# CXXVI explained — Poetry

> Chapter companion for Poetry by Ambrose Bierce.

## What happens

The chapter discusses the most disagreeable form of masculine hypocrisy, which manifests as pretended remorse for impossible gallantries.

## Themes in this chapter

### Hypocrisy and Corruption

The chapter explicitly condemns masculine hypocrisy expressed through false remorse for impossible gallantries.

### Deception and Self-Deception

The pretended remorse described is a form of self-deception and deception of others.

## Key lines

> The most disagreeable form of masculine hypocrisy is that which finds expression in pretended remorse for impossible gallantries.

The worst kind of male hypocrisy is when a man fakes regret for romantic or sexual adventures that never actually happened.

_Condemns false remorse as a particularly odious form of hypocrisy._

## Links

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