What is an epigraph in literature? Examples of using. The role of the epigraph in a literary work (from experience in analyzing works of Russian literature in high school)

Jan Amos Comenius

Epigraphs, most often small and short, take on a huge burden. Directly or allegorically, evoking analogies or some other associations, they tell us the main idea of ​​the work.

Thus, the already mentioned novel by V. Astafiev “The Shepherd and the Shepherdess” has an epigraph - lines from the poem French poet XIX century T. Gautier:

My love, in that world of old,

Where are the abysses, tabernacles, domes,

I was a bird, a flower, and a stone, -

And a pearl - everything you were.

It would seem a strange epigraph to a work about war. But in this novel, in addition to descriptions of terrible military battles, there are amazing lyrical lines about love, which “moves the suns and luminaries,” as Dante said at the beginning of the 14th century. And the love of the main ones characters, and the love of the collective farm shepherd and his wife (residents of the village where the main events of the novel take place) turns out to be the main thing that keeps people on Earth. Read this novel, piercing in its intensity of feelings, and you will understand what it is like. enormous strength- Love!

Advanced questions

1. By the way, did you notice that in this short epigraph – T. Gautier’s poem – there are at least 4 “wells”? Find them.

(The answer is at the end of the book)

Along with the title, the correct reading of the epigraph is a “trigger” moment on the way to main idea. Sometimes in a work with a complex structure there are epigraphs not only after the title of the entire book, but also before each chapter, for example, in “The Captain's Daughter” by A.S. Pushkin. This helps the thinking reader build a hierarchy of main ideas and main events.

The epigraph is considered as important for the text as the musical clef (treble or bass) in which the piece of music will sound is necessary.

Indeed, epigraphs can suggest not only the main idea of ​​the work, but also its “tonality”, that is emotional coloring text. Thus, the fourth chapter of Pushkin’s “The Captain’s Daughter,” entitled “The Duel,” is preceded by an epigraph:

- If you please, get into position.

Look, I'll pierce your figure.

Knyazhnin

This humorous epigraph softens the anxious anticipation inspired by the title and raises the assumption that the upcoming duel will not end in a tragic ending.

Training

Working with epigraphs is a “powerful” means for understanding the main thought (idea) of a work. But there is a way to take the student beyond the text being studied and expand the scope of his thoughts. This is a selection of epigraphs. In this case, the search for a solution occurs not in the text alone, but in the extensive intellectual baggage of the reader; “thinking memory” is mobilized, connections are established between different areas literary knowledge. Sources for searching for epigraphs can be works of art, collections of proverbs and various kinds of aphorisms, statements of prominent people, etc.

What texts can epigraphs be selected for? First of all, to texts whose authors are the students themselves: reports, abstracts. Next - to the sections of the textbook; to the topics being studied, not only in literature, but also in other subjects.

K. Levitin’s popular science book “The Burning Lamp” (pay attention to the title!), dedicated to the problems of brain function, opens with an epigraph taken from the book of the 16th century French humanist philosopher Michel Montaigne: “A well-built brain is worth more than the brain.” , well filled." We hope you remember these words. In what part of the manual did we use them?

Not only authors of popular science books, but also creators of fundamental scientific works excerpts from works of art are used both as an epigraph and directly in the text. Thus, one major monograph provides an excerpt from Aeschylus’ tragedy “Prometheus Bound”:

Listen to what I did to mortals:

The number was invented by them

And he taught me how to connect letters, -

He gave them memory, the mother of muses, the reason for everything.

Advanced questions

2. What area of ​​knowledge do you think this monograph is devoted to, which is preceded by an epigraph from Aeschylus? Stories? Literary studies?

3. How many “wells” are there here?

(Answers at the end teaching aid)

And from the point of view of semiotics, the epigraph - this is part of the sign system , which tells us certain cultural and temporal associations and their connection with the idea of ​​the text.

Ushakov's Dictionary

Epigraph

epigraph(epigraph outdated), epigraph, husband. (Greek epigraphe - inscription).

1. The ancient Greeks had an inscription on a tombstone.

2. A short text (usually a quote from somewhere, a proverb, a saying and so on.), placed by the author in front of his work or its separate part, and giving a peculiar illumination to the main idea of ​​​​the work ( lit.). “We decided, with the permission of our relatives, to publish it (the manuscript) separately, adding a decent epigraph to each chapter.” Pushkin. “He (Onegin) knew enough Latin to understand the epigraphs.” Pushkin.

Culturology. Dictionary-reference book

Epigraph

(Greek epigraphe - inscription)

1) in antiquity, an inscription on a monument or building;

2) quotation, saying, proverb placed by the author before the text of the entire artistic (journalistic) work or part of it. The epigraph explains the main idea of ​​the work or its assessment expressed by a more authoritative person.

Terminological dictionary-thesaurus on literary criticism

Epigraph

(from Greek epigraphe - inscription) - a quotation, saying, proverb placed by the author before the text of an artistic (journalistic, scientific) work or part thereof. The epigraph explains the main conflict, theme, idea or mood of the work, facilitating its perception by the reader.

RB: Composition and plot

Ass: idea, prologue

Example: “Vengeance is mine, and I will repay” (epigraph to L. Tolstoy’s novel “Anna Karenina”)

* “A.S. Pushkin in The Captain’s Daughter uses excerpts from folk songs, from the works of Kheraskov, Knyazhnin and other authors as epigraphs” (V. Kozlovsky). *

Gasparov. Records and extracts

Epigraph

♦ Composer Gadzhiev wrote the composition, rewriting Shostakovich and only ornamenting it in an oriental manner. This was noticed, a case of plagiarism arose, he hurried to Sh. and brought a note: “I confirm that G.’s composition has nothing in common with mine” - Shostakovich, so that they would be left behind, signed everything. This note should have been printed as an epigraph when Gadzhiev wrote it, but where it is is now unknown.

Explanatory Dictionary of the Russian Language (Alabugina)

Epigraph

A, m.

A quotation or saying containing the main idea of ​​the work and placed at the beginning of the story.

* Epigraph to the essay. *

Design. Glossary of terms

Epigraph

EPIGRAPH- an inscription usually placed on a monument, building, statue, tombstone etc. Hence "epigraphy" - the study of inscriptions carved on hard surfaces.

encyclopedic Dictionary

Epigraph

(from Greek epigraphe - inscription),..

1. in antiquity, an inscription on a monument, building...
2. A quotation, saying, proverb placed by the author before the text of the entire artistic (journalistic, scientific) work or part of it. The epigraph explains the main idea of ​​the work or characterizes it as if on behalf of another, more authoritative person (source).

Ozhegov's Dictionary

EP AND GRAPH, A, m. A saying (or quotation) that prefaces a work (or its part, chapter) and focuses thought on its idea. E. to the novel.

| adj. epigraphic, oh, oh (special).

Efremova's Dictionary

Epigraph

m.
A short text, quote, saying placed by the author before his work
or before a separate part of it and characterizing their main idea.

Encyclopedia of Brockhaus and Efron

Epigraph

(Greek επιγραφή - “inscription”) - a quotation placed at the head of a work or part of it in order to indicate its spirit, its meaning, the author’s attitude towards it, etc. Depending on the literary and social mood, E. came into fashion, became a manner, fell out of use, and then were resurrected. In the first half of the last century, they were readily shown as an expression of erudition and the ability to apply someone else's thought in a new sense. E. is known in Montesquieu’s “Esprit des Lois” - “Prolem sine maire creatam”, to Buffon’s “Histoire nature l le” - “Naturam amplectimur omnem”, E. Rousseau’s mottos (“Vitam impendere vero”), Bernardin de Saint- Pierre ("Miseris succurrrere disco"). We know E. Pushkin for the second chapter of "Eugene Onegin" - "Oh, rus. Oh, Rus'", Gogol for "The Inspector General" - "There's no point in blaming the mirror if your face is crooked", Leo Tolstoy for "Anna Karenina" - " Vengeance on me and I will repay", Turgenev to "Faust" - "Entbehren sollst du, sollst entbehren", Dostoevsky to "Demons", Schiller in "Song of the Bell" (and Herzen to "The Bell"): "Vivos voco, mortuos p lango, fulgura frango."

A. Gornfeld.

Russian language dictionaries

Before you start writing a novel of the century or a simple story, you should find out what an epigraph is. This word refers to a short text, saying or quotation that precedes a work or part of it.

Typically, an epigraph expresses the essence of the writer’s creative intent, the main idea of ​​the work and, of course, informs the reader main topic author's work, as well as its mood. Knowing what an epigraph is, the creator has an excellent opportunity to set the reader in the right mood immediately, as soon as the first page of his work opens.

Sometimes the epigraph characterizes the characters of the text or gives big picture storyline. There are epigraphs for the entire work, and there are for one separate chapter.

Some people, when asked what an epigraph is, will say that it is a quatrain. However, today some authors use not only poetry for this, but also short jokes"to the point". This plays the role of a short break in modern tutorials, textbooks, and encyclopedias, where the reader is offered material that is quite difficult to understand.

For example, in a tutorial for beginner users of a personal computer, before the chapter on the disk drive, there is an anecdote about a blonde who calls customer service with a complaint that her “coffee stand” is broken - it won’t slide out. On the one hand, it gives the mood for the theme of the chapter, and on the other, it slightly dilutes the seriousness of the material with humor. Just like good teachers at lectures!

To better understand what an epigraph is, you should look into the “past life” of this word. It turns out that it had interesting story. After all, its first meaning was “gravestone inscription.” This is where the related word “epitaph” was born.

Probably the main feature of the epigraph is the fact that in short phrase it should contain maximum meaning and content, just as an epitaph expresses a deep thought in just a few words.

The first epigraphs appeared in the Renaissance, however, they took root only during the Romantic period. Today it is already difficult to find anywhere they are used.

The design of an epigraph has its own rules, which should be known to everyone who decides to use it in their work. As a rule, it is drawn up without quotation marks on the right side of the sheet. The author's surname and first name should not be put in brackets; there is also no period after them.

It is typed in a font several sizes smaller than the main text, and sometimes the epigraph is italicized. Its design on foreign language, next to which its translation is located, differs from the usual one. After all, you need to type the original and translation text in different outlines of the same font and size. It is also important to separate them with a space.

In the epigraph, the quotation given must exactly reproduce the quoted text, without changes. in the quotation should be placed in the same way as in the author's text. If only a fragment of an excerpt is quoted, then according to the rules, an ellipsis is placed in place of the gap. Also, in a phrase that is not written from the beginning, an ellipsis is placed.

All lines should be approximately the same length. Very often, in a well-designed book, the epigraph to the entire book is placed on a separate odd-numbered page, following title page. When using these for each chapter, they are placed after their title or number.

You should also remember some axioms for using epigraphs.

1. Poetic text Under no circumstances should you retell it in your own words!

2. Regarding punctuation rules in prose works, then it must completely coincide with direct speech.

Luzyanina Antonina Grigorievna,

Teacher of Russian language and literature GBOU secondary school No. 2088

Working with an epigraph –

an effective way to teach analysis work of art.

(From work experience, 8th grade, A.S. Pushkin’s story “ Captain's daughter»)

Epigraph (from the Greek επιγραφή - “inscription”) is a quotation placed at the head of an essay or its parts in order to indicate its spirit, its meaning, the author’s attitude towards it, etc.

Epigraphs, most often small and short, take on a huge burden. Directly or allegorically, evoking any associations, they are representatives of the main idea.
Along with the title, the correct reading of the epigraph is a “trigger” moment on the way to the main idea. Sometimes in a work with a complex structure there are epigraphs not only after the title of the entire book, but also before each chapter. This helps the reader build a hierarchy of main ideas and main events.

I work with the epigraph step by step.

• Stage 1 – preparing students to perceive something new, intensifying mental activity and awakening interest in the work and the epigraph as one of its components. Students recall the definition of an epigraph and theoretical information about this type of literary quotation.
• Stage 2 is focusing on finding an answer to the question: - Is an epigraph really necessary in a work?
• Stage 3 - formation of cognitive interest.

Every literary scholar wants his pupil to develop the habit of serious, thoughtful reading, the ability to see the events and characters of a work through the eyes of the author - the bearer of moral and aesthetic assessment. Introduction to author's position activates the mental activity and creative abilities of children, enriches their reading culture.

• Stage 4 - observation of the text, which gives students the opportunity to make sure that the epigraph is only an outwardly independent, autonomous quote; in fact, it is closely connected with other compositional components: the title, beginning, end, plot and images of the work.
• Stage 5 - identifying the level of reader perception. It includes a conclusion about the functions of the epigraph.
• Stage 6 - consolidation and generalization of acquired knowledge and skills to analyze this literary quote. At this stage, the skill is transferred to other types of activities: studying textbook articles containing epigraphs, selecting epigraphs for essays, understanding their role in organizing a literature lesson.
• Stage 7 – understanding the author’s position based on understanding the role of the epigraph.

A beneficial material for developing the skill of analyzing an epigraph is the story “The Captain's Daughter.” Before reading the story, the teacher introduces the students to the “publisher’s” note: “We decided, with the permission of relatives, to publish it separately, having found a decent epigraph for each chapter...” Then the words of V. B. Shklovsky are quoted, who called the epigraphs of “The Captain’s Daughter” “semantic” the key of the work, giving an idea of author's respect to the topic that he wants to convey to readers.

The students are given the task of tracing how the epigraphs are connected to the text of the story itself and what role they play.

The discussion of Chapter 1 begins with historical commentary. The teacher explains that the word “minor” used to have a different meaning than it does now. This was the name given to young noblemen of the 18th century who had not reached adulthood and had not yet entered the public service, but enrolled in the army from birth. While the minor reached adulthood, he was automatically promoted and by the age of seventeen, without making any effort, he could “rise” to captain.

Students are asked to answer the questions:

What is the epigraph talking about?

How many parts does it consist of?

How is it related to the title, beginning and end of the chapter?

What events in Petrusha’s life does he pay attention to?

Why is the second part of the epigraph needed: “Who is his father?”

How does the epigraph help us understand Pushkin’s attitude towards the characters and events depicted?

The technique of observing the text will allow the children to identify structural connections within the text. “Sergeant of the Guard”, with the help of lexical repetition “Captain of the Guard,” is connected with the epigraph and emphasizes Pushkin’s ironic attitude towards the rosy dreams of the underage Petrusha about guard service.

The phrase: “Who is his father?” echoes the beginning of the chapter, which seems to answer the question: “My father became prime minister in 17...” The meaning of the epigraph is connected with the events of the plot: the father’s decision to send Petrusha not into the guard at court, but into the active army. Thus, the author emphasizes the importance of the event that changed the usual course of life of the minor and explains the reason for such severity of Grinev, the eldest, who strives to cultivate high moral qualities in his son.

The father wants his heir to continue the best noble traditions, so he does not protect him from difficulties, does not look for a warm place for him: “Petrusha will not go to St. Petersburg. What will he learn while serving in St. Petersburg? Wander and hang out? No, let him serve in the army, let him pull the strap, let him smell gunpowder, let him be a soldier, not a shamaton.”

Speaking about the functions of the epigraph, it is necessary to point out to students that it predicts or foretells the future events of the chapter, the development of the images of Petrusha Grinev and his father, reveals Pushkin’s ironic attitude towards Petrusha’s unfulfilled dreams, and helps to understand the features of the moral code of the nobility.

In a lesson on the topic: “Life universities of Petrusha Grinev”, dedicated to the story about his service in the Belogorsk fortress, analysis of 3-5 chapters can be carried out on the following issues:

Did Petrusha’s ideas about fortress and service correspond to reality?

How does the epigraph help answer this question?

How did Masha’s love affect Petrusha?

How does he react to evil?

The epigraph to Chapter 3 characterizes the established way of life in the fortress. Students have no difficulty in determining its semantics - this is a soldier’s song, daring, perky, raising morale, it creates in their imagination images of gallant, brave warriors who don’t care about anything, they threaten their enemies:

Let's give the guests a feast,

Let's load the cannon with buckshot.

The teacher draws the children’s attention to the stylistic heterogeneity of the epigraph: it contains words from book vocabulary (“fortecia”) and colloquial ones (“let’s have a party,” “they’ll come for pies”). This technique emphasizes the discrepancy between Petrusha’s expectations and real life. (« Belogorsk fortress was forty miles from Orenburg...")

The epigraph is connected with the title of the chapter “Fortress” and its beginning through the synonymous repetition of “fortress”. With the help of the teacher, students find textual overlaps between the epigraph and the narrative:

We live in a fort. I looked in all directions, expecting to see formidable bastions, towers and ramparts; but saw nothing except a village surrounded by a log fence.

The teacher helps students understand that these parallels clearly indicate the author’s ironic attitude towards the garrison service, where there were no exercises, reviews, or guards.

The second epigraph from D. I. Fonvizin’s comedy “The Minor” will help to more fully reveal the images of “old people.” Students are already familiar with this work and the morals of Mrs. Prostakova, who subjugated her mute husband and ruled the entire house.

After this, students will easily determine that the content of the epigraph is projected onto the relationships in the Mironov family, onto the image of Vasilisa Yegorovna, who commands not only her husband, but the entire garrison. She is similar to Prostakova in her imperiousness and unceremoniousness, but the image of the commandant is not unambiguous: the author endows her with kindness, cordiality, hospitality, and devotion to her husband. It is simplicity, sincerity and kindness that attract Petrusha to Captain Mironov’s family.

The image of Masha Mironova is associated with the epigraphs of Chapter 5, emphasizing her nobility and spiritual beauty. She releases Grinev from his promise to marry her because she does not want to go against the will of his parents, she wishes well-being and happiness to her beloved:

If you find me better, you will forget

If you find me worse, you will remember.

Students determine the structural connections of the epigraph with the content of the chapter: “...At least be happy...if you find yourself a betrothed, if you love another, God be with you...and I am for both of you...”

The second epigraph is also a quote from folk song. He points to the ethical laws that have been developed by the people for centuries and which Masha follows. Determining the textual structural connections between the epigraph and the chapter, eighth-graders note repetitions:

Don’t go, the girl is young, get married;

You ask, girl, your father, mother...

(In text) “...I will not marry you without the blessing of your parents. Without their blessing you will not be happy.”

The epigraph to Chapter 4 helps readers understand Pushkin’s attitude towards Petrusha Grinev.

Schoolchildren determine that the structural connection of the literary quotation with the title “Duel” and the end of the chapter (“At that very time I was strongly stabbed in the chest below the right shoulder...” - compare “I will pierce the figure”) is carried out using synonymous repetition. In its meaning, the epigraph completely predicts upcoming events, as well as the outcome of the duel, and acts as a tuning fork, setting the reader up for an ironic perception of events. The very combination of serious, almost tragic theme duel and quotes from the comedy shows Pushkin’s ambiguous attitude towards both the noble code of honor and Petrusha Grinev: on the one hand, he respects his hero’s willingness to stand up for the girl’s honor, to fight for justice, even putting his life in danger, but, on the other hand , comically depicts the very means of this struggle.

In a lesson on the topic “Two meetings of Grinev with Pugachev - a counselor in the steppe and leader of the uprising” also significant place Work with epigraphs of chapters 2-8 takes place. Quotes from an old recruiting song (chapter “Counselor”), which tells about a good fellow who was led into an unfamiliar direction by “agility, brave courage,” emphasize Pugachev’s folk “peasant” appearance and his epic strength.

Pushkin chose lines that directly echo the conversation between Petrusha and the counselor:

Unfamiliar side! Was it not I who came upon you?

Wasn’t it a good horse that brought me along?

(From the text) ... - Listen, little man, - I told him, - do you know this side?

“The side is familiar to me,” answered the traveler, “thank God, it’s well-trodden and traveled up and down.” …. But they differ in the content of the chapter.

What causes this?

How is Pugachev’s biography reflected in them?

In the first lesson, dedicated to the history of the creation of the story, the teacher informs the children that Emelyan Pugachev is a Don Cossack by origin. He was in the tsarist service for three years, took part in the battles of the Seven Years' War and was taken as an orderly by one of the colonels for his “excellent agility.” Upon returning from the army, he was called up two more times to pacify the schismatics and to fight against the Turks. The tsarist service was boring, but Pugachev did not receive his resignation and fled. For two years he wandered around the Don and Ukraine, hiding from arrest, then moved to the Urals. During his wanderings, he took part in peasant unrest: he was a walker to the queen from the inhabitants of the Terek (he was caught and punished), then he led the departure of the Yaik Cossacks from the oppressors with Southern Urals to the Kuban, in the Turkish direction - an arrest followed, and now he was already threatened with Siberian hard labor. Here, while in custody, Pugachev’s resourcefulness, his ability to persuade and influence people manifested itself - he fled with the guards.

Answering the questions posed, students draw a conclusion about the functions of the epigraph of Chapter 2. He points out the reasons for the appearance of the Don Cossack outside the familiar side, in the Urals, helps to express the author’s attitude towards this hero, whom he calls a fine fellow and emphasizes his daring, strength, courage, kinship with the epic heroes (for him, even a snowstorm in the steppe is not terrible). Structurally, the epigraph of the chapter is connected with Pugachev’s words “the side is familiar to me...” and indicates that both in the Ural steppe and among the Yaik Cossacks, the leader of the popular uprising is his own man.

A comparison of two epigraphs preceding chapters 2 and 8 helps move on to the analysis of the chapter “The Uninvited Guest.” If the first - characterizes Pugachev as good fellow, then the second one gives him an unkind assessment: “An uninvited guest is worse than a Tatar.”

It is necessary to report that initially Chapter 8 was preceded by other lines: “And the villains came to us at mass - and three barrels of beer were placed near the hut, they drank - but they did not give us anything.” (Testimony of the elder Ivan Paramonov in March 1774)

Why did Pushkin refuse this option, because this text is more broad characteristics actions of an “uninvited guest?

The refusal of this quotation can be explained by several reasons: firstly, the elder’s testimony has a reduced everyday connotation, talks about a particular case - the seizure of a village by rebels, and secondly, in “The Captain’s Daughter” the author avoids referring to documents and does not want to violate unity of artistic storytelling.

Having found out the meaning of the epigraph, we direct the search to determine its connection with the text. The question is asked:

Do the events of Chapter 8 confirm Pugachev’s assessment given in the epigraph?

This question focuses students’ attention on the portrait of Pugachev created by Pushkin, the hero’s reaction to Petrusha’s words that he will fight against him, fulfilling his duty.

At the generalization stage, students come to the conclusion that Pushkin contrasts the content of chapter 8 with the epigraph, showing the leader of the uprising as capable of nobility, generosity and kindness even towards representatives of the hostile camp.

The lesson “The Trials of the Nobleman Grinev” (chapters 9-12) is dedicated to revealing complex relationship Petrushi Grinev to Pugachev and the rebels, we compare his opinion with the position of Pushkin.

The epigraph of chapter 10 does not entirely correspond to the content of the chapter and is not predictive in nature.

For what purpose does Pushkin introduce him into the story? It prepares readers to understand the importance of the events of the peasant war, which the author compares in importance for Russian history with the Kazan campaign, and Pugachev - with Ivan the Terrible. It should be noted that parallel to the hidden comparison of the hero with Russian Tsar there is also a direct comparison with an eagle, which strives for a free life. The image of an eagle appears once again in a fairy tale told by Pugachev to Petrusha. The epigraph to chapter 11 also elevates the main character, comparing him to a lion. Students should be told that this epigraph belongs to Pushkin himself, although the author gives a link to A.P. Sumarokova.

Vocabulary work: the word “den” has two meanings:

1. cave - underground entrance, hard-to-reach ravines; 2) the home of people of questionable behavior, criminals.

– In what sense, in your opinion, is this word used in the quotation? So, the lion, usually ferocious by nature, kindly receives a guest in his cave only because at that time he is full. The content of the epigraph is projected onto the events of the chapter: Pugachev shows favor towards Petrusha, despite the fact that his comrades accuse the young nobleman of espionage and demand his execution. The question is asked: - What character traits of Pugachev does the author emphasize with the epigraph - ferocity or affection? The teacher then introduces the students to A.P.’s opinion. Sumarokov, who wrote about Pugachev like this: This murderer, having destroyed the tyrant of the noble, Koliko destroyed fathers and mothers! In marriage he gives unfit warriors Honorary daughters. This statement about the arbitrariness and tyranny of the leader of the peasant uprising contradicts the events described by Pushkin: Pugachev is ready to help Grinev save his beloved and even arrange their wedding. Drawing a conclusion about the functions of the epigraph of chapters 10-11, students note that by placing next to the name of the rebel leader the names of “royal” animals and birds - lion and eagle - Pushkin wants to emphasize his opinion of him as a strong, powerful personality. The teacher draws the students’ attention to the fact that all the epigraphs relating to Pugachev are taken from any literary works where the words “Russian Tsar” are mentioned; he does not at all want to convince readers of the royal origin of the impostor, but sets himself the goal of showing the uniqueness of the person who is capable of leading thousands of people. The lesson “The Mercy of the Impostor and the Mercy of the Autocrat” should reveal the moral integrity of Pugachev and show the depth of Masha Mironova’s personality ((chapters 13-14).

The source of the epigraph to Chapter 13 is an excerpt from Ya. B. Knyazhnin’s comedy “The Braggart,” but some literary scholars argued that this literary quotation was composed by Pushkin himself, and the last two lines only resemble a remark of the hero of the comedy. Students understand the meaning of the epigraph without much explanation: this is a dialogue between two people, one of whom, “out of duty,” must arrest the other, a friend, and send him to prison. The friend expresses a desire to explain himself first and hopes that he will be given such an opportunity. The analysis reveals the textual structural connections of this quote with the title of the chapter and its end through lexical repetitions.

The meaning of the epigraph predicts the events of the plot. Zurin is friendly towards Grinev, believes in his innocence, but is obliged to carry out the order and arrest him. Petrusha does not fully understand the danger looming over him, because he believes in the triumph of justice: “My conscience was clear, I was not afraid of the court...” Pushkin destroys the hopes of his hero: members of the investigative commission treat him with prejudice during interrogation. The author bitterly shows how Shvabrin's slander prevails over justice and an innocent person is convicted.

Chapter 14 is called "Judgment", but this important event Only a few lines are dedicated to Grinev’s life: everything is clear and without long descriptions. The epigraph to this chapter is the proverb “Worldly rumor - sea ​​wave" Resorting to folk wisdom, the writer wanted to show the illegality of the court verdict, based not on an objective analysis of the case, but on “human rumor”, i.e. Shvabrin's slander.

Students easily determine the connection between the epigraph and the words of Petrusha’s mother, who spoke about “the inaccuracy of rumors, the instability of human opinion” and could not admit the thought of her son’s betrayal. A conversation is being held on the topic “Who can be called Grinev’s savior? Questions: - Why did justice prevail? - What fate awaited Petrusha if Masha had not asked the Empress for him? - What is the difference between the mercy of Catherine2 and the mercy of Pugachev? The epigraph of chapter 9 is projected onto the events of the plot: the separation of lovers after liberation from Shvabrin captivity.

The objective of the lesson “Pushkin’s depiction of the popular uprising and its leader” is to systematize the students’ ideas and impressions about the author’s attitude towards Pugachev and the peasant revolt. The teacher draws attention to the epigraphs of chapters 6 and 7, the first of them stands out from common system quotations, because it emphasizes the temporal distance between the events described in the story and Pushkin’s contemporary era. These are lines from a folk song, the meaning of which is to teach, draw attention younger generation on the importance of what is being reported. The teacher introduces students to the context of the quote:

You young guys, listen up
What will we old men say?

About the Terrible Tsar Ivan, about Vasilyevich,

How he, our Sovereign Tsar, walked near Kazan - the city.

These lines once again emphasize Pushkin’s opinion about the historical significance of the peasant war under the leadership of Pugachev. The author calls on his contemporaries to learn a lesson: he feels the proximity of a new Pugachevism. The popular uprisings of the 30s, the uprising in Poland again incited hatred, were ready to grow into a new Russian revolt, “senseless and merciless,” because it does not lead to an improvement in the life of the people, but brings troubles and grief. Pushkin is frightened by the spontaneity of the uprising, its uncontrollability.

In the lesson “Statement of humanism, honor and duty in the story,” the teacher draws the students’ attention to the common moral principles by which Grinev and Pugachev live. It is they who contribute to the rapprochement between the young nobleman and the leader of the popular revolt. Both of them are open, sincere, generous, know how to pay good for good, hate duplicity, cowardice and meanness. The foundation of Grinev’s morality was laid by his parents, especially his father. But where did Pugachev get these principles from? Their source is the ideals of goodness and justice, which were developed by the people over centuries of history. It is not for nothing that Pushkin in his epigraphs reflects two layers of culture - noble and popular.

The literary epigraphs of the story are taken from the works of poets of Catherine’s era: Ya.B. Knyazhnina, M.M. Kheraskova... These poets in their works glorified high service to the fatherland, loyalty to duty and noble honor. Folklore epigraphs reflect the historical, social moral experience of the people, their way of life, interests, views and ideals, their wisdom, and emphasize the high moral foundations of people's life.

Not by chance for his life credo Pushkin uses the proverb “Take care of your honor from a young age.” It is placed at the beginning of the work and is very important for understanding the meaning of “The Captain's Daughter”. The writer omits her “everyday” first part “Take care of the dress again...”, which gives the remaining phrase an even more universal character, elevating it to an absolute moral principle life for people, regardless of their class. “Take care of honor from a young age” means remain human in any conditions, no matter what fate puts you in.

So, the system of work that I described with epigraphs to the story by A.S. Pushkin's "The Captain's Daughter", convinced me that this is one of the effective ways of teaching students to analyze a work of art, and also forms cognitive interest to the subject being studied and the literary work, educates a thoughtful, competent reader who knows how to see the events and characters of the work through the eyes of the author. I hope that this work will be useful and help my colleagues.

Instructions

At its core, an epigraph is a bright, original statement borrowed from a famous person or from a literary work. The main task of epigraphs is to concisely express the essence of the work and highlight it. A well-chosen epigraph allows you to understand, even before reading the entire content, what will be discussed and what conclusions will be drawn. In addition, a successful epigraph is very textual, giving it style.

The most important question that arises when it comes to choosing an epigraph is where to find it. For school, you can use any or a paragraph from the literary work on which you are writing. You can also use the statement of one of the critics who analyzed this work, if his thought seems complete to you and expresses your intention.

Also, catchphrases, aphorisms, and vivid quotes from famous historical figures are often used as epigraphs. Often fragments may be taken. Before looking for a text suitable as an epigraph, think about what main idea you want to express with your work. What tone should the epigraph set for the entire text: serious, gloomy, frivolous, cheerful. The choice of the appropriate one depends on this.

Having understood exactly how you want your epigraph to look, think about whether you remember some statement or quote that is in tune with your thoughts. If something like this comes to mind, find this text and re-read the original. It will become clear to you whether he is suitable for your job. If not, keep looking. You can use online resources to find the right quote or aphorism. Various collections may also be useful catchphrases.

Once the text suitable for the epigraph has been selected, it must be formatted correctly. Epigraphs are always located immediately after the title and before the main text of the work on the right side of the page. If you are typing your work on a computer, select the “Right Align” option for writing the epigraph. The text of the epigraph is without quotation marks, below it is the author’s first and last name. If you want to indicate, in addition to the author’s name, the title of the work from which the quotation was taken, write it separated by a comma after the author’s last name.

Sources:

• How to make a regular epigraph

In online diaries, blogs, forum posts and in social networks today you can often find small beautiful pictures, on which the owner’s nickname or some kind of quote is inserted. Such pictures serve as a kind of epigraph for a blog, diary or website, and they can also be posted on your own profiles on various social services. You can create an epigraph picture in a matter of minutes.

Instructions

Open the image and texture in one common document Adobe Photoshop and place the image layer above the texture layer. Use the Free Transform Tool (Ctrl+T) to resize the images to match each other, and then change the Blend Mode to Lighten.

Select the Eraser Tool from the toolbar and adjust the eraser so that it has a blurred soft edge. Use an eraser to work around one edge of the photo, trying to make the texture smooth and invisible. If necessary, move the image a little to reveal more of the texture.

Decorate the future epigraph with additional visual effects - desaturate your image by pressing the key combination Ctrl+Shift+U, and then select new mode blending layers, for example, Soft Light.

The epigraph is usually drawn up entirely on right side sheet or with a significant indent on the left side, without using quotation marks. It is believed that this part of the text should not occupy more than half the width of the page. If an epigraph in the form of a quotation contains the author’s surname and initials, a period is usually not placed after them. The font size used to type the epigraph should correspond to the main text of the work or be slightly smaller in size.

How to choose the right epigraph

Quotes from the works of other authors are most widely used as epigraphs for works. When choosing such a passage, you should strive to ensure that it is extremely short and concise, but at the same time accurately reflecting the author’s thoughts. It hardly makes sense to give extensive and lengthy quotes. The advantage of an epigraph is its brevity and accuracy of expression.

Very wide opportunities are provided by the use of aphorisms, which are most often understood as figurative sayings. In the aphorism of a scientist, eminent writer or public figure expressiveness and completeness of thought are combined. However, no one forbids the author to come up with an aphorism on his own. If the saying turns out to be successful, the reader will not demand from the author a certificate certifying that he is world famous, famous and revered in society.

Think about the topic of your essay. Think:

What problem do you want to address;
- how can you formulate controversial issues and how to answer them;
- how you justify and argue your statements.

Make an outline of your essay in a draft, write down your main ideas and thoughts there. Consider how you can justify your claims:

Quotes from the work (no more than two or three sentences) that will confirm, rather than repeat, your thoughts;
- links to relevant episodes;
- analysis of the work (decide which key points of the text support your position).

Think about what style you will write in (yours is important individual style as the author of the essay). Decide in advance what the introduction and conclusion will be. It is best if the beginning and end of your work are, as it were, closed in a ring: ideologically (the same thought is affirmed and confirmed) or formally (repetition of words). This is not difficult if you carefully think through your statement at the very beginning, especially its initial and final parts. Check yourself to see if you have gone off topic: read the topic of your work and compare it with what you want to write.

Write an introduction. It may contain:

Invitation to conversation;
- presentation of the author;
- identification of the problem (it must be clearly formulated);
- transition to the main part.

In the introduction you should not retell the content of the text. The volume of the introductory part should be small - only 3-4 sentences. If necessary, cross out unnecessary phrases. If you can’t start with the introduction, you can start with the main part of the text, leaving room for the introduction. Better yet, think: what is stopping you from approaching the topic? Perhaps you have not yet clearly formulated for yourself the main problem or other provisions of the text.

The beginning of the essay should smoothly transition into the main part. After writing the main part, using the outline, read it. Make sure that the main part is relevant to the topic and does not contain unnecessary statements and thoughts. Do your statements disagree with the author’s intention and the content of the text? Mark your main ideas in the margins with a pencil. Finally, you can repeat them in other words. Please note that it does not have to be large. Introduction and conclusion should be no more than 25% of the entire text.

Read the entire work carefully. Correct mistakes, eliminate inaccuracies in words. If possible, check in the dictionary if you are not sure of the correct spelling. Be careful about punctuation marks. Mentally explain the signs that you doubt.

Helpful advice

Please note that the epigraph is written without quotation marks, and the author's surname in it is written without parentheses. There is no period after the author of the epigraph is indicated. Poems are quoted in a column (without quotes, in the middle of the page) or in a line (in quotes, with a separating character “/” between the lines).

Sources:

• How to write an essay on literature
• how to write an essay on literature correctly

Many schoolchildren and applicants are faced with the problem of writing an essay. Knowing the content of the text will not help much here. The author of the essay must have the ability to analyze ideological content And artistic originality works. Write composition- this is the ability to coherently formulate thoughts and facts presented from the point of view of the author and proven by him. Working on composition m can be carried out in the following stages.

Instructions

Think about and understand the topic of the essay, identify its content. Determine the range of problems contained in it. It is important to understand what meaning and semantic load each word carries in the formulation of the topic. For example, the nature of work on the characters of literary works depends on the classification:
- characterization of the character (“Tatyana Larina is the ideal of the author”, “Tatyana Larina as a type of Russian woman”, “Bazarov through the eyes of the author”, “Tatyana Larina in the assessment of V.G. Belinsky”);
- comparison of characters (“Onegin and Lensky”, “Bazarov and Arkady Kirsanov”);
- character system (“ Women's images in the novel by A.S. Pushkin “Eugene Onegin”);
- character (“Famusovskoe in A.S. Griboyedov’s comedy “Woe from Wit”);
- hero and environment (“Chatsky and Famusov’s society”);
- character image (“Image of Pechorin”);
- the image of the author (“The image of the author in the novel “Eugene Onegin”).

Formulate the main idea (idea of ​​the essay). To do this, ask yourself the question: “What conclusion should I come to when revealing the topic?”

Choose the form of evidence for your main idea. In the deductive form, you first express a general idea, and then