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- A short poem intended for (or imagined as) an inscription on a tombstone and often serving as a brief elegy. See Robert Herrick’s “Upon a Child That Died” and “Upon Ben Jonson”; Ben Jonson’s “Epitaph on Elizabeth, L. H.”; and “Epitaph for a Romantic Woman” by Louise Bogan.
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An epitaph (EP-ah-taf) is a short statement, often a poem or other brief written inscription, that commemorates or memorializes a deceased person. The word epitaph was first used in English in the mid-14th century, meaning “inscription on a tomb or monument.”
Jan 13, 2017 · Some of the most memorable literary epitaphs are also the briefest, and remain witty, moving, or memorable – or all three – thanks to this brevity. Here, then, are ten of the finest short literary epitaphs that commemorate the lives, and deaths, of ten great writers. William Shakespeare.
In its simplest form, an epitaph is a short lyric written in memory of someone who has died. Sometimes, epitaphs serve as elegies.
Jun 27, 2019 · An epigraph is one of those little quotations you see at the beginning of a novel or, say, a T. S. Eliot poem. The epigraph to Anna Karenina is from the Bible: “Vengeance is mine; I shall repay.”
- I. What Is An Epitaph?
- II. Examples of Epitaphs
- III. The Importance of Using Epitaphs
- IV. Examples of Epitaphs in Literature
- V. Examples of Epitaphs in Pop Culture
- VI. Related Terms
- VII. in Closing
An epitaph is a short statement about a deceased person, often carved on his/her tombstone. Epitaphs can be poetic, sometimes written by poets or authors themselves before dying. The phrase epitaph comes from the Greek phrase epitaphiosmeaning “funeral oration.”
Epitaphs can speak of the live of the deceased, of spirituality and mortality, or of something else entirely. Here are a few common examples of epitaphs:
Epitaphs provide those who have passed with a poetic or memorable inscription for those who visit the deceased to remember them by. For those who choose their own epitaphs, they are a way of sending one final and lasting message. For those who create epitaphs for the deceased, they are a way of remembering what was most important about the deceased...
Example 1
This brief but telling epitaph can be found on Robert Frost’s grave, an excerpt from his poem “The Lesson for Today.”
Example 2
Scott Fitzgerald’s epitaph immortalizes the final line of his novel The Great Gatsby.
Example 3
Edgar Allan Poe’s epitaph, albeit brief, still conveys his chilling fascination with death in reference to his poem “The Raven.”
Pop culture is also a rich source for epitaphs, as epitaphs of the famous are some of the most interesting. They range from serious and honorable to witty and surprising:
Epitaphs are not the only ways of commemorating a remarkable person. Here are a few similar devices:
The written word in all forms serves to memorialize what is important to the writer, and oftentimes, this memorialization is a way of combatting mortality. We record what we can before we go, and then we’re gone. Epitaphs allow us to remember those who have passed in their own words and in the words of those left behind as well.
Nov 1, 2023 · Epitaphs in literature are succinct and often poignant inscriptions that serve multifaceted roles within the realm of literary expression. These short texts can be found in a wide array of literary forms, including poetry, prose, and drama.
Definition of Epitaph. In literature, an epitaph is a short written tribute in poetry or prose in memory of a deceased person. The more common definition of epitaph is that of the inscription on a tombstone. Epitaphs may be written by anyone, including the deceased person him- or herself, in preparation for an impending death.
