Bereavement by Ambrose Bierce (1898)
Bereavement is a short story written by Ambrose Bierce in 1894. The story follows the life of a man named William, who has recently lost his wife to death. William is consumed by grief and struggles to cope with his loss. He becomes detached from reality and finds solace in his memories of his wife. As time passes, William's grief deepens, and he begins to question his own sanity. The story raises questions about the nature of grief and how it can affect a person's mental state.
By Ambrose Bierce · First published 1898 · Genre: Fiction, Drama, Historical Fiction · 308 words
First lines
A Countess (so they tell the tale) Who dwelt of old in Arno's vale, Where ladies, even of high degree, Know more of love than of A.B.C, Came once with a prodigious bribe Unto the learned village scribe, That most discreet and honest man Who wrote for all the lover clan, Nor e'er a secret had betrayed -- Save when inadequately paid. "Write me," she sobbed -- "I pray thee do -- A book about the Prince di Giu -- A book of poetry in praise Of all his works and all his ways; The godlike grace of his address, His more than woman's tenderness, His courage stern and lack of guile, The loves that wantoned in his smile.
What this Textopian page supports
Bereavement 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: Fiction, Drama, Historical Fiction, Psychological, Tragedy
- Length: 308 words
- Structure: 1 section, 3 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Bereavement 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 Bereavement?
- How does this short story by Ambrose Bierce fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Fiction first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
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Genres
- Fiction — The book could be centered around fictitious events or characters. Ambrose Bierce is commonly known for his work in the fiction genre.
- Drama — Given the title 'Bereavement', it's likely that the book deals with themes of loss and mourning, which often fall under the drama genre.
- Historical Fiction — Ambrose Bierce has written several historical fiction pieces, making this a potentially relevant genre.
- Psychological — The theme of bereavement may delve into psychological aspects of dealing with loss, bringing this genre into consideration.
Tags
Grief · Loss · Mourning · Sadness · Death · Farewell · Goodbye · Funeral · Obituary · Remembrance · Tragedy · Human Emotion