Elegy by Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe
The poem is a lamentation of the transience of life and beauty. It explores the themes of mortality, loss, and the passage of time. The speaker reflects on the fleeting nature of human existence and the inevitability of decline and death. The poem also touches on the idea that even in death, there can be a kind of beauty and transcendence.
By Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe · First published 1774 · Genre: Lyric Poetry, Elegy, Romanticism · 1,349 words
First lines
When man had ceased to utter his lament,
A god then let me tell my tale of sorrow.
What this Textopian page supports
Elegy is listed on Textopian as a poem by Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe, dated 1774 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe
- Date: 1774 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Lyric Poetry, Elegy, Romanticism, Philosophical Poetry, Spiritual Poetry
- Length: 1,349 words
- Structure: 1 section, 69 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
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- Work identity for Elegy by Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe
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Discussion starters
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Similar titles
- To A Poet That Died Young by Edna St Vincent Millay
- Lines Written Beneath An Elm In The Churchyard Of Harrow by Lord Byron
- Finale by Madison Cawein
- To A Sexton by William Wordsworth
- Tis Said That Some Have Died For Love by William Wordsworth
- Impromptu by Thomas Gray
Genres
- Lyric Poetry — The work expresses deep personal emotions and reflections, characteristic of lyric poetry.
- Elegy — The poem mourns loss and reflects on themes of love and longing, fitting the elegiac form.
- Romanticism — The themes of nature, emotion, and individual experience align with Romantic ideals.
- Philosophical Poetry — The exploration of existential themes and the nature of love and life indicates a philosophical approach.
Tags
Poem · Elegy · Mourning · Loss · Grief · Nature · Solitude · Reflection · Philosophy · Existentialism · Human Condition · Death