Question

In Grey's "Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard", the speaker wonders about the potential accomplishments of those buried in the churchyard. What does the speaker imagine for these men?

Answer 1

In Thomas Gray's "Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard" the speaker imagines that the people buried there were once humble and unknown villagers, whose lives might have been full of rich promises. However, the speaker suggests that, in the end, the rich and the poor are alike: "And all that beauty, all that wealth e'er gave, Awaits alike th' inevitable hour. The paths of glory lead but to the grave."