Alternative title (publishing)

"[1][2] This was a practice that started in the 17th century, and was common in both English and American literature.

During this period, many books aimed to appeal to a broader audience by using more descriptive subtitles.

[citation needed] As an example, Mary Shelley gave her most famous novel the title Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus, where or, The Modern Prometheus is the alternative title, by which she references the Greek Titan as a hint of the novel's themes.

[3] More examples are On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, or the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life and Moby-Dick; or, The Whale.

[4] This convention started to decline in the 19th century as book titles became more concise and marketing strategies evolved.