How to Write an Elegy
An elegy is a poem of mourning, loss, and remembrance. It moves through grief toward consolation or acceptance, honoring the dead while meditating on mortality itself.
Traditional Structure
Classical elegies follow three movements: lament (expressing grief), praise (celebrating the deceased), and consolation (finding meaning or acceptance). Modern elegies may compress, rearrange, or subvert these stages.
Famous Elegies
- “Lycidas” by John Milton
- “In Memoriam A.H.H.” by Alfred, Lord Tennyson
- “Funeral Blues” by W. H. Auden