Final answer:
An elegy is a poem expressing sorrow over someone's death, often touching on their virtues and the broader cultural context of grief. A heroic-elegiac poem combines the narrative of epic heroism with elegiac lament.
Step-by-step explanation:
Definition of Elegy and Heroic-Elegiac Poem
An elegy is a poem that serves as a lament for the deceased, capturing feelings of sadness and loss. Mark Strand and Eavan Boland define an elegy as a poem that mourns for a dead person, enumerates his or her virtues, and seeks solace beyond the momentary incident. It reflects not just personal grief, but also the broader cultural practices associated with death. In the poem “Elegy for Wilt the Stilt”, poet William Heyen commemorates the passing of basketball legend Wilt Chamberlain, symbolizing the change in ‘God’s fortunes in heaven’ triggered by his death.
A heroic-elegiac poem, on the other hand, combines the features of an elegy with the narrative scope of epic poetry. It usually deals with the themes of heroism within the context of mortality, reflecting both on the heroic deeds and the transient nature of life, often within a noble or mythological framework.
Why Tolkien Considered Beowulf a Heroic-Elegiac Poem
J.R.R. Tolkien regarded Beowulf as a heroic-elegiac poem because it elegantly intertwines the commemoration of heroic deeds with a profound sense of elegiac lament. Beowulf epitomizes the characteristics of a traditional hero, demonstrating the Anglo-Saxon virtue of “arete” or excellence, whilst simultaneously reflecting on the inevitability of death and the end of heroic ages. It straddles the line between glorifying the hero's accomplishments and examining the sorrow of loss, resonating with the duality of epic and elegiac poetry. The use of heroic measure in its meter further establishes its standing within the elegiac tradition while emphasizing the narrative's grandeur.