Question

"Into the darkness they go, the wise and the lovely. Crowned
With lilies and with laurel they go; but I am not resigned."
Which form of poetry would the afore-mentioned lines be classified as? Choose the most appropriate answer.

• A. Pastoral
• B. Elegy
• C. Ode
• D. Lyric

Hint:

When classifying a poem, look for the dominant theme. If the central theme is death, mourning, or loss, the poem is most likely an elegy. Think of famous examples like Milton's "Lycidas" or Gray's "Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard."

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
The question asks to classify a given poetic excerpt into the most suitable poetic form based on its tone and subject matter. The lines are from Edna St. Vincent Millay's "Dirge Without Music."

Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Let's analyze the content of the lines:
\[\begin{array}{rl} \bullet & \text{The phrase "Into the darkness they go" is a euphemism for death.} \\ \bullet & \text{The poem speaks of "the wise and the lovely" who have died.} \\ \bullet & \text{The speaker expresses a sense of grief, loss, and a refusal to accept this fate ("but I am not resigned").} \\ \end{array}\] This combination of mourning, reflection on death, and a lament for those who have passed is the defining characteristic of an elegy.
While the poem is also a lyric (as it expresses personal emotion), elegy is a more specific and therefore more appropriate classification for a poem with this subject matter. It is not a pastoral (about rural life) or an ode (a poem of praise or address).

Step 3: Final Answer:
The most appropriate classification for these lines is an elegy.