An essay is, generally, a piece of writing that gives the author's own argument, though the cited article calls the definition vague, overlapping with those of a letter, a paper, an article, a pamphlet and a short story. It says essays have been sub-classified as formal, characterized by serious purpose, dignity, logical organization and length, and informal, characterized by the personal element, humor, graceful style and rambling structure. Essays are commonly used as literary criticism, political manifestos, learned arguments, observations of daily life, recollections and reflections of the author, and although brevity usually defines an essay, voluminous works such as John Locke's An Essay Concerning Human Understanding are counterexamples. Philosophical works the atlas records as essays are grouped under this entry.
Facts
Origin YearYear of the first edition of Montaigne's Essais, the first work whose author described it as essays; the informal written form has earlier antecedents. Connections
Sources
1. Essay (Wikipedia)
Wikipedia, lead section
An essay (, ESS-ay) is, generally, a piece of writing that gives the author's own argument, but the definition is vague, overlapping with those of a letter, a paper, an article, a pamphlet, and a short story.
History, Montaigne
the first edition, entitled Essais, was published in two volumes in 1580.
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