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- DictionaryEl·e·gy/ˈeləjē/
noun
- 1. a poem of serious reflection, typically a lament for the dead.
- 2. (in Greek and Roman poetry) a poem written in elegiac couplets, as notably by Catullus and Propertius.
Learn the difference between elegy and eulogy, two words that may be used to express sorrow or praise for the deceased. Find synonyms, examples, word history, and related articles for elegy.
- Elegy Definition
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- Why Do Writers Choose to Write Elegies?
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What is an elegy? Here’s a quick and simple definition: Some additional key details about elegies: 1. Because elegies focus on the emotional experience of the poet, they are generally written in the first person. 2. Typically, elegies end on a somewhat hopeful note, with the poet reconciling him- or herself to the death, and ultimately discovering ...
Elegy: "The Wanderer"
This is an Old English poem by an unknown author, translated here into modern English. The poem, written in the voice of a wanderer who was once a nobleman but was forced out of his homeland by war, is an elegy in the broader sense of a "serious, meditative poem" rather than a lament for the dead. It is about brokenness, loss, and the passage of time, rather than about any one person's death in particular.
Tennyson's "In Memoriam"
The following oft-quoted stanza is from Alfred Lord Tennyson's "In Memoriam," perhaps the most famous elegy of all time. This excerpt is yet another demonstration of the tendency in elegy to seek, through the writing of the poem, a sense of consolation in grief.
Wordsworth's "Elegiac Stanzas"
The full title of this poem by the Romantic poet William Wordsworth is "Elegiac Stanzas Suggested by a Picture of Peele Castle in a Storm, Painted by Sir George Beaumont." The poem was supposedly written in the wake of Wordsworth's brother's death. In keeping with the poem's form of elegiac stanzas, the rhyme scheme is ABAB and the meter is iambic pentameter.
Unlike the classical traditions of epic poetry or medieval ballads, both of which use the third person to focus on figures from popular mythology and folklore, elegies are a deeply personal form of poetry that typically make use of the first person to emphasize the private emotional experiences of individuals. Elegies are a wonderful example of the...
The 19th century Swiss composer Louis Niedermeyer set Lamartine's elegy Le Lacto music, capturing the doleful spirit of the form.Learn what an elegy is, how it evolved from ancient to modern poetry, and how to recognize its features and functions. Explore examples of elegies by Catullus, Ovid, Gray, Milton, and others.
An elegy is a poem of lamentation or a reflective lyric on human mortality. Learn about the different types and conventions of elegies, from classical to modern, with examples from various poets.
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Elegy is a form of poetry natural to the reflective mind. It may treat of any subject, but it must treat of no subject for itself; but always and exclusively with reference to the poet. As he will feel regret for the past or desire for the future, so sorrow and love became the principal themes of the elegy.
An elegy is a poem that reflects on death or loss and expresses mourning, sorrow, or lamentation. Learn about the origin, structure, and common themes of elegy, and see examples from famous poets such as Whitman, Gray, and Shelley.
An elegy is a poem of mortal loss and consolation, often written in response to the death of a person or group. Learn about the origin, form, and elements of the elegy, and read some famous examples by Auden, Celan, Whitman, and others.
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An elegy is a poem that mourns the death of a person or event, often with a consoling tone. Learn about the history, features, and types of elegies, and read some famous examples by Milton, Tennyson, Whitman, and others.
