What is a preface? We learn the points of view of writers, editors and literary critics

2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25

Prefaces in books are often read diagonally or simply skipped. But in vain! It is in this part of the book that you can find important information that will make it easier to understand what is written in the main part.

Let's get to know better what a preface is.

What do literary encyclopedias say?

What is a book preface? With this question, you need to contact the relevant specialists.

Literary scholars explain the concept in this way: it is a part of a literary text (artistic or scientific) that precedes the main text. The author, as a rule, puts in the preface the information that, in his opinion, will facilitate the understanding of the text, provide important additional information.

In this part of the book, not only the author himself, but also the editor, publisher or other person related to the book can state their comments.

Why write a foreword?

We have sorted out the question of what a preface is in literature. But why do authors write these introductory parts to their works? What are they for?

Often the reason for writing is a negative attitude towards the book by critics or the main audience of readers. One of the editions of Turgenev's novel "Smoke" can serve as an example.

From such samples, literary critics can find out what the writer changed in the text, how his social and political views were reflected in the novel. Nihilists of the 60s of the century before last to the question: "What is a preface?" - would answer that this is a screen behind which they hide their true intentions.

Satirical introductions

Answering the question of what a preface is, it is necessary to dwell in more detail on anti-nihilistic works. One of these texts was written by Dostoevsky to the works of Chernyshevsky. The satire of a well-known conservative was associated with the views of a well-known Russian democrat-revolutionary.

Of course, Dostoevsky's sharp words aroused indignation among other workers of the pen. A few years later, the writer said that he was misunderstood, because he himself was once a convict prisoner and could not rejoice in the same grief of another person. Some critics were bought by these words.

Forewords-manifestos

How else can you answer the question, what is a preface? "It's a literary manifesto!" professionals can answer. And they will be right.

Some universally recognized geniuses of the word were also the pioneers of their style or the successors of the tradition. A striking example is Hugo's preface to the play Cromwell. It is in this text that we learn about romantic drama, its distinctive features and principles.

Prefaceeditors

Modern editions of classics from bygone eras are rare to find without an editorial introduction. What is preface in this case? This is an explanatory text that gives an idea of the era in which the author lived about the dominant form of social consciousness at that time. From such prefaces, we can also get acquainted with a modern view of the problem, a critical assessment of the work.