The leaves have all fallen leaving not one single leaf; what remains is the sturdy roots of the oak tress. However, the oak trees appear very sad and lonely because they have withered from the long and dark winters. The trees are dead just like the dead in the graveyard. Even the Abbey that stands tall appears as if it is losing its will to stand. The gravestones have eroded from weather conditions and appear wilted. It has taken a lot of wear and tear of the years as have the trees. All around there is death. All that can be seen is the aura of death. Despite this, there is a glimmer of hope. There are a couple of people walking toward the Abbey. Perhaps, they are planning to modernize the fading Abbey and the surrounding oak trees. The sun that is rising over the dark Abbey and oak trees provides a sense that not all hope is lost, that past death there is life and happiness that awaits. Although Casper David Frederick’s painting is very dark and gloomy and seems to reference death all around as a theme, there seems to be an underlying message that everything will turn out fine. The contrast between the bottom half and the top half shows that even though there is darkness, there is also light. The light peeping through and the people walking through the Abbey provides a sense that there will be hope and glory.