Yorick by Ambrose Bierce (1898)
YORICK, written by Ambrose Bierce, is a novella that follows the story of a man named Yorick, who is on a journey to find his lost love. Along the way, he encounters various characters and experiences different situations that challenge his beliefs and values. The novella explores themes of love, loss, and the human condition, and is known for its dark humor and satire.
By Ambrose Bierce · First published 1898 · Genre: Short Story, Fiction, Satire · 592 words
First lines
Hard by an excavated street one sat In solitary session on the sand; And ever and anon he spake and spat And spake again -- a yellow skull in hand, To which that retrospective Pioneer Addressed the few remarks that follow here:
"Who are you? Did you come 'der blains agross,' Or 'Horn aroundt'? In days o' '49 Did them thar eye-holes see the Southern Cross From the Antarctic Sea git up an' shine? Or did you drive a bull team 'all the way From Pike,' with Mr. Joseph Bowers? -- say!
What this Textopian page supports
Yorick 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 Story, Fiction, Satire, Horror
- Length: 592 words
- Structure: 1 section, 9 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Yorick 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 Yorick?
- How does this short story by Ambrose Bierce fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Short Story first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
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- A Forfeited Right by Ambrose Bierce
- An Antidote by Ambrose Bierce
- Disavowal by Ambrose Bierce
- A Valuable Suggestion by Ambrose Bierce
- The Woful Tale Of Mr Peters by Ambrose Bierce
Genres
- Short Story — The book is a single, self-contained narrative, which is usually less complex than a novel, so it fits the characteristics of a short story
- Fiction — This book deals with imagined events and characters, which is the main feature of fiction books
- Satire — Bierce has used humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule in his book to criticize and mock human vices and folliness, which is the defining characteristic of satire
- Horror — The book includes suspenseful, frightening, and unsettling elements which is iconic of the horror genre
Tags
gothic · horror · supernatural · fiction · short story · literary · classic · american · 19th century · symbolism · allegory · irony