What is an epigraph?

Any work, composition, performance -scientific, artistic or journalistic style - aims to convey the basic message to readers or listeners. For a more accurate transfer of the essence of the work there are several ways and means. One of them is an epigraph. What is an epigraph, what is its role in the work?

The epigraph is a word of Greek origin, which intranslation means "saying, inscription". An epigraph is a quote, a saying, a proverb that is placed before the work and contains its main idea.

The role of the epigraph in the work

• The transfer of the main essence, the thought of the work. For example: "Take care of the honor from the youth" (an epigraph to the story of Alexander Pushkin "The Captain's Daughter"). Epigraph emphasizes that moral qualities, such as honor, are the basis of the personality, the pivot that allows a person to remain himself in any life situations.
• Expression of the author's attitude to the heroes, eventsworks, to the problems affected in it. For example: "Necha on the mirror to blame, if the face is crooked" (an epigraph to the comedy of NV Gogol "The Inspector General"). The epigraph helps to express to the author his satirical attitude to the chanting, the use of official position for personal purposes, to emphasize the critical direction of the drama.

Thus, the question of what the meaning of the epigraph is,you can answer that the epigraph helps the author and the brighter, more specifically emphasize the problem, the essence of the work, and readers understand what the creator of the work wanted to convey to them.

Also read the article Quotations rules on our website.