A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court


Book Description

A Connecticut Yankee is Mark Twain’s most ambitious work, a tour de force with a science-fiction plot told in the racy slang of a Hartford workingman, sparkling with literary hijinks as well as social and political satire. Mark Twain characterized his novel as "one vast sardonic laugh at the trivialities, the servilities of our poor human race." The Yankee, suddenly transported from his native nineteenth-century America to the sleepy sixth-century Britain of King Arthur and the Round Table, vows brashly to "boss the whole country inside of three weeks." And so he does. Emerging as "The Boss," he embarks on an ambitious plan to modernize Camelot—with unexpected results. Daniel Carter Beard illustrated the first edition of Yankee in 1889, and Mark Twain praised his work as "better than the book—which is a good deal for me to say, I reckon." This Mark Twain Library edition reprints the text based on the author’s manuscript, all 221 of Beard’s illustrations, and the notes from the California scholarly edition.







Study Guide to A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court and Other Works by Mark Twain


Book Description

A comprehensive study guide offering in-depth explanation, essay, and test prep for selected works by Mark Twain, the father of American literature. Titles in this study guide include A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court, Life on the Mississippi, The Mysterious Stranger, Adventure of Huckleberry Finn, and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. As an influential writer of the late-nineteenth-century, Twain became one of the greatest humorist in American literature. Moreover, the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor was created in his honor, and is presented to individuals who influence American society in ways similar to Twain. This Bright Notes Study Guide explores the context and history of Mark Twain’s classic work, helping students to thoroughly explore the reasons they have stood the literary test of time. Each Bright Notes Study Guide contains: - Introductions to the Author and the Work - Character Summaries - Plot Guides - Section and Chapter Overviews - Test Essay and Study Q&As The Bright Notes Study Guide series offers an in-depth tour of more than 275 classic works of literature, exploring characters, critical commentary, historical background, plots, and themes. This set of study guides encourages readers to dig deeper in their understanding by including essay questions and answers as well as topics for further research.




The Prince and the Pauper + A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court + Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc


Book Description

This carefully crafted ebook: “The Prince and the Pauper + A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court + Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc” contains 3 books in one volume and is formatted for your eReader with a functional and detailed table of contents. The Prince and the Pauper is a novel by Mark Twain first published in 1881 in Canada, before its 1882 publication in the United States. Set in 1547, it tells the story of two young boys who are identical in appearance: Tom Canty, a pauper who lives with his abusive father in Offal Court off Pudding Lane in London, and Prince Edward, son of King Henry VIII. A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court is an 1889 novel by Mark Twain, originally published in book form in 1896. The novel is a satirical comedy that looks at 6th-Century England and its medieval culture through the eyes of Hank Morgan, a 19th-century resident of Hartford, Connecticut, who, after a blow to the head, awakens to find himself inexplicably transported back in time to early medieval England at the time of the legendary King Arthur. Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc, published in 1896, is the remarkable story of the saint's life as told by the fictional Sieur Louis de Conté, Joan's page and secretary, in the form of a memoir written in the twilight of life. The character has had the privilege of growing up with Joan of Arc, accompanying her during the excitement and pageantry of her military campaigns, and being present at each of her three trials. Samuel Langhorne Clemens (1835 – 1910), better known by his pen name Mark Twain, was an American author and humorist. He wrote The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876) and its sequel, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1885), the latter often called "the Great American Novel."




Tragedy's Court: Bradley's Shakespearean Journey (Shakespearean Tragedy: Lectures on Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, Macbeth by A. C. Bradley/ The Tragedy of King Lear by William Shakespeare/ A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court by Mark Twain)


Book Description

Book 1: Delve into the profound analysis of Shakespearean tragedy with “Shakespearean Tragedy: Lectures on Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, Macbeth by A. C. Bradley.” A. C. Bradley offers insightful lectures that explore the depths of some of Shakespeare's greatest tragedies. Through detailed examinations of "Hamlet," "Othello," "King Lear," and "Macbeth," Bradley provides readers with a deeper understanding of the tragic elements and psychological complexities within these timeless plays. Book 2: Witness the unraveling of a powerful kingdom in “The Tragedy of King Lear by William Shakespeare.” Shakespeare's play follows the tragic story of King Lear as he descends into madness, exploring themes of family, betrayal, and the consequences of unchecked power. This enduring tragedy continues to captivate audiences with its poignant depiction of human frailty. Book 3: Experience a blend of humor and satire with “A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court by Mark Twain.” Mark Twain's novel follows the adventures of Hank Morgan, a man from Connecticut who inexplicably finds himself in King Arthur's legendary court. Through humor and social commentary, Twain explores the clash of cultures and the absurdities of anachronism in this imaginative and thought-provoking tale.




Shock and Awe


Book Description

Inspired by the foreign policy entanglements of recent years, William V. Spanos offers a dramatic interpretation of TwainÕs classic A Connecticut Yankee in King ArthurÕs Court, providing a fresh assessment of the place of a global America in the American imaginary. Spanos insists that Twain identifies with his protagonist, particularly in his defining use of the spectacle, and thus with an American exceptionalism that uncannily anticipates the George W. Bush administrationÕs normalization of the state of exception and the imperial policy of Òpreemptive war,Ó unilateral Òregime change,Ó and Òshock and aweÓ tactics. Equally stimulating is SpanosÕs thoroughly original ontology of American exceptionalism and imperialism and his tracing of these forces in Twain studies and criticism over the past century.




Mark Twain in the Margins


Book Description

By redefining Twain's aesthetic, Fulton reinvigorates current debates about what constitutes literary realism."--Jacket.




Mark Twain's Ethical Realism


Book Description

Mark Twain's Ethical Realism is the only work that looks specifically at how Twain blends ethical and aesthetic concerns in the act of composing his novels. Fulton conducts a spirited discussion regarding these concepts, and his explanation of how they relate to Twain's writing helps to clarify the complexities of his creative genius.




Tariff Question in the Gilded Age


Book Description

Protective tariffs were part of American life long before the era of NAFTA and GATT. In the late nineteenth century, the "tariff question" was one of the most controversial issues of the day. As Joanne Reitano shows in this far-reaching study, the ensuing debate was anything but an empty exercise in political rhetoric occupying only politicians and lobbyists. The tariff was of central concern to a broad cross section of people because of its perceived relationship to immediate economic problems, such as wages, prices, and trusts. In fact, it became a means for many Americans to wrestle with the implications of the country's rapid growth and the impact of industrial capitalism on American life. Reitano focuses on the election year of 1888, when the tariff was adopted as a cause célèbre by President Grover Cleveland, Congress, the two major parties, and the press. At the heart of the debate was the Mills Bill for tariff reduction. Although the bill failed to pass, Reitano finds in the rancorous public debate a barometer of changes in the American mind in the Gilded Age. She carefully blends intellectual, political, economic, and social issues through analyses of the Congressional Record, press coverage of the debate, academic and polemical literature, political cartoons, and the presidential campaign. Ultimately, Reitano contends that ideas about political economy have always been central to the American mind. They were so in the Gilded Age as they are today.




The Best Works of Mark Twain: [A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court by Mark Twain/ A Dog's Tale by Mark Twain/ A Tramp Abroad by Mark Twain]


Book Description

Book 1: Embark on a whimsical adventure with “A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court by Mark Twain.” Mark Twain takes you on a time-traveling journey as Hank Morgan, a modern man, finds himself in King Arthur's legendary realm. With humor and satire, Twain explores the clash of eras, challenging societal norms and traditions. Book 2: Witness the world through the eyes of man's best friend in “A Dog's Tale by Mark Twain.” Mark Twain offers a poignant and thought-provoking narrative, narrated by a loyal dog named Aileen. This touching tale delves into the complexities of human-animal relationships, addressing themes of loyalty, kindness, and the resilience of the canine spirit. Book 3: Embark on a humorous and insightful journey across Europe in “A Tramp Abroad by Mark Twain.” Mark Twain combines travelogue and satire as he recounts his experiences, observations, and misadventures while exploring the Old World. With his signature wit, Twain provides a humorous perspective on the cultural differences and idiosyncrasies encountered during his travels.