This paper gives an approach to two-dimensional isotropic elastic theory (plane strain and generalized plane stress) by means of the complex variable resulting in a very marked economy of effort in the investigation of such problems as contrasted with the usual method by means of Airy’s stress function and the allied displacement function. This is effected (i) by considering especially the transformation of two-dimensional stress; it emerges that the combinations xx + yy, xx — yy + 2ixy are all-important in the treatment in terms of complex variables; (ii) by the introduction of two complex potentials Ω(z), ω(z) each a function of a single complex variable in terms of . which the displacements and stresses can be very simply expressed. Transformation of the cartesian combinations u + iv, xx + yy,xx — yy + 2ixy to the orthogonal curvilinear combinations uξ + iun, ξξ + ηη, ξξ - ηη + 2iξη is simple and speedy. The nature of "the complex potentials is discussed, and the conditions that the solution for the displacements shall be physically admissible, i.e. single-valued or at most of the possible dislocational types, is found to relate the cyclic functions of the complex potentials. Formulae are found for the force and couple resultants at the origin z = 0 equivalent to the stresses round a closed circuit in the elastic material, and these also are found to relate the cyclic functions of the complex potentials. The body force has bhen supposed derivable from a particular body force potential which includes as special cases (i) the usual gravitational body force, (ii) the reversed mass accelerations or so-called ‘centrifugal’ body forces of steady rotation. The power of the complex variable method is exhibited by finding the appropriate complex potentials for a very wide variety of problems, and whilst the main object of the present paper has been to extend the wellknown usefulness of the complex variable method in non-viscous hydrodynamical theory to two-dimensional elasticity, solutions have been given to a number of new problems and corrections made to certain other previous solutions.