Mark Twain Essay

The possession and safeguarding of empire on distant lands by a nation is called Imperialism. The term was familiar to the Americans only during mid nineteenth century. Mark Twain expressed his attitudes against imperialism in many of his works and also declared it in harsh words. â€Å"I am an anti imperialist†, I am opposed to having the eagle put its talons on any other land†. Later he became the vice-president of Anti-Imperialist League. The protagonist Hang Morgan in ‘A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court, was brought back to sixth century England which was a time of extensive political, economic and social problems. The superstitions and fear of supernatural forces oppressed the lives of ordinary people. There he became ‘The Boss’ through his little scientific knowledge. The Camelot is not a place of strange social setting to the protagonist, but he failed to see what was happening beyond his suggestions. Edmund Reiss (in his afterward to A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court) quotes Twain as having said â€Å"This Yankee of mine has neither the refinement nor weakness of a college education. He is a perfect ignoramus†. The problem of imperialism is well extracted through the single character, Hank Morgan. Hank succeeded in bringing advancement to the people and society through technology and science. Clarence is a typical six century youth, who later en suite himself to nineteenth century. The process was against what happened in Hank, who now wishes to be in the past, with Sandy. Through the depiction of the two characters itself, Twain tries to unravel the positive and negative aspects of imperialism. Through the massacre at the end of the story and Merlin’s victory, Twain reminds the readers about men’s need of having faith in supernatural powers. References Twain Mark. ( 1889) . A Pen Warmed Up in Hell, Harper and Brothers, USA Twain Mark. (1889),A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court. Harper & Brothers, USA .