Dukes by G.K. Chesterton (1904)
Dukes is a collection of short stories by G.K. Chesterton that explore themes of morality and justice in Victorian England. The book includes tales about detectives, politicians, and other characters who must navigate complex ethical dilemmas.
By G.K. Chesterton · First published 1904 · Genre: Satire, Political Fiction, Social Commentary · 1,835 words
First lines
The Duc de Chambertin-Pommard was a small but lively relic of a really aristocratic family, the members of which were nearly all Atheists up to the time of the French Revolution, but since that event (beneficial in such various ways) had been very devout. He was a Royalist, a Nationalist, and a perfectly sincere patriot in that particular style which consists of ceaselessly asserting that one's country is not so much in danger as already destroyed. He wrote cheery little articles for the Royalist Press entitled "The End of France" or "The Last Cry," or what not, and he gave the final touches to a picture of the Kaiser riding across a pavement of prostrate Parisians with a glow of patriotic exultation. He was quite poor, and even his relations had no money. He walked briskly to all his meals at a little open cafe, and he looked just like everybody else.
What this Textopian page supports
Dukes is listed on Textopian as a short story by G.K. Chesterton, dated 1904 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: G.K. Chesterton
- Date: 1904 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Satire, Political Fiction, Social Commentary, Historical Fiction, Comedy
- Length: 1,835 words
- Structure: 1 section, 28 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Dukes by G.K. Chesterton
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Discussion starters
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Genres
- Satire — The narrative employs humor and irony to critique aristocracy and political dynamics.
- Political Fiction — The story revolves around political themes, including aristocracy and nationalism.
- Social Commentary — The text provides insights into societal structures and critiques social norms.
- Historical Fiction — The setting and references to historical events like the French Revolution provide a historical context.
Tags
nobility · aristocracy · mystery · adventure · historical · social commentary · satire · character study · England · class struggle · humor · philosophy