As the first answer suggests, most of Twain's satire
regarding nobility relates to the Duke and King. Here are a few specific
examples.
1. The King and the Duke are con artists by
profession, illustrating Twain's belief that "nobles" are simply normal people who are
able to convince others to respect them (usually through false pretenses) and to offer
them money or other goods.
2. The King and the Duke prey
upon the ignorant just as nobility often tries to keep the lower class illiterate and
uninformed. While the Wilkes girls are certainly not illiterate, they and their fellow
townspeople are naive and ignorant when it comes to other cultures and customs. Because
of their ignorance, the "nobility" is able to once again take advantage of
them.
3. The Grangerfords and Shepherdsons represent the
closest thing to royalty or nobility that the American South possessed during the
pre-Civil War time period; and yet, they are some of the most uncivilized characters in
the book. Twain uses them to show that "breeding" and social class do not equal
morality. Both families act barbarically, resulting in an almost complete annihilation
of a family.
4. The Grangerfords also serve as a satirical
attack upon nobility in that they own slaves, forcing Jim to hide from them as Huck
enjoys his time with Buck Grangerford. Instead of representing what is noble and good in
society, the Grangerfords continue to participate in the barbaric practice of
slavery.
5. In the end, when the Duke and the King get
their comeuppance, it is almost entirely because of a small child (Huck). Twain seems
to be implying that nobility is not as infallible or untouchable as it thinks, and that
their abuse of power does not have to continue.
No comments:
Post a Comment