gipsies Unlike modern people the Scholar Gipsy was full of hope peace and purity Arnold uses the form of a pastoral elegy to express his sadness about modern life Pastoral Scenes The poem is full of beautiful natural scenes Arnold describes the fields hills flowers and rivers of the Oxford countryside The speaker watches the shepherd and reapers working in the field He then tells the shepherd that he will remain out there until sunset He will enjoy the scenery and study the towers of Oxford The poet writes Through the thick corn the scarlet poppies peep So there are shepherds sheep cornfields poppies and wildflowers It gives us a picture of the peaceful countryside which is the style of a pastoral elegy Mourning the Modern Life We find a sad tone in this poem Arnold is mourning the modern world Because the modern world is full of confusion doubt and tiredness The poet says that modern people do not have one clear aim They are always changing their thoughts and desires He writes Each strives nor knows for what he strives This means people try many things but they do not know what they really want Their hearts are weak and they do not have strong beliefs So in this pastoral elegy the poet is not crying for one person but for the loss of a better way of living The Scholar Gipsy A Symbol of Lost Value The Scholar Gipsy was completely different from the modern people He left the Oxford University to live among the gipsies His goal was to learn their art or skill He wanted to find peace and deep knowledge away from the worries and doubts of modern life He was full of hope and clear purpose The poet says Thou hadst one aim one business one desire So the Scholar Gipsy becomes a symbol of the lost value of modern people He is what modern people have lost hope peace purpose and deep knowledge Immortality and Hope Like a pastoral elegy this poem ends with immortality and hope The poet makes the Scholar Gipsy immortal He believes the Scholar Gipsy is not dead though his story is hundreds of years old The poet imagines he is still wandering in the fields He is never growing old never tired and full of strength The poet imagines him as someone who is Waiting for the spark from heaven to fall This means he is finding peace and deep knowledge The poet wishes to be like the Scholar Gipsy He finally accepts the loss and hopes for a better life In conclusion The Scholar Gipsy is a pastoral elegy not in the usual way of mourning a death but in a deeper symbolic way Arnold uses the beauty of nature and countryside to mourn the loss of hope faith and unity in modern life The Scholar Gipsy becomes a symbol of a pure spiritual life that the poet feels we no longer have