The Devil’s Dictionary · Chapters
Chapters explained
Chapter companions for The Devil’s Dictionary by Ambrose Bierce.
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Chapter 1
Author's Preface
The author explains the origin and publication history of The Devil's Dictionary, noting its serialization starting in 1881, the forced title change to The Cynic's Word Book due to religious scruples, the subsequent flood of imitator 'cynic' books, and the unauthorized appropriation of its content by humorists. He defends against potential plagiarism charges and acknowledges the contributions of Father Gassalasca Jape, whose quotations enrich the work.
Chapter 2
The Devil's Dictionary
This chapter presents a collection of satirical definitions that critique human folly, hypocrisy, and the misuse of language, often with a cynical and humorous tone.
Chapter 3
A
This chapter presents a series of satirical definitions for words beginning with the letter 'A', offering cynical and humorous commentary on human nature, society, politics, religion, and language.
Chapter 4
B
This chapter presents a series of satirical definitions for words beginning with the letter B, including 'Beggars', 'Behavior', 'Belladonna', 'Benedictines', 'Benefactor', 'Berenice's Hair', 'Bigamy', 'Bigot', 'Billingsgate', 'Birth', 'Blackguard', 'Blank-Verse', 'Body-Snatcher', 'Bondsman', 'Bore', 'Botany', 'Bottle-Nosed', 'Boundary', 'Bounty', 'Brahma', 'Brain', 'Brandy', 'Bride', 'Brute', 'Baal', 'Babe', 'Baby', 'Bacchus', 'Back', 'Backbite', 'Bait', 'Baptism', 'Barometer', 'Barrack', 'Basilisk', 'Bastinado', 'Bath', 'Battle', 'Beard', 'Beauty', 'Befriend', and 'Beg'. Each definition employs irony, cynicism, and dark humor to critique human nature, society, religion, and politics.
Chapter 5
C
This chapter presents a series of satirical definitions for words beginning with the letter C, including Caaba, Cabbage, Calamity, Callous, Calumnus, Camel, Cannibal, Cannon, Canonicals, Capital, Capital Punishment, Carmelite, Carnivorous, Cartesian, Cat, Caviler, Cemetery, Cenobite, Centaur, Cerberus, Childhood, Christian, Circus, Clairvoyant, Clarinet, Clergyman, Clio, Clock, Convent, Conversation, Coronation, Corporal, Corporation, Corsair, Court Fool, Coward, Craft, Crayfish, Creditor, Cremona, Critic, Cross, Cui Bono?, Cunning, Cupid, Curiosity, and Curse. The definitions are laced with irony and social commentary, often targeting religion, politics, human folly, and societal institutions.
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