Aspects of Mark Twain as a Social Critic

Author

Thomas A. Erhard

Publication Date

9-2-1949

Abstract

It is the purpose of this study (1) to look at a representative sampling of Mark Twain criticism and see to what extent Twain was considered a social satirist, (2) to look at Twain's own works and determine whether or not he was a social critic, (3) to see how far he carried his social criticism, and (4) to note the purposes for which his social criticism was employed. The latter part of the study has been broken up into several broad phases of Mark Twain's contemporary scene which might have been expected to provoke his criticism: War, Westward Expansion and Imperialism, Monarchy and Progress, Big Business and Speculation, Minority Groups, and Politics and Corruption.

Degree Name

English

Level of Degree

Masters

Department Name

English

First Committee Member (Chair)

Dane Farnsworth Smith

Second Committee Member

T.M. Pearce

Third Committee Member

Norton Barr Crowell

Language

English

Document Type

Thesis

Recommended Citation

Erhard, Thomas A.. "Aspects of Mark Twain as a Social Critic." (1949). https://digitalrepository.unm.edu/engl_etds/123