Mark Twain's Political Writings
Throughout his literary career, Mark Twain had a rare ability to present compelling and often humorous stories that dealt with important issues in American society.
Twain used satire, a form of writing that uses humor to point out human faults. In the 1873 novel The Gilded Age, Twain and coauthor Charles Dudley Warner present a satirical conversation about Congress's inability to weed out corrupt politicians.
Twain's 1889 novel, A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court, offers a commentary on American political ambition. In the tale a Connecticut man finds himself transported back in time to medieval England. The excerpt describes the man's thoughts as he begins to discover that he is in the 500s, not the 1800s.
from The Gilded Age
"I think Congress always tries to do as near right as it can, according to its lights.
A man can't ask any fairer than that. The first preliminary it always starts out on, is to clean itself, so to speak.
It will arraign [put on trial two or three dozen of its members, or maybe four or five dozen, for taking bribes to vote for this and that and the other bill last winter."
"It goes up into the dozens, does it?"
"Well, yes; in a free country like ours, where any man can run for Congress and anybody can vote for him, you can't expect immortal purity all the time-it ain't in nature...."
"So Congress always lies helpless in quarantine ten weeks of a session. That's encouraging. Colonel, poor Laura will never get any benefit from our bill. Her trial will be over before Congress has half purified itself-And doesn't it occur to you that by the time it has expelled all its impure members there may not be enough members left to do business legally?"
"Why I did not say Congress would expel anybody...
But good God we try them, don't we!"
from A Commecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court
Wherefore, being a practical Connecticut man, ... I made up my mind to two things: if it was still the nineteenth century and I was among lunatics and couldn't get away, I would presently boss that asylum or know the reason why; and if, on the other hand, it was really the sixth century, all right, 1 didn't want any softer thing: I would boss the whole country inside of three months; for I judged I would have the start of the best-educated man
in the kingdom by a matter of thirteen hundred years and upward.
In these excerpts, Twain uses humor and satire to highlight the corruption and inefficiency in American politics during his time. In The Gilded Age, he sarcastically presents Congress as trying to "clean itself" of corrupt members, while in A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court, he portrays the protagonist as a shrewd and ambitious man who believes he can quickly rise to power in a medieval kingdom due to his advanced knowledge from the future.
Through these works, Twain not only entertains his readers but also challenges them to think critically about the flaws in their own society. By using satire to poke fun at politicians and highlight the absurdity of certain situations, Twain effectively conveys his views on American politics and the human condition in general.
Why would congress try its members for congress corruption but not expel them?
The excerpt from The Gilded Age humorously highlights the irony and inefficiency of Congress in addressing corruption within its own members. The conversation between the characters suggests that while Congress may go through the motions of trying and "purifying" its corrupt members, it ultimately may not take definitive action, such as expelling them. This could be due to a variety of reasons:
1. Political self-interest: Members of Congress may be reluctant to expel their colleagues because it could reflect poorly on the institution as a whole. They may fear the negative publicity and repercussions that come with admitting to corruption within their ranks.
2. Lack of accountability: Congress may have internal mechanisms for investigating and disciplining corrupt members, but these processes may be opaque, slow-moving, or lack teeth. There may be a lack of political will to hold members accountable for their actions.
3. Partisan politics: Politics often play a significant role in Congress, and party loyalty may outweigh concerns about individual corruption. Members may be more concerned with protecting their party's reputation and maintaining power than with enforcing ethical standards.
4. Legal challenges: Expelling a member of Congress is a serious action and may face legal challenges or due process requirements. This could make it difficult to take swift action against corrupt members.
Overall, Twain's satire in The Gilded Age points to the hypocrisy and dysfunction in politics, highlighting the disconnect between the professed ideals of Congress and its actual practices. Through humor and irony, Twain criticizes the shortcomings of American political institutions and the human nature that often hinders efforts to combat corruption effectively.
Can you write that in 4 sentences.
Twain's satire in The Gilded Age highlights the irony of Congress trying but not expelling corrupt members, pointing to the institution's inefficiency in addressing corruption. Reasons for this may include political self-interest, lack of accountability, partisan politics, and legal challenges. By humorously portraying Congress's ineffectiveness in dealing with corruption, Twain criticizes the flaws in American political institutions and the challenges of holding members accountable for their actions. Through his writing, Twain prompts readers to reflect on the complexities and shortcomings of political systems and human nature.
How does the Connecticut man resemble many politicians In the late 1800s?
( write it In 2 sentences)
The Connecticut man in Twain's novel A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court resembles many politicians in the late 1800s by being ambitious, shrewd, and believing he can quickly rise to power based on his knowledge and abilities. Like many politicians of the time, he is determined to assert his influence and control over his surroundings, reflecting the societal ambitions and power dynamics of the late 1800s.
How does Twain use humor and exaggeration in these selections to portray American political life?
( write in 1 sentence)