Thanatopsis Analysis

1. Thanatos means death and opsis means sight. It contributes to the meaning of the poem by the literal interpretation of death and that whenever death saddens someone, their supposed to take a look outside and see that it will come, but hoping that nature will comfort them.

2. shroud-a cloth or sheet in which a corpse is wrapped for burial
   pall-a cloth, often of velvet, for spreading over a coffin, bier, or tomb
   narrow house-grave
   sepulcher-a tomb, grave, or burial place
   All of these words further increase the importance of the impact of death on the poem. They are words that signify death and everything about it. It shows that death is the main idea/theme, even though it's not supposed to seem like a bad thing in the poem.

3. The poem is highlighting the fact that we will all die someday, but is about life. This is because, even though the poem talks about death a lot, Bryant also mentions that nature would, essentially, soothe the worries of death. This puts life into focus and is basically telling people to enjoy life because one day everyone has to die.

4. The tone is bright in the first part of the poem. This is because Bryant is talking about nature and the hope that it brings. The tone shifts at about the time Bryant talks about the "Old Ocean" and waste. This changes the tone to a slightly sadder tone because, at that point, Bryant starts talking only about death; however, Bryant doesn't talk about death in a bad way, because he still talks about some form of hope.

5. Elegy-a mournful, melancholy, or plaintive poem, especially a funeral song or lament for the dead
Conventions of an elegy mean that an elegy is supposed to move from saddness to consolation, but not necessarily happiness.
Thanatopsis: all about nature

6. Thanatopsis descrides elements of nature in vivid detail, making it seem visible to the reader. The poem paints the landscape of a valley with a river flowing through it.

7. This poem is a Romantic piece because of the way it uses abstract elements to convey human emotions. It is a Calvanist piece because of the way it describes religious aspects of nature. This poem is a historical piece because it reflects the beliefs during the Romantic era.