Ensayando una reflexión sobre el ensayo

Abstract

In the literary context, the term ‘essay’ has a long-standing tradition, and its meaning has been standardized worldwide. However, as a word, ‘essay’ passed through some processes of assimilation that were not resolved until the twentieth century. This paper offers a panoramic view of the semantic adaptations of the term from its literary use by Montaigne to the most recent theoretical studies, with a focus on the Hispanic tradition.