A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court

By Mark Twain, 1889

My Summary:

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A Connecticut Yankee from the 19th century finds himself at the era of King Arthur. Using his knowledge, disguised as sorcery, he becomes a man of power. However, coping with poverty and supersition, he discovers that this era is less romantic than he has thought.

My Opinion:

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I was a bit lost by Mark Twain mastery of English language, in addition to some sentences with Middle Ages' style. However, the book provides an accurate and touching critic of both the romantized chivalry and the Industrial World. It was a wonderful discovery!

1. Arthur legend is mocked. For instance, in the novel, Merlin is just an impostor. Furthermore, the chivalry spirit cannot cope with poverty, diseases, supersition or religious extremism and is even comes to strenghten these evils.
   

2. Yet, I think that the main critic is against the Industrial society. Admittedly, technology can make us rich, but it also destroys chivalry values. One of the most striking example is a scene where thousands of knights fight a handful of well-armed men and are killed by landmines, machineguns or electric wires. Such an horror makes me think of the WWI.
   

3. It's written with precision : Mark Twain even imitates the language style of the era.
   

4. It's funny, for example when the main character is saved by knights riding bicycles.
   

5. Mark Twain actually destroyed the nice and funny image I had of Merlin (taken from Disney). In the book, Merlin is an evil imposter that get electrocuted by accident while he was laughing, disguised as a woman and casting a spell on the main character.

Medicis