# CLXXII explained — Poetry

> Chapter companion for Poetry by Ambrose Bierce.

## What happens

The narrator reflects on the hypocrisy of the righteous, suggesting that if they truly believed death to be as they claim, they would not so eagerly seek divine prohibitions against suicide.

## Themes in this chapter

### Hypocrisy and Corruption

The righteous are portrayed as hypocritical, professing fear of death while actively seeking rules against suicide.

### Deception and Self-Deception

The righteous deceive themselves about their true beliefs regarding death and divine ordinances.

## Key lines

> If the righteous thought death what they think they think it they would search less diligently for divine ordinances against suicide.

If the righteous truly believed death to be as terrible as they claim, they would not work so hard to find religious rules forbidding suicide.

_The narrator exposes the inconsistency between the righteous's stated beliefs and their actions._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_se/chapters/clxxii
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_se/chapters