The Devil’s Dictionary
What is The Devil’s Dictionary about?
The Devil’s Dictionary (1911) is Ambrose Bierce’s masterpiece of satirical wit, a collection of sardonic definitions that skewer human folly, political hypocrisy, and social pretension. Compiled over decades in his newspaper columns, the definitions range from brief epigrams to miniature satirical essays. Bierce’s razor-sharp intelligence and bleak humor make this one of the most quotable works in American literature and a landmark of cynical wisdom.
Main themes in The Devil’s Dictionary
Satire
In The Devil’s Dictionary, satire provides a lens for understanding the story's core message.
Sardonic definitions
In The Devil’s Dictionary, sardonic definitions provides a lens for understanding the story's core message.
Political wit
In The Devil’s Dictionary, political wit provides a lens for understanding the story's core message.
Human folly
The Devil’s Dictionary thoughtfully explores human folly through its central conflicts.
Why The Devil’s Dictionary is still relevant today
The Devil’s Dictionary is one of the most quoted works of American satire, its definitions as sharp and relevant today as when first written. Read it free online on TextStack.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is The Devil’s Dictionary?
A collection of sardonic, witty definitions that satirize human nature, politics, and social conventions, compiled from Bierce’s newspaper columns over several decades.
Where can I read The Devil’s Dictionary online?
You can read The Devil’s Dictionary by Ambrose Bierce free online on TextStack.