An elegy is a sad poem expressing grief for someone who has died. Analyzing its literary elements, historical context, and setting can help understand its deeper meaning. Line-by-line analysis can lead to an understanding of the relationship between the speaker and the subject mourned.
An elegy is a sad poem expressing grief, usually for someone who has died. It usually has a melancholy or nostalgic tone and is reflective in nature. As with other types of poetry, there are many elements that need to be analyzed to form a complete picture of the elegy’s purpose and the deeper meaning behind it. While literary study, like elegy analysis, requires using clues from text to form opinions, it is not an exact science because interpretations often vary from person to person, depending on who is synthesizing the information. Analysis of the elegy is best done by reading the entire poem several times to form an overall interpretation of the poem.
Before they can complete an accurate reading of an elegy, readers should peruse the poem carefully, making sure to look up the meaning of any unfamiliar words and the story behind any unfamiliar or obscure allusions contained in the elegy. Familiarizing yourself with all the words and phrases and conducting some in-depth reading are key to making sure the poem is understood because, in theory, every word or phrase in a poem should have meaning. After gaining a basic understanding of the elegy, a fuller reading of the poem can be made by focusing on various elements and the overall effect and meaning of the elegy.
The historical period in which the elegy was written and any resemblance to the author’s life or major events of the time can be important in finding the deeper meaning in an elegy. The context in which an elegy was written can be extremely important to its meaning in some cases. Other elegies can stand alone without depending on their historical context or on the life of their author, who is sometimes and sometimes not the elegy’s speaker.
In elegy analysis, the setting of the elegy as described in the poem is usually an important element because this can illuminate the person, or other event, being mourned and the intended purpose and audience. Determining the point of view in which the poem is presented and who is also its speaker are integral to understanding the deeper meaning behind the elegy. The characterization portrayed by the speaker of the mourner is also crucial for an effective analysis of the elegy. The literary elements included, such as figures of speech, metre, word choice, tone and imagery must be examined in terms of what effect they add to the overall elegy.
While thinking about these individual literary elements and the elegy as a whole, conducting an in-depth analysis — line by line, verse by verse, and generally — can help readers understand the meanings and themes captured in the elegy. This analysis can also lead to an understanding of the relationship and feelings between the speaker and the subject mourned in the elegy. After readers have developed their own analysis and summary of the elegy, it can be helpful to read published critical analyzes of the elegy and share their insights with others to compare thoughts.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
