Introduction

Mark Twain is just Pen name of the writer “Samuel Langhorne Clemens”. He is a prominent American author, and Humourist. He was born on November 30, 1835 in Florida, Missouri. He is one of the best 19th-century Novelist. He was raised in Hannibal and this place was also the setting of his book “The Adventure of tom sawyer”, this book was considered one of his best-known Book.

His books cover the themes or context related to adventures and escapades, friendship, freedom and independence, social critique, adulteration, racial issues, individual morality, satire and irony, family dynamics. The literary work of mark twain had endured because of the way he captured the spirit of a moment while also highlighting universal truths about human nature.

Education and Early Childhood

He was born on 30 November 1935 in Florida in Missouri. His father’s name was john marshal Clemens and mothers name was jane Lampton Clemens. His parents had 7 children’s, in which he was the 6th child of his parents. His father was an attorney and a judge but his father dies in 1847 because of pneumonia. And that time twain were only 11-year-old. In the following year twain drop out of his after-5th standard so that he could become a printer apprentice.

Then in 1851, he started working as a type setter and start contributing for articles and sketches for the newspaper. Then later he shifted to New York city and start working as printer and started gaining knowledge to from local libraries. At the age of 18 he had gained more knowledge than he would have gained in school.

Although, we can see the essence of his experiences he had gained in his life in his books.

Career as author

The prolific production of novels, short tales, essays, and lectures that Mark Twain produced throughout his writing career have earned him a significant position in American literary history. His first popular book, “The Innocents Abroad,” a comic travelogue based on his experiences as a journalist travelling across Europe and the Holy Land, was published in the late 1860s, launching his writing career. But he gained major success in his career through the short story “the celebrated jumping frog of Calaveras country”. It was published in New York press and it gained a lot of attention from readers and because of that twain’s career climbs towards the hights of success.

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Twain’s “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer” novel, which captured the spirit of American youth and introduced readers to the mischievous Tom Sawyer and his chum Huckleberry Finn, marked his literary breakthrough in 1876. 

The author of “A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court,” a satirical indictment of feudalism and monarchy, and “The Prince and the Pauper,” a story that examines identity and social inequity, Twain continued to produce remarkable works throughout his lifetime. Twain’s essays and lectures, in addition to his fiction, made him a well-known social commentator. He bravely discussed contentious issues of the day like slavery, imperialism, and religious hypocrisy.

Noteworthy Awards and Accolades

• 1901:  honorary Doctorate of Literature from Yale University 
• 1902: was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Letters by the University of Missouri.
• 1907: presented with an honorary Doctorate of Letters by the University of Oxford.
• 1900: He was a member of the prestigious Society of American Authors and was elected its vice president 
• 1907:  received the Freedom of the City of London 
• 1908: honoured with the title of Commander of the Order of Saint Michael and Saint George by the British government.
• 1909: inducted into the American Academy of Arts and Letters 
• 1920: Was awarded the Gold Medal for Fiction by the National Institute of Arts and Letters 

Personal Life

Mark Twain had an energetic personal life and that’s the reason of his wit and spirit of exploration. In 1870 he got married with Olivia Langdon and had 4 kids with her but unfortunately 3 of his kids died and only 1 survived. This makes twain and his wife devastated. 

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Twain keeps on travelling specifically in Europe and middle east, after travelling there he wrote a book “The Innocents Abroad” in that book he added some context about Thomas Edison and Nikola tesla because he got fascinated by technology.

Slowly twain’s financial position also got improved and as he got older, he started to get interested in social and political issues. He was a strong advocate of women’s rights and fiercely fought imperialism.

Work Till Now

1. The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876)
2. Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1884)
3. The Prince and the Pauper (1881)
4. A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court (1889)
5. The Innocents Abroad (1869)
6. Life on the Mississippi (1883)
7. Roughing It (1872)
8. Pudd’nhead Wilson (1894)
9. The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County (1865, short story)
10. The Tragedy of Pudd’nhead Wilson (1896, play)