A Literary Hangman by Ambrose Bierce
"A Literary Hangman" is a short story written by Ambrose Bierce in 1890. The story follows a man named John, who is a literary critic and hangman. John is tasked with hanging a man named Smith, who has been convicted of murder. As John prepares to carry out the execution, he becomes increasingly obsessed with the idea that Smith may be innocent. Despite his reservations, John proceeds with the hanging, only to discover afterward that Smith was indeed innocent. The story explores themes of justice, morality, and the power of literature to shape our understanding of the world.
By Ambrose Bierce · First published 1898 · Genre: Satire, Short Stories, Humor · 31 words
First lines
Beneath his coat of dirt great Neilson loves / To hide the avenging rope.
He handles all he touches without gloves, / Excepting soap.
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Genres
- Satire — Bierce is well-known for his biting wit and satirical style. 'A Literary Hangman' is particularly satirical as it satirizes the literary establishment and artistic pretensions.
- Short Stories — Much of Bierce's work, including 'A Literary Hangman', is characterized by brief, condensed storytelling. His stories often include a twist or surprise ending.
- Humor — Despite its grim title, 'A Literary Hangman' includes much of the dark humor for which Bierce is celebrated.
- Horror — Bierce often exposes the darker side of human nature, merging elements of horror into his satirical critique.
Tags
mystery · thriller · horror · gothic · supernatural · whodunit · suspense · literary fiction · classic · american literature · short stories · anthology
What this Textopian page supports
A Literary Hangman is listed on Textopian as a short story by Ambrose Bierce, dated 1898 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Ambrose Bierce
- Date: 1898 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Satire, Short Stories, Humor, Horror
- Length: 31 words
- Structure: 1 section, 2 paragraphs
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- Work identity for A Literary Hangman by Ambrose Bierce
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- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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