The Obituary Notice
This poem is a satirical commentary on the conventions of obituary notices and the tendency to embellish the deceased's life for the sake of propriety. It presents a series of absurdly exaggerated descriptions of a person's accomplishments, highlighting the disconnect between reality and the idealized portrayal in an obituary.
By Hilaire Belloc · First published 1909 · Genre: Satire, Historical Fiction, Political Fiction · 1,221 words
First lines
Mr. Herod, whose death has just been announced by a telegram from Lyons, was one of the most striking and forceful personalities of our time.
By birth he was a Syrian Jew, suffering from the prejudice attaching to such an origin, and apparently with little prospect of achieving the great place which he did achieve in the eager life of our generation.
What this Textopian page supports
The Obituary Notice is listed on Textopian as an essay by Hilaire Belloc, dated 1909 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Essay
- Author: Hilaire Belloc
- Date: 1909 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Satire, Historical Fiction, Political Fiction, Biographical Fiction, Literary Fiction
- Length: 1,221 words
- Structure: 1 section, 16 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Standard (8th-9th Grade)
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- Work identity for The Obituary Notice by Hilaire Belloc
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Discussion starters
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Genres
- Satire — The narrative employs irony and exaggeration to critique societal norms and political figures, characteristic of satirical writing.
- Historical Fiction — The story is set in a historical context with fictionalized accounts of real historical figures and events.
- Political Fiction — The plot revolves around political themes, including governance, power dynamics, and public perception.
- Biographical Fiction — The narrative presents a fictionalized biography of a character, detailing his life and achievements.
Tags
Satirical · Humorous · Poetic · Darkly Comedic · Social Commentary · Literary Fiction · Short Story Collection · Verse Novel · Absurdist · Morbid · Irony · Sarcasm