The Devil’s Dictionary · Chapter
I explained
This chapter presents a series of satirical definitions and verses that critique religion, hypocrisy, human folly, and social conventions, including entries on 'Giaour,' 'Infidel,' 'Infralapsarian,' 'Ingrate,' 'Injury,' 'Injustice,' 'Ink,'
What happens
This chapter presents a series of satirical definitions and verses that critique religion, hypocrisy, human folly, and social conventions, including entries on 'Giaour,' 'Infidel,' 'Infralapsarian,' 'Ingrate,' 'Injury,' 'Injustice,' 'Ink,' 'Innards,' 'Innate,' 'Incubus,' 'Incumbent,' 'Indecision,' 'Indifferent,' 'Indigestion,' 'Indiscretion,' 'Inexpedient,' 'Infancy,' 'Inferiae,' 'I,' 'Ichor,' 'Iconoclast,' 'Idiot,' 'Idleness,' 'Ignoramus,' 'Illuminati,' 'Illustrious,' 'Imagination,' 'Imbecility,' 'Immigrant,' 'Immodest,' 'Immoral,' and 'Immortality.'
Themes in this chapter
Critique of Religion
The definitions of 'Giaour,' 'Infidel,' 'Infralapsarian,' and 'Inferiae' satirize religious figures, theological disputes, and superstition.
Human Folly and Self-Deception
Entries like 'Idiot,' 'Ignoramus,' 'Immodest,' and 'Indigestion' mock human vanity, ignorance, and self-delusion.
Hypocrisy and Duplicity
The 'Ink' definition criticizes journalists and the manipulation of reputation, while 'Ingrate' and 'Injustice' expose moral contradictions.
Characters to notice
- Unknown
The narrator and author of the dictionary, who uses 'I' and reflects on the self.
- Infralapsarians
Mentioned in the definition and verse about theological debate over Adam's fall.
- Father Gassalasca Jape
Credited as the author of the verse in the 'Infralapsarian' entry.
- General Barry
Referenced in the 'Indecision' entry as General Grant addressing General Gordon Granger.
- Dr. Samuel Johnson
Referenced indirectly through the 'Immorality' entry's philosophical discussion of expediency.
Key passages
“Infidel In New York, one who does not believe in the Christian religion; in Constantinople, one who does.”
The term 'infidel' is relative: in New York it means a non-Christian, but in Constantinople it means a Christian.
Highlights cultural and religious relativism.
“Indecision The chief element of success; 'for whereas,' saith Sir Thomas Brewbold, 'there is but one way to do nothing and divers ways to do something, whereof, to a surety, only one is the right way, it followeth that he who from indecision standeth still hath not so many chances of going astray as he who pusheth forwards'”
Indecision is key to success because doing nothing avoids the many wrong paths that action might take.
Satirizes the virtue of decisiveness by praising inaction.
“Immoral Inexpedient. Whatever in the long run and with regard to the greater number of instances men find to be generally inexpedient comes to be considered wrong, wicked, immoral.”
Morality is based on expediency: actions deemed harmful or disadvantageous over time are labeled immoral.
Presents a utilitarian view of ethics.