Woman in Politics by Ambrose Bierce
WOMAN IN POLITICS by Ambrose Bierce is a short story that explores the themes of gender roles, power dynamics, and social commentary. The story follows a woman named Mrs. Frisbie who runs for mayor of her town, highlighting the challenges she faces as a female candidate in a male-dominated political sphere. Through her campaign, Bierce critiques the societal norms and expectations placed on women during the late 19th century, ultimately questioning the notion of whether a woman can truly be a politician. The story is a thought-provoking commentary on gender roles and politics, and remains relevant today in its exploration of these timeless themes.
By Ambrose Bierce · First published 1872 · Genre: Politics, Non-fiction, Biography · 420 words
First lines
What, madam, run for School Director? You? And want my vote and influence? Well, well, That beats me! Gad! where "are" we drifting to? In all my life I never have heard tell Of such sublime presumption, and I smell A nigger in the fence! Excuse me, madam; We statesmen sometimes speak like the old Adam.
But now you mention it -- well, well, who knows? We might, that's certain, give the sex a show.
What this Textopian page supports
Woman in Politics is listed on Textopian as an essay by Ambrose Bierce, dated 1872 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Essay
- Author: Ambrose Bierce
- Date: 1872 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Politics, Non-fiction, Biography, Feminism, Social commentary
- Length: 420 words
- Structure: 1 section, 11 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Woman in Politics 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 Woman in Politics?
- How does this essay by Ambrose Bierce fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Politics first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
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- The Two Questions by Alice Meynell
- Moll Davis by Bernard Capes
- The Birth Of Virtue by Ambrose Bierce
- The Case Of George Fisher by Mark Twain
- Woman by Ambrose Bierce
Genres
- Politics — The book's title explicitly refers to the involvement of women in politics.
- Non-fiction — Ambrose Bierce is known for writing non-fiction works, especially satirical and critical commentary. Considering the subject matter, this work likely follows his habitual writing style.
- Biography — If this work discusses real women's political lives and experiences, biographical elements would be a likely component.
- Feminism — Discussing the role of women in a given area, particularly politics, typically involves an examination of gender equity and can be classified as feminist literature.
Tags
Political Satire · Feminist Literature · Social Commentary · Historical Fiction · Gender Roles · Power Dynamics · Government Corruption · Mystery · Suspense · Female Protagonist · Leadership · Gender Equality