esszé
Esszé is a short prose form in which the author presents reflections on a subject, often in a personal, exploratory voice. The term derives from the French essai, meaning “trial” or “attempt.” The genre is widely considered to originate with Michel de Montaigne’s Essais in the late 16th century, a collection that blended personal observation, argument, and anecdote to investigate human experience. Over time the form broadened to include critical essays, philosophical meditations, travel sketches, and literary criticism.
Essays are typically characterized by subjectivity, openness, and an emphasis on thinking rather than delivering definitive
In practice, esszé appears across periods and cultures. In European and North American literature it has been