How to make an epigraph
Video: Epigraphs 2024, July
An epigraph is a short text that is a saying or quote that indicates its meaning or the author’s relationship to it. The source of the epigraph may be literary, scientific, religious works, letters, memoirs, works of folk art.
Instruction manual
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The epigraph in a short form expresses the main idea of the work, informs readers about the main topic, expresses its main mood, can tentatively characterize the characters or give an idea of the plot lines. In other words, the epigraph is the central idea of the work, which develops in itself. Epigraphs appeared in the literature of the Renaissance, but firmly entered it only with romantic writers.
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An epigraph is drawn in the upper right side of the sheet without quotes. Surname of the author, his initials after the text of the epigraph are not included in brackets, after them there is no need to put a period. Sometimes epigraphs are placed on the left, but with a large indent, about half the line of the main text.
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The epigraph is usually typed in a smaller font than the main text. It is better if it is highlighted, for example, in italics. If the epigraph is a foreign text and its translation, then they are typed in different shapes of one type of font and size, most often in italics and plain text. In this case, the translation is separated from the original text by omissions.
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At the end of the epigraph is a punctuation mark that is appropriate in meaning. Since in most cases the epigraph is an unfinished quote, an ellipsis is placed after it. The text of the epigraph does not need to be enclosed in quotation marks. If there is a link to the source of the text of the epigraph, it is typed in a separate line, highlighted in font, while they do not put a dot on the end.
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All lines of the epigraph should be approximately equal in length. Often in works of art of improved design, the epigraph to the entire book is placed on a separate odd strip after the title, and the epigraphs to its chapters after the name of each of them. The epigraph to the entire work can be placed on the first text bar above the first heading. Epigraphs to parts of a work are necessarily separated from the headings and from the text.