Final answer:
An elegy is a form of dignified poetry that expresses feelings of grief and mourning due to a death.
Step-by-step explanation:
An elegy is a form of dignified poetry that expresses feelings of grief and mourning due to a death. It is a poem that laments over the deceased and often includes listing their virtues and seeking consolation. Elegies are considered public poems that contrast the customs of death in a particular culture with the private emotions of the speaker.
For example, William Wordsworth wrote the elegy 'Extempore Effusion upon the Death of James Hogg' to commemorate the poet James Hogg's passing. The elegy reflects Wordsworth's sorrow and admiration for Hogg's work.