The enormous bibliography surrounding the Old English elegies breaks down primarily into studies of structure, cultural context, and genre. This study is concerned first with attempting to define as precisely as possible the limits of the utterances of speakers in the poems. Then an attempt is made to summarize the major currents of criticism which investigate the cultural milieu of Old English literature. Finally, there is a discussion of genre. Starting with a consideration of all the poems which are generally considered to be elegies--The Wanderer, The Seafarer, The Wife's Lament, The Husband's Message, Resignation, The Riming Poem, Wulf and Eadwacer, Deor, and The Ruin--a case is made for including all but the last three as elegies.