Question: How does Gray glorify the common men?
Introduction
Thomas Gray (1716 – 1771) is a leading English poet. ”Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard” (1751) is the best poem in his 13 poems. This is an elegy. Common people have been glorified here.
The process of glorified of common men
The poet sets urban people in contrast to common people. Common men have been glorified here by the possibility of being great personality and simplicity of leading life by the poet.
More Notes of Poetry
The simplicity of the country life
By the simplicity of the country people, the poet glorifies them. The poet means to say that country people lead their life in the situation of poverty. On the other hand, urban people lead their life in the situation of luxury. The poet says common people have no ambition, disdainful smile, the pomp of power, etc. but they have homely joys and simple annals.
The possibility of being a great personality
The poet, further, glorifies them by the possibility of being a great personality. He means to say that if common people had been given chance, some of those could have been great personality. He mentions Hampden, Milton, and Oliver Cromwell to glorify them. Most of the people in the rural side are poor. They lead their lives in low income. These people never kill others to get power. They are not ambitious and so they could happily fulfill their humble wishes.
Conclusion
To sum up, Common men are not criminal for anything. They speak the truth and work hard.
