Subtitle

A subtitle can refer to one of two things: textual versions of a film or television program's dialogue that appear onscreen, or an explanatory or alternate title, in addition to the main title of a work.

As an additional title

In books and other works, a subtitle is an explanatory or alternate title. For example, Mary Shelley used a subtitle to give her most famous novel, Frankenstein; or, the Modern Prometheus, an alternate title to give a hint of the theme. There are at least eight books in English that carry the subtitle Virtue Rewarded. Subtitles for plays were fashionable in the Elizabethan period, and Shakespeare parodied this vogue by giving Twelfth Night the pointless subtitle What You Will, implying that the subtitle can be whatever the audience wants it to be. In print, subtitles often appear below the title in a less prominent typeface or following the title after a colon.

Related Topics:
Mary Shelley - Frankenstein; or, the Modern Prometheus - Virtue Rewarded - Shakespeare - Twelfth Night

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Some modern publishers choose to forgo subtitles when republishing historical works, such as Shelley's famous story, which is often now sold simply as Frankenstein.

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Examples

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• The Goat, or Who is Sylvia?
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