What type of literary work expresses a bitter lament or a prophecy of doom?

The term that best describes a literary work expressing a bitter lament or a prophecy of doom is a jeremiad. A jeremiad originates from the biblical prophet Jeremiah, known for his dire warnings and mournful lamentations regarding the fate of his people. This type of literary work typically addresses social or moral decline and contains strong themes of warning, lamentation, and often a call to repentance or change.

In contrast, an elegy primarily focuses on mourning the loss of an individual, expressing sorrow but not necessarily conveying a sense of impending doom for a larger community or society. An ode often celebrates a particular subject, reflecting admiration rather than lamentation. A ballad narrates a story, often in a lyrical form, and while it may contain elements of sadness, it does not inherently express the same sense of doom associated with a jeremiad. Thus, the jeremiad is uniquely suited to capture the essence of bitter lamentation coupled with prophecy of doom.