ural scenes like fields, trees, birds, and shepherd life to create a soft and calm mood.
Pastoral Setting: A pastoral elegy must have a country scene. Gray begins the poem with a perfect village picture. He shows the plowman going home slowly after a long day. He shows the lea, the fields, the ivy-mantled tower, and the moping owl. The air is full of silence. The curfew bell rings at the end of the day. These gentle village images create a soft environment. This calm country background is the main mark of a pastoral elegy.
Sad Mood and Thoughts on Death: An Elegy means a sad poem that thinks about death. Gray does exactly this. He stands near the graves of the rude forefathers of the hamlet. He looks at their “narrow cell,” which means their graves. He says that the warm fire in their homes will never burn for them again. He also says that their children will never run to welcome them. These moments show sadness and deep feelings. Gray thinks about how these simple villagers lived and how they died. This quiet sadness makes the poem a true elegy.
Praise of the Dead: An elegy always gives honour to the dead. Gray praises the villagers for their hard work. He writes,
“Oft did the harvest to their sickle yield.”
He shows their strong bodies when they broke the hard soil. He remembers their family love and their quiet duties. He also says that some great man may lie buried here. He writes,
“Some mute inglorious Milton here may rest.”
He believes they had talent but no chance. By praising their hidden greatness, Gray fulfils the purpose of an elegy.
General Truth of Life and Death: A pastoral elegy often teaches a truth about human life. Gray also teaches a strong truth. He writes,
“Awaits alike the inevitable hour.”
He also writes that rich people and poor people both must face death. He says,
“The paths of glory lead but to the grave.”
This is a powerful statement. No matter how rich or famous a person is, everyone must die. This universal truth gives the poem a deep elegiac tone.
Peaceful Country Life: A pastoral elegy also praises simple rural life. Gray says that the villagers lived far away from noisy people. They lived in a quiet valley. They walked through life quietly and peacefully. They did not harm others. They did not want power. Their life was simple, honest, and pure. These ideas match the features of pastoral poetry.
Ending with an Epitaph: Many elegies end with a final message about the dead person. Gray ends his poem with an Epitaph. It describes a young man who was humble, sincere, kind, and lonely. It shows the poet’s own wishes, fears, and hopes. The Epitaph adds a final touch of sadness and peace. This ending gives the poem a complete elegiac form.
Gray stands in a quiet country churchyard. He looks at the graves of simple villagers. He thinks about their work, their hopes, their families, and their silent power. The rural background, the sad tone, the praise of the dead, the moral truth, and the Epitaph together make the poem a perfect pastoral elegy. It shows how simple lives can hold deep beauty and meaning.
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