浛洸广东中心镇:Mark Twain的生活时代背景

Mark Twain

Mark Twain(whose real name was Samuel Clemens) was born in Missouri and grew up close to the banks of the Mississippi River. Clemens started out as a printer, setting type in Iowa, New York City, Philadelphia, and other cities. Clemens then turned to piloting a steamboat on the Mississippi River until the American Civil War. In 1861, Clemens served briefly as a soldier in the Confederate army. Later that year, Clemens moved to Nevada and began writing articles as a newspaper reporter.

In 1863, Clemens began signing his articles with the pseudonym Mark Twain. In 1865, Twain finished his first story, "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County", which became an instant hit.

In 1870, Twain married Olivia Langdon, and they later moved to Hartford, Connecticut. Some famous writings followed, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer(1876), A Tramp Abroad(1880), The Prince and the Pauper(1882), A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court(1889).

Twain's masterpiece The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn(1884) remains an icon of American literature.

Later works include Puddn'head Wilson(1894), Personal Recollections of Joan of Arc(1896), and the short story "The Man That Corrupted Hadleyburg"(1899).

In his later years, Twain became a celebrity, becoming known for wearing white suits wherever he went.

Alhough known primarily as a humorist during his life, scholars now regard his work as some of the best and most authentic in American literature. His portraits of pre-civil war America, and his use of spoken language in his novels dominate Twain's legacy.