The MacKaiad by Ambrose Bierce
Book The Mackay Ad is a short story written by Ambrose Bierce in 1890. It follows the tale of a man named Mackay who becomes obsessed with a newspaper advertisement for a miraculous elixir that promises to cure any illness. Despite the skepticism of his friends and family, Mackay becomes convinced that the elixir will work for him and spends all of his savings on it. However, when he finally receives the elixir, he realizes that it is nothing more than a cleverly worded advertisement and that he has been duped. The story explores themes of gullibility, greed, and the power of suggestion in shaping our beliefs.
By Ambrose Bierce · First published 1891 · Genre: Satire, Political fiction, Historical fiction · 1,014 words
First lines
Mackay's hot wrath to Bonynge, direful spring Of blows unnumbered, heavenly goddess, sing -- That wrath which hurled to Hellman's office floor Two heroes, mutually smeared with gore, Whose hair in handfuls marked the dire debate, And riven coat-tails testified their hate.
Sing, muse, what first their indignation fired, What words augmented it, by whom inspired.
What this Textopian page supports
The MacKaiad is listed on Textopian as a short story by Ambrose Bierce, dated 1891 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: 1891 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Satire, Political fiction, Historical fiction
- Length: 1,014 words
- Structure: 1 section, 20 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The MacKaiad by Ambrose Bierce
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering The MacKaiad?
- How does this short story by Ambrose Bierce fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Satire first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
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- Ad Cattonum by Ambrose Bierce
- In High Life by Ambrose Bierce
- To Maude by Ambrose Bierce
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Genres
- Satire — As a satirical piece, this book uses humor, irony and exaggeration to criticize and mock the pretensions and follies of society.
- Political fiction — The Mackaiad emphasizes on political affairs and uses fictitious characters to draw light on real world political issues
- Historical fiction — The specific historical setting and context of the novel classifies it as a work of historical fiction.
Tags
gothic · horror · supernatural · mystery · thriller · fantasy · magical realism · dark humor · satire · social commentary · psychological horror · literary fiction