1. The two Greek words combined to make the title are "thanatos", meaning death, and "opsis", meaning sight. The meanings of these words contribute to the poem in that they make the reader realize that the poem is talking about looking past the "obstacle" of death, to truly see the beauty of one's surroundings.
2. To shroud is the act of covering or concealing, and it relates to the poem in that death shrouds, or blinds us from being aware and appreciating that which is around us. A pall is anything that shrouds, relating to the poem in that death is a pall to us. The narrow house is another word for the grave. This word relates to the poem because it refers to a person dying and being placed in a grave, or narrow house, and becoming one with nature. Similar to a narrow house, a sepulcher is also a grave, tomb, or burial place, relating to the poem by the mention of someone dying and being buried. Overall, these words contribute to the poem by uniting death with comfort and nature.
3. In my opinion this poem is about life because, although it talks about death, it's main purpose is to remind the reader of their inevitable and impending end, and to persuade them to truly enjoy and appreciate life while they have it.
4. The tone of the first part of the poem is one of coldness, sorrow, and mourning as it speaks about someone dying and leaving behind the beauty of nature. The tone shifts at line 31 to a tone of hope and joy as the realization is made that when one dies they do not die alone, but with all the others who have passed, and they are not leaving the beauty of nature, but becoming one with it.
5. An elegy is a poem of deep reflection on topics of sorrow, death, loss, and other sad subjects. Thanatopsis meets these conventions as most of the poem speaks about death and departing from the world which has been so full of care and beauty, indicating immense sorrow and loss.
6. The extravagant descriptions of the different aspects of nature in the poem are similar to a painting. Images of tree roots piercing the ground, green meadows, and continuous woods are created in the poem. A landscape of the beautiful and wondrous features of nature is created in the poem.
7. The poem uses a variety of old words such as thou and thee. The poem is a Romantic poem in that it is full of emotion and depicts the beliefs of the author clearly. It is a Calvinist poem in that it shows a direct relationship between humans and nature through emotional and spiritual mediums.
