On October 21-22, 2024, the University of Pisa hosted a workshop titled “The Modernist Essay,” as part of the MA Degree Course in Euro-American Languages, Literatures, and Philologies. The workshop was led by Paolo Bugliani and Roberta Ferrari and spanned two sessions.

Session 1 (Monday, October 21st): The Modern Essay
This session examined the evolution of the modern essay, tracing its origins and exploring its impact on contemporary literary discourse. Participants reflected on the essay as a genre, considering its defining characteristics and its relationship with other literary forms, including the novel and the short story.

Session 2 (Tuesday, October 22nd): Virginia Woolf’s Modernist Essays
This session focused on Virginia Woolf’s contribution to Modernist essay writing, emphasizing her innovative style and her ability to intertwine personal reflection with broader cultural critique. Woolf’s essay “The Death of the Moth” was used as a case study to highlight the peculiarities of the modernist essay and to expose students to the unique qualities of the essay form.