Analysis of Gray’s Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard
Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard
VOICE: St.1-9 1st voice st10- 2nd voice st11-23 1st voice st.24- 2nd voice st.25 3rd voice (”off—-St.29) st.30-32 -1st voice
MOOD: Melancholic. In the end: acceptance.
SUMMARY: Meditation upon the tombs of humble people, which leads the poet to meditate about his own death and ”the memory” he will leave once he dies. In this meditation, the poet opposes fortune and fame to knowledge and feeling, in favour of this last ones.
STANZAS:
Stanza 15. John 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). John Milton, the great English poet and scholar.
Stanza 16. 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. Their lot in life not only prevented (circumbscrib’d) them from doing good deeds but also prevented (confin’d) bad deeds such as killing enemies to gain the throne and refusing to show mercy to people.
Stanza 18 continues the idea begun in the previous one, 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. 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: The villagers plodded on faithfully, never straying from their lot in life as common people. Madding: maddening; furious; frenzied. Noiseless tenor of their way: quiet way of life.
Stanza 20: No ornamental decorations could be raised over their trophies; these memorials didn’t have any rhymes of praise and lacked beautiful sculpture. Yet to protect their honor from an insult they were put forth on their graveyards so that passerby may show some respect towards their grave.
Stanza 21: The records of life that could be found on their tombs were written by some educated person of their village. Texts and sayings from Bible were scattered over their tombs which gave some spiritual consolidation to the rustics to enable them to meet death cheerfully.
Stanza 22: The poets explain the reason of memorials raised over the grave of the poor rustics. No one wishes to get an oblivion curse. Life is full of struggle, people love to life and no one wishes to die without casting a regretful look behind. Even the poor when they die wish to be remembered long after their death.
Stanza 23: Even the parting soul wants his dear ones to shed some tears. This happens to be a natural wish, the longing of man when he closes his eyes to confront death. Even when these rustics had turned into ashes they wished that their account of life and death is inscribed in their tombs.
Stanza 24: The poet who was sympathetic towards these villagers gave an account of their life. They were not honored in their life, but the poet related their entire tale of life in these lines. What would happen if someone close to the poet would inquire about him after his death?
TOPIC: Death, Beatus ille, memento mori in the epitaph.
Metrics: Each line is in iambic pentameter. 4 lines in each stanza ABAB. (quatrains)
Figures:
- Line 3- Alliteration p (plowman, plods), w (plowman, homeward, weary, way)
- Line 4- Balance line
- St2 Paranomasy – droning-drowsy
- Alliteration – liquids.