--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Genres have a history and impose a…" description: "\"Genres have a history and impose a historical character upon the writer. What is interesting in the poem involves a certain kind of dramatization of th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/35d/vijay-seshadri-26531_certain_genres-have-a-history-and-impose-a-histo_2948369.jpg" --- # Genres have a history and impose a historical character… ![“Genres have a history and impose a historical character upon the writer. What is interesting in the poem involves a certain kind of dramatization of the self that you don't have to engage in in the essay. In fact, the essay is a more social medium than the poem.” quote by Vijay Seshadri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/35d/vijay-seshadri-26531_certain_genres-have-a-history-and-impose-a-histo_2948369.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/35d/vijay-seshadri-26531_certain_genres-have-a-history-and-impose-a-histo_2948369.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/35d/vijay-seshadri-26531_certain_genres-have-a-history-and-impose-a-histo_2948369.jpg) > “Genres have a history and impose a historical character upon the writer. What is interesting in the poem involves a certain kind of dramatization of the self that you don't have to engage in in the essay. In fact, the essay is a more social medium than the poem.” [Vijay Seshadri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vijay-seshadri/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Poetry’s historical conventions shape a writer’s voice, while essays allow more social, flexible expression. **In simple terms:** Poetry follows tradition; essays are freer socially Key Takeaway Choose form based on desired impact. Themes literature form expression Mood analytical inquisitive Type educational creative When to use this quote - writing workshops - academic courses - literary analysis - personal journaling Key Concepts genre theory creative writing narrative voice Questions to Reflect On - When does a poem best serve a message? - How does essay structure affect audience engagement? A Different Perspective Poetry can be restrictive for some topics. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Certain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/certain/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Essay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/essay/) [Essay Fact](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/essay-fact-4430856/) [Essay Social](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/essay-social-4430855/) [Essays](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/essays/) [Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) [Genre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genre/) [Genres History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/genres-history-4430854/) [Historical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/historical/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Interesting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/interesting/) [Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind/) [Mediums](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mediums/) [Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poetry/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Social](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social/) [Writer Interesting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer-interesting-2855592/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [The most fun thing about being a writer is that everything is interesting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafael-yglesias/the-most-fun-thing-about-being-a-writer-is-that-everything-is/) [Rafael Yglesias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rafael-yglesias/) > [Did the nineteenth-century novelists create more generously than we do now? In a general reading of contemporary work, do you see a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lore-segal/did-the-nineteenth-century-novelists-create-more-generously-than-we/) [Lore Segal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lore-segal/) > [The first obligation of the writer is to be interesting. To be interesting; not to change the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-barth/the-first-obligation-of-the-writer-is-to-be-interesting-to-be/) [John Barth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-barth/) > [There is no room for the impurities of literature in an essay.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/there-is-no-room-for-the-impurities-of-literature-in-an-essay/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [The drama of the essay is the way the public life intersects with my personal and private life. It's in that intersection that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rodriguez/the-drama-of-the-essay-is-the-way-the-public-life-intersects-with-my/) [Richard Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rodriguez/) > [An idea might spark an essay, but never a story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-hempel/an-idea-might-spark-an-essay-but-never-a-story/) [Amy Hempel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-hempel/) > [The reason for writing that essay was less a personal agenda than an attempt to explain my unease with the general label of "immigrant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sa-a-stani-i/the-reason-for-writing-that-essay-was-less-a-personal-agenda-than-an/) [Sasa Stanisic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sa-a-stani-i/) > [When you write an essay, of course you're going to get pushback, but you're going to be allowed to make your case at leisure.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/when-you-write-an-essay-of-course-you-re-going-to-get-pushback-but/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [“New Rule: Now that liberals have taken back the word "liberal," they also have to take back the word "elite." By now you've heard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/new-rule-now-that-liberals-have-taken-back-the-word-liberal-they-also/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [Writing a long essay is probably the most complex constructive act that most human beings areever expected to perform.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-bereiter/writing-a-long-essay-is-probably-the-most-complex-constructive-act/) [Carl Bereiter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-bereiter/) > [A personal essay often includes some or a lot of personal confession. That makes the reader feel less lonely in their confusion and darkness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phillip-lopate/a-personal-essay-often-includes-some-or-a-lot-of-personal-confession/) [Phillip Lopate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phillip-lopate/) > [An essay is a thing of the imagination. If there is information in an essay, it is by-the-by, and if there is an opinion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cynthia-ozick/an-essay-is-a-thing-of-the-imagination-if-there-is-information-in-an/) [Cynthia Ozick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cynthia-ozick/) > [I think that in a lot of readers' minds the essay is a lot more utilitarian than it is art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-d-agata/i-think-that-in-a-lot-of-readers-minds-the-essay-is-a-lot-more/) [John D'Agata](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-d-agata/) > [If you tell me, it's an essay. If you show me, it's a story.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-greene/if-you-tell-me-it-s-an-essay-if-you-show-me-it-s-a-story/) [Barbara Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-greene/) > [The point of the essay is to change things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-tufte/the-point-of-the-essay-is-to-change-things/) [Edward Tufte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-tufte/) ## More by Vijay Seshadri > [You probably have to split yourself in various ways just in order to survive, and to think of yourself as a multitude.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vijay-seshadri/you-probably-have-to-split-yourself-in-various-ways-just-in-order-to/) [Vijay Seshadri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vijay-seshadri/) > [You don't think of yourself as your external representation, or even your national origin or anything like that. You don't reduce yourself to that.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vijay-seshadri/you-don-t-think-of-yourself-as-your-external-representation-or-even/) [Vijay Seshadri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vijay-seshadri/) > [Historically, there are hierarchies of purity. Certain aspects of poetry are very, very pure. The lyric poem can't be anything but the lyric poem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vijay-seshadri/historically-there-are-hierarchies-of-purity-certain-aspects-of/) [Vijay Seshadri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vijay-seshadri/) > [Language itself is a mask. It's the first mask in the series of invented selves - they've come right out of language. The way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vijay-seshadri/language-itself-is-a-mask-it-s-the-first-mask-in-the-series-of/) [Vijay Seshadri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vijay-seshadri/) > [I would say that when I write prose I'm a more socially responsible person. I'm much more a citizen of the world. But the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vijay-seshadri/i-would-say-that-when-i-write-prose-i-m-a-more-socially-responsible/) [Vijay Seshadri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vijay-seshadri/) > [These new theories of the universe, that there are multiple universes just bubbling up constantly - it's all pretty wild.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vijay-seshadri/these-new-theories-of-the-universe-that-there-are-multiple-universes/) [Vijay Seshadri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vijay-seshadri/) > [Society imposes an identity on you because of the way you look. Your struggle as a self has to do with an identity being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vijay-seshadri/society-imposes-an-identity-on-you-because-of-the-way-you-look-your/) [Vijay Seshadri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vijay-seshadri/) > [When you're an immigrant, you're at the bottom of the ladder. You might not be at the bottom of the ladder economically. Those contradictions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vijay-seshadri/when-you-re-an-immigrant-you-re-at-the-bottom-of-the-ladder-you-might/) [Vijay Seshadri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vijay-seshadri/) > [“Orwell says somewhere that no one ever writes the real story of their life. The real story of a life is the story of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vijay-seshadri/orwell-says-somewhere-that-no-one-ever-writes-the-real-story-of-their/) [Vijay Seshadri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vijay-seshadri/) > [The sun does what it does because the earth tilts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vijay-seshadri/the-sun-does-what-it-does-because-the-earth-tilts/) [Vijay Seshadri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vijay-seshadri/) > [All ideas about identity, of course, fit perfectly into the social media wonderland we live in. They seem to really connect. There's a science-fiction…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vijay-seshadri/all-ideas-about-identity-of-course-fit-perfectly-into-the-social/) [Vijay Seshadri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vijay-seshadri/) > [We live in a trans period. Contemporary issues of sexuality, for example - the exciting aspects of them - have to do with transgenderedness.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vijay-seshadri/we-live-in-a-trans-period-contemporary-issues-of-sexuality-for/) [Vijay Seshadri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vijay-seshadri/) > [I think that when you reveal things that are going to cause pain, you have rhetorical resources in poetry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vijay-seshadri/i-think-that-when-you-reveal-things-that-are-going-to-cause-pain-you/) [Vijay Seshadri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vijay-seshadri/) > [I see myself only sporadically as a teacher and consistently as a writer. Teaching is how I pay the bills...and fortunately, for my students,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vijay-seshadri/i-see-myself-only-sporadically-as-a-teacher-and-consistently-as-a/) [Vijay Seshadri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vijay-seshadri/) > [Technology is transforming everything. Who knows what it's doing, we don't really understand it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vijay-seshadri/technology-is-transforming-everything-who-knows-what-it-s-doing-we/) [Vijay Seshadri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vijay-seshadri/) [Explore all 21 Vijay Seshadri quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vijay-seshadri/) ## More Certain quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [One can put some trust in the gratitude of a sovereign, and also in that of his family; under certain conditions, one can even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otto-von-bismarck/one-can-put-some-trust-in-the-gratitude-of-a-sovereign-and-also-in/) [Otto von Bismarck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otto-von-bismarck/) > [For successful education there must always be a certain freshness in the knowledge dealt with. It must be either new in itself or invested…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/for-successful-education-there-must-always-be-a-certain-freshness-in/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [People don't always realize that a record is forever. It'll always be there under your name. You've got to be certain that it's right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-iero/people-don-t-always-realize-that-a-record-is-forever-it-ll-always-be/) [Frank Iero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-iero/) > [Faith gives you a certain structure and meaning to your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/riffat-hassan/faith-gives-you-a-certain-structure-and-meaning-to-your-life/) [Riffat Hassan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/riffat-hassan/) > [I started out dancing on a reality TV show, but always with the intention of making my way over to film. I transitioned into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-hough/i-started-out-dancing-on-a-reality-tv-show-but-always-with-the/) [Julianne Hough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-hough/) > [One of the deepest and strangest of all human moods is the mood which will suddenly strike us perhaps in a garden at night,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/one-of-the-deepest-and-strangest-of-all-human-moods-is-the-mood-which/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A dialogue is very important. It is a form of communication in which question and answer continue till a question is left without an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/a-dialogue-is-very-important-it-is-a-form-of-communication-in-which/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [I mean those people who are interested in good government will certainly contribute in order to make certain there's some counter-balance to those whose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-breyer/i-mean-those-people-who-are-interested-in-good-government-will/) [Stephen Breyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-breyer/) > [Why do we love certain homes, and why do they seem to love us? It is the warmth of our individual hearts reflected in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-h-robsjohn-gibbings/why-do-we-love-certain-homes-and-why-do-they-seem-to-love-us-it-is/) [T. H. Robsjohn-Gibbings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-h-robsjohn-gibbings/) > [Human life consists of doing certain things ... to take part in the life of the community; to be able to talk about subjects…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amartya-sen/human-life-consists-of-doing-certain-things-to-take-part-in-the-life/) [Amartya Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amartya-sen/) > [We've all seen talented young players who get to a certain level but there comes a point where that talent will only take you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-gatland/we-ve-all-seen-talented-young-players-who-get-to-a-certain-level-but/) [Warren Gatland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-gatland/) > [The concept of humanity is an especially useful ideological instrument of imperialist expansion, and in its ethical-humanitarian form it is a specific vehicle of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-schmitt/the-concept-of-humanity-is-an-especially-useful-ideological/) [Carl Schmitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-schmitt/) > [I think that at a certain age, say fifteen or sixteen, poetry is like masturbation. But later in life good poets burn their early…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umberto-eco/i-think-that-at-a-certain-age-say-fifteen-or-sixteen-poetry-is-like/) [Umberto Eco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umberto-eco/) > [If a person does not listen to the demands of their own spiritual and heart life and insists on a certain program, you're going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-campbell/if-a-person-does-not-listen-to-the-demands-of-their-own-spiritual-and/) [Joseph Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-campbell/) [Browse all 13,673 Certain quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/certain/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Genres have a history and impose a historical character upon the writer. What is interesting in the poem involves a certain kind of dramatization of the self that you don't have to engage in in the essay. 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