The art of literature has long been used as a
vehicle for entertaining the masses.
However, many stories have another purpose, such as expressing the
writer's feelings on social customs from years gone bye or at the time of
writing. One vehicle which is often used to attain this
goal is satire. Mark Twain's novel, A Connecticut Yankee in
King Arthur's Court, is an excellent example of using satire as social
commentary(Reis 316). The novel is
definitely a commentary on the ideals of King Arthur's sixth century Camelot,
but the many inconsistencies and ambiguities which are apparent in the story
also suggest that Twain was also satirizing the flaws in the author's own
nineteenth century society(Wiggins 80). If
we look at the character progression of
both Hank Morgan and Merlin, the reader can easily see Twain's
dual-criticism.
When
Hank arrives in Camelot, he quickly rises to power. His manipulation of public opinion regarding him by the use of
"miracles" immediately brings Hank to the realization that he can
basically do whatever he pleases. His
knowledge of nineteenth century technology makes Hank Morgan a "human
standing next to apes"(Robinson 190).
This section of the story is filled with Twain's commentary on the
absurdness of the ideals of Chivalry.
When Camelot is looked at from the standpoint of twentieth century
practicality, it looks so absurd that it is funny(Robinson 184). An excellent example of this can be found in
the banquet which the Knights of the Round Table attend and at which Hank is
sentenced. The knights, supposed pillars
of Chivalry, sit around the table discussing their own deeds, drinking, and
embellishing the facts of events which had
taken place. The Knights also partake in
activities that we would label as childish, such as the amusement over the dog
chasing its tail(Twain 24-25). The
passage emphasizes the childish innocence of the sixth century people, but it
also shatters the romantic ideals that the modern world holds of the Knights of the Round Table(Robinson
185).
Hank immediately sets out to employ his
nineteenth century ideals in the sixth century.
His first action in office is to create a patent office. From here, he proceeds to modernize
Camelot. He establishes a Navy, and
begins to string telegraph wires. At the
same time, he is avoiding the Church.
This section shows Twain's favorable attitude towards nineteenth century
progress. Hank has been making true
progress in the nation, the most noticeable affect of which is the quadrupling,
and redistributing of the revenues. It
is here where Twain expresses his most fervent support for the nineteenth
century ideals of Democracy. Throughout
the novel, the Catholic Church is blamed for the problems of the land. The Church epitomizes sixth century ignorance
and superstition, specifically by hindering Hank's technological advances. The Church is feared more than the
Monarchy(Baldanza 75-76).
This favorable attitude is not held throughout
the novel however. The final product of
Hank's endeavors is nothing. At the end
of Hank's journey, the world is not robbed of superstition, in fact the
Church's power is heightened. The
downfall of Hank's utopia is Twain's criticism of his own nineteenth century
society(Dendinger 2668).
Much of this criticism can be found in the
Character imperfections of Hank Morgan.
Hank thinks of himself of the progressive Yankee, forward thinking, and
ready to save the people from their superstition(Wiggins 79). Although he does make progress in several
areas. such as administrator, statesman, technician, and astronomer, Hank is
still an ignoramus when his views on religion economics and politics are
viewed(Wiggins 79). It should also be
noted that Hank was only empowered to rescue the superstitious sixth century
folk by preying on that superstition(Wiggins 82).
Another problem with the portrayal of the
nineteenth century as such a perfect world is that fact that when he returns,
Hank cannot fully return to the nineteenth century. The very society which he attempted to import
into the sixth century is no longer capable of satisfying Hank(Robinson
192). A third aspect of Hank's failure
to be a truly practical Yankee is his relationship with Sandy. Twain cannot condemn Sandy for her simplicity
and eventually grows to worship it(Wiggins 82).
Twain felt that the sixth century was far from
perfect. However, the nineteenth century
did not contain the answers which Camelot needed to overcome its ignorance and
superstition.
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