A Retort by Ambrose Bierce (1894)
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By Ambrose Bierce · First published 1894 · Genre: Satire, Short Stories, Fiction · 205 words
First lines
As vicious women think all men are knaves, And shrew-bound gentlemen discourse of slaves; As reeling drunkards judge the world unsteady And idlers swear employers ne'er get ready -- Thieves that the constable stole all they had, The mad that all except themselves are mad; So, in another's clear escutcheon shown, Barnes rails at stains reflected from his own; Prates of "docility," nor feels the dark Ring round his neck -- the Ralston collar mark.
Back, man, to studies interrupted once, Ere yet the rogue had merged into the dunce.
Back, back to Yale! and, grown with years discreet, The course a virgin's lust cut short, complete.
What this Textopian page supports
A Retort is listed on Textopian as a short story by Ambrose Bierce, dated 1894 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: 1894 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Satire, Short Stories, Fiction, Humor, Literary Fiction
- Length: 205 words
- Structure: 1 section, 5 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for A Retort by Ambrose Bierce
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering A Retort?
- How does this short story by Ambrose Bierce fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Satire first become important in the reading?
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Genres
- Satire — The book 'A Retort' by Ambrose Bierce exhibits satirical elements; it humorously criticizes and mocks aspects of society and human behaviour.
- Short Stories — The book is constituted by several self-contained narratives, which is typical of the Short Stories genre.
- Fiction — The plot and characters invented by Ambrose Bierce qualify the book as Fiction.
- Humor — Bierce's wit and satire infuse the book with a sense of humor.
Tags
horror · gothic · supernatural · fiction · short story · humor · satire · irony · parody · social commentary · political satire · dark comedy