What Is an Elegy? | Meaning, Definition & Examples

An elegy is a somber poem or song, typically one that mourns the loss of someone who has died. Its purpose is to express feelings such as grief and sorrow, pay tribute to the dead, and offer consolation.

Elegy meaning

An elegy is a serious poem or song focusing on themes of loss and grief. While it usually mourns the death of an individual, it can be about anything that belongs to the past, like an era, an idea, or a relationship

Elegies are not solely about expressing sadness; they are contemplative poems reflecting on the inevitability of death and the nature of human life.

The meaning of the term “elegy” has evolved over time. In ancient Greece, an elegy was a form of verse written in a specific metrical form and accompanied by the flute. These elegies covered various topics such as love, war, death, and politics.

Similarly, in Latin poetry, elegies were often centered on the author’s love affairs or drew from mythology. However, in modern English literature, an elegy has come to signify any mournful poem or song, regardless of the meter or rhyme scheme.

Elegy characteristics

Contemporary elegies deal with loss and consolation. Very often, they share some common characteristics:

• First-person perspective. Elegies typically use the first person. This is because they are written in response to personal grief or metaphysical sadness, as a way for the writer to process their own emotions.
• Thematic development. Modern elegies generally follow a specific narrative arc. They start with the writer expressing grief or sadness, then move on to praising the dead, and finally arrive at a consolatory conclusion about the inevitability of human impermanence.
• Reflection. Elegies not only express grief but also reflect on the meaning of grief. They employ various literary devices to reflect on loss and consolation, such as the use of metaphors like “eternal sleep” or “rest” to symbolize death.

In short, an elegy is a meditative poem that explores feelings of loss and sadness to come to terms with them and offer consolation.

Elegy vs eulogy

The terms “elegy” [eh-luh-jee] and “eulogy” [yoo-luh-jee] can sometimes be confused because they both relate to loss and sadness. However, they denote two different things:

• An elegy is a poetic form expressing sorrow and melancholy, usually for someone who has died. In a broader sense, an elegy can be any work that mourns the loss of something or someone no longer present in one’s life.
• A eulogy, on the other hand, is a speech praising someone who has died, usually as a part of a funeral oration. The speech typically reflects on the life of the deceased, as a way to pay tribute to their character and achievements.

In other words, an elegy is a sad poem or song, while a eulogy is a funeral speech commemorating someone’s life.

Elegy examples

Walt Whitman’s “O Captain! My Captain!”, written to commemorate the recently assassinated Abraham Lincoln, employs an extended metaphor comparing the United States to a ship.

Sometimes, literary works other than poetry can be described as elegies due to their reflective and contemplative tone.

Frequently asked questions about elegy

What makes “The Seafarer” an elegy?

“The Seafarer” is often categorized as an elegy due to its mournful tone and themes of sorrow and loss. The Old English poem, narrated in the first person, details the speaker’s hardships and solitude at sea while lamenting the loss of friends and the life left behind. It also follows the typical structure of an elegy—lament, reflection on the dead or lost, and consolation.

What is an example of elegy?

An example of elegy is the poem “Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard” by Thomas Gray.

Instead of focusing on the death of a particular person, the poem reflects on the lives and deaths of ordinary people in general. The poet contemplates death and remembrance while standing in a rural graveyard. He wonders how different the lives of those buried individuals might have been if they had been born into privilege. However, he ultimately concludes that all humans face the same fate, regardless of wealth and power, and also reflects on his own mortality.

What is the difference between an elegy and a eulogy?

The words elegy [eh-luh-jee] and eulogy [yoo-luh-jee] are both connected to loss and death; however, there is a difference between the two.

• An elegy is a serious meditative poem, typically written to pay tribute to a deceased individual or to reflect on human mortality in general.
• A eulogy, on the other hand, is a speech given at a funeral. It is always about a specific person, and its purpose is to honor them by remembering their achievements and character.

In short, an elegy is a poetic expression of mourning, while a eulogy is a speech typically delivered at a funeral to honor the deceased.