# XCIII explained — Poetry

> Chapter companion for Poetry by Ambrose Bierce.

## What happens

A single aphoristic statement reflecting on the nature of rogues and resentment.

## Themes in this chapter

### Deception and Self-Deception

The aphorism touches on the gap between how people perceive themselves (resenting the label 'rogue') and their actual nature (being a rogue).

## Key lines

> If every man who resents being called a rogue resented being one this would be a world of wrath.

If everyone who dislikes being called a dishonest person actually disliked being dishonest, the world would be full of anger.

_The narrator suggests that resentment of the label does not imply resentment of the behavior._

## Links

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