Mark Twain - Inspired by Life
During his lifetime, Mark Twain's keen wit and incisive satire gained him praise from both critics and peers and earned him the reputation as the 'greatest American humorist of his age.' Often outspoken, he was a keen supporter of the abolition of slavery, was opposed to vivisection and was an enthusiastic advocate of women's rights. In 1901, his 'Votes For Women' speech pressed for women to be granted the right to vote and became a popular slogan among the suffrage movement.
He was highly critical of imperialism and served as vice president of the American Anti-Imperialist League, which opposed the United State's annexation of the Philippines, penning a number of political booklets for the organisation. In addition, he was one of a number of writers including Joseph Conrad and Arthur Conan Doyle who offered their support to the Congo Reform Association.
But Twain is best known for tales such as 'The Adventures of Tom Sawyer,' and 'The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.' When it was released, due to its use of what was considered 'coarse' language, 'Huckleberry Finn' was subject to severe criticism, and during the 20th century its portrayal of racial stereotypes and the use of the word 'nigger' made it even more controversial. Nevertheless, the book has since been hailed as the 'Great American Novel' and following Twain's death on 21st April, 1910, Nobel Prize winning author William Faulkner named him 'the father of American literature.'
A writer of the old-vein, Twain was largely self taught, he relied heavily on his personal experiences as a source of inspiration. His first major success as a writer came in 1865, when 'The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County' was published in the New York Saturday Press.
The story was inspired by incidents Twain enjoyed while travelling across the Great Plains and the Rocky Mountains. It was an instant hit and brought him national attention. A year after its publication he was employed by the 'Sacramento Union' as a reporter and in 1867, the San Francisco newspaper 'Alta California' assigned him as their travel correspondent.
Later that year he set sail on-board the pleasure cruiser 'Quaker City' bound for the Mediterranean. The trip resulted in the best selling work of his lifetime. 'The Innocents Abroad' chronicled his time on the ship, travelling through Europe and the Holy Land with a group of religious pilgrims.
While on the trip Twain met Charles Langdon, who showed the writer a picture of his sister Olivia. It's thought that Twain fell in love instantly. The pair met in 1868 and were married in 1870. Their marriage lasted 34 years until Olivia's death in 1904. They had four children, Susy, Clara, Jean and a son, Langdon, who tragically passed away from diphtheria when he was just 19 months old.
The family lived in Hartford, Connecticut, and it was here that Twain began writing his best known work. In 1872, he released a semi-autobiographical book titled 'Roughing It.' A prequel to 'The Innocents Abroad,' it mentions Twain's travels through the 'wild west,' his brief stint as a Confederate Cavalryman and his time spent mining for silver in Nevada.
'The Adventures of Tom Sawyer' was released in 1876, while 'The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn' was released in 1883. Both books, set on the Mississippi River, draw heavily on Twain's childhood experiences. Born in 1835, Twain grew up in Hannibal, Missouri. At that time Missouri was a slave-state entrenched in racial prejudice and both volumes are laced with historical reminders of social and ethnic bigotry. And Twain's hometown, on the banks of the Mississippi, served as inspiration for the fictional town of St.Petersburg in the two books.
'The Prince and the Pauper' was published in 1881, and 'A Connecticut Yank in King Arthur's Court' was released in 1889. The latter features a contemporary time-traveller introducing modern technology into Arthurian England and, regarded as one of the first science-fiction novels, it stemmed from Twain's interest in science, which saw him patent three inventions; a device to replace suspenders; a history trivia game; and a scrapbook with self adhesive pages.
'Life on the Mississippi,' was published in 1883. The book, a memoir, details his life as a steamboat pilot on the river. Twain worked as a pilot on the Mississippi between 1859 -1861, when the American Civil War saw traffic on the waterway curtailed.
Throughout his life Mark Twain fought for justice, while his writing examined the strengths and weaknesses of a rapidly changing world. One hundred years after his death his work continues to enthral readers from every corner of the globe and his life should serve as inspiration for generations to come.
© John Rooney 2010
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