A comparison of Thomas Gray's elegy written in a country churchyard and Bryant's ThanatopsisThomas Gray and William Cullen Bryant chose both of writing about the intertwining of nature and death. Because Thomas Gray lived in a time of social injustice, he chose to use death to illustrate the problems inherent in a socially stratified society. William Cullen Bryant, on the other hand, lived in a young, rapidly expanding nation that loved vast amounts of untouched nature and used death to illustrate how man fits into the universal truth of the earth. However, both men believed that death made all men equal as all went to their final resting place in the bosom of Mother Nature. While Gray's "Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard" presents itself as a social commentary on the English peasantry and Bryant's "Thanatopsis" serves as a catalog of American Romantic beliefs, both believe that nature must be listened to, that death makes all men equal, and that man returns to nature after death. To compare how the poems' minor themes are similar, one must first understand the differences in the major themes. "Elegy" differs a lot from "Thanatopsis" because they come from very different times and countries. Gray wrote "Elegy" in 18th century England after the death of one of his friends. Influenced by English Romantics such as Gray, Bryant, who spent much of his time in nature, wrote "Thanatopsis" in praise of nature's splendor. The "elegy" initially appears to be exclusively about death, but emerges as a social commentary on the plight of the poor. Gray first explains how ordinary people reveled in the simple life of working the fields and enjoying their families while "Chill Penury" kept them from gr... middle of paper... Brady, Frank. "Structure and Meaning in Gray's Elegy" Thomas Gray's elegy written in the churchyard of a country church. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1987. 7-17.Carper, Thomas. "Grey's Personal Elegy" Elegy of Thomas Gray written in a country churchyard. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1987. 39-50. Lonsdale, Roger. "Poetry of Thomas Gray: Versions of the Self" Elegy by Thomas Gray written in a country churchyard. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1987. 19-38. McLean, Albert. William Cullen Bryant. New York: Twayne Publishers, Inc, 1964. 65-81.Smith, Eric. "Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard" Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard by Thomas Gray. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1987. 51-67.Peckham, Harry Houston. Gotham Yankees. New York: Russell and Russell, 1971. 31-35.

Topic > A comparison of Thomas Gray's elegy written in a country churchyard and Bryant's ThanatopsisThomas Gray and William Cullen Bryant chose both of writing about the intertwining of nature and death. Because Thomas Gray lived in a time of social injustice, he chose to use death to illustrate the problems inherent in a socially stratified society. William Cullen Bryant, on the other hand, lived in a young, rapidly expanding nation that loved vast amounts of untouched nature and used death to illustrate how man fits into the universal truth of the earth. However, both men believed that death made all men equal as all went to their final resting place in the bosom of Mother Nature. While Gray's "Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard" presents itself as a social commentary on the English peasantry and Bryant's "Thanatopsis" serves as a catalog of American Romantic beliefs, both believe that nature must be listened to, that death makes all men equal, and that man returns to nature after death. To compare how the poems' minor themes are similar, one must first understand the differences in the major themes. "Elegy" differs a lot from "Thanatopsis" because they come from very different times and countries. Gray wrote "Elegy" in 18th century England after the death of one of his friends. Influenced by English Romantics such as Gray, Bryant, who spent much of his time in nature, wrote "Thanatopsis" in praise of nature's splendor. The "elegy" initially appears to be exclusively about death, but emerges as a social commentary on the plight of the poor. Gray first explains how ordinary people reveled in the simple life of working the fields and enjoying their families while "Chill Penury" kept them from gr... middle of paper... Brady, Frank. "Structure and Meaning in Gray's Elegy" Thomas Gray's elegy written in the churchyard of a country church. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1987. 7-17.Carper, Thomas. "Grey's Personal Elegy" Elegy of Thomas Gray written in a country churchyard. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1987. 39-50. Lonsdale, Roger. "Poetry of Thomas Gray: Versions of the Self" Elegy by Thomas Gray written in a country churchyard. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1987. 19-38. McLean, Albert. William Cullen Bryant. New York: Twayne Publishers, Inc, 1964. 65-81.Smith, Eric. "Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard" Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard by Thomas Gray. New York: Chelsea House Publishers, 1987. 51-67.Peckham, Harry Houston. Gotham Yankees. New York: Russell and Russell, 1971. 31-35.