LITERARY ESSAY: CHARACTERISTICS, PARTS, TYPES, EXAMPLES - LITERATURE - 2025

The literary essay is a discursive genre that aims to defend an idea or point of view; likewise, it seeks to analyze and interpret a certain topic based on logical reasoning. He is considered literary because he has an aesthetic value that is reflected in his style and the way he uses language.

Several authors claim that a literary essay belongs to a hybrid genre; This happens because its execution requires an aesthetic dimension, but it also requires logical reasoning to present its themes and ideas. That is to say: literary essays are a union between logical analysis and aesthetic creation.

Literary essays employ logical reasoning in conjunction with aesthetic language. Source: pixabay.com

In addition, literary essays are considered personal and didactic testimonies, where the writer can reflect from his subjectivity and use arguments to defend his criteria and convince readers of his position.

It can be said that the essay as a written expression has its origins in Classical Antiquity, where Greek philosophers wrote “talks” that aimed to express opinions on different topics. However, the essays began to be used more frequently from the 16th century with important writers and philosophers such as Francis Bacon and Michel de Montaigne.

For its part, literary essays are an aspect of the essay style that is not only responsible for making known the point of view and perceptions of an author; it also has a creative purpose. In general, they are focused on analyzing artistic manifestations such as poetry, novels, music, among others.

Today, literary essays are regarded as important artistic works and valuable analytical texts. Among the most famous are Las peras del elmo by Octavio Paz; Fragments of a loving speech, by Roland Barthes, The monsters and the critics, by JRR Tolkien and Other inquisitions, by Jorge Luis Borges.

Characteristics of the literary essay

Literary essays have the following characteristics:

- Link between logical reasoning and artistic subjectivity

Literary essays combine creative elements with logical structures; for this reason, they are considered to be hybrid texts that combine reasonable arguments with the refined and artistic use of language.

- They are reflective texts with supported ideas

A literary essay is much more than an opinion or a comment; This happens because all the ideas that are expressed in this type of text are supported by research, quotes or arguments. That is, literary essays are not mere assumptions, since they require research, reading and reasoning work.

- Fluent command of language

Literary essays are characterized by intertwining ideas in a coherent way, which allows their reading to be fluid. Some authors claim that writing a literary essay is similar to creating music, since in both cases there must be a logical composition.

Likewise, the tests are characterized by using the connectors properly; These are linguistic units that are used to link two or more ideas. For example: in addition, because, therefore, accordingly, given that, among others. The connectors are those that allow the test to be structured in a harmonious way.

Parts of the literary essay

The parts of an essay can vary depending on the interests and style of the writer. However, it can be established that a literary essay has the following structure:

1. Introduction

In this part, the author makes a brief introduction where he places the thesis that he wishes to develop or the subject that he will address during the essay. Likewise, in this section the writer can specify the methodology to be used or the texts and works that he will analyze below.

2. Development

In the development of the essay, the writer describes the data he has found; This description can be accompanied by personal appreciations.

Subsequently, the author analyzes the content and establishes arguments that support his perspective; For this you can place quotes from the works you chose to analyze or arguments from other recognized writers that agree with your point of view.

3. Conclusions

Finally, the author places his final observations. In them you can summarize the arguments presented above as a conclusion, you can also place how the writing process was, the bibliography you consulted, the acknowledgments, among others.

Types

According to their theme, the essays can be classified as:

- Literary essays on poetry

In these essays, the writers carry out an analysis on the poetic works or the poetic feeling. An example of a literary essay of this type can be Octavio Paz's El arco y la lira. In this text, Paz analyzes the place that poetry has occupied throughout history and its importance in people's lives.

- Literary essays on novels

They are essays whose purpose is to analyze and interpret the novels. This type of essay is widely used in schools and universities, since in general the teachers assign the reading of an important work (such as Don Quijote de la Mancha) so that the students then carry out a critical essay where they place their interpretation of said work.

- Literary essays on the exercise of writing

In these essays, the authors reflect on the work of the writer. Therefore, they analyze literary styles and the use of language; They also place opinions on the role that the figure of the writer plays in society. This is seen in essays such as Pen, pencil and poison, by Oscar Wilde or The writer and his ghosts, by Ernesto Sábato.

- Literary essays on philosophy

There are also literary essays that are focused on analyzing philosophical or epistemological positions. They are considered literary because they use a refined and aesthetic language; that is, they show a concern for the style of writing. This is seen in the essay Beyond Good and Evil, by Friederich Nietzsche.

- Mixed literary essays

They are those that unite two or more different topics. For example: it can be a literary essay that talks about literature and history; it could also be about poetry and music or novels and their historical-social context.

How to make a literary essay?

The writing of a literary essay is an activity widely used in educational institutions. Source: pixabay.com

Literary essays are in high demand in classrooms, as well as in some creative work (writers, editors, among others). Here are some steps that can be followed if you want to write a literary essay:

1. Selection of the topic to be treated

The first step is to select the topic you want to analyze and interpret in the essay. To do this, it is recommended to be precise and delimit exactly the focus that the text will have; in this way rambling is avoided.

For example: if you want to write an essay on modern poetry, it is advisable to choose a specific group of works and authors; By having the topics delimited, you will have more clarity and fluency at the time of writing.

2. Research and documentation

After selecting the topic, the research process begins. Proper documentation ensures that the essay offers a fresh and well-supported perspective; for this reason, it is recommended to consult different sources and read other essays that have addressed similar topics.

3. Preliminary scheme

It is recommended to make an outline or draft before starting to write a literary essay. Source: pixabay.com

Before you start writing, you need to make an outline or sketch to guide you while writing your essay. This allows for more natural writing and also avoids rambling; In addition, it allows maintaining an order in the structure of the text.

4. Writing

Finally, you can proceed with the writing of the essay, taking into account the sketch that was made previously. Although the text may have subjective insights, it is important that the essay follows a logical order and uses properly supported arguments. When the writing is finished, it is recommended to reread the essay several times until you get a satisfactory version.

Literary essay examples

one.

Oscar Wilde. Via wikimedia commons.

“People often reproach writers and artists for being only men of action in an imperfect and incomplete way. And yet it is very normal that this is the case. That concentration of thought, that vehement ardor that characterizes the artist's temperament, forcibly excludes the other qualities. For those who are concerned about the beauty of form, there is nothing else in the world that is of real importance.

Notwithstanding which, exceptions to that rule abound. As for Thomas Griffiths Wainewright, the object of this brief study, despite his highly artistic temperament, he had, in addition to art, many other teachers and was not content just to be a poet, art critic, antiquarian, prose writer, amateur to all that is beautiful and tastes of all that is delicious, but was also a forger of prodigious ability and a subtle and mysterious poisoner, perhaps unrivaled at any time. "

two.

Octavio Paz. Via wikimedia commons.

“Since Pedro Henríquez Ureña pointed out that the distinctive notes of Mexican sensibility were moderation, melancholy, the love of neutral tones, opinions about the character of our poetry tend almost unanimously to repeat, underline or enrich these statements.

The introverted Mexican has created a sober, intelligent and sharp poetry, which shuns the glare as much as the scream and that, far from speech and confession, is modest, when it is delivered, in confidence. A poetry that prefers sighs to sobs, smiles to raptures, to the night shadow and to the meridian light the tints of twilight. Neither sentimental nor sensitive: sensitive. "

References

1. Paz, O. (1984) The pears of the Elm. Retrieved on April 13, 2020 from Editorial Oveja Negra.
2. Raffino, M. (2019) Literary essay. Retrieved on April 13, 2020 from concept.de
3. SA (sf) Essay. Retrieved on April 13, 2020 from Wikipedia: es.wikipedia.org
4. SA (sf) How to write a literary analysis essay. Retrieved on April 13, 2020 from bucks.edu
5. SA (sf) Writing perfect literary analysis: outline, essay structure. Retrieved on April 13, 2020 from essaydragon.com
6. Valencia, J. (2012) The essay: concept, characteristics, composition. Retrieved on April 13, 2020 from Redalyc.org
7. Wilde, O. (1999) Essays and articles. Retrieved on April 13, 2020 from Editorial Colección cultura.