User blog comment:Zathronas/Author's Advice: Denouement/@comment-10380701-20140130040644/@comment-24218038-20140130131846

Yes an epilogue is a denouement, but a denouement may not be an epilogue. The use of an epilogue is often badly done too.

An epilogue is used when the denouement is completely outside the story setting. Same thing with a prologue.

Here's an example: the climax happen when your hero is 16 years old, in a bread factory (whatever lol) The denouement happens years later when he is an old man in his rocking chair telling the story to his grandkids. You need an epilogue.

If instead your denouement is a week later and he's home enjoying a great slice of bread with friends, then this should be in your chapters.

Here's a concrete example. In my next book, the protagonist starts his tale by talking directly to the readers. It's in the prologue because in no way does he do that in the story itself.