Some Ante-Mortem Epitaphs by Ambrose Bierce
1. "Here lies a man who lived his life with toil and strife, but found at last that death was not his end, but rather a new beginning in the next life." 2. "In memory of one who lived and loved and laughed, and now is gone, leaving naught but memories and tears behind." 3. "This spot is hallowed ground, where once a man lay down to rest, but found that death was not his final nest." 4. "Here lies a soul who lived and dreamed and hoped, and now is gone, leaving only ashes in the scope." 5. "In this place, a life was lost, but love and memory remain, a testament to one who lived and loved and lived again."
By Ambrose Bierce · First published 1890 · Genre: Satire, Humor, Non-fiction · 920 words
First lines
STEPHEN DORSEY.
Fly, heedless stranger, from this spot accurst, / Where rests in Satan an offender first / In point of greatness, as in point of time, / Of new-school rascals who proclaim their crime.
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Some Ante-Mortem Epitaphs is listed on Textopian as an essay by Ambrose Bierce, dated 1890 CE.
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- Work type: Essay
- Author: Ambrose Bierce
- Date: 1890 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Satire, Humor, Non-fiction, Short Stories
- Length: 920 words
- Structure: 1 section, 37 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
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Similar titles
- An Epitaph by Ambrose Bierce
- Dies Irae by Ambrose Bierce
- On A Proposed Crematory by Ambrose Bierce
- A Needless Labour by Ambrose Bierce
- The Discontented Malefactor by Ambrose Bierce
- A Dream Of Red Hands by Bram Stoker
Genres
- Satire — Ambrose Bierce is well known for his satirical style. This book contains satirical epitaphs, or short texts honoring a deceased person, humorously criticizing various aspects of life and human nature.
- Humor — The book uses humor as a device to mock or criticize people's behavior and societal norms, making it fall under the genre of humor.
- Non-fiction — The book presents epitaphs that are designed to be witty or humorous rather than to tell a story, thus it can be categorized as non-fiction.
- Short Stories — Although not traditional narratives, each epitaph within the collection can be seen as a short and concise fiction, marking it under the genre of short stories.
Tags
humor · irony · death · epitaph · poetry · tombstone · graveyard · supernatural · macabre · dark · witty · satire