Esseegenres

Esseegenres is a neologism in media theory used to describe a proposed taxonomy of narrative genres organized around questions of existence and being. Coined from the Latin esse, meaning to be, combined with the English word genres, the term signals a focus on how works represent existence, identity, and being.

Concept and framework: The esseegenres approach treats genre as a multi-dimensional space rather than a fixed list. It identifies core axes such as existential focus (being, becoming, non-being), epistemic stance (certainty, doubt, ambiguity), and ontological stance (realism, fantastical, metafictional). A work may occupy a position along each axis, enabling cross-genre comparison across literature, film, and interactive media.

Classification and examples: Subcategories commonly discussed include existentialist fiction (emphasizing choice and being), metaphysical fiction (exploring the nature of reality and perception), ontological thrillers (concerned with identity and being), and phenomenological narratives (focusing on lived experience). The framework is intended to illuminate how different works address human concerns about existence rather than to prescribe aesthetic value.

Usage and reception: Scholars use esseegenres to analyze cross-cultural narratives and media forms, and to study how audiences interpret being in different contexts. Critics argue that the concept can drift into vagueness and risk inconsistent categorization unless clearly defined by explicit criteria.

See also: Existentialism, metafiction, genre theory, ontology in fiction.