An epigraph is a short quotation from classical or biblical sources at the beginning of a work that can serve various purposes. Modern authors usually translate them, but older works often left them in the original language. False epigraphs are citations from non-existent authors or sources. In archeology and architecture, an epigraph is a short inscription carved on a building or monument.
In literature, an epigraph is a short quotation, often from a classical or biblical source, that appears at the beginning of a work such as a novel, poem, or non-fiction book. It can serve a number of purposes, calling to mind similar themes in the literary canon or serving to establish a contrast. In some works, this may be no more than a line or two, while in others it may be a long quotation or even an entire poem.
Epigraphs taken from classical or biblical sources have often been left in the original language in older works. For example, the epigraph to The Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gentleman by Laurence Sterne, published between 1759 and 1769, is a quotation from Epictetus presented in the original Greek. The authors assumed that their readers would be sufficiently educated to understand the quotations or, if not, that they would enjoy discovering the meaning of the epigraph. Modern authors usually, but not always, translate their epigraphs into the language of the book. For example, the epigraph to Robert Graves’ 1979 novel I, Claudius is a quote from Tacitus, presented in English.
An epigraph can sometimes be directly related to the subject of the novel. Tacitus’ quote starting with I, Claudius, for example, is directly related to Claudius’ reign. In other cases, however, the relevance is less immediately obvious, as in the case of Tristram Shandy, where the reader only gradually begins to see how the epigraph relates to the novel itself.
False epigraphs are found in numerous novels. These are citations from non-existent authors or sources. For example, the epigraph that begins F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel The Great Gats is by Thomas Parke D’Invilliers, a character in the novel rather than a real person. This tactic is especially common among science fiction and fantasy authors who use quotations from their invented settings to provide an added sense of depth and realism. Isaac Asimov often used made-up quotes from reference works in his science fiction novels, while author Tim Powers quotes extensively from the work of fictional poet William Ashbless.
Outside the realm of literature, the term has a slightly different meaning. In archeology and architecture, an epigraph is a short inscription carved on a building or monument. The study of these inscriptions is called epigraphy and forms the basis, among other things, for the modern understanding of the language of the ancient Maya.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
