Elegy Form Tradition by Mason Ross

Elegy Form Tradition delves into the historical and literary significance of the Roman elegiac couplet, exploring how this two-line poetic structure became a powerful medium for expressing personal tragedy, military conflict, and longing in Roman society.
The book examines the structural development of the elegiac couplet, noting its use of dactylic hexameter and pentameter.
Intriguingly, this poetic form shaped not only the sound but also the content of Roman verse, influencing major poets like Ovid, Propertius, and Tibullus.

The book uniquely emphasizes the dynamic relationship between the elegiac couplet's form and its thematic content.
It challenges the traditional view of form as merely decorative, arguing instead that it actively shaped the expression of Roman identity and experience.

Beginning with the origins and technical aspects of the couplet, the book progresses to in-depth analyses of elegies by Catullus, Propertius, Tibullus, and Ovid, before demonstrating the tradition’s influence on later literary movements.
Through close readings of Latin texts and engagement with existing scholarship, this study offers fresh perspectives valuable to students and scholars of classical literature and history.