Literary A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court by Mark Twain

[sun surfer]

One of the first edition covers, 1899


This is the MR Literary Club selection for July 2016. Whether you've already read it or would like to, feel free to start or join in the conversation at any time, and guests are always welcome! So, what are your thoughts on it?


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[Bookpossum]

I'm about ten chapters in and enjoying it very much. I'm not surprised that I don't remember much from reading the book as a child - I enjoyed the funny moments and comments, but of course I didn't understand the much darker underlying themes.

The most of King Arthur's British nation were slaves, pure and simple, and bore that name, and wore the iron collar on their necks, and the rest were slaves in fact, but without the name; they imagined themselves men and freemen, and called themselves so. The truth was, the nation as a body was in the world for one object, and one only: to grovel before king and Church and noble, to slave for them, sweat blood for them, starve that they might be fed, work that they might play, drink misery to the dregs that they might be happy, go naked that they might wear silks and jewels, pay taxes that they might be spared from paying them, be familiar all their lives with the degrading language and postures of adulation that they might walk in pride and think themselves the gods of this world. And for all this, the thanks they got were cuffs and contempt, and so poor-spirited were they that they took even this sort of attention as an honour.

(Chapter 8)

Twain's rage at man's inhumanity to man is palpable, and it isn't confined to 6th century Britain.

[Wearever]

I just got the Mark Twain collection, via MR historical freebie thread. I had read this a long time ago, probably 7th or 8th grade, and don't remember all that much. I read it because I loved stories about King Arthur & Camelot, and I remember it being a time travel story as well. I do remember it being satirical, with Twain's sharp wit. I'll try to find some time to read it again though, It's going to be a busy couple of weeks for me, but I'll check in on this thread from time to time. I'd like to read it again too.

[Bookworm_Girl]

I started reading the book over the weekend and am really enjoying it so far. I'm glad that we are finally reading something by Mark Twain especially since I grew up along the Mississippi River. I can remember in elementary school visiting his home in Hannibal, Missouri and also going to the Mark Twain Cave and Meramec Caverns. Tom Sawyer and Jesse James - cool adventures for a kid.
http://www.historyhappenshere.org/node/7442

I've also been to the old mining town of Virginia City which has a museum where Mark Twain wrote for the Territorial Express. I remember thinking how very different Nevada was from Missouri and what it must have been like in his time period in the Old Wild West. Supposedly this is where he decided to use the pen name of Mark Twain. He traveled West because his brother became Secretary of the Nevada Territory. Someday I really want to read Roughing It which covers these Western adventures and his impressions.
http://www.visitvirginiacitynv.com/a...#mktwainmuseum

I wasn't aware that Ken Burns did a documentary film on Mark Twain. I found this website for it that has a very unique interactive scrapbook.
http://www.pbs.org/marktwain/index.html

Mark Twain was a lifelong creator and keeper of scrapbooks. He took them with him everywhere and filled them with souvenirs, pictures, and articles about his books and performances. But in time, he grew tired of the lost glue, rock-hard paste, and the swearing that resulted from the standard scrapbook process. So, he came up with the idea of printing thin strips of glue on the pages to make updates neat and easy to do. In 1872, he patented his “self-pasting” scrapbook, and by 1901, at least 57 different types of his albums were available. It would be his only invention that ever made money.
Inspired by his invention, this interactive scrapbook tells Twain’s life story through a collection of texts, photos, illustrations, and clippings from his day. To begin exploring, click one of the chapters to the right.

[Bookpossum]

Thanks so much Bookworm_Girl! I shall have a look at all of these.

[Wearever]

Thanks for the info & links Bookworm_Girl ! I did watch the PBS documentary by Ken Burns on Mark Twain. I enjoyed it. I'm from Connecticut and have visited Twain's home in Hartford. It's very unusual by traditional New England style homes. You can see it in detail on the documentary by Burns.

I read up to chapter 8, and cracked up when , instead of using a given title, he starts to call himself The Boss ! Lol . So Twain !

[fantasyfan]

It is interesting to compare the social ideas in this book to those in Huckleberry Finn. They are very similar. In HD Twain bitterly satirises the irrationality of society and the church. We see the same here.

“It was pitiful for a person born in a wholesome free atmosphere to listen to their humble and hearty outpourings of loyalty toward their king and Church and nobility; as if they had any more occasion to love and honor king and Church and noble than a slave has to love and honor the lash, or a dog has to love and honor the stranger that kicks him! Why, dear me, any kind of royalty, howsoever modified, any kind of aristocracy, howsoever pruned, is rightly an insult;”

The primary difference is that Twain's opinions in CYIKAC are often presented in an expository way whereas in HF Twain make use of powerful dramatic irony through the actions and speeches of the characters.

[Bookworm_Girl]

Originally Posted by Wearever

Thanks for the info & links Bookworm_Girl ! I did watch the PBS documentary by Ken Burns on Mark Twain. I enjoyed it. I'm from Connecticut and have visited Twain's home in Hartford. It's very unusual by traditional New England style homes. You can see it in detail on the documentary by Burns.

I read up to chapter 8, and cracked up when , instead of using a given title, he starts to call himself The Boss ! Lol . So Twain !

The documentary looks like it is part of an American Lives biographical series that covers several other interesting people in history. I think I might just have to purchase the whole season!

[Wearever]

Originally Posted by fantasyfan

It is interesting to compare the social ideas in this book to those in Huckleberry Finn. They are very similar. In HD Twain bitterly satirises the irrationality of society and the church. We see the same here.

“It was pitiful for a person born in a wholesome free atmosphere to listen to their humble and hearty outpourings of loyalty toward their king and Church and nobility; as if they had any more occasion to love and honor king and Church and noble than a slave has to love and honor the lash, or a dog has to love and honor the stranger that kicks him! Why, dear me, any kind of royalty, howsoever modified, any kind of aristocracy, howsoever pruned, is rightly an insult;”

The primary difference is that Twain's opinions in CYIKAC are often presented in an expository way whereas in HF Twain make use of powerful dramatic irony through the actions and speeches of the characters.

I agree they are different in how Twain expresses similar problems in both books.

I'm only at chap. 14, but as I've read so far, in CYIKAC, I can't help thinking of Mel Brooks in the movie ( History of the World ? ) or something like that, I'll have to look up the correct name if it's wrong. The satire & humor in this book reminds me of that movie. Lol.

Twain also tries to fix the problems he sees, with ingenuity, and not war. Something he lived through during his lifetime with the civil war. I can't help but think that he wanted re write history on some level. Even with only a legend like King Arthur and Camelot.

[Wearever]

Originally Posted by Bookworm_Girl

The documentary looks like it is part of an American Lives biographical series that covers several other interesting people in history. I think I might just have to purchase the whole season!

I'll have to look that up the series too ! I was only aware of the Mark Twain one. I love historical documentaries too !

[Wearever]

Originally Posted by Bookpossum

I'm about ten chapters in and enjoying it very much. I'm not surprised that I don't remember much from reading the book as a child - I enjoyed the funny moments and comments, but of course I didn't understand the much darker underlying themes.

(Chapter 8)

Twain's rage at man's inhumanity to man is palpable, and it isn't confined to 6th century Britain.

That's certainly true. I'm about half way through the book and it's tone has changed, much darker. Especially when Hank get's a tour of Queen Morgana's Dungeon. It reminded me of a real place here in Granby Connecticut. Old Newgate Prison, was a hellish place, the first prison the colonies had. It's first prisoners were captured British soldiers of the Revolutionary war. It was an old copper mine, turned prison, to ented you went through a gate and a hole in the ground carved out of rock. It's an historic landmark and I have visited it years ago. You can still see the iron rings in the walls that held the prisoners.

So even many centuries later these types of cave\ dungeon prisons were still in use, and of course not just in England. In Twain's own home state as well. Perhaps he visited Old Newgate prison too, it's certainly possible. But it wasn't in use anymore in Twain's time.

[BelleZora]

Mark Twain always provides me with an easy read because of long familiarity and affection. I read this last when I was young and thought it was a rousing good story. I enjoyed reading it again, but this time with greater understanding of Twain's story and themes.

The first thing that struck me was how little people have changed in fundamental ways over the centuries. Some sentences struck a chord during our own tumultous political times when facts seem to matter less than 'feelings', and putting on an entertaining show is preferred over boring substance.

One never had any occasion to prove his facts, with these people; all he had to do was to state them. It never occurred to anybody to doubt the statement.

Hank knew that people are easily manipulated with a dramatic presentation, and he used this to satisfy his own need for attention and power.

For I never care to do a thing in a quiet way; it’s got to be theatrical or I don’t take any interest in it.

It would be showy and picturesque enough, all things considered, though I would have preferred noonday, on account of the more theatrical aspect the thing would have.

Although Hank believed that his knowledge of 19th century technology and scientific advancement made him the only person (always a red flag) who could solve 6th century problems, his self aggrandizement became even more important to him. Predictably, it all blew up in the end. I think he was doomed from the start, given the reluctance of many, if not most, people to accept change. He understood the superstition of the people and used it for his own purposes, which were not purely benevolent. He understood the power of the Church, even while under-estimating it. In the end, it defeated him.

Hank does a marvelous job of conveying Twain's disdain, even anger, at Sir Walter Scott's glorifying the era of knights errant. Twain believed that the culture of the South embraced the romanticism and chivalry, and that it led to attitudes that contributed to the War Between the States.

I'm grateful for the choice of a novel by Mark Twain. In a time when focusing upon reading has been a problem for me, Mark Twain is a sure thing. I loved the familiarity of Twain's cadence, humor, and passion.

[Bookpossum]

Great post BelleZora, and how lovely to see you in the Club!

[BelleZora]

Thank you, Bookpossum. It's good to participate in the club again.

Bookworm_Girl's mention of Virginia City brought back similar pleasant memories. A few years ago I did a 10k Volkswalk throughout Virginia City which was pretty much the entire town. You can't walk far without stumbling over some sort of memorial to Mark Twain. If you travel throughout the 'gold' country of California and Nevada, you are struck by how much Mark Twain got around and how no one ever forgot it.

[Bookpossum]

Thanks for the sharing the photographs BelleZora. Clearly Mark Twain is still much loved and admired, and that is as it should be. He's certainly a great favourite of mine.

I have been slow to finish the book - no fault of Twain's, but lots of other things competing for my time, ranging from visiting family to making marmalade out of the oranges brought by said family! However, I'm back with the book now and should finish it soon.