What is the primary purpose of an elegy?

The primary purpose of an elegy is to express sorrow or lamentation. Elegies are traditionally written in response to the death of a person, reflecting on loss, mourning, and the deep emotional impact that follows. They serve as a means for the poet or speaker to articulate grief and to honor the memory of the departed. This form of poetry embodies a sense of reflection on the transient nature of life and the feelings associated with loss, making the expression of sorrow central to its objective. Through imagery, tone, and personal reflection, elegies convey the depths of sadness and mourning, which is why expressing sorrow is the core purpose of this genre.