Apr 12, 2010 07:45 AM
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What is the Devil? Is it some larger than life ethereal figure that takes various forms to tempt humanity or is he hiding, bequeathed in our sordid human consciousness? He has made himself popular in literature and reality alike. If Arthur Miller’s The Crucible is to be believed, the Devil is just an excuse to bring out long-held hatreds that can be openly expressed in the garb of “devilish misdemeanor”: Old scores could be settled on a plane of heavenly combat between Lucifer and the Lord.If we were to accept that the Devil is what brings out the truth in us, albeit in a more natural form (can take the form of political incorrectness), it is plausible to conclude that our lives are spent living in pretence and hypocrisy.
The Devil has made himself to be a much revered pop culture villain who has certain very confronting qualities. He is referenced to as Shaitan, Lucifer, and Satan amongst his other famous aliases. The Devil knows what we want, what we want to say, what we want to do, but can’t due to social conventions (these include relationships and emotional attachments). In this context, The Devil’s Dictionary by Ambrose Bierce is true to its title. It speaks the truth – harsh and cruel, but truth it is. It is the most complete form of pre-colonial literature that I have come across. Ambrose Bierce is an Ambassador for the English language and probably was the last of the pre-colonial greats (along with Mark Twain).
To categorise The Devil’s Dictionary would be undermining its importance. It’s politically incorrect but is very human. It offers reinterpretations of some terms of the English language, mostly, using political doublespeak. It is a comprehensive satire on the zeitgeist (feel of the time) of the pre-colonial era. If you didn’t like the Oxford Dictionary for its politically “sound” definitions, you’d love Devil’s Dictionary for its origins in social commentary. At first glance, it appears very facile and immature, but as you peel off the layers, the depth overwhelms you.
The book started out as a weekly paper in 1881, and was finally published in 1911. It was first published partly as “The Cynic’s Wordbook” in 1906. An important thing to note is Bierce’s heavy influence of war and thus his criticism of pre-colonial egocentric attitude. Bierce was very much part of the American Civil War, when he enlisted himself in the army. Experiencing a firsthand contact with war developed in him a very sardonic and cold outlook of life. When most of his contemporaries emphasized glorification of European deeds, Twain and Bierce’s social commentary highlighted the ignorance in the pre-colonial social attitude. An apt example is the definition of the word “AFRICAN” in the dictionary:
AFRICAN: A nig**r that votes our way.
If we look at the context of the time – American Civil War, apartheid and the European dominance over African races, this is stands in stark contrast. A “white” male stating publicly that Africans were no better than vote banks is deliberately condescending, highlighting the façade of political correctness. Also used is the derogatory word ‘nig**r’, which was used liberally at the time without any social repercussions. Bierce uses the word to show the hypocrisy and condescending attitude. It becomes a time capsule that highlights the true social attitudes of the pre-colonial era. The backdrop of war has produced some magnificent pieces of writing, most notably because of the overwhelming awareness that comes with the recognition of the futility of war and consequently, that of human life. Almost all of his stories embrace this futile existence of human life, which can be taken in an instant, no questions asked. This developed a realistic social attitude which associated itself with bleak humour and a tragic insensibility. The Devil’s Dictionary is an ode to social criticism and stands up as a mirror to society’s attitudes.
Most notably, The Devil’s Dictionary will make you aware of one very confronting fact – the death of the English language. Bierce’s writing is “pure” in every sense. He never seems to be at a loss of words and uses the ‘perfect’ word to emote anything he wants to say. It will test your knowledge of the English language because most of the subtler references will not be properly understood if the person is not dedicated to English as a language but only uses it as a medium of communication. Sample:
APHORISM, n.: Predigested wisdom.
APRIL FOOL, n.: The March fool with another month added to his folly.
Now, the ‘March Fool’ was an archaic term used for a pantaloon that couldn’t help but commit blunders. One cannot appreciate the subtle humour if he does not know the contextual reference. In fact, if The Devil’s Dictionary was used as a text to be studied in class, it would improve contemporary vocabulary to a large extent!
The Dictionary is most noted for its social commentary, relating largely to human relationships. Marriage is often jested at.
BEAUTY: The power by which a woman charms a lover and terrifies a husband.
BIRTH, n: The first and direst of all disasters. As to the nature of it there appears to be no uniformity.
BRIDE, n: A woman with a fine prospect of happiness behind her.
BRUTE, n: See HUSBAND.
MARRIAGE, n. The state or condition of a community consisting of amaster, a mistress and two slaves, making in all, two.
HUSBAND, n. One who, having dined, is charged with the care of theplate.
WEDDING, n. A ceremony at which two persons undertake to become one,one undertakes to become nothing, and nothing undertakes to becomesupportable.
The encompassing nature of The Dictionary is Absolute. It even ropes in religion.
BRAHMA, n. He who created the Hindoos, who are preserved by Vishnu and destroyed by Siva -- a rather neater division of labor than is found among the deities of some other nations. The Abracadabranese, for example, are created by Sin, maintained by Theft and destroyed by Folly. The priests of Brahma, like those of Abracadabranese, are holy and learned men who are never naughty.
The use of the fictional “Abracadabranese” to highlight corruption within religious parameters is a masterstroke. It also makes a revelatory subjection to moral values like truth and honesty in a world of personal individualism.
TRUTHFUL, adj: Dumb and illiterate.
POLITENESS, n: The most acceptable hypocrisy.
The Dictionary uses make believe pseudonyms to not implicate anyone due to its confronting nature. It is cynical in the extreme sense due to the bleak and sardonic nature of Bierce who is cruel and pessimistic in his outlook. Yet, it strikes a chord as it breaks down social conventions and critiques so called ‘social attitudes’ which are nothing but pretence to hide our real intentions. Go back to school and read this Dictionary for a social commentary on the world. It is available from Project Gutenberg as an e-book. The Devil’s Dictionary never claims to be what it isn’t.
