Shakespeare Is Turning In His Narrow Cell

(We are discussing Thomas Gray’s “Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard.” The teacher reads out the stanza ending ‘Each in his narrow cell forever laid/The rude forefathers of the hamlet sleep.’)

Teacher: “What is Gray writing about in this stanza?”

(She ignores my raised hand and calls on a student near the rear of the class, a student not noted for his brilliance.)

Teacher: “[Student], what is Gray writing about in this stanza?”

Student: “Well, I guess he’s writing about the graveyard.”

Teacher: “Very good, [Student]! How did you know that?”

Student: “Well, it says ‘the rude forefathers of the hamlet sleep,’ and I remember Hamlet got killed!”