A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court is a complicated novel that fundamentally deals with the concept of the human experience. Hank Morgan is a nineteenth century mechanic who is transported back thirteen centuries to medieval Britain, during the time of King Arthur. After his initial shock, he becomes determined to "civilize" Camelot by introducing modern industrial technology. At an initial look Twain seems to be favoring the industrialized capitalist society that he lives in over the feudal society of medieval Britain. But in a closer examination of the work it becomes clear that this observation is much too simple, as the industrial world that Hank Morgan creates is destroyed. Therefore the book can be viewed as a working out of the idea that a quick change in a civilization brings disaster. Civilization and change need to be developed, or at least explained within the culture itself, in order for them to become lasting institutions. Hank's failing is that he believes that he is superior to everyone, and that he can change the society of Camelot simply by introducing technology.

Hank becomes "the boss" of Camelot, and begins his plans to

Although Hank says he only wants to help the poor people of Britain who in his words "... were merely modified savages"(Twain 61), create a society like his own where "...all political power is inherent in the people..."(Twain 65) instead he promotes himself to the level of despot. He continually criticizes the structure of feudal society because it was a place where, "a right to say how the country should be governed was restricted to six persons in each thousand of its population"(Twain 65), but he sees himself above reproof. "Here I was, a giant among pigmies, a man among children, a master intelligence among moles..."(Twain 40). Hank forgets his own humanity and begins to believe that his knowledge makes him more of a man, just as the nobility that he shunned believed they were better than the serfs because of the titles they held.

Twain, Mark. A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court. New York: Bantam Books, 1981.

Medieval society is a place where things just happen, and are not explained. "Cause and effect...don't exist in Camelot. Things happen to people in Camelot without purpose, plan, or coherence; God twists and turns the road whenever and however he pleases."(George 60) Hank's world is finally destroyed because he forgot this basic principle of medieval life. He tried to establish the physical aspects of modern industrial life, but he ignored the intellectual ones. He showed all his subjects how to do things, but not why. He failed to develop the reasoning skills of his subjects; therefore in the absence of his magic they reverted back to the safety of the Established Church. When Hank returns from France he finds the nation in turmoil. He happily finds Clarence, but only to discover that the Church has issued an Interdict, and he has only fifty-two followers left who are all young boys. When Hank questions Clarence as to why only boys he says, "Because all the others were born in an atmosphere of superstition and reared in it.

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Approximate Word count = 1332
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)