The Bride by Ambrose Bierce (1898)
The story follows a man who marries a woman he has never met, based on her physical appearance alone. He takes her to his remote cabin in the woods, where she becomes increasingly isolated and paranoid, suspecting that her husband may be hiding a dark secret. As the story progresses, the wife's sanity deteriorates, and she begins to question her own identity and the nature of her marriage. The tale unfolds through a series of cryptic letters and diary entries, creating an atmosphere of eerie suspense and psychological horror.
By Ambrose Bierce · First published 1898 · Genre: Short Stories, Horror, Mystery · 98 words
First lines
"You know, my friends, with what a brave carouse I made a second marriage in my house -- Divorced old barren Reason from my bed And took the Daughter of the Vine to spouse."
So sang the Lord of Poets. In a gleam Of light that made her like an angel seem, The Daughter of the Vine said: "I myself Am Reason, and the Other was a Dream."
What this Textopian page supports
The Bride 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: Short Stories, Horror, Mystery, Psychological, Gothic
- Length: 98 words
- Structure: 1 section, 2 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Bride 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 The Bride?
- How does this short story by Ambrose Bierce fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Short Stories first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- To Her by Ambrose Bierce
- A Coward by Ambrose Bierce
- Dies Irae by Ambrose Bierce
- The Foolish Woman by Ambrose Bierce
- Lucifer Of The Torch by Ambrose Bierce
- Ad Moodium by Ambrose Bierce
Genres
- Short Stories — The book consists of a short story.
- Horror — The book contains elements of horror and supernatural occurrences.
- Mystery — The plot revolves around unexplained phenomena and a vanishing bride.
- Psychological — The narrative explores human emotions and reactions in face of unusual events.
Tags
gothic · horror · supernatural · fiction · short story · marriage · relationships · psychological · thriller · mystery · suspense · ghost