Thomas Gray

Biography

Thomas Gray was born with London, and lived with his mother after his separation of his father who was violent. He made his studies with Eton College, and became student, initially with Peterhouse, then with the Pembroke College of Cambridge. During its studies, it became acquainted with Horace Walpole, which accompanied it during its voyage by formation in Europe. Such a voyage was of habit for wire of the easy families at the end of their studies.

Gray passed most of its life like student to Cambridge and it is only much later that it started to travel. Although it was one of the least prolific poets (all its works published of alive sound do not reach the 1000 lines), it was, more still than William Collins, the prevalent figure of the middle of the 18th century. In 1757, it refused the title of poet prize winner which was offered to him. In 1768 it succeeded Lawrence Brockett as professor Regio of history in Cambridge, a Sinécure.

Works

Elegy written in a cemetery of countryside

The most famous work of Gray, Reduced written in a cemetery of countryside ( Elegy Written in has Country Churchyard ) composed in 1751 probably in the cemetery of Stoke Poges, became an important part of the English literary inheritance. It is always one of the most quoted poetries of the English language. It is told that before delivering the Bataille of the Plains of Abraham, the British general James Wolfe recited this poetry with his soldiers, adding “Sirs, I would have preferred to write this poetry to take Quebec tomorrow” .

Gray succeeded in combining the traditional forms and poetic diction with new topics and modes of expression, and can thus be regarded as one of the precursors of the romantic rebirth . The Élégie was immediately noticed for its beauty and the poets of the École of the cemetery were thus named for their compositions written according to the form of the poetry of Gray.

Other works

Thomas Gray wrote also poetries lighter as Ode one the Death off has Favorite Cat, Drowned in has Tub Gold Fishes off (Ode with died of a favorite cat, drowned in a red fish bottle), where it offered morals that the cat (death while trying to fish red fish in their bottle) was to learn that “all that glitters is not gold”.

Ode one the Death off has Favorite Cat, Drowned in has off Tub Gold Fishes (1748)
Elegy Written in has Country Church-yard (1751) off
The Fatal Sisters (1761)
The Descent Odin (1761)

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External bonds

'' The Thomas Gray Files ''

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