MILIEU

During the eighteenth century, there were many authors that surfaced and made an impression in English literature. Over the generations, their works have endured, intrigued, and educated many. But of the various authors of this time, there was one man who could have been considered one of the most eminent. This man was Thomas Gray. Gray became well - known after his " Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard" was published on February 15, 1751.

Thomas Gray's "Elegy" can he thought of as a journey about life in general. This journey continued from 1742 through 1750. Memorable events helped shape the contents of the " Elegy." It was during 1742 that one of Gray's dearest friends, Richard West, died on June 1, 1742. This year was also the year he settled at Peterhouse College, Cambridge. During the summer of 1742, Gray went to visit his mother at Stoke Poges in Buckinghamshire. It is believed that this is the place where he began his work on the " Elegy."

While visiting Stoke Poges, Gray would leisurely stroll and intensely think. He would absorb all of the sounds and sights of the glorious countryside of England. It was here that part of his inspiration was gathered. The other part came while he resided in Cambridge, county of Cambridgeshire, England. Even though the progress of this piece will always remain uncertain, it is very clear as to where he wrote it.

Stoke Poges was a quiet area with beautiful surroundings. It was probably its serenity that attracted Gray to it. Cambridge would be considered almost urban when compared to Stoke Poges. The city of Cambridge, England was and still is rich with culture. It has some of the most breathtaking churches and buildings that date back to medieval times. The University of Cambridge at Peterhouse College is where Thomas Gray stayed. The university itself has an extensive and full history. Men like Erasmus, who brought the knowledge of the Renaissance, and King Henry VIII, who was the founder of Trinity College, added to Cambridge's history.

As stated before, Gray probably began writing the"Elegy" during 1742 and ended it in 1750. In the course of this time, there were numerous events that occurred that steered England through a path of political and social reform. One of the major figures during this time was a man by the name of Sir Robert Walpole. Walpole happened to be the principle minister to King George III. In 1742 Walpole was forced to resign his positions of first lord of the treasury and chancellor of the exchequer. This was because of the way he treated the war the English were having with Spain. This episode ended with the Spaniards falling because they were in a state of disorder and confusion.

In 1745, Walpole died. Prior to his death, Walpole was upset over the English's entanglement in the War of the Austrian succession. This war took place between Friedrich, or Frederick the Great, of Prussia and Maria Theresa, queen of Hungary. England was one of the supporters of Hungary. The English and her allies kept losing battle after battle. In the end, the English were defeated by the French who were allies of Prussia.

In this weak period for England, a group known as the Jacobites tried one more time to replace the house of Hanover with the last, and supposedly the best, of the Stuarts. The young man's name was Charles Edward Stuart. He was also known as Bonnie Prince. Stuart decided to take advantage of England's vulnerable state. He was able to become the head of a decent army after capturing Edinburgh, and with this feat, the Highlands found a new kind of confidence. In September of the same year, Stuart and his army were able to gain another victory at Prestonpans.

It seemed as if England would be an easy target for an attack. The rebels were able to reach Derby without any major conflicts. It was not long before the government began to recall the veterans and mercenaries from the Continent. An army of the English that was well-equipped and well-disciplined barricaded the way south. It was then that the Highlanders fell back on Scotland. The English, under the command of one of George II's sons, the duke of Cumberland, were not far behind.

The concluding conflict of the Stuart cause took place on the dreary and dismal moor of Culloden. It was April 16, 1746, and this would be where Stuart's dream ended. After the struggle, Stuart fled to France. The English redcoats did all they could to locate him but were unable to. He got away and led a good life. Eventually, he died in Rome in 1788. The English managed defeat that rebellion in 1745, annihilated the culture of the Highlands, and started to refine them and tried to incorporate them into mainstream society.

This was just a sample of the political turmoil that plagued England during this time. Even with all of these events taking place, the English managed to divert their minds and develop new ways of improving society. Their quest for enlightenment was the strongest during the first half of the eighteenth century. Gray began writing the "Elegy" in the midst of the Age of Reason. The general public at this time followed very rigorous rules. They managed even to "tame" Shakespeare.

In addition to this, they had rules that dictated the way gardens should be pruned and the way people must behave when they are present at social gatherings. This community referred to themselves as the Augustans, appropriately named after the Roman Emperor Augustus. The majority of society at this time felt that their Puritan and Cavalier ancestors were savage in nature, and they beg What they were the first assembly of refined Englishmen. While the Augustan age thrived, it left a strong impression.

Scientific ideals were quite prevalent now. The public thought that, through reason, they could discover the natural laws of society and foresee the progress it makes. They were inspired by Newton and impressed when he discovered the natural laws of the cosmos and was able to announce in advance its process. The thought of progress, the idea of reason, and the concept of natural laws enraptured the minds of this society.

But science and its many aspects was not the only thing that people became interested in. Old values still existed when it came to the new leaders of England. They still practiced the time-honored standards of chivalry and courtliness. This hindrance was quickly defeated at the coffee houses in England. Here, the middle class and the aristocrats could mingle. The new type of attitude that was born from this union was called gentility.

At the same time the society was being cultivated, the middle class was amazing itself and the universe with its ability to amass wealth. Innovative inventions escalated the production of cloth in the North and potteries in the West. Farming techniques became more sophisticated. These were among the various changes taking place in England at the time. English society, it seemed now more than ever, became enthralled with improving their culture and its abilities to keep up with the ever changing world.

Slowly, everything started to become industrialized little by little. All the attention went from the countries to the towns. The upsetting thing was that it looked like the rich were getting richer and the poor were getting poorer. Although the middle class was the dominant class, the wealthy and needy walked on the same streets. The rich, most of the time, showed no compassion, and they seemed to treat the poor as if they did not exist.

The aforementioned conditions defined the struggles and triumphs of England. Much of Gray's "Elegy" appears to have been written with all of the chaotic social conditions taken into consideration. Gray was effective in conveying the thoughts that were concealed inside the cognizance of just about every Englishman. He revealed their notions about their history, traditions, and their Anglican spirituality. He examined the English's ideas about the . breathtaking countrysides. This was just leading to a deeper message that Gray was trying to share. This poem did not exclusively speak of the dead. It allows the reader to participate in the wisdom of thinking about them. The theme of this cogitative and eloquent piece is that the effect of death can be a reminder of the unity of the human species and, of course, the unity of these species with nature. As mentioned earlier, this time in the eighteenth century was a time of progress and enlightenment. The social classes were very recognizable.

Gray points out that these labels of what social class a person belongs to are, finally, superficial. One's abilities, delicacy, love of knowledge, and death are part of the human existence and ignore the fleeting barricades that are set up by provisional wealth and power. Gray felt disheartened because the poor were restricted in their ability to grow and share their many talents. There is a conflict between the values of education and refinement and those of rustic severity. He does take comfort in knowing that all of the differences will be effaced by death. This piece immediately brought Gray critical and popular praise. This was his most recognized poem and was the poem that elevated him to new heights. Because the response to the "Elegy" was tremendous, Gray's works that followed would be thoroughly scrutinized. The "Elegy" became the representative poem of its epoch. He displayed his feelings about death and man's inability to sometimes look beyond the materialistic.

It is quite clear that Gray wanted to delve into the minds of his fellow Englishmen and make them think about whatis really important in life, not the superficial things like money and popularity. It was rather the emotions and vast wisdom everyone possesses, but not everyone had the opportunity to use. This poem made people reflect and has been acknowledged as a distinguished piece of literature. It has stood the test of time because of its universal appeal.

Click the following to sample some paintings of the period:

Stock Market by Joseph van Aken

Dr. Johnson in the Ante-room of the Lord of Chesterfield Waiting for an Audience by Edward Matthew Ward

Mr. & Mrs. Andrews by Thomas Gainsborough

Whitehall and the Privy Garden from Richmond House by Canaletto

London