A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court Group

Question:

joe92
joe92
Student
High School - 10th Grade

In the postscript by MT, what is reality, the 19th or the 6th century?  Is it a dream or is he crazy, or is the book a tall tale by Twain?

Is it a dream or is he crazy? Or is the book a tall tale by Twain?

Rate question:

Posted by joe92 on Friday February 15, 2008 at 1:13 PM and tagged with a connecticut yankee in king arthur's court, authors intent, postscript.

Answers:


  1. linda-allen Teacher
    High School - 10th Grade

    eNotes Editor

    The story certainly is a tall tale. As much as I'd love to time travel, we haven't discovered how to do it yet.

    There are actually two postscripts in this book. The first was written by Clarence, who says that he has had to write the end to the Yankee's story. During their final battle with the knights, the Yankee is stabbed and near death. Clarence and the others take him into a cave, where Merlin, disguised as an old woman pretending to help care for him, gives him a sleeping potion. Unmasking himself, Merlin exclaims:

    "Ye were conquerors; ye are conquered! These others are perishing --you also. Ye shall all die in this place--every one--except him. He sleepeth now--and shall sleep thirteen centuries. I am Merlin!"

    After writing his postscript, Clarence hides it with the sleeping man.

    The second postscript begins with "Final P.S. by M.T." Twain wants us to believe that he found the sleeping man and brought him to wherever Twain is staying. Since the book was published in 1889, we are to believe that Merlin's plan succeeded and that the Yankee only just awakened in the 19th century.

    Sources:
    http://www.enotes.com/connecticut-yankee-text/chapter-xli...
    http://www.enotes.com/connecticut-yankee-text/final-ps-by-mt
    http://www.enotes.com/connecticut-yankee/summary

    Rate answer:

    Posted by linda-allen on Friday February 15, 2008 at 7:16 PM