A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court

Rating:
Summary: Refreshing, Accurate, and Insightful
Review: Imagine yourself thrown back fourteen hundred years to the kingdom of the legendary Arthur. Add some technical know-how, a touch of arrogance, and a taste for adventure, and you would be Hank Morgan. The successful head superintendent of an arms factory, Morgan is sent back in time by a nasty knock on the head, and finds himself a prisoner at the court of the once and future king. Through an incredible knowledge of astronomy, and mechanics, and his natural intelligence, he finds his way to the top of the Arthurian power structure, and becomes The Boss. Posing as a powerful magician, he impresses the people and the court with magnificent firework displays, stellar predictions, and other "tricks" that today are taken for granted. As he learns more about the social inequalities in the culture that he has no choice but to live in, he comes to the conclusion that he must free the masses from the oppression of the nobility. Morgan attempts to impose the ideals, governing system, and ways of thinking of the industrialized 19th century onto the primitive 6th century. Secretly, he develops a civilization of his own time inside Arthur's Kingdom, his eventual goal being to destroy every remnant of the old ways, and replace them with the new. Traveling the kingdom, Morgan spreads his influence and his beliefs. He encounters on his adventures both heartbreaking situations of cruelty, and heartwarming scenes of humanity. Throughout the whole kingdom, however, he always sees the need to destroy the feudal system. Twain teaches us something through Morgan's determination, and something else by the calamitous ending of the book. The good: A Yankee at the Court of King Arthur is probably the most accurate of all the king Arthur Legends, as far as describing the daily life, customs, and superstitions of the people of the period. It does not lionize the Knights of the Round Table, but at the same time it does not speak of them as savages, as some accounts do. Similarly, it makes the people out to be decent, simple, and yes, sheep, but not total fools. A Yankee at the Court of King Arthur describes the time impartially, meticulously, and colorfully. There is not the element of glamorization just as there is not the element of degradation. Twain's use of the first-person narration makes the story more realistic; the people who are dying of small pox are horrifyingly well described, and the grandeur with the banners and shining armor at a joust is equally enticing. Most importantly, this book flows well: each event leads to the next, and it all fits together nicely. The twist that Twain puts on the end superbly concludes the story, and it makes you really think. The not-so-good: A Yankee at the Court of King Arthur does move slowly at times. Also, the main character, Hank Morgan, is excessively American. Twain really overuses the baseball metaphors, and Morgan's contempt for all forms of mysticism and non-scientific explanations of things damages the atmosphere of the book. His impatience with the people who do not understand his speech and ideas, and his general attitude of superiority make him slightly less likeable, and more difficult to pay attention to. It is sometimes hard to bear Hank Morgan's thoughtless destruction of 6th century culture, and his obsession with the wonder of technology. The sometimes absurdly long descriptions, vivid pictures of violence, and overall length of this book would make it difficult for people under about twelve or thirteen to enjoy. Mark Twain is sending several messages in writing this book. The first and perhaps most important is that attention should be paid to the way in which a culture develops. Hank ultimately destroys Arthurian England as it was know, because he advances only the parts of the culture that he personally believes to be important. Twain is saying that if we are not involved in our world, everything is out of our control, and we can only hope that the reins fall into the right hands. Morgan's downfall can be attributed to this and to the fact that he disbelieves all other powers besides science, and even more than disbelieves dismisses them. Another main point that this book incorporates is that no one power should be allowed to become too strong. Twain reinforces this point with the examples of the Church and of Hank Morgan. A Yankee at the Court of King Arthur addresses issues that face Mark Twain's time and issues that face ours. It brings many ideas, messages, and themes together into a cohesive body. With Camelot as the backdrop, Morgan's story as the message and Twains engaging style as the messenger, this book is delightful.

Rating:
Summary: It was misleading at times,but it was sitll entertaining
Review: This novel by Mark Twain tells the story of a man who is swept back in time to the Dark Ages, the supposed period that Arthur and his round table existed. The story seems light hearted and fun throughout most of the text, but it was also written to make apparent the problems of medieval socity, specifically the form of government, which was feudalsim. Fuedalism's downfalls are thoroughly ecplored all throughout the novel by hank Morgan, the main character, as he thoughout the land trying to show the people of the time how wrong the way they live is. mark twain's writin style comes through very stronglyin thsi novel. Like many of his other books (Tom Sawyer, Huckleberry Finn) CYKAC at first glance looks and reads like a children's story. but as further reading and closer study show this is not correct. Several times very graphic descriptions of death and fighting are used and many of the issues addressed by Twain take a knowledgeable mind to be comprehended. This style of writing is misleading at times, because of the way the author describes people and things in a light hearted an almost comical manner. He also labels characters throughout the story with odd names and titles. The light-hearted nature soon fades away when the author paints a picture of families being separated by slavery or the injustice of the Church to the people it is supposed to serve. Twain's writing style may be misleading, but it adds flavor and diversity to the text that is hard to find in other novels. The story That Twain writes is really a parody of the Arthurian legends we all know. Twain keeps the same names and positions of the characters, but completely changes their personalities from what we are used to. Many times when a character is into\roduced it is shocking to think of them the way Twain wants us too. But what he really is doing is showing us realistically what King Arthur and his knights would be like if they had existed in medieval times. The author's perception of the characters real, more human selves was believable, but in contrast the exploits of hank Morgan were astronomicaly unbelievable. hank's adventures throughout the kingdom were entertaining, but were bogged down by the issues that the author wanted to bring across to the reader. more comic relief was needed to keep the reader from becoming depressed and to keep the story moving. Over all CYKAC was fun to read and well written, even though it could have done without some of the lectures and soul grabbing that the author throws at you. The ideas taht Hank comes up with are fascinating and totally unbelievalbe, but I still enjoyed them. The change in the characters personalities were a welcome change form the traditional "knights in shining armor" mold used in many other Arthur novels. It gave the story a new boost and helped separate it from the rest of the Arthurian legends. At times it may have been slow, but the freshness and diversity of the book kept me from putting it down, and I think you to will agree with me if you decide to read this novel

Rating:
Summary: Montgomery Student
Review: I read the book A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court. It began quickly and I was easily intrigued by the author's usage of vocabulary and his extraordinary ideas. He began in such a way that one could not put the book down and I found myself staying up late in the night just to finish that one last chapter. Yet, as I continued reading, my mind began to wander from lack of interest. The book became a little redundant and it was hard to concentrate on reading. I fell behind in my reading schedule because I was unable to stay focused on what I considered to be boring text. Luckily, as I kept reading, the plot began to thicken once again. I was again caught up in the story. The last third of the book proved to be an interesting one. I kept reading even when I knew I had to do other things. My mind stayed with the book even when I wasn't reading. I believe that the character development was done extremely well. You get to know the characters and you know how they feel. Even before someone speaks, you know what their reaction to the situation will be. This is a sign of a very well written book. A book where one can feel the characters' feelings is one that is easy to read. Not in the sense that the text is easy, but it is easy to stay interested in the book. It is beautifully written as a whole. Yet, through the middle it becomes more of a technological book. The inventions created are thoroughly explained. I found that thoroughly boring. Although it was interesting to know what was being created, I wasn't interested in a step-by-step process as to how it was being made. I recommend this book to a more mature audience. Not because of any obscene situations, but because I believe it would be too hard to comprehend before the age of twelve at the youngest. Not only would it be hard to comprehend, but it may be quite boring to those under that age. Of course, it depends upon who the person is that is reading the book. Yet, generally I believe it would be most fitted for older teens to adults. Their ability to comprehend and appreciate the writings of Mark Twain would help to make this book an interesting one to read. All and all, I would generously recommend this book. It is a novel that not only interests you, but keeps you thinking as well. The plot, along with the style of writing, is well thought out and keeps you turning the page each time. Although at times it can become a little boring, for the most part one would find this novel enjoyable. One can probably find it at any local bookstore, any library, or even purchase it on the internet. If you are looking for a good book to read, then I would suggest that you pick this one up today.

Rating:
Summary: A Connecticut Yankee . . . An Excellent Book
Review: This is an excellent book. It is by far the best Twain I have read yet, and I give it four stars. In this novel, Mark Twain holds the glory and romance associated with Arthurian Legend up to the standards of 19th century society, and reveals defects in both the romantic ideal of King Arthur and the faith that Twain's generation holds in scientific and social "progress." Both funny and thought-provoking, this book provides the reader with a new set of eyes with which to view the barbarism and injustice that Arthur and his knights so valiantly fought to preserve. A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court is the tale of Hank Morgan, a typical 19th century man who is transported back in time to the days of Merlin, Guinevere, and King Arthur. After becoming aware of his surroundings, and deciding to ignore his uncertainty about whether King Arthur actually existed, this man uses the common knowledge of his time period, his practicality, and some perfectly timed arrogance to acquire a position of great power in this land that he finds repulsive and in need of an enlightened leader. The ensuing story is the tale of what happens when the two utopias collide and this man abuses his power in an attempt to bring the "great and beneficent" miracles of the 19th century to the Age of Chivalry. I would recommend this book to any reader in 8th grade or above, but I would discourage people with passionate faith in the purity and glory of King Arthur from reading this book if they do not want to be forcefully presented with demonstrations of chivalry's inhumanities. A fairly well developed sense of humor will help the reader to enjoy Mark Twain's subtle ironies and satirical situations, and some basic knowledge of science helps in understanding some of the scenes, however this isn't vital to the book. The vocabulary is moderately advanced, the subject matter is somewhat mature at times, and the philosophical reasoning is probably beyond the reach of most Junior High students, yet I would encourage anyone who is interested to give this book a try. This novel is also great for the general public because A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court provides the reader with a main character with whom they may identify. The main character, Hank Morgan is presented with situations in which he must deal with being a stranger in a new atmosphere, being a social outcast due to his uncommon beliefs, he must avoid physical confrontation, and he is forced to use his intellectual abilities rather than brute strength to solve difficult situations. Many readers will have faced similar difficulties in their lives, and this ability to identify with the characters will definitely add to the overall enjoyment of the story. With this piece of work, Mark Twain displays his true talent for excellent writing and story telling. He incorporates enough adventurous and action filled scenarios to make the reader want to continue reading vigorously, yet he also manages to discuss very philosophical and thought-provoking topics during the lulls in the action. This book reads very quickly near the beginning and end. The action tapers off during the middle of the story, but not for long, and once it starts to pick up again, Twain demonstrates his true potential for greatly entertaining writing in the very climactic and cleverly ironic ending that brings this all-around great book to an even better close. This is definitely a book worth reading.

Rating:
Summary: A recommendation of a very intriguing book
Review: 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:
Summary: Can 19th century tech. overcome feudalism and the nobility?
Review: A supervisor (Hank Morgan) in an arms factory in Connecticut is hit along the side of his head with a crowbar and wakes up to discover that he has traveled back in time to England when King Arthur ruled (the year given as 528). The Boss, as he is later known, saves himself from being executed by predicting a solar eclipse. He is made Arthur's minister and becomes an enemy of Merlin. He uses his knowledge of nineteenth-century technology to try and make life better in 6th-century England. But, when he attempts to improve the lot of the peasantry and to end the power of the Knights, he finds himself opposed by the aristocracy, Merlin, and the Church. This is a great satire and illustrates Twain's poor opinions of the aristocracy and of Kings and nobility ("no ability"). Interestingly, it is also the first time-traveling novel in which a character travels to a distant time. (In "A Christmas Carol" by Charles Dickens (1843), the main character travels in time is limited to the periods in which he had actually lived.) This is a classic and it should be familiar to all well-educated individuals.

Rating:
Summary: A classic novel--a read for those who like any type of lit.
Review: This book is truly a classic. When I was reading it, I suddenly realized why it had survived this "test of time." From humor to tragedy, thinking to mindless fun, this book has got it all. And, by the way, in response to the reader who gave this book 1 star, and said it was "horrible, and was out of touch with modern times"--please. This book was written in 1889! It takes place in the sixth century! Do you expect them to have a computer in every home?? :-) Well, anyway....I truly reccomend this book.

Rating:
Summary: A very amusing satire.
Review: Twain brings up a lot of interesting points which, although not new, may seem so because of the manner and voice he uses to bring them up. Some consider this work "chaotic," but I don't agree. Yes, he does attempt a lot in this work- humor, the relation of an exciting tale, and questioning mankind and society, but the book still has a flow. It contrasts the nineteenth century dependence on technology and efficiency with a pseudo sixth century that uses a caste system and rigidly follows codes of chivalry. The ending was not particularly insightful, as one would expect, but it still satisfied me. The book had me chuckling much of the time- I mean, can you just picture Sir Launcelot with a few hundred knights, in their armor, and riding bicycles?! Or a knight, in the lists at a tournament, being lassoed cowboy style?! It was also interesting to read because it gives you a sense of life in Twain's time, with a few references to the Civil War, or the dispute over currency... And, hey, you've gotta love Hello-Central!

Rating:
Summary: A must read for the Dreamers!
Review: I haven't read much of Twain's works, but this is undoubtly the best Twain book I have ever read (Huckleberry Finn, Tom Sawyer, jumping frogs...bleurgrht!). So far this is my most favorite book. It is one of the few books that can actually bring me into a whole new world. A very fun read too!

Rating:
Summary: horrible
Review: This book is out of touch with modern education. It's boring