gray-As the poem progresses, the speaker
reflects on the inequalities of life, suggesting that many of those buried in
the churchyard may have had untapped talents or virtues that went unrecognized
in their lifetimes due to their social status. The poem explores the theme of
social class and the limitations imposed by it, suggesting that the poor are
often denied opportunities for advancement and recognition.
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"Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard" by Thomas Gray-Gray also contemplates the fleeting
nature of human existence, emphasizing that the rich and the poor all face the
same fate in death. He suggests that a person's worth should not be determined
by material wealth or social standing but by their character and inner virtues.
Towards the end of the poem, the
speaker ponders his own mortality and the inevitability of his own death. He
expresses a desire to be remembered by others after he is gone, hoping that his
own life and achievements will not be forgotten.
"Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard" by Thomas Gray-Overall, "Elegy Written in a
Country Churchyard" is a contemplative and melancholic poem that reflects
on the themes of mortality, social inequality, and the fleeting nature of human
life. It serves as a reminder to cherish and remember the lives of all
individuals, regardless of their social status.
Elegy Written in a
Country Churchyard “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.
Now fades the glimm'ring landscape
on the sight,
And
all the air a solemn stillness holds,
Save where the beetle wheels his
droning flight,
And
drowsy tinklings lull the distant folds;
Save that from yonder ivy-mantled
tow'r
The
moping owl does to the moon complain
Of such, as wand'ring near her
secret bow'r,
Molest
her ancient solitary reign.
Beneath those rugged elms, that
yew-tree's shade,
Where
heaves the turf in many a mould'ring heap,
Each in his narrow cell for ever
laid,
The
rude forefathers of the hamlet sleep.
The breezy call of
incense-breathing Morn,
The
swallow twitt'ring from the straw-built shed,
The cock's shrill clarion, or the
echoing horn,
No
more shall rouse them from their lowly bed.
For them no more the blazing hearth
shall burn,
Or
busy housewife ply her evening care:
No children run to lisp their
sire's return,
Or
climb his knees the envied kiss to share.
Oft did the harvest to their sickle
yield,
Their
furrow oft the stubborn glebe has broke;
How jocund did they drive their
team afield!
How
bow'd the woods beneath their sturdy stroke!
Let not Ambition mock their useful
toil,
Their
homely joys, and destiny obscure;
Nor Grandeur hear with a disdainful
smile
The
short and simple annals of the poor.
The boast of heraldry, the pomp of
pow'r,
And
all that beauty, all that wealth e'er gave,
Awaits alike th' inevitable hour.
The
paths of glory lead but to the grave.
Nor you, ye proud, impute to these
the fault,
If
Mem'ry o'er their tomb no trophies raise,
Where thro' the long-drawn aisle
and fretted vault
The
pealing anthem swells the note of praise.
Can storied urn or animated bust
Back
to its mansion call the fleeting breath?
Can Honour's voice provoke the
silent dust,
Or
Flatt'ry soothe the dull cold ear of Death?
Perhaps in this neglected spot is
laid
Some
heart once pregnant with celestial fire;
Hands, that the rod of empire might
have sway'd,
Or
wak'd to ecstasy the living lyre.
But Knowledge to their eyes her
ample page
Rich
with the spoils of time did ne'er unroll;
Chill Penury repress'd their noble
rage,
And
froze the genial current of the soul.
Full many a gem of purest ray
serene,
The
dark unfathom'd caves of ocean bear:
Full many a flow'r is born to blush
unseen,
And
waste its sweetness on the desert air.
Some village-Hampden, that with
dauntless breast
The
little tyrant of his fields withstood;
Some mute inglorious Milton here
may rest,
Some
Cromwell guiltless of his country's blood.
Th' applause of list'ning senates
to command,
The
threats of pain and ruin to despise,
To scatter plenty o'er a smiling
land,
And
read their hist'ry in a nation's eyes,
Their lot forbade: nor
circumscrib'd alone
Their
growing virtues, but their crimes confin'd;
Forbade to wade through slaughter
to a throne,
And
shut the gates of mercy on mankind,
The struggling pangs of conscious
truth to hide,
To
quench the blushes of ingenuous shame,
Or heap the shrine of Luxury and
Pride
With
incense kindled at the Muse's flame.
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 tenor of their way.
Yet ev'n these bones from insult to
protect,
Some
frail memorial still erected nigh,
With uncouth rhymes and shapeless
sculpture deck'd,
Implores
the passing tribute of a sigh.
Their name, their years, spelt by th'
unletter'd muse,
The
place of fame and elegy supply:
And many a holy text around she
strews,
That
teach the rustic moralist to die.
For who to dumb Forgetfulness a
prey,
This
pleasing anxious being e'er resign'd,
Left the warm precincts of the
cheerful day,
Nor
cast one longing, ling'ring look behind?
On some fond breast the parting
soul relies,
Some
pious drops the closing eye requires;
Ev'n from the tomb the voice of
Nature cries,
Ev'n
in our ashes live their wonted fires.
For thee, who mindful of th'
unhonour'd Dead
Dost
in these lines their artless tale relate;
If chance, by lonely contemplation
led,
Some
kindred spirit shall inquire thy fate,
Haply some hoary-headed swain may
say,
"Oft
have we seen him at the peep of dawn
Brushing with hasty steps the dews
away
To
meet the sun upon the upland lawn.
"There at the foot of yonder
nodding beech
That
wreathes its old fantastic roots so high,
His listless length at noontide
would he stretch,
And
pore upon the brook that babbles by.
"Hard by yon wood, now smiling
as in scorn,
Mutt'ring
his wayward fancies he would rove,
Now drooping, woeful wan, like one
forlorn,
Or
craz'd with care, or cross'd in hopeless love.
"One morn I miss'd him on the
custom'd hill,
Along
the heath and near his fav'rite tree;
Another came; nor yet beside the
rill,
Nor
up the lawn, nor at the wood was he;
"The next with dirges due in
sad array
Slow
thro' the church-way path we saw him borne.
Approach and read (for thou canst
read) the lay,
Grav'd
on the stone beneath yon aged thorn."
THE EPITAPH
Here rests his head upon the lap of
Earth
A
youth to Fortune and to Fame unknown.
Fair Science frown'd not on his
humble birth,
And
Melancholy mark'd him for her own.
Large was his bounty, and his soul
sincere,
Heav'n
did a recompense as largely send:
He gave to Mis'ry all he had, a
tear,
He
gain'd from Heav'n ('twas all he wish'd) a friend.
No farther seek his merits to
disclose,
Or
draw his frailties from their dread abode,
(There they alike in trembling hope
repose)
The
bosom of his Father and his God.
Conclusion
"Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard" by Thomas Gray is a profound and introspective poem that reflects on the lives and deaths of the rural poor buried in a churchyard.
"Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard" by Thomas Gray-It contemplates the universal nature of death, the inequalities of life, and the fleeting nature of human existence. The poem emphasizes the importance of remembering and cherishing the lives of all individuals, regardless of their social status.
"Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard" by Thomas Gray-Through its elegiac tone and thoughtful exploration of these themes,
the poem invites readers to reflect on their own mortality and the significance
of a life well-lived. "Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard" remains
a timeless piece of literature that continues to resonate with readers,
inviting them to ponder the mysteries of life and death.
FAQ.
Q. Who is the author of "Elegy Written in a Country
Churchyard"?
Ans. The poem was written by Thomas
Gray, an English poet and scholar.
Q. When was the poem published?
Ans. The poem was first published
in 1751.
Q. What is the poem about?
Ans. The poem reflects on the lives
and deaths of the rural poor buried in a churchyard. It contemplates themes of
mortality, social inequality, and the fleeting nature of human existence. The
speaker muses on the forgotten stories and potential of the individuals buried
there and emphasizes the importance of remembering and cherishing all lives.
Q. What is the tone of the poem?
Ans. The poem has an elegiac tone,
meaning it is mournful, reflective, and contemplative.
Q. What are the main themes of the poem?
Ans. The main themes of the poem include mortality, social class and inequality, the value of individual lives, the passage of time, and the universal nature of death.
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