What genre best describes "The Wife's Lament"?

"The Wife's Lament" is best described as a lyric poem because it expresses the deep emotional feelings and personal experiences of the speaker, who is a woman lamenting the absence of her husband. This genre is characterized by its focus on emotion and individual perspective, often employing a first-person narrative that reveals the speaker’s inner thoughts and feelings.

Lyric poetry frequently features reflective and subjective themes, and in "The Wife's Lament," the themes of love, loss, and longing are poignantly explored. The poem’s structure and the use of imagery further enhance its lyrical quality, as it allows the reader to engage emotionally with the speaker’s plight.

The other genres listed do not fit "The Wife's Lament" as closely. An epic poem, while it can include personal themes, is typically much longer and focuses on grand, heroic narratives. Novels are lengthy fictional narratives that develop characters and plots over extended forms, while drama relies on dialogue and performance. None of these elements characterize "The Wife's Lament," reinforcing the classification of it as a lyric poem.