The Critics
by Ambrose Bierce
Minerva and the Stone Man
Minerva was a goddess. She lived high in the sky. She saw a handsome man by the water. His name was Antinous. He was very nice to look at. Minerva thought he was very good. She watched him for a while. She liked him very much. He was so pretty.
Minerva wanted to meet Antinous. She came down from the sky. She came from her home. She had her armor on. She had a special shield. The shield was very strong. She came to talk to him. She wanted to say hello. She flew down quickly. She was very excited.
Minerva held her shield. It had a scary face. The shield was magic. She showed it by mistake. Antinous saw the scary face. He looked at the shield. Poof! He turned to stone. He was a stone man now. Minerva felt very sad. It was a big mistake. She did not mean to do it.
Minerva felt very sad. She went back to the sky. She went to her home. She wanted to fix it. She found Great God Jove. He was the big boss. She asked him for help. "Please help Antinous," she said. She wanted him alive again. Great God Jove could do magic.
The stone man waited. Two men walked by. One man made statues. He was The Sculptor. The other man talked about art. He was The Critic. They saw the stone man. "Look at this!" said one. They stopped to look. They looked very hard.
The Sculptor looked at the stone man. He shook his head. "This statue is not good," he said. "Its chest is too small. One arm is too short. It stands in a strange way. This is not how people stand. My statues are much better. I make very good statues. My statues are perfect."
The Critic also looked hard. "It is okay," he said. "But its face is not real. It does not look like a person. The face is not true. I write many books. My books tell about art. I know what is good. I know what is true art. You should read my books. My books are very wise."
The stone man waited. The two men just talked. They never knew his story. He was once a real man. Often, people talk a lot. They talk about things they do not know. It is better to be kind. It is better to know first.
Original Story
The Critics
While bathing, Antinous was seen by Minerva, who was so enamoured of his beauty that, all armed as she happened to be, she descended from Olympus to woo him; but, unluckily displaying her shield, with the head of Medusa on it, she had the unhappiness to see the beautiful mortal turn to stone from catching a glimpse of it. She straightway ascended to ask Jove to restore him; but before this could be done a Sculptor and a Critic passed that way and espied him.
“This is a very bad Apollo,” said the Sculptor: “the chest is too narrow, and one arm is at least a half-inch shorter than the other. The attitude is unnatural, and I may say impossible. Ah! my friend, you should see my statue of Antinous.”
“In my judgment, the figure,” said the Critic, “is tolerably good, though rather Etrurian, but the expression of the face is decidedly Tuscan, and therefore false to nature. By the way, have you read my work on ‘The Fallaciousness of the Aspectual in Art’?”
Moral of the Story
Those who are quick to criticize often miss the true nature or origin of what they judge, instead projecting their own biases and self-importance.
Characters
Antinous ★ protagonist
A mortal of extraordinary beauty, described as having a well-proportioned physique, though later criticized for having a chest that is too narrow and one arm a half-inch shorter than the other. His beauty is such that it captivates a goddess.
Attire: Initially nude, as he is bathing when first seen. When turned to stone, he would be depicted in the nude, as was common for classical Greek sculpture.
Wants: To live his life, presumably enjoying simple pleasures like bathing. His transformation is accidental.
Flaw: Vulnerable to external magical forces, specifically the gaze of Medusa's head.
Transforms from a living, beautiful mortal into a stone statue, then becomes an object of artistic and critical debate.
Not explicitly detailed, but his primary trait is his captivating beauty. He is an object of desire and admiration.
Minerva ◆ supporting
A powerful goddess, described as 'all armed' when she descends from Olympus. Her divine nature implies a commanding presence and idealized form.
Attire: Fully armored, including a shield. Her armor would be classical Greek, likely bronze or gold, possibly adorned with symbols of wisdom or war, such as an owl or gorgon. The most crucial item is her shield, which bears the head of Medusa.
Wants: To woo Antinous due to his beauty; later, to restore him after her accidental petrification.
Flaw: Accidental carelessness (displaying Medusa's head), perhaps a touch of vanity or overconfidence in her divine power.
Experiences a brief moment of romantic pursuit, followed by accidental tragedy and a desire to undo her mistake.
Impulsive (descending to woo a mortal), enamored (by Antinous's beauty), powerful, and capable of seeking divine intervention (asking Jove for restoration).
Jove ○ minor
The king of the gods, implying a majestic and powerful physique, likely depicted as a mature, bearded figure in classical art.
Attire: Would wear flowing classical robes, possibly purple or gold, signifying his royal status among the gods. No specific items are mentioned.
Wants: To maintain order among the gods and mortals, and to respond to requests from other deities.
Flaw: None shown, he is the supreme authority.
Serves as the ultimate authority figure to whom Minerva appeals.
Powerful, capable of granting wishes or restoring life, but his decision is not shown in the story.
The Sculptor ◆ supporting
A professional artist, likely with hands showing signs of his craft. His focus is on anatomical correctness and artistic technique.
Attire: Simple, practical classical Greek or Roman attire, such as a chiton or tunic, suitable for someone working with stone. Perhaps a leather apron or smock over it.
Wants: To analyze and critique art based on technical and anatomical accuracy; to assert his own artistic superiority.
Flaw: Perhaps overly focused on technical perfection, missing the broader artistic or emotional impact.
Remains a static character, serving as a voice of technical critique.
Critical, confident in his own skill, detail-oriented, somewhat boastful (mentioning his own statue of Antinous).
The Critic ◆ supporting
A scholar or intellectual, likely with a more refined appearance than the Sculptor, emphasizing his academic rather than manual profession.
Attire: More formal classical Greek or Roman attire than the Sculptor, perhaps a finely draped toga or a more elaborate chiton, signifying his intellectual status.
Wants: To analyze and critique art based on stylistic origins and theoretical principles; to promote his own intellectual contributions.
Flaw: Overly academic, potentially missing the immediate impact or beauty of the art in favor of classification and theory.
Remains a static character, serving as a voice of academic critique.
Academic, pedantic, focused on stylistic classifications and theoretical concepts, slightly self-promoting (mentioning his own work).
Locations
Olympus
The celestial home of the Greek gods, from which Minerva descends.
Mood: majestic, divine, powerful
Minerva's starting point for descending to woo Antinous and her return to ask Jove for restoration.
Bathing Place of Antinous
A location where Antinous was bathing, later becoming the site of his petrification and discovery by the Sculptor and Critic.
Mood: serene, then suddenly tragic, later critical
Antinous is seen by Minerva, petrified by Medusa's head, and subsequently critiqued by the Sculptor and Critic.
Story DNA
Moral
Those who are quick to criticize often miss the true nature or origin of what they judge, instead projecting their own biases and self-importance.
Plot Summary
Minerva, smitten with Antinous, accidentally turns him to stone with Medusa's head. While she ascends to ask Jove for help, a Sculptor and a Critic discover the petrified Antinous. Both men proceed to deliver lengthy, self-important critiques of the 'statue's' artistic flaws, completely oblivious to its true, magical origin, instead using it as a platform to showcase their own expertise and promote their work.
Themes
Emotional Arc
amusement to irony
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
Ambrose Bierce was known for his cynical and satirical writing, often deconstructing human folly. The story uses classical allusions to frame a timeless critique of self-important critics.
Plot Beats (7)
- Minerva sees Antinous bathing and is captivated by his beauty.
- Minerva descends from Olympus, fully armed, to woo Antinous.
- Minerva accidentally displays her shield with Medusa's head, turning Antinous to stone.
- Minerva ascends to Olympus to ask Jove to restore Antinous.
- A Sculptor and a Critic pass by and discover the stone Antinous.
- The Sculptor criticizes the statue's proportions and attitude, claiming it's a bad Apollo and promoting his own Antinous statue.
- The Critic judges the figure as tolerably good but criticizes its expression as false to nature, promoting his own work on art theory.
