The Innocents Abroad

Dr.Y.K.Sharma

Deptt.of English

Paper Code-12037612- Travel Writing,

B.A.(Hons.)-IV Sem.

‘The Innocents Abroad’, or ‘The New Pilgrims Progress’ is a travel book by famous American author Mark Twain published in 1869 which humorously records and describes what Twain called his "Great Pleasure Excursion" on board the chartered vessel ‘Quaker City’ (formerly USS Quaker City) through Europe and the Holy Land with a group of American travelers in 1867. It was the best-selling of Twain's works during his lifetime, as well as one of the best-selling travel books of all time

Analysis

Innocents Abroad presents itself as an usual travel book based on an actual voyage in a retired Civil War ship (the USS Quaker City). The expedition was billed as a Holy Land expedition, with numerous stops and side trips along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, notably, it can be divided into four parts:

1-      train excursion from Marseille to Paris for the 1867 Paris Exhibition during the reign of Napoleon III and the Second French Empire,  

2-      journey through the Papal States to Rome,

3-      side trip through the Black Sea to Odessa,

4-      Culminating in an excursion through the Holy Land.

Twain narrated his experiences, observations and critiques of the various aspects of culture and society which he encountered on the journey, in a very serious manner. Many of his observations draw a contrast between his own experiences and the often grandiose accounts in contemporary travelogues, which were regarded in their own time as indispensable aids for traveling in the region. In particular, he lampooned William Cowper Prime’s Tent Life in the Holy Land for its overly sentimental prose and its often violent encounters with native inhabitants. Twain also made light of his fellow travelers and the natives of the countries and regions that he visited, as well as his own expectations and reactions.

Themes

A major theme of the book is that of the conflict between history and the modern world. Twain continually encounters petty profiteering and trivializations of history as he journeys, as well as a strange emphasis placed on particular past events. He is outraged, puzzled, or bored by each encounter. One example can be found in the sequence during which the boat has stopped at Gibraltar. On shore, the narrator encounters seemingly dozens of people intent on regaling him, and everyone else, with a bland and pointless tale concerning how a particular hill nearby acquired its name, heedless of the fact that the tale is, indeed, mild, pointless, and entirely too repetitive.

Another example may be found in the discussion of the story of Abelard and Heloise, where the skeptical American deconstructs the story and comes to the conclusion that far too much fuss has been made about the two lovers. Only, when the ship reaches areas of the world that do not exploit for profit or bore passers-by with inexplicable interest in their history, such as the passage dealing with the ship's time at the Canary Islands, is this attitude not found in the text.

Illustration (1855): "We reached Mount Tabor… safely, we never saw a human being on the whole route ... We climbed the steep path to its summit, through breezy glades of thorn and oak. The view presented from its highest peak was almost beautiful. Below, was the broad, level plain of Esdraelon, checkered with fields like a chess-board, and full as smooth and level, seemingly; dotted about its borders with white, compact villages, and faintly penciled, far and near, with the curving lines of roads and trails." Mark Twain, 1867

This reaction to those who profit from the past is found, in an equivocal and unsure balance with reverence, in Twain's experiences in the Holy Land. The narrator reacts here, not only to the exploitation of the past and the unreasoning (to the American eye of the time) adherence to old ways, but also to the profanation of religious history. Many of his illusions are shattered, including his discovery that the nations described in the Old Testament could easily fit inside many American states and counties, and that the "kings" of those nations might very well have ruled over fewer people than could be found in some small towns. Disillusioned, he writes, “If all the poetry and nonsense that have been discharged upon the fountains and the bland scenery of this region were collected in a book, it would make a most valuable volume to burn.”

In his equivocal reaction to the religious history the narrator encounters may be magnified by the prejudices of the time, as the United States was still primarily a Protestant nation at that point. The Catholic Church, in particular, receives a considerable amount of attention from the narrator, specifically its institutionalized nature. This is particularly apparent in the section of the book dealing with Italy, where the poverty of the lay population and the relative affluence of the church are contrasted.

Summary

In 1867, the San Francisco Alta Californian assigned its 31-year-old reporter Mark Twain to cover a steamboat pleasure trip to the Mediterranean. Twain’s account of the trip was published in 1869 as ‘The Innocents Abroad’, or ‘The New Pilgrim’s Progress’. The book would become the most popular and bestselling work of Twain’s career, acclaimed by both critics and readers. Twain’s travelogue chronicles a voyage through Europe and the ‘Holy Land’ attended by a group of over 60 American men and women from 15 different states. Combining seriousness and his trademark humor, Twain describes the various sights and people they encounter as well as making observations about the society, history, religion, and other aspects of the ‘Old World’.

The book’s subtitle, ‘The New Pilgrim’s Progress’, is an allusion to John Bunyan’s classic allegory The Pilgrim’s Progress. Twain views his devoutly Christian fellow travelers as “pilgrims” in search of their spiritual roots. At the same time, these travelers are from the New World, the land of progress, efficiency, and technology. Reflecting the viewpoint of the New World, Twain turns a critical eye on the culture and institutions of Europe and the Middle East. He is both admiring of and skeptical of this culture—skeptical of the reverence shown to certain artists of the past, for example, while admiring some “old master” paintings. Twain finds much of the romantic prose written about the Old World to be at variance with reality, and he misses no chance to shatter illusions about this.

Much of the humor of the book comes from cultural misunderstandings, including the clash between liberal 19th-century ideas and the more traditional ways of life that prevail in the Old World. While a fervent believer in democracy, Twain admires certain monarchs whom he considers effective leaders. In matters of religion, Twain represents an American Protestant viewpoint critical of the power of the priesthood and certain traditional religious practices. He is dispirited by the tendency of the Old World to profit on its history, as shown in such practices as accumulating spurious religious relics for display.

Yet Twain does not hesitate to critique his fellow Americans as well, including their chauvinism and ignorance of the customs of other countries. Thus, The Innocents Abroad is a double-edged sword. Twain also questions many of the conventions of tourism, such as cramming too much sightseeing into a short time frame. At times Twain is fatigued by the trip and by the physically trying circumstances they must undergo. At other times, Twain finds the landmarks they visit to be thrilling and rewarding. Overall, Twain’s experiences reflect those of anyone who has traveled for an extended period in unfamiliar territory.

Originating as a series of letters sent by Twain to newspapers during the trip, ‘The Innocents Abroad’ consists of 61 chapters and a Conclusion. At journey’s end, Twain realizes that the true value of travel does not become clear until we return home and have time to reflect on it, sifting out the bad experiences and stressing the good ones. The Innocents Abroad proved that Twain’s brand of humor and candor resonated with the American public, and it would establish his reputation and tremendous popularity as an author.