Epigraph in an Essay

Epigraph in an Essay is an integral part of an essay that adds another perspective to the document. Essays require careful making and editing, so is an epigraph. Narrowing down the real meaning of the word is not easy due to its various uses. It can be a passage from a book or work of art or someone’s opinion.

However, when writing an essay, one must understand how it makes up for the completion of the document instead of just adding some literary value to it. An epigraph in an essay is a fantastic method of letting readers know what to anticipate from your work and what you want to get across.

Whether you use APA style in academic writing or MLA formatting, you must incorporate an epigraph in your essay to get the best out of it.

What is an Epigraph

The epigraph is a quotation from a famous person, book, article, or work of art. It can also be a question to engage the author’s point.

The use of an epigraph in an essay dates back to ancient Greece, when writers started using inscriptions at the beginning of their works. The epigraphs were carved on walls and monuments to reflect what the author wanted to communicate through his work.

For example, this tradition continued through history, Shakespeare’s use of famous quotes from Ovid in his Sonnet.

In fictional writing, it may also be used to foreshadow what lies ahead in the story. When you use an epigraph in your essay, you must be careful not to let it become overpowering. You can use one sentence or a few lines before starting your essay, focusing on making your point.

When formatting epigraphs in APA style, they should be placed outside the normal text of an article. The author’s name, date of publication, the title of the epigraph’s source immediately follow after its first sentence.

There are different ways to quote an essay, depending on your style. You can paraphrase or use quotation marks or italics. For example, for MLA-style formatting, italics are used to mark the epigraph.

Epigraph in an Essay: What is it used for?

An Epigraph in an Essay is part of the introduction paragraph that can engage readers. It should also be placed before the first paragraph.

For example, this article might start with a poem quote or lines that motivate the author to write about epigraphs in essays. This gives readers an idea right away of what they are going to read.

The use of an epigraph in an essay should be relevant to the topic at hand. It can also provide a new perspective on what you are discussing, but it should never neglect its true purpose.

It must make readers interested in your work and motivated to continue reading until the end. You can achieve this goal by using a few words or entire lines that express what you want to convey.

An epigraph in an essay should be short and precise; otherwise, it will become distracting and annoying instead of interesting. It is even better to use a classic quotation or questions about the topic at hand.

What is an example of an Epigraph?

There are many examples of epigraphs; however, the most common epigraphs are either quotations or questions.

For example, in his essay “A Utilitarian View of the Monitor’s Fight,” John Stuart Mill uses a quotation from Milton.

“Their bones are scattered in the depths of the sea, and no man knoweth their final end.”

-John Milton, Paradise Lost III:296-300

Lastly, you can use a question as your epigraph. For example, in his essay “The Question of the Mind,” Thomas Nagel uses a question as to his epigraph.

“What can it be like to be a bat? Yet a bat has the minimal cerebral equipment that, according to our best understanding of physics and neurophysiology, suffices for having conscious experiences.”

-Thomas Nagel, “What Is It Like to Be a Bat?”, The Philosophical Review 83 (4) (October 1974): 435–450

References page and credit line in the epigraphs are essential since it is considered plagiarism otherwise. For instance, in MLA format, a superscript number is used.

How do you reference an Epigraph?

Considering that an Epigraph should be indented 0.5″ from the left margin, there are two types of referencing. The first is if you are using a block quotation, which will be abbreviated as Q, while the second is if you are using a question classified as Qh.

When you reference an epigraph, you must cite the author, year, and page number (if necessary).

For example, Mill once declared “A Utilitarian View of the Monitor’s Fight,” by John Stuart Mill in 1825, closely argued that religion was not needed for morality.

“Their bones are scattered in the depths of the sea, and no man knoweth their final end.”

-John Milton, Paradise Lost III:296-300

Note that the author’s name must be written in normal order, separated by three commas. This is followed by the date, which is then differentiated with a comma and finally the page number.

Use parenthetical citation if you want to reference an epigraph within your essay. The author’s name and date placement depend on using a block or a question. The cited page number should be placed at the end of the sentence.

But, the modern language association manual does not have a specific rule on how to cite an epigraph. It just says that the words should be placed inside parentheses.

How do you format an Epigraph?

There are many ways to quote an epigraph in the text. If you choose not to put it in quotation marks, using italics is the best way to set apart your quotations. If your epigraph is a block quote, it should start 0.5″ away from the left margin and be single-spaced.

The APA format for an epigraph is to use ellipses to indicate that part of the quote has been omitted. The MLA manual is a bit vague on this. Instead, they suggest “indirect documentation,” in which you can quote people without quoting them directly.

The APA manual, on the other hand, requires an exact reference.

For example, Mill once declared “A Utilitarian View of the Monitor’s Fight,” by John Stuart Mill in 1825, closely argued that religion was not needed for morality.

Therefore, when formating an epigraph, use the date, author’s name (or title), and page number if necessary. If it is a blockquote, start 0.5″ away from the left margin. If it is a question, use Q followed by the date and page number.

Need Help writing an Epigraph in an essay?

As mentioned earlier, writing an epigraph in an essay may seem like a challenge, but there are rules that guide you on how to write the right way. If it is your first time writing epigraphs, consider seeking help from the experts.

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