The treatment of death in the literature of the Restoration and eighteenth century
Focusing on ‘Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard’.
‘The curfew tolls the knell of parting day.’[1] There is no doubt of death being the main theme of Gray’s Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard. The tolling of a bell is immediately mentioned, which, in Gray’s time, ‘accumulated almost inescapable associations with the passing bell.’[2] Gray explores the theme of death by romanticising it, in an attempt to normalise it, as well as reflecting on the contrast between death and nature, how they are a cyclical reflection of life. In addition, he even wonders about the past lives of the ones who have passed away. Yet, no matter how much he tries to normalise it, there is a hint of fear throughout the poem. This essay will analyse the different ways Gray conveys death, from reflecting the 18th century beliefs of its naturalness, to showing us his true feelings, and comparing this event to nature, society and class, and their impact on its representation.
We cannot deny that the main theme of this poem is death. Thomas Gray was defined as a ‘graveyard poet’ along a few others, due to the nature of their work. The purpose of the poem is to romanticise death, something typical of Romantic poets, and yet it can be implied that Gray wrote this elegy to repress his fear of dying and normalise the fact that one day he too will die. This is especially true in the last part of the poem, where he has included an epitaph, which can be inferred as it being his own. By including his own epitaph in a poem where he analyses the graves of both the rich and the poor, Gray highlights one of the main messages of the poem, which is that death is the great equaliser: no matter who you are, you will die one day, everyone, no matter their status, will have the same end. He shows sorrow for his future death, and seems to even be in mourning, ‘And Melancholy mark’d him for her own.’[3] And yet, as the epitaph goes on, we can sense Gray’s hope for what awaits him in the afterlife, ‘He gain’d from Heav’n (‘twas all he wish’d) a friend.’[4] But, his feelings of peacefulness and acceptance of death as a whole are contrasting his feelings on death as an event that will also happen in his life. He normalises death for others but cannot do so for himself. The readers can also assume that he fears death as with it he will be forgotten, he does not want to become unknown, like most of the people who are buried in that country churchyard. In his poem, Gray goes to great lengths in order for him and his work to be remembered, further analysing the theme of death, and linking it to other minor topics in his elegy.
Another theme that this poem explores is society and class. Thomas Gray was a middle class man, Eton and Cambridge educated, who then became a poet, historian, and a professor at his Alma Mater, and yet he spends part of the poem looking at the graves of lower-class people. He compares them to historical figures such as John Milton, author of Paradise Lost, lamenting how these unknown people could have been renowned figures if they had had the opportunity. ‘Some mute inglorious Milton may he rest.’[5] However, it can be argued that in this section of the poem, Gray is mourning the loss of potential artists and the work they could have created, showing that he believes that, despite his own background, anyone can be an artist. However, the readers can also infer that the use of Milton, who had died around a century prior to the creation and publication of this poem, was anything but intentional. Gray may be mournful of the deceased, but he is using this ‘grief’ to his advantage. Due to the epitaph at the end, we can assume that Gray fears death, and the forgetfulness that comes with it, which is highlighted by the fact that the graves in this cemetery, whether they belonged to the wealthy or to the poor, are all unknown to him, and perhaps this is the true reason why he fears death. It was common practice in Gray’s time to use the death of other well-known poets to ‘secure their own poetic stature.’[6] , By mentioning Milton, Gray is putting himself in the position of those unknown people that are buried in that graveyard and compares himself to him. He claims that any of them could have been great writers and artists, but their potential is now lost. But he does not believe this of himself, and by mentioning Milton in one of his works, and by discretely comparing himself to him, he is ensuring that he will be remembered for his literary work, as he is a celebrated poet, as Milton was, and still is.
A more subtle theme that this poem explores is the contrast between death and nature and how they reflect the circle of life. It is with this comparison that Gray tries to normalise death, and tries to convince himself to not fear it, as it is something he must experience eventually. This theme is noticeable in the title of the poem itself: ‘Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard’, as well as the type of poetry, which is of a georgic verse, reflecting Gray’s glorification of simple country life. ‘How jocund did they drive their team afield!’[7]
In his poem, nature seems to mourn the dead as well ‘and all the air a solemn stillness holds.’[8], further connecting them. Gray talks about the lives of those who are buried there, how their lives revolved around nature as they lived in the countryside and were farmers, ‘Oft did the harvest to their sickle yield’[9], and in the end, they were buried in a country churchyard, ‘The lowing herd wind slowly o’er the lea, The plowman homeward plods his weary way, And leaves the world and darkness to me.’[10] We can infer that the ‘homeward’ of these men is in fact the churchyard, and that by ‘the curfew tolls the knell of parting day’ Gray is talking about their passing and the end of their lives. In addition, Gray compares nature to those unknown men, ‘The rude forefathers of the hamlet sleep.’[11], further emphasising the similarities between mankind and the flora. ‘Full many a flow’r is born to blush unseen, And waste its sweetness on the desert air.’[12] He claims that those flowers who haven’t been seen by anyone have wasted their potential, just like those people who died before they could have accomplished something. ‘Th’ applause of list’ning senates to command [..] And read hist’ry in a nation’s eyes, Their lot forbade.’[13] However, when analysing the line ‘the rude forefathers of the hamlet sleep.’[14] ,and looking at this section of the elegy as a whole, we can notice Gray contradicting himself. He first claimed that, after having glorified them, the simple lives of those unknown men were also wasteful, as they could have done so much more, and death, by taking them before they could accomplish their potential, has robbed us of possible cultural, literal, or artistic works.
It should also be noted that the founders of the country churchyard, and perhaps of the entire village that this elegy takes place in was founded by unknown men. Gray is aware of this, and by mentioning them, he contradicts his point of those unknown lives’ potentials being lost as their identities are unknown, meaning that their achievements are lost too. However, he has recognised that the identities of the founders of this country churchyard and therefore of its village, are also a mystery to him, and despite this, he is able to, while briefly, to recognise this, showing that perhaps someone’s death does not symbolise the end of the recognition of their achievements, and that one’s work can outlive them. Those founders may be deceased and have been forgotten, but their village lives on. This fleeting contradiction could show how Gray’s numerous views on death all contrast themselves, and not even he is sure of how he feels about it, as it is such a complex topic, one that most authors not only try to normalise, but simplify as well.
Lastly, with this poem Gray has painted death in many different ways. He makes it the subject of this poem, turning it into something that makes everything equal and yet has robbed us of potential artist and the work they could have produced. He highlights its normality by comparing it with nature, and yet he fears it, and tries using the death of others to his advantage. It truly shows how death is a complex subject with many layers to it and how he does not have a sole opinion on it, but tries to embrace it nonetheless.
[1] Thomas Gray, Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard (1751)- The Norton Anthology of English Literature Vol. C (London: W.W. Norton, 2018) p.998.
[2] Hutchings, W. 1984, Syntax of Death: Instability in Gray’s “Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard”, Studies in Philology, vol. 81, no. 4, (Chapel Hill, N.C. 1984) p. 496.
[3] Gray, Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard, p.1001.
[4] Gray, Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard, p.1001.
[5] Gray, Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard, p.999.
[6] Michele Turner Sharp, Elegy unto epitaph: Print culture and commemorative practice in Gray’s “Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard.” Papers on Language and Literature 38(1), 3-28, vol.38, Iss. 1, (Edwardsville, Winter, 2002).
[7] Gray, Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard, p.998.
[8] Gray, Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard, p.998.
[9] Gray, Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard, p.998.
[10] Gray, Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard, p.998.
[11] Gray, Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard, p.998.
[12] Gray, Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard, p.999.
[13] Gray, Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard, p.999.
[14] Gray, Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard, p.998.