Question

In your own words, explain how the poet’s description of trees, beetles, flowers, pastures, and a sunset affects the tone and conveys the central theme of the poem "Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard."

Answer 1

Answer: With his description of nature during a typical evening, Thomas Gray contrasts the images of life with those of death.

Explanation:

The poem "Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard" by Thomas Gray deals with various themes, the most important of which is death. Death is presented as inevitable - it awaits all of us, whether we are rich or poor, high or low. The very setting of the poem gives it a somber tone - the creatures in the woods head towards their shelters, the farmer returns home with the herd. The speaker describes the trees under which country people rest in peace. The tone of the poem is melancholic, which perfectly portrays the theme of death. The image of the farmer and the animals which return to their rest is contrasted to that of the dead buried in the churchyard, which indicates that death is as natural as life.