An Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard by Thomas Gray (Lines 1 to 12)

An Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard by Thomas Gray

About the Poet

Thomas Gray was born in 1716 and died in 1771.

He was an English poet, who dominated the mid eighteenth century. He is also considered to be the precursor of the Romantic Movement in English poetry that began with the arrival of William Wordsworth and S.T. Coleridge.

थॉमस ग्रे का जनम 1716 (१७१६) में और उनका देहांत सं  1771 (१७७१) में हुआ थाl  वे एक महान कवी थे अठारहवीं शताब्दी के मध्य काल तक छाये रहे l उन्हें रोमांटिक मूवमेंट का precursor  माना जाता था और उनके पीछे पीछे ही विलियम वर्ड्सवर्थ तथा स टी कॉलरिज जैसे  के महान कवी अंग्रेजी साहित्य पटल पर आ रहे थेl

 He was a classical scholar and a professor at Cambridge University. Some of his important works are: ‘Ode on the Spring’, ‘Sonnet on the Death of Mr. Richard West’, ‘Hymn to Adversity’ and ‘Ode on a Distant Prospect of Eton College’.

वे एक क्लासिकल विद्वान और कैम्ब्रिज यूनिवर्सिटी में प्रोफेसर थे l

उनके महत्वपूर्ण कार्य हैं: ‘Ode on the Spring’, ‘Sonnet on the Death of Mr. Richard West’, ‘Hymn to Adversity’ and ‘Ode on a Distant Prospect of Eton College’.

About the Poem

The poet was inspired to write this poem at his close friend Richard West’s death in 1742. The poem was published in 1751. It is considered to be Gray’s best poem and it was quoted for his skilful use of language and the universal appeal of the poem’s theme.

कवी अपने एक घनिष्ट मित्र के देहांत यानि मौत पर बहुत ही दुखी हैं और इसी कारण वे इस कविता को लिखते हैं l उनके दोस्त की मृत्यु १७४२ में हुई थी और यह कविता १७५१ में छपी थी l इस कविता को थॉमस ग्रे की सर्वोत्तम कविता माना जाता है l इस कविता को भाषा के कुशल प्रयोग के लिए और इस कविता की सार्वभौमिकता यानि यूनिवर्सल अपील के लिए भी सराहा गया हैl

It is an elegy in which the poet He mourns not only the death of the poor and humble villagers, but the rich also. While appreciating this elegy, Dr. Johnson said, “It abounds with images that find a mirror in every heart.”

यह एक शोक कविता यानि Elegy है जिसमें कवी न केवल गरीब लोगों की मृत्यु पर अपितु अमीर लोगों   की मृत्यु पर भी अपना शोक प्रकट करते हैंl डॉक्टर जोंसन ने इस कविता की प्रशंशा करते हुए कहा था की इस कविता में इमेजेज ही इमेजेज हैं जिनको  प्रत्येक व्यक्ति के दिल  के आईने में देखा जा सकता हैl

The poem is written in four-line stanzas with abab rhyme scheme and it gives the poem a considerable pace. We find the poet in a country churchyard and is in pensive (thoughtful/meditative) mood.

कविता चार पंक्तियों के stanzas लिखी गयी है जिसकी राइम स्कीम है ए बी ए बी l यह राइम स्कीम इस लम्बी कविता को गति प्रदान करती हैl जैसे ही कविता आरम्भ होती है, हम कवी को उदास मुद्रा में देहात की एक churchyard  में बैठा हुआ पाते हैं l

Stanza-wise Explanation:

Lines 1 to 4

The curfew tolls the knell of parting day,
The lowing herd wind slowly o'er the lea,
The plowman homeward plods his weary way,
And leaves the world to darkness and to me.

Let’s discuss the word meanings first:

Word-meanings: 1. Curfew: the church bell that announces the end of the day i.e. evening 2. Toll: ring 3. Knell: the bell that is usually rung at the funeral procession of a person 4. Parting day: evening time 5. Lowing: the sound created by domestic animals like cows 6. Plowman: farmer 7. Homeward: towards home 8. Plod: to walk in the way that shows the person is tired 9. Lea: meadow, pasture or grassy land

Explanation: As we know the poet is sitting in a country churchyard and he is in thoughtful mood, he gives a very minute detail of what is going on around him. We come to know that the ringing sound coming from the church bell announces that the day is over. The cattle are coming back to their shelters from the meadows.

जैसा कि हमें ज्ञात है कि कवी इस वक़्त देहात की किसी चर्च यार्ड में बैठे हुए हैं और अपने विचारों में खोये हुए हैं l कवी हमें आसपास मौजूद वातावरण के बारे में बहुत ही बारीकी से जानकारी दे रहे हैं l हमें पता चलता  कि चर्च की घंटी यह घोषणा कर रही है कि दिन समाप्त हो गया है  और शाम का वक़्त आरंभ हो चूका है l पशु हरे भरे घास के खेतों या मैदानों से वापिस अपने घरों की तरफ आ रहे हैंl

They are producing a lowing sound while moving in a tired way. The plowman (farmer) is also plodding on (moving slowly as if tired) his way to home. With the disappearance of the cattle and the farmer from the scene makes the poet and the whole surrounding world in darkness.

पशु थके थके से मंद गति में चलते हुए रम्भा भी रहे हैं l लोविंग साउंड का अर्थ होता गाये, बैल या भैंस आदि का रम्भाना l एक किसान भी अपना हल लिए थका थका सा भरी क़दमों के साथ धीरे धीरे अपने घर कि तरफ बढ़ रहा हैl तत्पश्चात पशु और किसान अपने घर पहुँच जाते हैं और कवी को चर्चयार्ड में बैठे हुए अपने अकेलेपन का एहसास होता है l कवी आसपास देखता है कि देखता है कि तमाम दुनियां को जहां अन्धकार ने अपनी काली चादर के साथ ढक लिया है l

[We already know that the sun has set and the gloom is spreading everywhere at a quicker pace.] हमें पहले से ही ज्ञात है कि सूरज छुप चूका है और अन्धकार अपनी तीव्र गति से वातावरण को अपना ग्रास  बनता जा रहा हैl

Lines 5-8

Now fades the glimm'ring landscape on the sight,
And all the air a solemn stillness holds,
Save where the beetle wheels his droning flight,
And drowsy tinklings lull the distant folds;

Word-meanings: 1. Fades: disappears 2. glimm'ring: shining in a dim light/flickering 3. Landscape: natural scene 4. Sight: scene 5. Solemn: serious 6. Stillness: quietness/calmness 7. solemn stillness: the quietness that makes one feel serious. It is an example of consonance, a poetic device in which more than one words in close proximity (near) begin with the same consonant sound 8. Beetle: an insect (see the pic) 9. Wheels: moves making a circle 10. droning flight: the act of flying that produces buzzing sound 11. drowsy tinklings: the light sounds produced by the bells that hung around the necks of the cows that are moving homewards now 12. Lull: to make someone feel serious and drowsy 13. distant folds: area at a distance

Explanation:  The natural scenery around the poet is losing its brightness due to the darkness that is engulfing it at its own natural pace. There spreads a serious quietness in the air everywhere except at a few places mentioned by the poet. The poet watches a beetle that is flying in a circling way creating buzzing sound.

प्राकृतिक दृश्य धीरे धीरे अपनी चमक खो रहे हैं क्योंकि अन्धकार अपनी तीव्र गति के साथ चरों ओर फैलता जा रहा है l  एक या दो स्थानों को छोड़ कर, जिनका ज़िक्र कवि करता है, हर तरफ गहन सन्नाटा छाया हुआ है l सर्वप्रथम कवि हमें बीटल नमक एक परिंदे के बारे में बताते हैं कि वह घूम-घूम कर एक चक्र बनाता हुआ तथा ghuun-ghun  की ध्वनि पैदा करता हुआ उड़ रहा हैl

There is also another sound that is spreading drowsiness. It is being created by ringing of the bells hung around the livestock at a distant barn or shelter.

वातावरण में एक और आवाज़ आ रही है जो वातावरण में सुस्ती पैदा कर रही है l यह आवाज़ दूर खेतों में स्थित खलियान या बाड़े ( शेड्स ) में बंधे पशुओं के गले में बंधी घंटियों के बजने से आ रही है l पशु जब घास खा रहे होते हैं तो उनकी गर्दने हिलती हैं और उनके के गले में बंधी घंटियों के हिलने से घंटियां बजती हैंl

Lines 9 to 12

Save that from yonder ivy-mantled tow'r
The moping owl does to the moon complain
Of such, as wand'ring near her secret bow'r,
Molest her ancient solitary reign.

Word-meanings:1.  ivy-mantled tow'r: The tower covered with ivy (an evergreen plant)   2. moping owl: unhappy owl   3. bow'r: shade of a tree 4. ancient solitary reign: Ancient means very old; solitary means lonely, the place where no one comes ; reign here means area.  4. Yonder : there

What does the phrase ‘ancient solitary reign mean here?

Ans. Actually, an owl prefers to live in lonely places. Graveyard is the suitable place for such creatures. The use of the word ancient shows that the owl has been living here for a very long time.

उल्लू अक्सर एकांत व् सुनसान स्थान पर रहना पसंद करते हैंl  ऐसे पक्षियों के लिए ग्रेवयार्ड यानि कब्रगाह व   शमशान अदि स्थान उपयुक्त मने जाते हैंl उपरोक्त पंक्ति में ancient   शब्द का प्रयोग यह दर्शाता है कि उस स्थान पर उल्लू एक लम्बे अरसे  से रह रहा हैl

That is why it considers its right to live alone there. It is like his kingdom. It does not tolerate any intrusion in its kingdom. This is the reason why the owl is sad.

l इस लिए वह उस जगह पर अकेला  रहना अपना अधिकार समझता है l यह उसका साम्राज्य है l वह अपने साम्राज्य में किसी भी प्रकार की घुसपैठ   सहन  नहीं करता l क्योंकि  कवि ने उल्लू के साम्राज्य में घुसपैठ की है, इस  कारण वह निराश हैl

Explanation of the full stanza: The poet is explaining that there is a dead silence in the church graveyard except a few sounds coming from here and there. In the previous stanza he described the buzzing sound of a beetle and the light ringing sound of bells tied around the livestock.

कवि व्याख्या देते हैं कि कुछ एक आवाज़े जो इधर उधर से आ रही हैं, उन्हें छोड़ कर चर्च की ग्रेवयार्ड में घोर सन्नाटा छाया हुआ है l पिछले स्टैंज़ा में कवि ने दो आवाज़ों का ज़िक्र किया था, एक आवाज़ थी बीटल नमक एक परिंदे की और दूसरी आवाज़ थी पशुओं के गले में बंधी घंटियों के बजने की, जो दूर स्थित खलियान या पशुओं के शेड से आ रही थी  ,

 Another sound he describes here is that of an owl/ It is hooting in a silent moonlit night. But the poet gives extra meanings to this simple incident. First he creates an image of a tower (that is surely of the church nearby) covered in ivy. The poet has used ‘ivy-mantled tower’. It means the tower that has worn a mantle (a dress like a cloak) of ivy. Thus the tower seems to be personified.

उन दो आवाज़ों के अतिरिक्त कवि एक और आवाज़ का यहाँ ज़िक्र करते हैं और वह आवाज़ है उल्लू की

चांदनी रात में उल्लू हूटिंग करने में व्यस्त है l यह एक साधारण घटना है परन्तु कवि अपनी पोएटिक कला से इस साधारण घटना में कुछ और अधिक अर्थ प्रदान कर देते हैं l सर्वप्रथम वे एक टावर की तस्वीर   शब्दों के माध्यम से बनाते हैंl निस्सन्देह यह टावर उस चर्च का ही है, जिसे सदाबहार नमक बेल ने अपने पत्तों से ढक लिया है  l इसी कारण कवि ने 'मैंटलेड टावर' वाक्यांश का प्रयोग किया हैl कवि यहाँ पर पर्सोनिफिकेशन के माध्यम से इस चित्र को सजीव कर देते हैं और ऐसा प्रतीत होता है जैसे कि टावर ने हरे रंग का एक चोगा (क्लॉक) पहन रखा है l

The owl has also been personified and shown to the reader as if he is not happy at the presence of the poet in his secret and solitary place. So the poet imagines that the owl is complaining to the moon against the intrusion. The presence of the moon in the sky makes the atmosphere more gloomy and eerie.

कवि ने उल्लू को भी पर्सोनिफाई किया है l कवि को लगता है कि उल्लू को वहां पर कवि की  उपस्थिति यानि मौजूदगी पसंद नहीं है l कवि कल्पना करता है कि उल्लू अपनी हूटिंग के द्वारा चन्द्रमा से कवि के विरुद्ध शिकायत दर्ज करवा रहा है l इस तरह से उल्लू की हूटिंग होना , टावर का बेल से ढका   हुआ होना और चारों और चाँद की चांदनी का होना , ये कुछ ऐसे इमेजेज हैं जो वातावरण को अत्यधिक उदास  और रहस्यमयी बना रहे हैंl

The presence of the owl also adds something more to the atmosphere. The use of the word ‘molest’ is powerful here. It means the owl is not quite happy at the presence of the poet there. The owl condemns it in stronger terms by complaining to the moon that his secret solitary place has been molested by the poet.

उल्लू की उपस्थिति भी वातावरण में एक अजिबियत और रहस्य पैदा कर रही है l कवि द्वारा मोलेस्ट शब्द का प्रयोग अधिक प्रभावी है , ऐसा प्रतीत होता है कि कवि ने उल्लू के साम्राज्य को मोलेस्ट किया है क्योंकि उस टावर में उल्लू के रहने का वह एक गुप्त स्थान था l इस लिए उल्लू बार बार हूटिंग करके अपनी कड़ी शिकायत चद्र्मा के सामने दर्ज कर रहा है यह कहते हुए कि उस के गुप्त एवं एकांत स्थान को कवि ने मोलेस्ट किया हैl

1. The Third Level Writer: Jack Finney (For Class XII:( HBSE)

1. The Third Level

Writer: Jack Finney

Story in a nutshell:

The story moves in the modern times and the period of 1890 or something. The main character in the story is Charley, a man of 31 years.

He often travels to his place of working through the subway (passageway) of Grand Central Station. Here, there are only two levels from where the trains leave for different destinations. The time tables and railway officials mention only these two levels.

But one day, Charley discovers a third level, which is quite different from the other two levels. Here people have dressed themselves in the manner used by the people in 1890s. Tickets are bought in the old currency of that period. The modern currency is not valid there. The engines of the trains are the old locomotives of that old time. One can travel from here to anywhere in the United States.

Charley wants to buy two tickets for Galesberg from here. But Charley did not have the old currency of the 1980s with him. The booking clerk did not accept the modern currency from him. So the other day, Charley managed to get some old style currency to buy two tickets for Galesberg, one for his wife and the other for himself. Then he goes to the Grand Central Station. But he finds no third level there. Here the story ends. Thus we find the story moving round a fantasy and reality.

Short_Answer Type Qs

Q1. How does Jack Finney describe the Grand Central like the roots of a tree?

Ans. Jack Finney describes the Grand Central is growing like a tree. He finds new corridors and staircases coming out in front of him. He compares them to the roots of a tree, which are often invisible.

Q2. Describe four unusual things which Charlie finds at the third level?

Ans. Everything was quite different at the third level for Charlie. The room was smaller. There were fewer ticket windows. The lights were dim and flickering because they were open-flame gas-lights. There were brass spittoons on the floors.

Q3. Describe the men at the third level as seen by Charlie in his reverie.

Ans. The people Charlie saw in his reverie were dressed in the old style of the year 1890-something. They wore derby hats and four buttoned suit with small lapels. Men had beard, side-whiskers and mustaches.

Q4. Why was Charlie not able to purchase tickets from the third level? How did he manage to purchase them?

Ans. Charley was unable to purchase tickets from the window because he had modern currency. It was invalid as old style bills were accepted at the booking window. The next day Charley managed to get old style bills to purchase two tickets.

Q5. What is the first day cover. Elaborate it.

Ans. When a new stamp is issued, the stamp collectors buy some. They use them on envelopes, write their own addresses and post them into the mailbox. They also put a blank paper inside the envelopes. It is done on the first day of the sale of the new stamps. They keep the date-stamped envelope in record.

Q.6. How did the psychiatrist friend react to his description of the third level at the Grand Central Station?

Ans. His friend, Sam did not believe it and said that it was the product of his imagination only. He called it a waking dream wish fulfillment.

Q.7.  How does the writer defend himself at the allegation of escaping in fantasy by way of stamp collecting?

Ans. The writer defends himself from the allegation of escaping from the real world. He admits that it is a temporary refuse from reality. He adds that his grandfather was also in the habit of collecting stamps. Life was peaceful and without much problems. There was no need of escaping from real life in those days.

Q.8. What proofs does the writer get that Sam is living in Galesberg in 1984?

Ans. The envelope mailed to Charlie’s grandfather was showing July 18, 1894. A note was also written by Sam, admitting his arrival at Galesberg through the third level. He also invited Charlie and his wife Louisa to reach there.

Q9.Do you think the third level was a medium of escape for Charlie?

Ans. The third level was really a medium of escape for Charlie., who was also a victim of stressful life of the modern age. People get themselves lost in the world of their imagination by various means of escape. Stamp collecting is one of them. The person.

Long Answer-type Qs.

Q1. How often did Charlie get lost at the Grand Central Station?

Ans. One day Charley worked for more time at office. So he was late for home. So he took the subway from the Grand Central to reach the second level of it. From there he was to catch a train. He started walking quickly. He reached the second level. But, all of a sudden, he lost his way there. He entered a corridor that had a left turn. It was also slanting somewhat downwards. It was like a tunnel. He met no one on the way. There was dead silence. Even he could hear the sound of his own footsteps. Then the corridor took a sharp left turn. After coming down a flight of stairs he reached the third level of the Grand Central Station.

Q2. What unusual things did he notice there at the third level? How was it different from the other two levels?

Ans. Everything was quite different at the third level for Charlie. The room was smaller. There were fewer ticket windows. The lights were dim and flickering because they were open-flame gas-lights. There were brass spittoons on the floors. Everything there at the third level was old and belonged to the eighteen-ninety-something. Nothing was there which could be called belonging to the modern times. The furniture at the third level was of ancient time.  A man was using an old type of watch which he kept in his vest pocket. The dresses of the men and women were also of very old style. He also saw an old type of engine. It was a locomotive with a funnel shaped chimney. Old-style bills were accepted there. He could not purchase tickets as he had modern type of bill.

Q3. ‘The modern consumerist world is full of fear, insecurities, stress and wars.’ What are the ways in which we try to combat them? Answer with reference to The Third Level.

This is a fact that we live in a world that is full of fear, insecurities, stress and wars. Charley is the product of the same kind of world. Charley must have been a victim of stress and anxiety. That’s why, unknowingly he developed          a habit of slipping in to the world of the third level. He must have had a dormant (hidden) desire of such a platform from where one could go anywhere in the U.S.A. That was the reason he wished to purchase two tickets for Galesberg. So one day his waking dream wishful thinking got materialized in his reverie (day dream).

There are many ways to combat (fight) these types of stress. People can do creative writing and lose themselves in imagination. They can enjoy the beauties of nature. They can make several hobbies like listening to music, dancing, painting and gardening. But they should not become habitual of non-desirable habits like drinking wine and taking drugs or intoxicants.