What is the preface? We learn the views of writers, editors and literary critics

Foreword in the books people often read diagonally, or even simply skip. And in vain! It is in this part of the book that important information can be found that will facilitate the understanding of what is written in the main part.

We learn better what is the preface.

What do the literary encyclopedias say?

What is the preface of the book? This question should be addressed to specialized specialists.

Literary critics thus explain the concept: it is part of a literary text (of an artistic or scientific nature) that precedes the main text. The author, as a rule, places in the preface that information which, in his opinion, will facilitate the understanding of the text, will give important additional information.

In this part of the book, not only the author himself, but also the editor, the publisher or another person related to the book can comment on his remarks.

Why do they write the foreword?

With the question what is the foreword in the literature, we figured it out. But why do authors write these introductory parts to their works? What are they needed for?

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

From such samples, literary scholars can find out what the writer has changed in the text, how his socio-political views affected the novel.
The nihilists of the 60s of the last century addressed the question: "What is the preface?" - they would answer that this is a screen behind which they hide their true intentions.

Satirical forewords

Answering the question, what is the preface, it is necessary to dwell in more detail on antinigilistic works. One of these texts Dostoevsky wrote to the works of Chernyshevsky. The satire of the famous conservative was connected with the views of the famous Russian democrat-revolutionary.

Of course, Dostoevsky's stern words provoked resentment among other workers in the pen. A few years later the writer said that he was misunderstood, because he himself was once a prisoner-convict and could not rejoice at the same grief of another person. Some critics have bribed these words.

Preface-Manifesto

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

Some generally recognized genius words were also pioneers of their style or continuers of 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.

Editorial Preface

Modern editions of classic works of past epochs can rarely be found without the introductory part of the editor. What is the 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 in those days. From such forewords, we can get acquainted with the modern view of the problem, the critical evaluation of the work.