Who penned "Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard"?

• A. Thomas Gray
• B. Samuel Taylor Coleridge
• C. Alfred Lord Tennyson
• D. John Clare

Answer: (A)

Thomas Gray wrote "Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard." Published in 1751, the poem meditates on mortality and the quiet lives of ordinary people buried in a rural churchyard. It’s written in elegant heroic couplets—paired rhymed lines in iambic pentameter—giving it a calm, reflective rhythm. The opening image of the curfew tolling the parting day sets a mood of solemn contemplation and raises questions about fame, memory, and who truly leaves a lasting mark. This combination—the author, the era, and the distinctive formal style—nails down Gray as the writer. The other poets listed are associated with different works and periods, so they don’t fit this piece.