Elegy

The term “Elegy” comes from ancient Greek and Latin poetry. In those times, it meant any poem written in a special rhythm called elegiac metre, not just sad poems. These poems could be about love, loss, or serious thoughts. But over time, the meaning of the word changed.

Today, an elegy usually means a poem that mourns someone’s death. It is often written to remember a friend, a loved one, or even a famous person. The poem is serious, thoughtful, and often ends with some comfort or hope.

One of the most famous elegies in English is John Milton’s “Lycidas” (1637). In this poem, Milton mourns the death of a young poet. He follows the style of pastoral elegy, where both the poet and the dead person are imagined as shepherds. Many poets copied this style after Milton.

A pastoral elegy is a special type of elegy. It has a few key features:

  1. The poet calls on the Muses or other mythological beings.

  2. Nature joins in the mourning.

  3. The speaker blames spirits or gods for the death.

  4. Other “mourners” appear in the poem.

  5. The poet asks about fate or justice.

  6. Flowers or symbols are brought to honor the dead.

  7. The poem ends with a message of comfort or hope.

Examples of pastoral elegies:

  • “Adonais” by Shelley (for Keats)

  • “Thyrsis” by Arnold (for Arthur Hugh Clough)

  • “Astrophel” by Spenser (for Sir Philip Sidney)

Tennyson’s “In Memoriam A.H.H.” (1850) is also a famous elegy. It is a long poem written after the death of his close friend Arthur Hallam. It shows deep grief and spiritual hope.

Walt Whitman’s “When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom’d” (1865) is an elegy for President Abraham Lincoln. W. H. Auden’s “In Memory of W. B. Yeats” (1939) is another example, written to honor the great poet.

Not all elegies are about a specific death. Some are sad poems about life’s pain, change, or the passing of time. One famous example is Thomas Gray’s “Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard” (1751). In this poem, Gray reflects on the lives of unknown village people who are buried in the churchyard.

Other forms related to elegy:

  • A dirge is a short, simple poem or song of mourning.

  • A threnody is another word for a dirge.

  • A monody is an elegy spoken by one person, often with deep personal sorrow.

Some elegies are even written in prose—they may talk about lost traditions, a past way of life, or youth fading away.

In short, an elegy is a serious, thoughtful poem that expresses sorrow, usually for someone who has died. It may also explore the sadness of life or the pain of growing old.

REFERENCES:

Abrams, M. H. A Glossary of Literary Terms. 7th ed., Harcourt Brace College Publishers, 1999.

Baldick, Chris. The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Literary Terms. 2nd ed., Oxford University Press, 2001.



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