Thomas Gray's Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard: Choose Your Text!

Now that you've read a couple of relatively unknown poems from the later C18, we'll have a look at one of the sturdiest "Survivors": Thomas Gray's "Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard."

There are several different formats in which you can read this poem.

You can find a PDF of the very first edition ever (published in 1751) by clicking here.

Gray tinkered a little with the poem, though, after its initial publication. If you want to see his final, definitive, version of the poem (published in 1768), click here.

If, on the other hand, you would prefer not to have to read around the s's that look like f's, and you'd like some footnotes to help you, you can click here for an authoritative modern edition of the poem.

Alternatively, if you're have the textbook for 209, you may be able to find it there.

Whichever version of the poem you choose, you must bring a hard copy to class. Please note that the 1751 first edition and the 1768 final edition are both PDF files, which can be printed two or four pages per sheet in order to save paper (the dialogue box that opens when you hit the "print" command will give you the option of "multiple sheets per page"). It's not a bad idea to number the stanzas on your printout--that way you'll be able to locate your spot easily in class discussion.

If you run into trouble with any of those links, please let me know!