Question

From “Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard” by Thomas Gray The boast of heraldry, the pomp of power, And all that beauty, all that wealth e’er gave, Awaits alike the inevitable hour. The paths of glory lead but to the grave. What element of Neoclassical poetry is demonstrated in the images and phrasing of this Pre-Romantic stanza?

Answer 1

I strongly believe that this is Didacticism

Answer 2

The element of Neoclassical poetry demonstrated in the images and phrasing of this stanza from Thomas Grays's "Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard" is life of common folk displayed in this stanza through personification.

Personification is defined as the attribution of human traits and features to non-human beings or objects. In this stanza, "boast" and "pomp" are human characteristics. "Boast" is attributed to heraldry - the coat of arms that represented old, aristocratic dynasties - and "pomp" - the meaningless, ostentatious display of ceremony - is attributed to power.

With these personifications, Gray is impliying that all the pride that comes from belonging to an aristocratic family, all the empty and ostentaious celebration of a position of power, and all the beauty and wealth are awaiting for the inevitable time of death. This poem does not mourn a famous or noble figure, but those unknown people buried in the churchyard. In this stanza, Gray remarks the futility of noble ancestry, power, human aspirations and wealth, since death awaits us all.