Epigraph - GCSE English Language Definition

An epigraph is a short quotation or phrase that an author puts at the beginning of a book, play, or chapter. It usually comes from another writer or a famous text and gives a hint about the themes or ideas in the work. Authors use epigraphs to make the reader think or to set the tone before the story even begins. It’s like a clue or a mini introduction to the deeper meaning of the text.

Example of an epigraph from a GCSE text:

In Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, there is an epigraph taken from Paradise Lost by John Milton:
"Did I request thee, Maker, from my clay
To mould me Man, did I solicit thee
From darkness to promote me?"
This quote reflects the creature’s feelings of abandonment and links to major themes in the novel, such as creation, responsibility, and isolation.