 The poem is not a conventional part of the Classical genre of <unk> elegy , because it does not mourn an individual . The use of " elegy " is related to the poem relying on the concept of <unk> rerum , or disquiet regarding the human condition . The poem lacks many standard features of the elegy : an invocation , mourners , flowers , and shepherds . The theme does not emphasise loss as do other elegies , and its natural setting is not a primary component of its theme . Through the " Epitaph " at the end , it can be included in the tradition as a memorial poem , and it contains thematic elements of the elegiac genre , especially mourning . But as compared to a poem recording personal loss such as Milton 's " <unk> " , it lacks many of the ornamental aspects found in that poem . Gray 's is natural , whereas Milton 's is more artificially designed . 
