“The Bard. A Pindaric Ode” by Thomas Gray is a poem which has been carefully constructed to examine the idea of nationhood. Gray sought to explore the idea that there had been an ancient British state within the poem’s narrative, and the importance of Wales in that ancient nation. He uses several techniques to try and create a sense of shared history through the poem, despite it being entirely fictional. In order to give “The Bard” literary standing, and thus provide an effective platform