An Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard

Reference:

This striking stanza has been taken from a long poem “An Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard” composed by “Thomas Gray”.

Context:

The poet is standing in churchyard. He says that ringing of evening bell shows that day has ended. He shows deep sympathy for the people who are lying buried. He appeals that ambitious people should not laugh at simple history of their lives.

Explanation/Central Idea :

The poet says that poor people of the village are lying buried in simple and decaying graves. Cool pleasant air of morning swallow, twittering and cock’s sharp crow will not wake them up because they are completely dead. They were uneducated. He further says that ambitious people should not laugh at their simple but useful work and should not hear simple history their lives with contempt.

Death is the end of everything. It does not matter much if it is wealth, beauty, and pride of noble birth. Death is unavoidable for the poor as well as the rich, the high as well as the low.