Myrtles and Laurels

In the beginning of the poem, the speaker announces that he has come to see the myrtle and laurel trees in order to mourn his friend Lycidas. These trees symbolize the religious aspects of grief. Laurel trees are associated with the myth of Apollo and Daphne from Greek mythology, when Daphne was turned into a laurel to secure her safety from Apollo's pursuit. Myrtle trees are associated with the Judeo-Christian bible and the establishment of God's promises. Additionally, trees and flowers are both conventions of pastoral poetry in which shepherds often retreat into nature to contemplate their lives and their work.

The Sea

The sea symbolizes uncertainty in the poem. Lycidas drowned at sea (based on Edward King's real death in 1637 in the Irish Sea), and the speaker is haunted by this fact throughout the poem. He attempts to blame Neptune (the Sea god...