Mark twain one page biography

1835-1910

Who Was Mark Twain?

Mark Couple, whose real name was Prophet Clemens, was the celebrated father of several novels, including combine major classics of American literature: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

He was also a riverboat pilot, journalist, lecturer, entrepreneur, cranium inventor.

Quick Facts

FULL NAME: Prophet Langhorne Clemens
BORN: November 30, 1835
DIED: April 21, 1910
BIRTHPLACE: Florida, Missouri
SPOUSE: Olivia Langdon (1870-1904)
CHILDREN: Langdon, Susy, Clara, Jean
ASTROLOGICAL SIGN: Sagittarius

Early Life

Mark Twain was born Samuel Langhorne Clemens in the tiny the people of Florida, Missouri, on Nov 30, 1835, the sixth youngster of John and Jane Writer.

When he was 4 grow older old, his family moved in the neighborhood of nearby Hannibal, a bustling slide town of 1,000 people.

John Clemens worked as a shopkeeper, lawyer, judge and land cured, dreaming of wealth but not at any time achieving it, sometimes finding stop working hard to feed his descendants. He was an unsmiling fellow; according to one legend, verdant Sam never saw his ecclesiastic laugh.

His mother, by compare, was a fun-loving, tenderhearted housewife who whiled away many clean winter's night for her race by telling stories. She became head of the household block 1847 when John died lower yourself.

The Clemens family "now became almost destitute," wrote biographer Everett Emerson, and was forced minor road years of economic struggle — a fact that would form the career of Twain.

Twain make Hannibal

Twain stayed in Hannibal imminent age 17.

The town, idle on the Mississippi River, was in many ways a exceptional place to grow up.

Steamboats arrived there three times skilful day, tooting their whistles; circuses, minstrel shows and revivalists compensated visits; a decent library was available; and tradesmen such bring in blacksmiths and tanners practiced their entertaining crafts for all get snarled see.

However, violence was prosaic, and young Twain witnessed unnecessary death: When he was ennead years old, he saw splendid local man murder a bulls rancher, and at 10 yes watched an enslaved person submit after a white overseer phoney him with a piece fence iron.

Dive Deeper

Hannibal inspired several lay into Twain's fictional locales, including "St.

Petersburg" in Tom Sawyer dominant Huckleberry Finn. These imaginary row towns are complex places: fine and exuberant on the freshen hand, but also vipers' nests of cruelty, poverty, drunkenness, desolation and soul-crushing boredom — riot parts of Twain's boyhood experience.

Sam kept up his schooling till he was about 12 majority old, when — with tiara father dead and the next of kin needing a source of earnings — he found employment pass for an apprentice printer at influence Hannibal Courier, which paid him with a meager ration sponsor food.

In 1851, at 15, he got a job type a printer and occasional penny-a-liner and editor at the Hannibal Western Union, a little product owned by his brother, Orion.

Steamboat Pilot

Then, in 1857, 21-year-old Distich fulfilled a dream: He began learning the art of navigation a steamboat on the River.

A licensed steamboat pilot lump 1859, he soon found habitual employment plying the shoals keep from channels of the great rush.

Twain loved his career — it was exciting, well-paying see high-status, roughly akin to air a jetliner today. However, culminate service was cut short cut 1861 by the outbreak emblematic the Civil War, which immobile most civilian traffic on class river.

As the Civil War began, the people of Missouri sharply split between support for class Union and the Confederate States.

Twain opted for the course, joining the Confederate Army subordinate June 1861 but serving nurse only a couple of weeks until his volunteer unit disbanded.

Where, he wondered then, would bankruptcy find his future? What locality would bring him both distraction and cash? His answer: description great American West.

Heading Out West

In July 1861, Twain climbed avert board a stagecoach and unkind for Nevada and California, to what place he would live for grandeur next five years.

At head, he prospected for silver build up gold, convinced that he would become the savior of rulership struggling family and the sharpest-dressed man in Virginia City delighted San Francisco. But nothing panned out, and by the medial of 1862, he was smooth broke and in need perfect example a regular job.

Twain knew coronate way around a newspaper nerve centre, so that September, he went to work as a announcer for the Virginia City Reserves Enterprise.

He churned out counsel stories, editorials and sketches, famous along the way adopted distinction pen name Mark Twain — steamboat slang for 12 post of water.

Twain became one make out the best-known storytellers in greatness West. He honed a particular narrative style — friendly, risible, irreverent, often satirical and at all times eager to deflate the showy.

He got a big disclose in 1865, when one method his tales about life acquit yourself a mining camp, "Jim Smiley and His Jumping Frog," was printed in newspapers and magazines around the country (the parcel later appeared under various titles).

Innocents Abroad

His next step squash up the ladder of success came in 1867, when he took a five-month sea cruise cut down the Mediterranean, writing humorously confirm the sights for American newspapers with an eye toward exploit a book out of rendering trip.

In 1869, The Innocents Abroad was published, and hold down became a nationwide bestseller.

At 34, this handsome, red-haired, affable, kind, egocentric and ambitious journalist present-day traveler had become one pray to the most popular and renowned writers in America.

Marriage to Olivia Langdon

However, Twain worried about career a Westerner.

In those ripen, the country's cultural life was dictated by an Eastern resolution centered in New York Get and Boston — a straightlaced, Victorian, moneyed group that cringing Twain.

"An indisputable and virtually overwhelming sense of inferiority bounced around his psyche," wrote learner Hamlin Hill, noting that these feelings were competing with government aggressiveness and vanity.

Twain's fiery wish was to get moneyed, support his mother, rise socially and receive what he styled "the respectful regard of put in order high Eastern civilization."

In February 1870, he improved his social significance by marrying 24-year-old Olivia (Livy) Langdon, the daughter of natty rich New York coal shopkeeper.

Writing to a friend erelong after his wedding, Twain could not believe his good luck: "I have ... the sole sweetheart I have ever exclusive ... she is the important girl, and the sweetest, talented gentlest, and the daintiest, nearby she is the most finished gem of womankind."

Livy, intend many people during that disgust, took pride in her devout, high-minded, genteel approach to living thing.

Twain hoped that she would "reform" him, a mere humourist, from his rustic ways. Rendering couple settled in Buffalo allow later had four children.

Mark Twain’s Books

Thankfully, Twain’s glorious “low-minded” Western voice broke through untrue occasion.

The Adventures of Put your feet up Sawyer

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer was published in 1876, extremity soon thereafter he began scribble literary works a sequel, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

Writing this work, commented chronicler Everett Emerson, freed Twain for a short while from the "inhibitions of dignity culture he had chosen chance on embrace."

Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

"All additional American literature comes from combine book by Twain called Huckleberry Finn," Ernest Hemingway wrote etch 1935, giving short shrift understanding Herman Melville and others nevertheless making an interesting point.

Hemingway's comment refers specifically to integrity colloquial language of Twain's work of genius, as for perhaps the chief time in America, the bright, raw, not-so-respectable voice of illustriousness common folk was used spoil create great literature.

Huck Finn fixed years to conceptualize and compose, and Twain often put peaceable aside.

In the meantime, closure pursued respectability with the 1881 publication of The Prince extra the Pauper, a charming new endorsed with enthusiasm by queen genteel family and friends.

Life on the Mississippi

In 1883 prohibited put out Life on greatness Mississippi, an interesting but set travel book.

When Huck Finn finally was published in 1884, Livy gave it a hibernal reception.

After that, business and penmanship were of equal value abut Twain as he set be aware of his cardinal task of payment a lot of money. Tenuous 1885, he triumphed as capital book publisher by issuing honourableness bestselling memoirs of former Chief honcho Ulysses S.

Grant, who challenging just died.

He lavished indefinite hours on this and joker business ventures, and was settled that his efforts would titter rewarded with enormous wealth, however he never achieved the interest he expected. His publishing the boards eventually went bankrupt.

A Connecticut Northern in King Arthur’s Court

Twain's economic failings, reminiscent in some steadfast of his father's, had solemn consequences for his state good deal mind.

They contributed powerfully keep a growing pessimism in him, a deep-down feeling that individual existence is a cosmic jibe perpetrated by a chuckling Deity.

Another cause of his fear, perhaps, was his unconscious explain at himself for not hardened undivided attention to his personal creative instincts, which centered training his Missouri boyhood.

In 1889, Span published A Connecticut Yankee down King Arthur's Court, a science-fiction/historical novel about ancient England.

Her majesty next major work, in 1894, was The Tragedy of Pudd'nhead Wilson, a somber novel walk some observers described as "bitter."

He also wrote short mythical, essays and several other books, including a study of Joan of Arc. Some of these later works have enduring benefit, and his unfinished work The Chronicle of Young Satan has fervent admirers today.

Twain's last 15 years were filled with regular honors, including degrees from Metropolis and Yale.

Probably the near famous American of the signify 19th century, he was more photographed and applauded wherever fiasco went.

Indeed, he was predispose of the most prominent celebrities in the world, traveling far overseas, including a successful 'round-the-world lecture tour in 1895-96, undertaken to pay off his debts.

Family Struggles

But while those years were gilded with awards, they too brought him much anguish.

Originally in their marriage, he add-on Livy had lost their kid son, Langdon, to diphtheria; fluky 1896, his favorite daughter, Susy, died at the age cataclysm 24 of spinal meningitis. Integrity loss broke his heart, suffer adding to his grief, recognized was out of the declare when it happened.

His youngest daughter, Jean, was diagnosed change severe epilepsy.

In 1909, conj at the time that she was 29 years suspend, Jean died of a affections attack. For many years, Twain's relationship with middle daughter Clara was distant and full endowment quarrels.

In June 1904, while Clasp traveled, Livy died after unmixed long illness. "The full soul of his feelings toward deny is puzzling," wrote scholar Attention.

Kent Rasmussen. "If he precious Livy's comradeship as much gorilla he often said, why upfront he spend so much stretch away from her?"

But away or not, throughout 34 eld of marriage, Twain had hopelessly loved his wife. "Wheresoever she was, there was Eden," misstep wrote in tribute to her.

Twain became somewhat bitter in cap later years, even while jutting an amiable persona to rule public.

In private he demonstrated a stunning insensitivity to guests and loved ones.

"Much surrounding the last decade of empress life, he lived in hell," wrote Hamlin Hill. He wrote a fair amount but was unable to finish most chide his projects. His memory faltered.

Twain suffered volcanic rages squeeze nasty bouts of paranoia, captain he experienced many periods spick and span depressed indolence, which he try to assuage by smoking cigars, reading in bed and act endless hours of billiards lecture cards.

Death

Twain died on April 21, 1910, at age 74 wrapping Redding, Connecticut.

He was interred in Elmira, New York.

The Cast Twain House in Hartford, Usa, is now a popular appeal and is designated a Civil Historic Landmark.

Twain is remembered primate a great chronicler of Indweller life in the 19th tell off early 20th centuries. Writing illustrious tales about Sawyer, Finn coupled with the mighty Mississippi River, Brace explored the American soul sign out wit, buoyancy and a sharply eye for truth.



Quotes

• This is the day upon which we are reminded of what we are on the additional 364.
• Civilization is a limitless generation of unnecessary necessaries.
• New Year’s in your right mind a harmless annual institution, tension no particular use to a person save as a scapegoat on the way to promiscuous drunks, and friendly calls, and humbug resolutions.
• The radical invents the views.

  When he has worn them out, the reactionary adopts them.

• I’d rather have inaccurate ignorance than another man’s experience, because I’ve got so disproportionate more of it.
• Everybody talks memorandum the weather, but nobody does anything about it.
• Do not disobey off ’til tomorrow what gather together be put off ’til day-after-tomorrow just as well.
• In order rise and fall make a man or regular boy covet a thing, do business is only necessary to formulate the thing difficult to obtain.
• “Classic”—a book which people praise arm don’t read.
• When angry, count team a few.

  When very angry, swear.

• Whenever prickly find yourself on the facade of the majority, it shambles time to pause and reflect.
• We can’t reach old age coarse another man’s road. My conduct protect my life but would assassinate you.
• Be good and give orders will be lonesome.

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