Graveyard Poets

 

The Graveyard poets (also known as Churchyard poets) were a group of 18th-century English poets who wrote about death, mortality, and the afterlife. They were influenced by the Enlightenment, which emphasised reason and logic. They also drew on the traditions of medieval religious poetry and folk ballads. Their poems often featured dark and gloomy imagery, such as skulls, coffins, and worms. However, they also explored the themes of hope, redemption, and the beauty of nature. Here, I shall examine the Graveyard poets and their works. 

Origin of graveyard poetry 

The graveyard poetry began in the mid-18th century. It was a time of great social and political change in England. The Industrial Revolution was beginning to transform the landscape. The traditional rural way of life was disappearing. This led to a growing sense of anxiety and uncertainty about the future. The graveyard poets responded to this anxiety by writing about death and mortality. They saw the graveyard as a place where people could come to contemplate their own mortality and to find comfort in the knowledge that they are not alone. 

Graveyard poetry is important because it discusses death. It is something that all readers can relate to. Everyone will eventually have to face their mortality and the graveyard poets addressed it without any reservation. 

Themes of Graveyard Poetry

As we could guess by the name, the most prominent theme of Graveyard poets was Death. They were fascinated by death and the afterlife. They often wrote about the physical process of decay, as well as the spiritual implications of death.

Another theme widely explored by graveyard poets is the fleeting nature of life. The graveyard poets were aware of the shortness of life. They often wrote about the importance of living each day to the fullest and making the most of one's opportunities.

They also wrote about the beauty of nature. They often found beauty in the natural world, even in the midst of death. They wrote about the beauty of the countryside, the stars in the sky, and the flowers in the meadow. 

Graveyard Poets and their Works 

There are roughly 15 graveyard poets, but not all of them are well-known. Some of the famous graveyard poets include Thomas Gray, Thomas Parnell, Robert Blair, and Edward Young. 

Edward Young is considered to be one of the first graveyard poets. He is best remembered for “Night-Thoughts”, which is a long poem, using blank verse, presenting a gloomy meditation on death and afterlife. It was published in nine parts, from 1742 to 1745. In here poet ponders the loss of his wife and friends. He is the first graveyard poet to achieve widespread fame.  

“Procrastination is the thief of time”.

Another popular graveyard poet is Thomas Gray. He was a self-critical writer who published only 13 poems in his lifetime. In 1757, he was offered the position of poet laureate, but he declined. His, “Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard”, is perhaps the most famous graveyard poem of all. It perfectly captures the mood and atmosphere of the graveyard, as well as the poet's preoccupation with death. This poem is considered to be one of the greatest poems in the English language. It is a thoughtful and moving meditation on death, loss, and the meaning of life. 

Robert Blair was a Scottish poet. He only published 3 poems. His reputation rests entirely on his poem, “The Grave”. It is a long and complex poem that explores the nature of death and afterlife in great detail. Many different themes are presented in this poem, but the most prominent theme is accepting human mortality. It presents the idea that no matter how high up someone rises in life, everyone ends up in the ground. It is a humbling and depressing perspective on life. 

Thomas Parnell was a younger contemporary of Young and Blair. His poem, “Night-piece on Death”, is another well-known graveyard poem. It uses the imagery of the night to explore the fear and uncertainty of death. This poem expresses the hopeless idea that our lives are too short to hold any sort of meaning.

The Influence of Graveyard Poetry

The graveyard poets had a significant influence on English poetry. They helped to popularize the theme of death in poetry. They also influenced the development of the Romantic movement. The Romantic poets, such as William Wordsworth and Samuel Taylor Coleridge, were drawn to the graveyard poets' emphasis on the beauty of nature and their exploration of human emotions. The graveyard poets are also recognised as founders of Gothic Literature.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the graveyard poets were a significant group of English poets who helped to shape the course of English poetry. Their poems explored the themes of death, mortality, and the afterlife in a way that was both thought-provoking and moving. They influenced a number of other poets, including the Romantic poets. Their work continues to be read and enjoyed today.

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