An epigraph is a short quotation, phrase, or poem placed at the beginning of a book, article, or chapter to hint at its main themes and set the tone for what follows.

What is an epigraph?

  • A brief quote, line of poetry, or saying used before the main text starts.
  • It usually comes from another author or source, though writers sometimes invent fictional ones.
  • Its job is to “set the stage” thematically, emotionally, or intellectually for the work.

A standard dictionary definition: an epigraph is “a quotation set at the beginning of a literary work or one of its divisions to suggest its theme.”

What does an epigraph do?

Common purposes:

  1. Introduce a key theme or question the text will explore.
  1. Create a mood (eerie, hopeful, tragic, ironic, etc.) before the first line of the story or essay.
  1. Connect the work to a broader literary, historical, or cultural tradition.
  1. Offer a counterpoint or alternative perspective the text will wrestle with.

Think of it as a tiny “preview trailer” in words.

Quick example

Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein opens with lines from Milton’s Paradise Lost as its epigraph, raising the issue of a creature questioning its maker and framing the novel’s creator–creation conflict right away.

Another example: Harper Lee uses the epigraph “Lawyers, I suppose, were children once” at the start of To Kill a Mockingbird , nudging readers to see lawyers (and adults) through the lens of childhood and innocence.

Epigraph vs. epigram (easy mix‑up)

  • Epigraph :
    • Location-based: appears at the beginning of a work or chapter.
* Usually a quotation from someone else (real or fictional).

* Function: set theme, tone, or context.
  • Epigram:
    • A short, witty, often satirical statement or poem, ending with a “punchline” or twist.
* Defined by style, not by where it appears.

An epigram can be used as an epigraph, but not all epigraphs are epigrams.

How is an epigraph formatted?

  • It appears before the first line of the main text, often on its own line or page.
  • It’s visually set apart: indentation, different alignment, or font/size so it stands out from the body text.
  • Style guides (like APA) may specify details, e.g., indented like a block quote without quotation marks.

If you’re writing one, choose a short quote (a phrase or a few lines) that genuinely enriches your work’s theme rather than just sounding clever.

TL;DR: An epigraph is a short quote at the start of a work that hints at its theme and sets the tone—like a one-line “overture” before the main piece begins.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.