Thomas Gray's “Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard” presents death as a physical finality that can rob its victims of their potential and also as a universal experience that happens to everyone. Finally, death is an escape from pain and an entry into Heaven.

Thomas Gray glorifies common men in his "Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard" by emphasizing their equality with the wealthy in death and celebrating their simple, honest lives. He portrays the toil and joys of common people positively, contrasting these with the transient advantages of the rich, such as power and beauty, which are lost at death. Gray's message is that in the end, the simple lives of the common man are more honorable than the deceitful lives of the rich.

In "Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard," the line "Full many a flower is born to blush unseen" means that many people's talents will never be appreciated because those people live and die in obscurity, just as beautiful desert flowers may bloom without being observed.

In "Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard," the speaker reflects on the people who are lying in death in the churchyard, and as he tries to honor them in their death, he wonders what someone else might think about and say when he is dead. He imagines what a future poet will say about him and then writes his own epitaph.

The former life of the villagers buried in the churchyard is described as modest and simple, marked by unfulfilled political and artistic potential due to lack of education and poverty. Their talents, compared to hidden gems or flowers blooming unseen, remained wasted and undeveloped. Despite their lack of power, they led moral lives, removed from the corruptions of city life, deserving homage for their simplicity and integrity.

In "Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard," “For who to dumb Forgetfulness a prey" refers to common people, who are prone to be forgotten when they die. It is these commoners whom Gray commemorates in his poem.

These lines from stanza 31 of "Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard" describe the speaker’s desired epitaph. Gray envisions himself as generous and sincere, rewarded by heaven with ample resources and honesty from others. He empathized with those in misery, offering them tears, and in return, gained friendships. The stanza underscores the value of living a compassionate life, which yields deeper rewards than fame or wealth.

In "Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard," the poem suggests that death is the great equalizer between the poor and the rich. Both are ultimately laid to rest in the same earth, and their social distinctions become meaningless. The poem reflects on the universal nature of mortality, indicating that in death, all human beings are equal regardless of their life’s status.

In stanza 17 of "Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard," the lack of fame and opportunity for the humble is a blessing as it limits their potential for wrongdoing. While they are denied greatness, they are also spared the moral corruption often associated with the pursuit of power, such as committing crimes or acting mercilessly. This aligns with the Christian notion that the meek are blessed, as they maintain virtue through their humble circumstances.

Two eminent personalities mentioned in "Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard" include John Milton and Oliver Cromwell. These allusions contribute to the theme of fame versus obscurity.

The speaker imagines what the humble people buried in the country churchyard might have become if they'd had the opportunity in "Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard". He uses a series of analogies that begin in general terms, comparing them with great rulers and musicians. He then goes on to make more specific comparisons with three of the greatest men of his day: John Hampden, who was a parliamentary leader who defended the people; John Milton, who stood up against the abuses of Charles I; and Oliver Cromwell, military leader and Lord Protector of England. The speaker suggests that one might have left an even greater mark on history than any one of these men.

In "Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard," the speaker claims that after death, the deceased lose the warmth of the hearth, the care of loved ones, and familial interactions. They also miss out on everyday activities like farming and wood chopping. Gray suggests that all earthly glory and importance are lost forever, as "the paths of glory lead but to the grave," indicating that death equalizes all, regardless of social status or achievements.