1889 - 1890: A Connecticut Yankee.... to Thais

Chronology of World, British and American Literature

Mark Twain. American. 1889. Novel. A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court. Blow sends Yankee back to the days of King Arthur. His Yankee ingenuity and “know-how" vs. medieval superstition.

Anton Chekhov. Russian. 1889. Story. “A Dreary Story.” Difficulty of real communication between people. Professor and his ward see life as fragmented, aimless and worthless. Despair. They fail to communicate to each other and remain isolated.

Rudyard Kipling. British. 1889. Story. “The Man Who Would Be King.” Man sets himself as god/king. He is betrayed, tortured and killed.

Alfred Tennyson. British. 1889. Poetry. “Crossing the Bar.” Metaphor for death: putting out to sea on a calm evening.

Anatole France. French. 1890. Novel. Thais. Debauched man becomes a monk, converts a courtesan who joins the convent. Can’t withstand his dreams of her and urges her to flee the convent. She dies. Abbess is horrified by the savagery finally revealed on his face.