Essay vs Composition
Essay and Composition are two words that often seem to be confused due to their similar meanings. However, there is a significant difference between an essay and a composition. An essay is a literary form based on the character of a person or a thing, which can be a descriptive narration of an event, preferably a historical event too. Examples of essays include writings on the imagery in Shakespeare’s works, the spring season, or on becoming a doctor. On the other hand, a composition is any literary piece, including an essay. This is the main difference between essay and composition.
Composition refers to the way in which any given language is used and applied in the creation of a literary piece such as poetry, prose, drama, short story, novel, and free verse, to name a few. Each of the forms mentioned above is a kind of composition, with an essay also being a composition. In other words, it can be said that an essay can be considered a form of literature or literary form, although many critics may not agree with this idea.
A composition is formed by the implementation of rules and regulations needed for the creation of a particular literary form. For example, the composition of poetry requires knowledge of prosody and imagery. Prosody is the knowledge about metrical composition and deals with the study of various meters employed in poetry. Imagery is rhetorical in nature. Similarly, the composition of prose, such as a novel or a short story, requires knowledge about writing in prose style. Knowledge of prosody is not necessary for the composition of prose, but good narration skills are needed. Essays are mostly descriptive in nature, describing any given topic or event in a very descriptive manner.
Key Takeaways
- An essay is a literary form based on the character of a person or a thing, while a composition is any literary piece, including an essay.
- Composition refers to the way in which any given language is used and applied in the creation of a literary piece, such as poetry, prose, drama, short story, novel, and free verse.
- A composition is formed by the implementation of rules and regulations needed for the creation of a particular literary form, while essays are mostly descriptive in nature.
