What is an essay? Many people remember this word from school, but not everyone knows its meaning. From different people you can hear or read in the literature that this or that writer left behind many essays.
In this article we will look at what an essay is and what it can be.
What does essay mean
Essay (fr. essai - attempt, trial, sketch) - a literary genre, a small prose essay up to 25 pages, sometimes more, free composition, implying the author's impressions and considerations on a particular occasion or subject.
The main feature of the genre is a philosophical, journalistic beginning and a free manner of narration. The essay is characterized by such features as imagery, acuteness and abstractness of thought, as well as an attitude towards intimate frankness.
In simple terms, the essay represents the various impressions and observations of the author who recalls them for one reason or another. Thus, it is a small piece of reasoning. The essayist in a simple manner shares with the reader his life experience and topics of concern to him and the public.
Types of essays
The essay is divided into several types:
- literary critical;
- historical;
- philosophical;
- spiritual and religious.
Many literary scholars speak of an essay as an essay, personal diary, letter, or review of something. As a rule, an essay is distinguished by the presence of a problem, a free presentation of the material and a closeness to colloquial speech.
And here is how the Soviet philologist Lyudmila Kaida spoke about the essay: “Essays are a spontaneous and unexpected genre, and, therefore, original. For those capable of thinking and possessing erudition ... You rarely meet a person who knows how to think spontaneously and in an original way. The best way to understand what an essay means is to read, “reading” the identity of the author from the text ”.
