Thomas Gray

Notes

(1) Boast of heraldry: Proud talk about the aristocratic or noble roots of one's family; snobbery. Heraldry was a science that traced family lines of royal and noble personages and designed coats of arms for them. (2) Pomp: ceremonies, rituals, and splendid surroundings of nobles and royals. (3) Pomp of pow'r: alliteration. (4) E'er: ever. General meaning of stanza: Every person—no matter how important, powerful, or wealthy—ends up the same, dead.   

 
Stanza 10

37. Nor you, ye proud, impute to these the fault,  
38. If Mem'ry o'er their tomb no trophies raise,  
39. Where thro' the long-drawn aisle and fretted vault  
40. The pealing anthem swells the note of praise.

Notes

(1) Impute: Assign, ascribe. (2) Mem'ry: Memory, a personification referring to memorials, commemorations, and tributes—including statues, headstones, and epitaphs—used to preserve the memory of important or privileged people. (3) Where thro' . . . the note of praise: Reference to the interior of a church housing the tombs of important people. Fretted vault refers to a carved or ornamented arched roof or ceiling. (4) Pealing anthem may refer to lofty organ music.   

 
Stanza 11

41. Can storied urn or animated bust   
42. Back to its mansion call the fleeting breath?  
43. Can Honour's voice provoke the silent dust,  
44. Or Flatt'ry soothe the dull cold ear of Death?

Notes

(1) Storied urn: Vase adorned with pictures telling a story. Urns have sometimes been used to hold the ashes of a cremated body. (2) Bust: sculpture of the head, shoulders, and chest of a human. (3) Storied urn . . . breath? Can the soul (fleeting breath) be called back to the body (mansion) by the urn or bust back? Notice that urn and bust are personifications that call. (4) Can Honour's . . . Death? Can honor (Honour's voice) attributed to the dead person cause that person (silent dust) to come back to life? Can flattering words (Flatt'ry) about the dead person make death more "bearable"? (5) General meaning of stanza: Lines 41-45 continue the idea begun in Lines 37-40. In other words, can any memorials—such as the trophies mentioned in Line 38, the urn and bust mentioned in Line 41, and personifications (honor and flattery) mentioned in Lines 43 and 44—bring a person back to life or make death less final or fearsome?  

 
Stanza 12

45. Perhaps in this neglected spot is laid  
46. Some heart once pregnant with celestial fire;  
47. Hands, that the rod of empire might have sway'd,  
48. Or wak'd to ecstasy the living lyre.

Notes

(1) Pregnant with celestial fire: Full of great ideas, abilities, or goals (celestial fire). (2) Rod of empire: scepter held by a king or an emperor during ceremonies. One of the humble country folk in the cemetery might have become a king or an emperor if he had been given the opportunity. (3) Wak'd . . .lyre: Played beautiful music on a lyre, a stringed instrument. In other words, one of the people in the cemetery could have become a great musician if given the opportunity, "waking up" the notes of the lyre.   

 
Stanza 13

49. But Knowledge to their eyes her ample page  
50. Rich with the spoils of time did ne'er unroll;  
51. Chill Penury repress'd their noble rage,  
52. And froze the genial current of the soul.

Notes

(1) Knowledge . . . unroll: Knowledge did not reveal itself to them (their eyes) in books (ample page) rich with treasures of information (spoils of time). (2) Knowledge . . . unroll: Personification and anastrophe a figure of speech that inverts the normal word order (knowledge did ne'er enroll). (3) Chill . . . soul: Poverty (penury) repressed their enthusiasm (rage) and froze the flow (current) of ideas (soul).   

 
Stanza 14

53. Full many a gem of purest ray serene,  
54. The dark unfathom'd caves of ocean bear:  
55. Full many a flow'r is born to blush unseen,  
56. And waste its sweetness on the desert air.

Note

Full . . . air: These may be the most famous lines in the poem. Gray is comparing the humble village people to undiscovered gems in caves at the bottom of the ocean and to undiscovered flowers in the desert.   

 
Stanza 15

57. Some village-Hampden, that with dauntless breast  
58. The little tyrant of his fields withstood;  
59. Some mute inglorious Milton here may rest,  
60. Some Cromwell, guiltless of his country's blood.

Notes

(1) John Hampden (1594-1643). Hampden, a Puritan member of Parliament, frequently criticized and opposed the policies of King Charles I. In particular, he opposed a tax imposed by the king to outfit the British navy. Because he believed that only Parliament could impose taxes, he refused to pay 20 shillings in ship money in 1635. Many joined him in his opposition. War broke out between those who supported Parliament and those who supported the king. Hampden was killed in battle in 1643. Gray here is presenting Hampden as a courageous (dauntless) hero who stood against the king (little tyrant). (2) Milton: John Milton (1608-1674), the great English poet and scholar.  

 
Stanza 16

61. Th' applause of list'ning senates to command,  
62. The threats of pain and ruin to despise,  
63. To scatter plenty o'er a smiling land,  
64. And read their hist'ry in a nation's eyes,

Notes

The subject and verb of Lines 61-64 are in the first three words of  Line 65, their lot forbade. Thus, this stanza says the villagers' way of life (lot) prohibited or prevented them from receiving applause from politicians for good deeds such as alleviating pain and suffering and providing plenty (perhaps food) across the land. These deeds would have been recorded by the appreciating nation.  

 
Stanza 17

65. Their lot forbade: nor circumscrib'd alone  
66. Their growing virtues, but their crimes confin'd;  
67. Forbade to wade through slaughter to a throne,  
68. And shut the gates of mercy on mankind,

Note

General meaning: Their lot in life not only prevented (circumbscrib'd) them from doing good deeds (like those mentioned in Stanza 16) but also prevented (confin'd) bad deeds such as killing enemies to gain the throne and refusing to show mercy to people.   

 
Stanza 18

69. The struggling pangs of conscious truth to hide,  
70. To quench the blushes of ingenuous shame,  
71. Or heap the shrine of Luxury and Pride  
72. With incense kindled at the Muse's flame. 

Notes

(1) General meaning: This stanza continues the idea begun in the previous stanza, saying that the villagers' lot in life also prevented them from hiding truth and shame and from bragging or using pretty or flattering words (incense kindled at the Muse's flame) to gain luxuries and feed their pride. (2) Muse's flame: an allusion to sister goddesses in Greek and Roman mythology who inspired writers, musicians, historians, dancers, and astronomers. These goddesses were called Muses.  

 
Stanza 19

73. Far from the madding crowd's ignoble strife,   
74. Their sober wishes never learn'd to stray;  
75. Along the cool sequester'd vale of life  
76. They kept the noiseless tenor of their way.

Note

(1) General meaning: The villagers plodded on faithfully, never straying from their lot in life as common people. (2) Madding: maddening; furious; frenzied. (3) Noiseless tenor of their way: quiet way of life.  

 
Stanza 20

77. Yet ev'n these bones from insult to protect,  
78. Some frail memorial still erected nigh,  
79. With uncouth rhymes and shapeless sculpture deck'd,  
80. Implores the passing tribute of a sigh. 

Note

General meaning: But even these people have gravestones (frail memorial), although they are engraved with simple and uneducated words or decked with humble sculpture. These gravestones elicit a sigh from people who see them.  

 
Stanza 21

81. Their name, their years, spelt by th' unletter'd muse,   
82. The place of fame and elegy supply:  
83. And many a holy text around she strews,  
84. That teach the rustic moralist to die.

Notes

(1)Their . . . supply: Their name and age appear but there are no lofty tributes. (2) Unletter'd muse: Uneducated writer or engraver. (2) Holy text: probably Bible quotations. (3) She: muse. See the second note for Stanza 18. (4) Rustic moralist: pious villager.  

 
Stanza 22

85. For who to dumb Forgetfulness a prey,  
86. This pleasing anxious being e'er resign'd,  
87. Left the warm precincts of the cheerful day,  
88. Nor cast one longing, ling'ring look behind?

Note

General meaning: These humble people, though they were doomed to be forgotten (to dumb Forgetfulness a prey), did not die (did not leave the warm precincts of cheerful day) without looking back with regret and perhaps a desire to linger a little longer .  

 
Stanza 23

89. On some fond breast the parting soul relies,   
90. Some pious drops the closing eye requires;  
91. Ev'n from the tomb the voice of Nature cries,  
92. Ev'n in our ashes live their wonted fires.

Note

General meaning: The dying person (parting soul) relies on a friend (fond breast) to supply the engraved words (pious drops) on a tombstone. Even from the tomb the spirit of a person cries out for remembrance.   

 
Stanza 24

93. For thee [32], who mindful of th' unhonour'd Dead  
94. Dost in these lines their artless tale relate;   
95. If chance, by lonely contemplation led,  
96. Some kindred spirit shall inquire thy fate [33],

Notes

(1) For thee . . . relate: Gray appears to be referring to himself. Mindful that the villagers deserve some sort of memorial, he is telling their story (their artless tale) in this elegy (these lines). (2) Lines 95-96: But what about Gray himself? What if someone asks about his fate? Gray provides the answer in the next stanza.  

 
Stanza 25

97. Haply some hoary-headed swain may say,  
98. "Oft have we seen him at the peep of dawn  
99. Brushing with hasty steps the dews away  
100. To meet the sun upon the upland lawn.

Notes

(1) Haply: Perhaps; by chance; by accident. (2) Hoary-headed swain: Gray-haired country fellow; old man who lives in the region.   

 
Stanza 26

101. "There at the foot of yonder nodding beech  
102. That wreathes its old fantastic roots so high,  
103. His listless length at noontide would he stretch,  
104. And pore upon the brook that babbles by.

Notes

(1) Nodding: bending; bowing. (2) Listless length: his tired body. (3) Pore upon: Look at; watch.  

 
Stanza 27

105. "Hard by yon wood, now smiling as in scorn,  
106. Mutt'ring his wayward fancies he would rove,  
107. Now drooping, woeful wan, like one forlorn,  
108. Or craz'd with care, or cross'd in hopeless love.

Notes

(1) Wood, now smiling as in scorn: personification comparing the forest to a person. (2) Wayward fancies: unpredictable, unexpected, or unwanted thoughts; capricious or flighty thoughts. (3) Rove: wander. (4) Craz'd . . . cross'd: alliteration.  

 
Stanza 28

109. "One morn I miss'd him on the custom'd hill,  
110. Along the heath and near his fav'rite tree;  
111. Another came; nor yet beside the rill,  
112. Nor up the lawn, nor at the wood was he;

Notes

(1) Another came: another morning came. (2) Nor yet: But he still was not. (3) Rill: small stream or brook.  

 
Stanza 29

113. "The next with dirges due in sad array  
114. Slow thro' the church-way path we saw him borne.  
115. Approach and read (for thou canst read) the lay,  
116. Grav'd on the stone beneath yon aged thorn."

Notes

(1) The next: the next morning. (2) Dirges: funeral songs. (3) Lay: short poem—in this case, the epitaph below.

4.The Epitaph

117.  Here rests his head upon the lap of Earth  
118.  A youth to Fortune and to Fame unknown.   
119.  Fair Science frown'd not on his humble birth,   
120.  And Melancholy mark'd him for her own.   
121.  Large was his bounty, and his soul sincere,   
122.  Heav'n did a recompense as largely send:   
123.  He gave to Mis'ry all he had, a tear,   
124.  He gain'd from Heav'n ('twas all he wish'd) a friend. 

125.  No farther seek his merits to disclose,   
126.  Or draw his frailties from their dread abode,   
127. (There they alike in trembling hope repose)   
128.  The bosom of his Father and his God. 

Note

     General meaning: Here lies a man of humble birth who did not know fortune or fame but who did become a scholar. Although he was depressed at times, he had a good life, was sensitive to the needs of others, and followed God's laws. Don't try to find out more about his good points or bad points, which are now with him in heaven.   

Inversion

    

     .For poetic effect, Gray frequently uses inversion (reversal of the normal word order). Following are examples:

Line 6: And all the air a solemn stillness holds (all the air holds a solemn stillness)  
Line 14: Where heaves the turf in many a mould'ring heap (Where the turf heaves)  
Line 24: Or climb his knees the envied kiss to share. (Or climb his knees to share the envied kiss)  
Line 79: With uncouth rhymes and shapeless sculpture deck'd (deck'd with uncouth rhymes and shapeless sculpture)

Syncope

 
     Omitting letters or sounds within a word.

     Gray also frequently uses a commonplace poetic device known as syncope, the omission of letters or sounds within a word. 

The lowing herd wind slowly o'er the lea (line 2)  
Now fades the glimm'ring landscape on the sight (line 5)  
Save that from yonder ivy-mantled tow'r (line 9)  
The swallow twitt'ring  from the straw-built shed (line 18)

Figures of Speech

..Following are examples of figures of speech in the poem. 

Alliteration  

Repetition of a Consonant Sound

The plowman homeward plods his weary way (line 3)  
.  
The cock's shrill clarion, or the echoing horn (line 19)  
.  
Nor cast one longing, ling'ring look behind? (line 88)  
.  
Now drooping, woeful wan, like one forlorn (line 107)  
.  
Or craz'd with care, or cross'd in hopeless love. (line 108)