The phrase “elegy” is a mournful, melancholic, or plaintive poem, sometimes composed to lament the demise of an individual or to meditate on a solemn theme. A well-known instance is Walt Whitman’s “O Captain! My Captain!” written for Abraham Lincoln.
Elegies serve a significant cultural perform, offering a structured outlet for grief and facilitating communal mourning. They provide solace and catharsis for each the author and the viewers, remodeling private loss into shared expertise. The shape dates again to historical Greece and has advanced via numerous literary durations, reflecting altering cultural attitudes towards demise and remembrance.
