Mark Twain at mid-century, 1950-1961 A synthesis of critical views fifty years after his death

The central purpose of the study is to investigate some of the recent criticism, both scholarly and popular, of the literary works of Samuel Longhorn Clemens to try to discover how it reflects the general trends in modern literary criticism. The great surge of popular interest in Mark Twain stems from many sources and has varied causes. Particularly at the close of a very successful anniversary year, it is interesting to make a general survey of the literature, both books and periodicals, in an attempt to synthesize the major ideas expressed in them. For the purpose of this investigation the research has been limited to the last decade, 1950 to 1961, except where it has been necessary to refer to earlier work to establish a background for the present study into trace developments and changes in literary criticism over the past fifty years