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Title: A Connecticut Yankee at King Arthur's Court (Penguin Classics) by Mark Twain, Justin Kaplan ISBN: 0-14-043064-4 Publisher: Penguin Books Pub. Date: 01 May, 1990 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $9.00 |
Average Customer Rating: 3.64 (95 reviews)
Rating: 4
Summary: A recommendation of a very intriguing book
Comment: A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court is an intriguing novel written by Mark Twain. This is a fantastic book for the high school level reader, but would be entertaining to adults as well. I am a freshman in high school, and I enjoyed many attributes of the plot and writing style. In this novel the main character, Hank Morgan, is mysteriously transported from the nineteenth century in Connecticut back to the fifth century in England. During his time in medieval Britain, he keeps a journal which is what most of this book is. The preface and afterwards are both the narration of Mark Twain who writes as if he has found Hank's journal, and is merely writing it down in a book. As the journal starts out, Hank is introduced to King Arthur and after narrowly escaping death and becomes the country's most powerful advisor. Hank introduces many modern wonders to this feudal society. He is hailed a magician, being able to perform wonderful "miracles" and "magic", when it really is only modern science. It is very entertaining to read about how the feeble-minded people of that time react to these feats. In the end, there is a tremendous battle with many exciting episodes leading up to it. If a reader is partial to battle scenes of high caliber, this is a book for him! Of course, Hank has many other battles as well. Once of his biggest enemies is the Church of England. The big question the reader asks themselves during this book is "Will Hank return to his time and if so, how?". It was exciting for me to ponder this question throughout the novel. During Hank's travels through medieval Britain, he meets many people. The people he meets who think a government ruled by the people in Britain (his ultimate goal) would be a good idea, he sends to Camelot where he has schools set up which teach people about modern governmental ideas. Schools were also set up to teach people how to produce his wonders of modern science. These few enlightened people remain loyal to Hank until the very end. I thought it an entertaining notion that people who were trained from birth to believe in one thing, could realize it's faults and begin to believe another things. I really enjoy this book because it brings a lot about human nature into question. It discusses the vast differences of beliefs, manners, and life styles between one hundred years ago and fourteen hundred years ago. I also thought the differences between classic Arthurian legend and Mark Twain's perspective of the time were very interesting. Hanks training of these idealistic people he runs across plays into the large political aspect of this book. Since Hank's ultimate goal is to transform Britain into a country ruled by the people, he starts factories producing modern goods which greatly changes the lives of the Britons. I enjoyed the descriptions of the people's reaction to these modern products of science thirteen centuries before they would be invented. Throughout the entire book commentary and philosophizing concerning the comparison of the fifth century feudal system of Britain and the nineteenth century democracy of the U.S. by Hank Morgan is common. This political aspect is typical of Twain's works. It gave me great pleasure to read this aspect of the book and to comprehend it's meaning. Through Hank Morgan, Mark Twain is able to depict vivid images in the readers mind. Whether it be a person, scene, or sensation felt by Hank Twain describes it in a way which puts a solid picture in the imagination of the reader. I have not seen the movie of this novel, but I have heard it isn't very well done and it is nothing compared to the book. I believe this is because Mark Twain paints such a realistic picture in the mind of the reader, it is nothing compared to what some director can film. From Mark Twain's great descriptions and writing style to the unique ideas presented, the novel A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court is a fantastic novel. There are so many aspects of it to enjoy, and it is just an all around entertaining book. I give this book four out of five stars and I recommend it to any one interested in fantasy, especially if they want a different perspective on King Arthur.
Rating: 4
Summary: amusing book by Mark Twain
Comment: A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur¡¦s Court¡¨ is a hilarious story written by Mark Twain. The story starts out talking about a young man named Hank Morgan, who was somehow transported back to the 6th century in England. He started out thinking that he arrived in an asylum, where everybody thought they were in the time of King Arthur. He later proved himself that he was in the 6th century by witnessing a total solar eclipse which he knew it was going to occur on the twenty-first of June A.D. 528 at 3 minutes after noon. After that event, he was given place in the government, and continuously used his cleverness and knowledge he learned in the 19th century to improve and prefect the country he was living in, during the 6th century. He used his knowledge in the field of science and performed what the people in the medieval times, called magic; and as time progressed he became the country¡¦s most powerful advisor. During this period of time, he kept a journal, which is what most of this book is.
Unlike most of the other stories, the plot of this story was consisted of two time periods, the modern 19th century and the medieval 6th century. The main character, Hank Morgan, was mysteriously sent back and became someone like Jesus because he knew what was happening and what is going to happened already in the history lessons when he was still in the 19th century. A literary device Mark Twain used in this book that made this book very amusing was all the satires Hank used to mock the people in King Arthur¡¦s court. For example, when a page was introducing himself to Mark, Mark said, ¡§Go ¡¥long, you ain¡¦t more than a paragraph.¡¨
I recommend this book for people who want something light and less serious, because this book will give you a good laugh.
Rating: 4
Summary: Not "cute"; but absolutely fascinating!
Comment: This book is not a "good" book, in that it fails to achieve its supposed purpose (which is to deprecate chivalric romance). Yet the sheer fascination of this incredibly poigniant failure is enough to keep me returning! It nothing like the "cute" kids versions and movies that it has inspired. Prepare for a vitriolic horror-ride that seems to prove nothing but man's futility--i.e., welcome to Twaine's latter period. Mark Twain's work of psuedo-realistic phantasy is perhaps the most marked and fascinating failure in literature. In the novel Twain sets science and technology against chivalry and romance. Twaine attempts to overthrow a thousand years of fuedal and romantic tradition by means of scientific and economic efficiency. Yet (without revealing too much) in the end the Yankee must praise the romantic hero King Arthur; has used the very superstitions he disdains to dupe the people; come to love an archetype of the simple medieval personality he despises; and, amazingly, has threatened to destroy an entire civilization. In the end the only thing the Yankee proves is that modern man is far too arrogant for his own good, and that it is all too easy to become the villain you hate. So what was Twaine's point? Supposedly to prove the vast superiority of the modern age over the Chivalric Age. But did Twaine actually believe his utterly amazing ending carried out his task? I doubt it; I think the book is a classic example of Twain's disbelief of everything. But the world my never know.
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Title: The Prince and the Pauper (Puffin Classics) by Mark Twain ISBN: 0140367497 Publisher: Puffin Books Pub. Date: 01 February, 1996 List Price(USD): $4.99 |
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Title: CliffsNotes on Twain's A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court by L. David Allen, James L. Roberts ISBN: 0764544586 Publisher: Cliffs Notes Pub. Date: 15 December, 2003 List Price(USD): $5.99 |
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Title: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain ISBN: 0140390839 Publisher: Penguin Books Pub. Date: 01 October, 1987 List Price(USD): $7.00 |
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Title: Pudd'Nhead Wilson (Bantam Classics) by Mark Twain ISBN: 0553211587 Publisher: Bantam Pub. Date: 01 February, 1984 List Price(USD): $4.95 |
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Title: A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens ISBN: 0451526562 Publisher: Signet Book Pub. Date: 01 May, 1997 List Price(USD): $4.95 |
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