Elegy-Written-in-a-Country-Churchyard-赏析

Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard

By Thomas Gray (1716-1771)

1. Type of Work

"Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard"

is—as the title indicates—an elegy. Such a poem

centers on the death of a person or persons and is,

therefore, somber in tone. An elegy is lyrical

rather than narrative—that is, its primary purpose

is to express feelings and insights about its

subject rather than to tell a story. Typically, an

elegy expresses feelings of loss and sorrow while

also praising the deceased and commenting on the

meaning of the deceased's time on earth. Gray's

poem reflects on the lives of humble and

unheralded未为人所知的people buried in the

cemetery 墓地of a church.

2. Setting （time and place）

The time is the mid 1700s, about a decade

before the Industrial Revolution began in England.

The place is the cemetery of a church. Evidence

indicates that the church is St. Giles, in the small

town of Stoke Poges, Buckinghamshire, in

southern England. Gray himself is buried in that

cemetery. William Penn, the founder of

Pennsylvania, once maintained a manor 领地house at Stoge Poges.

3. Years of Composition and Publication

Gray began writing the elegy in 1742, put it

aside for a while, and finished it in 1750. Robert

Dodsley published the poem in London in 1751.

Revised or altered versions of the poem appeared

in 1753, 1758, 1768, and 1775. Copies of the

various versions are on the Thomas Gray

Archive at Oxford University.

4. Meter 节拍and Rhyme 韵律Scheme

Gray wrote the poem in four-line stanzas

(quatrains). Each line is in iambic pentameter,

meaning the following:

1. Each line has five pairs of syllables for a total

of ten syllables.

2. In each pair, the first syllable is unstressed (or

unaccented), and the second is stressed (or

accented), as in the two lines that open the poem:

The CUR few TOLLS the KNELL of PART ing DAY

The LOW ing HERD wind SLOW ly O'ER the LEA

In each stanza, the first line rhymes with the

third and the second line rhymes with the fourth

(abab), as follows:

aThe curfew tolls the knell of parting day,

bThe lowing herd wind slowly o'er the lea,

aThe plowman homeward plods his weary way,

bAnd leaves the world to darkness and to me.

晚钟响起来一阵阵给白昼报丧，

牛在草原上迂回，吼声起落，

耕地人累了，回家走，脚步踉跄，

把整个世界给了黄昏与我。

5. Stanza Form: Heroic Quatrain英雄体四行诗

A stanza with the above-mentioned

characteristics — four lines, iambic pentameter,

and an abab rhyme scheme — is often referred to

as a heroic quatrain. (Quatrain is derived from the

Latin word quattuor, meaning four.) William

Shakespeare and John Dryden had earlier used

this stanza form. After Gray's poem became

famous, writers and critics also began referring to

the heroic quatrain as an elegiac stanza.

6. Complete Poem With Explanatory Notes

Stanza 1

1. The curfew tolls the knell of parting day,

2. The lowing herd wind slowly o'er the lea,

3. The plowman homeward plods his weary way,

4. And leaves the world to darkness and to me.

Notes

(1) Curfew: ringing bell in the evening that

reminded people in English towns of Gray’s time

to put out fires and go to bed.

(2) Knell: mournful sound.

(3) Parting day: day's end; dying day; twilight;

dusk.

(4) Lowing: mooing.

(5) O'er: contraction for over. (6) Lea: meadow.

Stanza 2

5. Now fades the glimm'ring landscape on the

sight,

6. And all the air a solemn stillness holds,

where the beetle wheels his droning flight,

8. And drowsy tinklings lull the distant folds.

Notes

(1) Line 5: The landscape becomes less and

less visible.

(2) Sight . . . solemn stillness . . . save: alliteration.

(3) Save: except.

(4) Beetle: winged insect that occurs in more than

350,000 varieties. One type is the firefly, or

lightning bug.

(5) Wheels: verb meaning flies in circles.

(6) Droning: humming; buzzing; monotonous

sound.

(7) Drowsy tinklings lull the distant folds: This

clause apparently refers to the gentle sounds

made by a bell around the neck of a castrated

male sheep that leads other sheep. A castrated

male sheep is called a wether. Such a sheep with

a bell around its neck is called a bellwether. Folds

is a noun referring to flocks of sheep.

(8) Tinklings: onomatopoeia.

Stanza 3

9. Save that from yonder ivy-mantled tow'r

10. The moping owl does to the moon complain

11. Of such, as wand'ring near her secret bow'r,

12. Molest her ancient solitary reign.

Notes

(1) Save: except.

(2) Yonder: distant; remote.

(3) Ivy-mantled: cloaked, dressed, or adorned

with ivy.

(4) Moping: gloomy; grumbling.

(5) Of such: of anything or anybody.

(6) Bow'r: bower, an enclosure surrounded by

plant growth—in this case, ivy.

(7) Molest her ancient solitary reign: bother the

owl while it keeps watch over the churchyard and

countryside.

(8) Her ancient solitary rein: metaphor comparing

the owl to a queen.

Stanza 4

13. Beneath those rugged elms, that yew-tree's

shade,

14. Where heaves the turf in many a mould'ring

heap,

15. Each in his narrow cell for ever laid,

16. The rude forefathers of the hamlet sleep.

Notes

(1) Where heaves the turf: anastrophe, a figure of

speech that inverts the normal word order (the

turf heaves).

(2) Mould'ring: mouldering (British), moldering

(American), an adjective meaning decaying,

crumbling.

(3) Cell: metaphor comparing a grave to a prison

cell.

(4) Rude: robust; sturdy; hearty; stalwart.

(5) Hamlet: village.

Stanza 5

17. The breezy call of incense-breathing Morn,

swallow twitt'ring from the straw-built

shed,

19. The cock's shrill clarion, or the echoing horn,

20. No more shall rouse them from their lowly

bed.

Notes

(1) Breezy call of incense-breathing Morn: wind

carrying the pleasant smells of morning, including

dewy grass and flowers. Notice that Morn is a

metaphor comparing it to a living creature. (It calls

and breathes.)

(2) Swallow: Insect-eating songbird that likes to

perch.

(3) Clarion: cock-a-doodle-doo.

(4) Echoing horn: The words may refer to the

sound made by a fox huntsman who blows a

copper horn to which pack hounds respond.

Stanza 6

21. For them no more the blazing hearth shall

burn,

22. Or busy housewife ply her evening care:

23. No children run to lisp their sire's return,

24. Or climb his knees the envied kiss to share.

Notes

(1) hearth . . . housewife . . . her: alliteration.

(2) Climb his knees the envied kiss to share:

anastrophe, a figure of speech that inverts the

normal word order (to share the envied kiss).

Stanza 7

25. Oft did the harvest to their sickle yield,

26. Their furrow oft the stubborn glebe has broke;

27. How jocund did they drive their team afield!

28. How bow'd the woods beneath their sturdy

stroke!

Notes

(1) Sickle: Harvesting tool with a handle and a

crescent-shaped blade. Field hands swing it from

right to left to cut down plant growth.

(2) Furrow: channel or groove made by a plow for

planting seeds.

(3) Glebe: earth.

(4) Jocund: To maintain the meter, Gray uses an

adjective when the syntax call for an adverb,

jocundly. Jocund (pronounced JAHK und) means

cheerful.

Stanza 8

29. Let not Ambition mock their useful toil,

30. Their homely joys, and destiny obscure;

31. Nor Grandeur hear with a disdainful smile

32. The short and simple annals of the poor.

Notes

(1) Ambition: Personification referring to the

desire to succeed or to ambitious people seeking

lofty goals.

(2) Destiny obscure: the humble fate of the

common people; their unheralded deeds.

(3) Lines 29-30: anastrophe, a figure of speech

that inverts the normal word order (let not

Ambition obscure their destiny and homely joys).

(4) Grandeur: personification referring to people

with wealth, social standing, and power.

(5) Annals: historical records; story.

Stanza 9

33. The boast of heraldry, the pomp of pow'r,

34. And all that beauty, all that wealth e'er gave,

35. Awaits alike th' inevitable hour.

36. The paths of glory lead but to the grave.

Notes

(1) Boast of heraldry: Proud talk about the

aristocratic or noble roots of one's family;

snobbery. Heraldry was a science that traced

family lines of royal and noble personages and

designed coats of arms for them.

(2) Pomp: ceremonies, rituals, and splendid

surroundings of nobles and royals.

(3) Pomp of pow'r: alliteration.

(4) E'er: ever. General meaning of stanza: Every

person—no matter how important, powerful, or

wealthy—ends up the same, dead.

Stanza 10

37. Nor you, ye proud, impute to these the fault,

38. If Mem'ry o'er their tomb no trophies raise,

39. Where thro' the long-drawn aisle and fretted

vault

40. The pealing anthem swells the note of praise.

Notes

(1) Impute: Assign, ascribe.

(2) Mem'ry: Memory, a personification referring to

memorials, commemorations, and tributes —

including statues, headstones, and epitaphs —

used to preserve the memory of important or

privileged people.

(3) Where thro' . . . the note of praise: Reference

to the interior of a church housing the tombs of

important people. Fretted vault refers to a carved

or ornamented arched roof or ceiling.

(4) Pealing anthem may refer to lofty organ

music.

Stanza 11

41. Can storied urn or animated bust

42. Back to its mansion call the fleeting breath?

43. Can Honour's voice provoke the silent dust,

44. Or Flatt'ry soothe the dull cold ear of Death?

Notes

(1) Storied urn: Vase adorned with pictures telling

a story. Urns have sometimes been used to hold

the ashes of a cremated body.

(2) Bust: sculpture of the head, shoulders, and

chest of a human.

(3) Storied urn . . . breath? Can the soul (fleeting

breath) be called back to the body (mansion) by

the urn or bust back? Notice that urn and bust are

personifications that call.

(4) Can Honour's . . . Death? Can honor

(Honour's voice) attributed to the dead person

cause that person (silent dust) to come back to

life? Can flattering words (Flatt'ry) about the dead

person make death more "bearable"?

(5) General meaning of stanza: Lines 41-45

continue the idea begun in Lines 37-40. In other

words, can any memorials—such as the trophies

mentioned in Line 38, the urn and bust mentioned

in Line 41, and personifications (honor and

flattery) mentioned in Lines 43 and 44—bring a

person back to life or make death less final or

fearsome?

Stanza 12

45. Perhaps in this neglected spot is laid

46. Some heart once pregnant with celestial fire;

47. Hands, that the rod of empire might have

sway'd,

48. Or wak'd to ecstasy the living lyre.

Notes

(1) Pregnant with celestial fire: Full of great ideas,

abilities, or goals (celestial fire).

(2) Rod of empire: scepter held by a king or an

emperor during ceremonies. One of the humble

country folk in the cemetery might have become a

king or an emperor if he had been given the

opportunity.

(3) Wak'd . . .lyre: Played beautiful music on a lyre,

a stringed instrument. In other words, one of the

people in the cemetery could have become a

great musician if given the opportunity, "waking

up" the notes of the lyre.

Stanza 13

49. But Knowledge to their eyes her ample page

50. Rich with the spoils of time did ne'er unroll;

51. Chill Penury repress'd their noble rage,

52. And froze the genial current of the soul.

Notes

(1) Knowledge . . . unroll: Knowledge did not

reveal itself to them (their eyes) in books (ample

page) rich with treasures of information (spoils of

time).

(2) Knowledge . . . unroll: Personification and

anastrophe a figure of speech that inverts the

normal word order (knowledge did ne'er enroll).

(3) Chill . . . soul: Poverty (penury) repressed their

enthusiasm (rage) and froze the flow (current) of

ideas (soul).

Stanza 14

53. Full many a gem of purest ray serene,

54. The dark unfathom'd caves of ocean bear:

55. Full many a flow'r is born to blush unseen,

56. And waste its sweetness on the desert air.

Note

Full . . . air: These may be the most famous lines

in the poem. Gray is comparing the humble

village people to undiscovered gems in caves at

the bottom of the ocean and to undiscovered

flowers in the desert.

Stanza 15

57. Some village-Hampden, that with dauntless

breast

58. The little tyrant of his fields withstood;

59. Some mute inglorious Milton here may rest,

60. Some Cromwell, guiltless of his country's

blood.

Notes

(1) John Hampden (1594-1643). Hampden, a

Puritan member of Parliament, frequently

criticized and opposed the policies of King

Charles I. In particular, he opposed a tax imposed

by the king to outfit the British navy. Because he

believed that only Parliament could impose taxes,

he refused to pay 20 shillings in ship money in

1635. Many joined him in his opposition. War

broke out between those who supported

Parliament and those who supported the king.

Hampden was killed in battle in 1643. Gray here

is presenting Hampden as a courageous

(dauntless) hero who stood against the king (little

tyrant).

(2) Milton: John Milton (1608-1674), the great

English poet and scholar.

Stanza 16

61. Th' applause of list'ning senates to command,

62. The threats of pain and ruin to despise,

63. To scatter plenty o'er a smiling land,

64. And read their hist'ry in a nation's eyes,

Notes

The subject and verb of Lines 61-64 are in the

first three words of Line 65, their lot forbade.

Thus, this stanza says the villagers' way of life (lot)

prohibited or prevented them from receiving

applause from politicians for good deeds such as

alleviating pain and suffering and providing plenty

(perhaps food) across the land. These deeds

would have been recorded by the appreciating

nation.

Stanza 17

65. Their lot forbade: nor circumscrib'd alone

66. Their growing virtues, but their crimes

confin'd;

67. Forbade to wade through slaughter to a

throne,

68. And shut the gates of mercy on mankind,

Note

General meaning: Their lot in life not only

prevented (circumbscrib'd) them from doing good

deeds (like those mentioned in Stanza 16) but

also prevented (confin'd) bad deeds such as

killing enemies to gain the throne and refusing to

show mercy to people.

Stanza 18

69. The struggling pangs of conscious truth to

hide,

70. To quench the blushes of ingenuous shame,

71. Or heap the shrine of Luxury and Pride

72. With incense kindled at the Muse's flame.

Notes

(1) General meaning: This stanza continues the

idea begun in the previous stanza, saying that the

villagers' lot in life also prevented them from

hiding truth and shame and from bragging or

using pretty or flattering words (incense kindled at

the Muse's flame) to gain luxuries and feed their

pride.

(2) Muse's flame: an allusion to sister goddesses

in Greek and Roman mythology who inspired

writers, musicians, historians, dancers, and

astronomers. These goddesses were called

Muses.

Stanza 19

73. Far from the madding crowd's ignoble strife,

74. Their sober wishes never learn'd to stray;

75. Along the cool sequester'd vale of life

76. They kept the noiseless tenor of their way.

Note

(1) General meaning: The villagers plodded on

faithfully, never straying from their lot in life as

common people.

(2) Madding: maddening; furious; frenzied.

(3) Noiseless tenor of their way: quiet way of life.

Stanza 20

77. Yet ev'n these bones from insult to protect,

78. Some frail memorial still erected nigh,

79. With uncouth rhymes and shapeless

sculpture deck'd,

80. Implores the passing tribute of a sigh.

Note

General meaning: But even these people have

gravestones (frail memorial), although they are

engraved with simple and uneducated words or

decked with humble sculpture. These

gravestones elicit a sigh from people who see

them.

Stanza 21

81. Their name, their years, spelt by th' unletter'd

muse,

82. The place of fame and elegy supply:

83. And many a holy text around she strews,

84. That teach the rustic moralist to die.

Notes

(1)Their . . . supply: Their name and age appear

but there are no lofty tributes.

(2) Unletter'd muse: Uneducated writer or

engraver.

(3) Holy text: probably Bible quotations.

(4) She: muse. See the second note for Stanza

18.

(5) Rustic moralist: pious villager.

Stanza 22

85. For who to dumb Forgetfulness a prey,

86. This pleasing anxious being e'er resign'd,

87. Left the warm precincts of the cheerful day,

88. Nor cast one longing, ling'ring look behind?

Note

General meaning: These humble people, though

they were doomed to be forgotten (to dumb

Forgetfulness a prey), did not die (did not leave

the warm precincts of cheerful day) without

looking back with regret and perhaps a desire to

linger a little longer.

Stanza 23

89. On some fond breast the parting soul relies,

90. Some pious drops the closing eye requires;

91. Ev'n from the tomb the voice of Nature cries,

92. Ev'n in our ashes live their wonted fires.

Note

General meaning: The dying person (parting soul)

relies on a friend (fond breast) to supply the

engraved words (pious drops) on a tombstone.

Even from the tomb the spirit of a person cries out

for remembrance.

Stanza 24

93. For thee [32], who mindful of th' unhonour'd

Dead

94. Dost in these lines their artless tale relate;

95. If chance, by lonely contemplation led,

96. Some kindred spirit shall inquire thy fate [33],

Notes

(1) For thee . . . relate: Gray appears to be

referring to himself. Mindful that the villagers

deserve some sort of memorial, he is telling their

story (their artless tale) in this elegy (these lines).

(2) Lines 95-96: But what about Gray himself?

What if someone asks about his fate? Gray

provides the answer in the next stanza.

Stanza 25

97. Haply some hoary-headed swain may say,

98. "Oft have we seen him at the peep of dawn

99. Brushing with hasty steps the dews away

100. To meet the sun upon the upland lawn.

Notes

(1) Haply: Perhaps; by chance; by accident.

(2) Hoary-headed swain: Gray-haired country

fellow; old man who lives in the region.

Stanza 26

101. "There at the foot of yonder nodding beech

102. That wreathes its old fantastic roots so high,

103. His listless length at noontide would he

stretch,

104. And pore upon the brook that babbles by.

Notes

(1) Nodding: bending; bowing.

(2) Listless length: his tired body.

(3) Pore upon: Look at; watch.

Stanza 27

105. "Hard by yon wood, now smiling as in scorn,

106. Mutt'ring his wayward fancies he would rove,

107. Now drooping, woeful wan, like one forlorn,

108. Or craz'd with care, or cross'd in hopeless

love.

Notes

(1) Wood, now smiling as in scorn: personification

comparing the forest to a person.

(2) Wayward fancies: unpredictable, unexpected,

or unwanted thoughts; capricious or flighty

thoughts.

(3) Rove: wander.

(4) Craz'd . . . cross'd: alliteration.

Stanza 28

109. "One morn I miss'd him on the custom'd hill,

110. Along the heath and near his fav'rite tree;

111. Another came; nor yet beside the rill,

112. Nor up the lawn, nor at the wood was he;

Notes

(1) Another came: another morning came.

(2) Nor yet: But he still was not.

(3) Rill: small stream or brook.

Stanza 29

113. "The next with dirges due in sad array

114. Slow thro' the church-way path we saw him

borne.

115. Approach and read (for thou canst read) the

lay,

116. Grav'd on the stone beneath yon aged

thorn."

Notes

(1) The next: the next morning.

(2) Dirges: funeral songs.

(3) Lay: short poem—in this case, the epitaph

below.

THE EPITAPH

117. Here rests his head upon the lap of Earth

118. A youth to Fortune and to Fame unknown.

119. Fair Science frown'd not on his humble

birth,

120. And Melancholy mark'd him for her own.

121. Large was his bounty, and his soul sincere,

122. Heav'n did a recompense as largely send:

123. He gave to Mis'ry all he had, a tear,

124. He gain'd from Heav'n ('twas all he wish'd)

a friend.

125. No farther seek his merits to disclose,

126. Or draw his frailties from their dread

abode,

127. (There they alike in trembling hope repose)

128. The bosom of his Father and his God.

Note

General meaning: Here lies a man of humble birth

who did not know fortune or fame but who did

become a scholar. Although he was depressed at

times, he had a good life, was sensitive to the

needs of others, and followed God's laws. Don't

try to find out more about his good points or bad

points, which are now with him in heaven.

7. Themes

1) Death: the Great Equalizer均衡，平等

Even the proud and the mighty must one day lie

beneath the earth, like the humble men and

women now buried in the churchyard, as line 36

notes: The paths of glory lead but to the grave.

Lines 41-44 further point out that no grandiose宏伟的 memorials and no flattering words about the

deceased can bring him or her back from death.

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?

栩栩的半身像，铭刻了事略的瓮碑，

难道能恢复断气，促使还魂？

“荣誉”的声音能激发沉默的死灰？

“陷媚”能叫死神听软了耳根？

2）Missed Opportunities

Because of poverty or other handicaps, many

talented people never receive the opportunities

they deserve. The following lines elucidate 阐明this theme through metaphors:

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.

世界上多少晶莹皎洁的珠宝

埋在幽暗而深不可测的海底；

世界上多少花吐艳而无人知晓，

把芬芳白白散发给荒凉的空气。

Here, the gem宝石 at the bottom of the ocean

may represent an undiscovered musician, poet,

scientist or philosopher. The flower may likewise

stand for a person of great and noble qualities

that are "wasted on the desert air." Of course, on

another level, the gem and the flower can stand

for anything in life that goes unappreciated.

3）Virtue

In their rural setting, far from the temptations of

the cities and the courts of kings, the villagers led

virtuous lives, as lines 73-76 point out:

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.

远离了纷纭人世的勾心斗角，

他们有清醒的愿望，从不学糊涂，

顺着生活的清凉的山坳，

他们坚持了不声不响的正路。

8. Inversion 反向

For poetic effect, Gray frequently uses

inversion (reversal of the normal word order).

Following are examples:

Line 6: And all the air a solemn stillness holds (all

the air holds a solemn stillness)

Line 14: Where heaves the turf in many a

mould'ring heap (Where the turf heaves)

Line 24: Or climb his knees the envied kiss to

share. (Or climb his knees to share the envied

kiss)

Line 79: With uncouth rhymes and shapeless

sculpture deck'd (deck'd with uncouth rhymes and

shapeless sculpture)

9．Syncope字中音省略

Gray also frequently uses a commonplace

poetic device known as syncope, the omission of

letters or sounds within a word.

The lowing herd wind slowly o'er the lea (line 2)

Now fades the glimm'ring landscape on the sight

(line 5)

Save that from yonder ivy-mantled tow'r (line 9)

The swallow twitt'ring from the straw-built shed

(line 18)

10．Figures of Speech

Following are examples of figures of speech in

the poem.

1）Alliteration

Repetition of a Consonant Sound

The plowman homeward plods his weary way (line 3)

The cock's shrill clarion, or the echoing horn (line 19)

Nor cast one longing, ling'ring look behind? (line 88)

Now drooping, woeful wan, like one forlorn (line 107)

Or craz'd with care, or cross'd in hopeless love. (line 108)

2）Anaphora 首语重复法

Repetition of a word, phrase, or clause at the

beginning of word groups occurring one after the

other

And all that beauty, all that wealth e'er gave (line 34)

Their name, their years, spelt by th' unletter'd muse (line

81)

Ev'n from the tomb the voice of Nature cries,

Ev'n in our ashes live their wonted fires. (lines 91-92)

3）Metaphor

Comparison between unlike things without using

like, as, or than

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. (lines 53-56)

Comparison of the dead village people to unappreciated

gems and flowers

Or heap the shrine of Luxury and Pride

With incense kindled at the Muse's flame. (lines 71-72)

Comparison of flattering words to incense

4）Metonymy 转喻

Use of a word or phrase to suggest a

related word or phrase

To scatter plenty o'er a smiling land

Land stands for people.

5）Personification

A form of metaphor that compares a thing

to a person

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.

(lines 29-32)

Ambition and Grandeur take on human

characteristics.

But Knowledge to their eyes her ample page

Rich with the spoils of time did ne'er unroll

(line 49-50)

Notice that Knowledge becomes a person, a

female.

Fair Science frown'd not on his humble birth,

And Melancholy mark'd him for her own.

(lines 119-120)

Science and Melancholy become persons.

11. Assessment of the Poem

Scholars regard "Elegy Written in a Country

Churchyard" as one of the greatest poems in

the English language. It weaves structure,

rhyme scheme, imagery and message into a

brilliant tapestry织锦画 that confers on Gray

everlasting fame. The quality of its poetry and

insights reach Shakespearean and Miltonian

heights.

12. Biographical Information

Thomas Gray was born in London on

December 26, 1716. He was the only one of

twelve children who survived into adulthood.

His father, Philip, a scrivener (a person who

copies text) was a cruel, violent man, but his

mother, Dorothy, believed in her son and

operated a millinery business to educate him

at Eton school in his childhood and

Peterhouse College, Cambridge, as a young

man.

He left the college in 1738 without a degree

to tour Europe with his friend, Horace

Walpole, the son of the first prime minister of

England, Robert Walpole (1676-1745).

However, Gray did earn a degree in law

although he never practiced in that profession.

After achieving recognition as a poet, he

refused to give public lectures because he

was extremely shy. Nevertheless, he gained

such widespread acclaim and respect that

England offered him the post of poet laureate,

which would make him official poet of the

realm. However, he rejected the honor. Gray

was that rare kind of person who cared little

for fame and adulation.

13. Study Questions and Essay Topics

1. Gray was the only one of twelve children

who survived childhood. Do you believe the

memory of his dead brothers and sisters

influenced him in the writing of his poem?

2. What was Gray's opinion of high-born

persons vis-a-vis the low-born?

3. Write an essay that develops the idea

expressed in line 36: The paths of glory lead

but to the grave.

4. Read "Ozymandias," a poem by another

English writer, Percy Bysshe Shelley. Then

write an essay that compares and contrasts

Shelley's idea of posthumous glory with

Gray's.

5. In an essay, discuss Gray's use of animal

and insect imagery in "Elegy Written in a

Country Churchyard."

6. Which of the following adjectives best

describes the mood of the elegy: peaceful,

gloomy, solemn, desolate, morbid?