A eulogy should be heartfelt and meaningful. The tone should be respectful, but it doesn't always have to be completely sombre. Depending on the circumstances surrounding the person's death, you may feel that you can write a lighter eulogy or include some humour.
A eulogy is a speech given at a memorial service in memory of a person who has died. The purpose is to recall the defining qualities and highlights of a life lived in a way that benefits the audience, particularly the family. It should capture the essence of the life lived.
While there are many ways to approach a eulogy, there are three main types of themes to consider: biographical, personal, and specialized. Biographical Themes: A biographical eulogy theme recounts the life history of the departed.
Focus on the eulogized person's life and times through meaningful stories, anecdotes and quotes. Make a eulogy inspiring. Help the audience deal with mortality and help them improve their outlook. Use appropriate mannerisms and gestures when delivering a eulogy.
Leave out any mentions of questionable behaviour or long-held grudges. A eulogy is not an opportunity to “roast” the deceased. There is certainly a place for humour and warmth but the content of a remembrance speech should always remain respectful.
Some people who deliver a eulogy choose to open with a poem, a religious reading, or a personal anecdote, while others might choose to use these elements as a closing thought. Regardless of which approach you choose, a reliable structure involves three parts: a beginning, middle, and end.
Though your eulogy doesn't have to read like an obituary or give all of the basic information about the life of the deceased, you should touch on a few key points, such as what his family life was like, what his career achievements were, and what hobbies and interests mattered the most to him.
A eulogy is usually finished with a final goodbye
If you're unsure how to end your eulogy, finish with a simple goodbye, or a thank you for the memories you shared. You might choose to use traditional phrases like 'rest in peace' or 'sleep well'.
How long should a eulogy be? A good eulogy is usually between 3-5 minutes long, but can be as long as 10 minutes. This should be more than enough time to include everything you want to say about your loved one, but not so long that you risk losing people's attention.
What is one of the five functions of a eulogy? (acknowledge the death, move death from the present to the past, help mourners reflect on their mortality, indicate that the deceased lives on in a different way, and reconstitute the community.)
Step One- Share stories and memories
Set aside a couple of hours to share stories and talk about the deceased with family and friends. Write down stories and memorable sayings as you go along. Learning these stories will help bring to mind your memories of the deceased, and go a long way towards preparing your eulogy.
Eulogies generally last between three and five minutes. The length of your eulogy will depend on how fast you speak. Generally, between 400 and 900 written words will make for an appropriately timed eulogy when delivered orally. Above all, you must practice delivering your eulogy.
During the eulogy, you will be forced to use the past tense to tell the story of the life lived. Speaking in past tense helps reinforce the reality that a death has occurred and our loved one really is gone.
Practice for the Perfect Eulogy Speech
Do your best to memorize it, though you should keep it with you at the podium just in case emotions cloud your memory. While you practice, perfect your volume and tone of voice. Use the mirror so you can practice audience eye contact and deliver an impactful speech.
While eulogy is also commonly found referring to words about the deceased, its basic meaning, both in English and in the Greek language from which it was borrowed, is “praise.” Formed from the Greek roots eu “good” and logos “speech,” a eulogy is an encomium given for one who is either living or dead.
There is no hard and fast rule as to who should give the eulogy speech at a funeral. It's typically given by those who were particularly close, or had a special relationship with, the loved one who passed. It could be a best friend, a spouse, a child or grandchild, or even a co-worker.
There's really no right or wrong way to write a eulogy, but it's certainly not an easy thing to do. If you're tasked with writing a eulogy for a loved one, consider it an honor, and try to think of it as part of the process of saying goodbye.
How to End a Eulogy. The ending of your eulogy should be simple. Addressing the person who has died with a phrase such as, “We will miss you” or “Rest well on your journey, my friend” can be a good way to wrap up. You can also end with an inspirational quote if that feels better to you.
Eulogy Opening Examples
This day is a profoundly sad one, though even in this time of grief I cannot help but reflect on the many wonderful experiences that I - and the rest of you - shared with [insert name of the deceased].