What is an elegy in literature ? characteristics of elegy/what is the concept of elegy ? 

What is an elegy in literature? 

        An Elegy is a poem of lamentation over some loss separation and death. From the ancient times, elegy has always been a favorite form of poetic expression to deal with most inanimate human feeling and sorrow. In the old English period, elegies have been written by anonymous poets on various subjects, such as the death of a master , the ruin of city, the loss of a companion or the separation of man and wife. But as time rolled on, elegy has become somewhat narrow in its scope.

What is the theme of the Elegic poem ?what is the concept of elegy ?

    In the elegic poem the poet express feeling of sorrow over some of loss , separation and death  In the old English period, elegies have been written by anonymous poets on various subjects, such as the death of a master , the ruin of city, the loss of a companion or the separation of man and wife. But as time rolled on, elegy has become somewhat narrow in its scope.

    As we read the best of the elegies we find certain patent feature's of this form of lyrical poetry. -

 characteristics of an elegy

        i.) An elegiac poetry generally begins with an invocation to the muse , the goddess of poetry. In this part of the poem, the poet seeks heavily inspiration to sing a fitting song to express his innermost feelings of sorrow and despair at the death of some dear and near one or some friend.

        ii.) In the middle part of the poem, the poet recollects his life long association with his lost friend or relative. The poet catalogues the details of how he passed time in company of the lost one.

        iii.) The poet goes to depict how nature also feels sad at the death of his friend or near one and how much loss it is to the society.

        iv) The poet turns to philosophical questions related to the death of his friend or relative. He calls in question the validity of the death brought about by fate and be also puts question on justice of such an untimely death.

        v.) However sorrow full the poem is it contains an optimistic note towards the end of the poem where the poet conjectures that his lost friend will certainly be remembered by the future generation, and that his departed soul will find a permanent place among the stars and will ever be bright. Thus, the poem ends with a note of Christian consolation.

Example of elegy 

    Some of the elegy writes followed the tradition of the Roman poet 'Theocritus'  adopted the guise of a shepherd lamenting the death of another shepherd in the lap of nature. This form of Elegy is called pastoral elegy. Milton's 'Lycidas' is an example of pastoral elegy. Other forms of elegy are Thomas Grays, an elegy on the country churchyard , Shelley's, 'Adonais' [Keats] . 

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