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영어

The purpose of this paper is to examine Mark Twain’s critical attitude toward Southern American society by analyzing his novel, Pudd’nhead Wilson. Accordingly, it deals with the changing relationship between Tom and Wilson and focuses the meaning of Wilson’s superficial success and its irony. Through an analysis of slave-holding Dawson’s Landing the problematic traits of the South are explored and are proved to be concerned with slavery. And the revelation of switched status and the treatment of Tom and Chambers in the court drive the criticism of slavery to its peak. In the process, Wilson’s success is tragic, because he does not experience a heightened consciousness but rather maintains the suppressive and distorted condition of slavery. In other words, the ironical aspects of Wilson’s success and Tom’s fall show Twain’s deepening pessimism. Twain’s tragic view of the world reflects a consciousness that can no longer face dismal reality with generous humor. His hope for a better society and mankind disappears by degrees. Therefore, Twain’s social criticism deepens his pessimistic attitude and his negative view of human nature.