Question

In “Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard,” to whom do the following lines refer? Each in his narrow cell forever laid, The rude forefathers of the hamlet sleep a. the townspeople asleep in their beds b. dead members of the community in their graves c. prisoners in the town jail d. townspeople who died in prison

Answer 1

b. dead members of the community in their graves , this is the correct option.

Thomay Gray, a XVIII English poet, is contemplating the situation: the source of inspiration of his poem ,"Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard". Through this elegy, he will lament death but the villagers' death mainly. "The rude forefathers of the hamlet ......", this line refers to the simple ancestors from the town, who are the poor villagers. These are buried in the churchyard: " narrow cell forever laid...// ...sleep.."

The following options are wrong:

a. the townspeople asleep in their beds . The poet uses metaphorical language  ; he uses the word "sleep" to mean dead.

c. prisoners in the town jail . The poet uses the word "cells" metaphorically to mean graves. He also uses the word "rude" to mean simple.

d. townspeople who died in prison. Same explanation as above.