A Szilágyi Júlia-féle esszé
Júlia Szilágyi’s Way of Writing Essays

Summary/Abstract: The essay is an elusive literary genre, difficult to define. It changes characteristics easily, depending on its writer and its purpose. This phenomenon is evident in the literary contributions of Júlia Szilágyi, whose essays highlight her intellectual trajectory from the constraints of communist-era censorship to her later works in a freer world. The aim of this paper is to examine her evolving relationship with the essay form. Szilágyi’s early experiences, including the trauma of war and political persecution, shaped her literary sensibilities, leading her to develop a unique, deeply personal approach to critical writing. While initially engaged in literary criticism, she gradually embraced the essay as a more flexible, introspective genre, intertwining intellectual rigor with personal reflection. Her works, including Versenymű égő zongorára (2002) and Lehet-e esszét tanítani? (2007), investigate the nature of the essay, its pedagogical potential, and its intimate connection to reading and intellectual engagement. Szilágyi’s writing is characterized by its erudition, wide-ranging literary references, and conversational tone, often drawing from authors such as Montaigne, Borges, and Woolf. The essay further examines how her later works, such as Álmatlan könyv (2014), incorporate memoir elements, reflecting on history, identity, and the challenges of minority intellectual life in Transylvania.

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