Make a note on the use of imagery in the poem “Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard”.
Thomas Gray’s (1716-71) poem “Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard” (1751), uses vivid imagery. It creates pictures in the reader’s mind. The imagery makes the poem beautiful and thoughtful. It brings the village and its people to life.
- Evening Scene: The poem begins with evening imagery. Words like "curfew tolls," "lowing herd," and "plowman" show the peaceful end of the day. These lines create a calm and quiet mood.
- Natural Landscape: The poem describes nature using clear images. Words like "glimm'ring landscape," "solemn stillness," and "drowsy tinklings" paint a soft, fading scene.
- Sounds in the Air: Gray uses sound imagery to make the setting vivid. The "beetle's droning flight" and the "owl’s complaint" bring life to the quiet countryside.
- Graveyard Description: The imagery of the graveyard is very strong. Words like "rugged elms," "yew-tree's shade," and "mould'ring heap" show an old, silent burial ground.
- The Dead Villagers: Gray uses images to describe the lives of the villagers. "Narrow cell" refers to their graves. It shows their simple and peaceful rest.
