Scarica ELEGY WRITTEN IN A COUNTRY CHURCHYARD e più Sintesi del corso in PDF di Inglese solo su Docsity! NOTES ABOUT”ELEGY WRITTEN IN A COUNTRY CHURCHYARD”(1751) BY THOMAS GRAY In the 1st STANZA there is mostlya descriptive tone ,in fact Gray describes the atmosphere which reigns in the country at the end of the day. It is a dull and tired atmosphere which seems to anticipate not only the end of the day but also the end of life symbolized by “darkness”(l.4),by the “weary”(l.3) return of the ploughman (l.3)to his home and announced by the tolling of the curfew(l.1). In other words the stanza anticipates the theme of all the poem that is death. In the 2nd STANZA the descriptive tone continues. Gray speaks about a solemn stilness(l.6) a deep silence which imposes itself and surrounds the human world and activities. Only nature with its creatures ,its rhytm ,its phenomena,its processes ,its transformations maintains itself inalterate and perpetuas itself in the time. So that solemn stilness(l.6)is interrupted by the beetle(l.7)which wheels his droning flight(l.7)and by the drowny tinklings(l.8)which bull the distant folds(l.8). this stanza introduces the setting in time of the poem that is twilight. In the 3rd STANZA Gray points out that even if time goes on inesorable and death annulles and brings away everything there is always something which is eternal NATURE;here it is symbolized by the ivy(l.9)which covers the ancient tower (l.9)and by the owl(l.10)also symbol of death which complains to the moon of such as ,wondering near her secret bower(l.11)and molest her ancient solitary reign(l.12). In this stanza there are some elements which are related to the idea of old,past time which seems dead. In the 4th STANZA the poet expresses his intimate feelings on death the considers the humble brerial(he describes with deep sad melancholy) of the rude forefathers of the village under the rugged elms(l.13)and at shadow of the” yew-teee”(l.13) underground (under the clod)without a dignified tomb,in their narrow cell(l.15). Gray uses several elements which characterize death’s iutage :elm yew three(terzo) and cell that stands for tomb. In the 5th STANZA there are fresh and lively (vivid)images of simple country life. NATURE is seem as a reality made up of earth ,trees and animals i.e.”incense breathing MORN”(L.17), the swallow twitt’ring(l.18)the cock’s shrill clarion(l.19)the echoing horm(l.19). but they (the rude forefathers)will not be more awoken by them. In the 6th STANZA it is described the peaceful(quiet)and serene ,sweet life of a simple country house with its blaring hearth(l.21),the busy housewife (l.22)and the lively children (l.23). but for them there will not be more all that . the joys of a simple life such as a family affections (which are the essential joys of life)and the fire in the fire place(heart)will never warm their hearts.
