Contributions Made by Mark Twain - Essay Example

Module Module ID: Mark Twain It is perhaps the tradition of Nature that it creates distinguished intellectuals, writers and philosophers in every society that serve as the guiding star for the intellectual and social uplift of the entire establishment. These intellectuals, by dint of their gited talent, innate creativity and outstanding eagerness to work for the welfare of their people show the path of glory to their society by indicating the evils and condemning the wrong-doing that have been in vogue in their culture. The same is also the case with Mark Twain. The present paper aims to elucidate the life and contributions made by the distinguished nineteenth century American writer and humorist Mark Twain. The main objective behind making an investigating into the life of the author above-mentioned included the unveiling and acknowledging the great services rendered by this wonderful personality in the field of American literature, which has left a remarkable impact on the future writers, poets and humorists at large. In addition, second part of this study will elaborate two of the literary pieces created by Mark Twain by making the literary analyses of the same. Both the works selected for the present study appear to be contrary to each other in nature and scope, and portray two entirely divergent scenarios. Actually Twain maintains command over creating literary pieces in two entirely different ways as well as on absolutely divergent topics, which are present an unconditionally different scenario from one another in nature and scope; it could be witnessed by going through his Two Ways of Seeing a River on the one side, and his Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court on the other. Part I: Samuel Langhorne Clemens alias as Mark Twain enjoys a respectable place among the list of the most talented writers and humorists the American soil has ever produced. By dint of his exceptional talent and dexterity to draw out the realities of life in both serious and comic manner, he has captured the attention and attraction of the readers belonging to various areas and regions of the world. Moreover, because of the universality of theme as well as depth of his ideas that his works still contain validity and significance, and are hence equally popular even this day as they had been popular during the nineteenth century in his life. Twain was born in Florida in November 1835 to Jane and John Marshall Clemens (Clemens 14). He was born only few days after the visit of Halley’s Comet (New York Times 2009); consequently, the child was predicted to be a famous personality in his future years. Twain was sixth of the seven siblings, though only three of his siblings could survive adulthood (Autobiography 19). He lost his father in 1847 at the age of 11 (Autobiography 216), which left significant affect on his mind. However, the noteworthy author carried on his struggle to survive by first working as the apprentice to a printer, and later started working as contributor to the Hannibal Journal by developing humorous sketches of the prominent personalities since 1851 onward (Clemens 26). The Muscatine Newspaper published his eight stories by 1854-55, which turned out to be supportive for him to start his career as a professional writer. Like the renowned biologist-evolutionist of all times i.e. Sir Charles Darwin, the voyages also leave an indelible impact on the young Twain. It is predominantly the case with his voyage to New Orleans in 1856, where the pilot Horace Bixby encouraged him to embark upon the same profession, which could bring joys and adventures to his life along with offering him respectable and considerable earnings in the wake of it (Clemens 32). As a result, he decided to become the steamboat pilot that turned out to be supportive in respect of observing the ebbs and flows of the river life on the one side, and estimate the beauties the deep waters offer to man on the other. Twain obtained the professional diploma of steamboat pilot in 1859 (Autobiography 217), which would go a long way to make him an experienced and expert riverboat pilot. Hence, the voyages the young Twain got involved into helped him to admire the wonders of river-life, which he also sketched while creating his magnificent literary pieces during his later years. Twain had also developed great aptitude in parapsychology; it is therefore, he had also joined the Society of Psychic Research in his early years. His psychic abilities had alarmed him about the future accidental death of his younger brother in a ship explosion nearly one month earlier than the accident took place; however, he could not warn his brother regarding the same, who was eventually died of the same explosion, leaving Twain repenting over his decision of inviting the brother to join his profession (Clemens 79). Hence, though his hidden senses had alarmed him of a possible mishap, no one could overcome the same through playing any trickery to the fate. Somehow, Twain held himself responsible and guilty for the same mishap throughout his life. The outbreak of Civil War of America and eventual chaos and disorder certainly laid a negative impact on the career of riverboat pilots for the future decade; consequently, Twain joined a newspaper under the title Territorial Enterprise in Virginia city by 1862-63. During his newspaper career, he got motivation and inspiration from his colleague and friend Dan De Quille, who used to write humorous tales and sketches in his newspaper articles in an ironical manner. Since Twain also maintained the gifted talent in humor, he also decided to create humor through his pen while rendering his services to the newspaper. De Quille not only supervised Twain during his attempts of creating humor, but also encouraged him to a great extent in respect of polishing his talent as a humorist. Twain soon left Virginia, and moved to San Francisco in 1864 in order to carry on his career as a journalist (Clemens 47). On the one side, Twain kept on creating articles, both humorous and serious, and on the other side, he developed great aptitude for science and technology. Actually it was the era of the magnificent growth and development of biological, sociological and psychological sciences, which had given birth to Darwin’s Evolution Theory, Social Darwinism and later psycho-analysis theory. Consequently, the people had developed the taste for reading, writing and paying heed to latest scientific notions and discoveries. Twain also added his share in the field of science by writing his remarkable A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court in 1889, in which he has depicted the time traveler in the light of his information and knowledge regarding the scientific discoveries to be made in future. However, he has to undergo enormous financial losses in the wake of making investments in the fields of science and technology (Kirk 169), which also eclipsed his passion to make further investigations into scientific discoveries to a great extent. Twain also made demonstrations in humorous programs from various platforms including the Author’s Club, Vagabond’s and many others, where he displayed his intellectual humor by fascinating the audience and spectators with the help of his wittiness and irony. Consequently, he earned great name and fame as an intelligent humorist all over the USA, UK, Germany and other parts of Europe during 1890s (LeMaster 50). The credit also goes to his primary platform i.e. Huckleberry Finn, which played decisive role in projecting and promoting the talent of this remarkable artist. Like almost all intellectuals of the world at large, Twain also observed liberal religious views, and did not support orthodoxy or rigidity of faith altogether. Consequently, he viewed belief to be an entirely a personal matter, which should not be imposed over others in any manner against their will. Being a novelist, short-story writer, lecturer and humorist, Twain gave humor a new and novel introduction through his wonderful writings, though he also created wonderful pieces of literature on serious topics of grave concern that depict his mastery of diction, as well as his command over portraying the wonderful ideas through vivid words and powerful manner. Part II: Twain’s wonderful essay Two Ways of Seeing a River depicts a marvelous scenario of change man experiences during the course of time while travelling unconsciously from the adolescent years to adulthood and old age eventually. Created at the prime of youth in late 1950s during his career as a steamboat pilot, he experiences the depth of the waters that presents a superb picture of unflinching thrill and pageant beauty through the ebbs and flows of restless waves of water. On the basis of his vast experience of life in water as a steamboat pilot, Twain shares his knowledge and information regarding the always altering state of affairs, where he maintains that river’s condition is not confined to one specific position; on the contrary, sometimes its waves draw out a sonorous situation, and engaged in resisting the movement of the boats and ships; while at times they are cool and calm, making an amicable atmosphere for the wayfarers at large. Somehow, the mood of river is not reliable one in its nature and scope. On the contrary, it is actually unpredictable and uncertain, which certainly affects the voyages in an imperative way. Rowing on into the waters under the captivating sunset phenomenon appears to be bewitching to the writer, which fascinates his aesthetic sense and urges him to enjoy himself while embarking on his traveling venture. These colorful schemes presented by the rivers, Twain argues, could be an outcome of his youthful life and excitement the early years of life offer to man. Consequently, there could be a possibility that he would view the river in some different form in his later years, because of the significant alterations in his vision and exposure of life. It is therefore, a beautiful body lying before the eyes of a doctor just meant for getting treatment of the most injured or ill organ, is just to capture the doctor’s attraction for convalescence only (Two Ways 2); where he cannot acknowledge and admire the beauty the body contains in it. The same would be the case with the elderly, who look into the problematic areas of life instead of appreciating the delight it produces for them. Hence, Twain has pointed out towards the philosophic side by elaborating different eras and periods of life, which determine and decide the liking, disliking, interests and priorities associated with human life on the one side, and the natural, physical and social phenomena existing all around him on the other. Twain draws out a pageant picture of the entire scenario by depicting the graceful curves, reflected images, woody heights, soft distances, and over the whole scene, far and near, the dissolving lights drifted steadily (Two Ways 1) that submits to offer a gorgeous panorama for the viewers. Hence, this magnificent literary piece, created by Twain serves as the solid evidence of his remarkable exposure about the transformations man witnesses during the course of his life. He was such an intelligent and visionary writer during his early youth that he was in a position of successfully making prediction with regards to certain modifications in the thoughts and views of the same persons while having interaction with the same objects of nature, at the peak of youth on the one side, and during man’s old age on the other. The change in ideas and views could, as Twain argues, be an outcome of the difference in man’s exposure of the world and life as well. It is partly due to the very reality that man has drunk little from the goblet of life at young age; as a result, he has not obtained much familiarity with the variety of tastes and liquors life offers to man. He was such an intelligent rower that he could assess that the lines and circles in the slick water over yonder are a warning that that troublesome place is shoaling up dangerously (Two Ways 2). Hence, instead of confining his thoughts to drive the boat, Twain obtained all information and knowledge related to the mysteries the deep waters contain in their breast during his career as a pilot. Nevertheless, the world has taught him a lot till reaching the ripe years in his later life, which certainly affects man’s thinking regarding the objects existing all around him. On the one side, Twain appears to be expressing his philosophical viewpoint in his Two Ways of Seeing a River (1883), and on the other side, his sense of humor looks at its climax while studying and analyzing his Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’ s Court (1889), both of which present an entirely divergent scenario presented by this multi-dimensional writer and humorist. Created in a humorous tone, Twain’s Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court describes the trickery played by the stranger or Yankee engineer, who had entered the medieval era from modern age accidently. It is 6th century A.D., and King Arthur is ruling over England. Since the stranger has vast knowledge of technological advancements had been made in his real era, he attempts to impress the medieval era masses by presenting Victorian era scientific inventions before them. Since the people belonging to medieval times are not familiar with such marvelous inventions, they regard the stranger to be a great magician of their era. Since his fame reaches the royal court, the King invites him to the court for serving the royalty at the court. The stranger, Mr. Hank Morgan, makes fun of the people, and ridicules over lack of their knowledge and exposure about life. Similarly, he demonstrates his proficiency in the fields of science and engineering that is really miraculous and fascinating for the English men of early medieval times. The scene related to the solar eclipse appears to be one of the most interesting ones, where Mr. Morgan feels delighted over the peoples’ ignorance with regards to the eclipses; it is therefore, his claim of making the sun rusted, during the natural process of solar eclipse, would make him the greatest man in the kingdom (Connecticut Yankee 39) due to the ignorance of 6th century British people. The time came when Morgan was to be punished in the wake of the decree issued by the king. However, since he had caused a delay through applying trickery on the king and courtiers till the solar eclipse would set, turning the sun grow darker and darker, and blacker and blacker (Connecticut Yankee 44), inviting misery and terror for the entire community eventually. Hence, Twain ridicules the ignorance of the Medieval era people by stating how Morgan fooled them with the help of his knowledge, and hence successfully saved his skin eventually. Twain maintains that since Morgan believes in bringing social change through technological advancements, he urges the King to apply the same in the best interest of the British society (Connecticut Yankee 73). Somehow, the royalty is always determined to strengthen its political, strategic and economic position rather allocating the wealth, resources and power to the subjects. Hence, Twain has mocked at the monarchical rule that has been in vogue in England for the last several centuries. The most amazing aspect of the novel includes the very conclusion made by Twain by arguing that it is social justice, equality, freedom of thought and implementation of law that bring positive social changes in human life, instead of scientific inventions and technological advancements (Connecticut Yankee 387-88). Twain also creates humor by narrating the tale of his encounter with the rival magician in the Valley of Holiness (Connecticut Yankee 178), where Mr. Morgan defeated the magician and his predictions through the use of telephone, the communication technique neither the magician nor the monks had any idea of the same altogether (183-86). Thus, the clever method applied by Morgan set the abbot and the monks in a whirl of excitement, and it rocked the enchanter to his base (187). Twain ridicules the black magic and sorcerers through the mouth of his protagonist character Mr. Morgan while describing the encounter between him and the sorceress Mrs. le Fay. Mrs. Le Fay, according to Morgan, was the sort of a wicked woman, who had made everybody believe that she was a great sorceress. All her ways were wicked, all her instincts devilish. She was loaded to the eye-lids with cold malice. All her history was black with crimes; and among her crimes, murder was common. I was most curious to see her; as curious as I could have been to see Satan (Connecticut Yankee 112). Hence, the writer has elucidated the common traits and practices of the sorcerers and sorceresses belonging to early medieval era, though the same practices had also been in vogue during the latter centuries to go in various parts of the globe. While discussing the plot of both the works produced by Mark Twain, it is clear that Two Ways of Seeing a River confines the work to the thoughts and opinions of one single spectator, dedicated to admiring the beauties of nature, and predicting a different view of the same phenomena in his later years. Twain recalls a certain wonderful sunset (1) that used to be bewitching one for his fascination during the earliest period of his career as a steamboat pilot. On the other hand, in Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court the author has taken several characters from different age groups, positions, professions and socioeconomic statuses, which perform different roles as per the requirements of the novel. The tone of Two Ways is serious, sublime, eloquent and philosophical; on the contrary, Connecticut Yankee creates humor and invites the laughter of the readers and spectators alike with the help of various acts performed by the characters. In addition, Connecticut Yankee is a social novel in nature, which makes fun of the ways adopted by the King and courtiers in the royal court. Somehow, Two Ways expresses the personal glimpses of a young pilot, whose time is consumed while interacting with the restless and exciting waves of the river. Furthermore, Connecticut Yankee teaches the lesson that social justice and co-operation between the people of society can keep them happy, contended and peaceful, and also prolongs their life as well. Nevertheless, Two Ways mentions the reality that since the professionals particularly doctors confine their concentrations to their professional obligations only, they are deprived of noticing and admiring the beauties Nature has created for man. Hence, both the literary works created by Twain are completely different ones from one another in nature and scope, while approve his mastery of diction and variety of thoughtfulness at large. Conclusion: To conclude, it becomes evident that Mark Twain maintains command over creating various pieces of literature on divergent topics and subjects, which portray quite different scenario in their nature and scope. In his Two Ways of Seeing a River, he looks drawing out the phases of life influencing man’s thoughts, views and opinion with regards to various natural and social phenomena existing in his physical environment; while in Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court, the writer appears to be paying heed to the role of scientific inventions in human life. He also declares observing of the statutes of law and moral ethics for the collective benefit of society, which cannot be attained with the help of introducing technological equipments only. Hence, both the two above-mentioned literary pieces produced by Twain depict a separate state of affairs, and endorse the intelligence, creative abilities, vision and wisdom of the author under analysis. Works Cited Clemens, William Montgomery. Mark Twain: His Life and Work: a Biographical Sketch New York: F. Tennyson Neely 1894. Digitized Harvard University, 2008. Print. Kirk, Connie Ann. Mark Twain – A Biography. Connecticut: Greenwood Printing, 2004. Print. LeMaster, J. R. The Mark Twain Encyclopedia. New York: Taylor & Francis, 1993. Print. Twain, Mark. An Autobiography of Mark Twain: The Complete and Authoritative Edition, Volume 1 California: University of California Press, 2010. Print. Twain, Mark. Two Ways of Seeing a River. An Extract from Life in Mississippi 1883. Web. . Twain, Mark. A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court. New York: Harper and 1917 University of Michigan, 2008. Print. Read More