The Autobiography of Mark Twain · Chapter
About Dueling explained
Mark Twain recounts the dueling craze in Nevada during the 1860s, his own near-duel with Mr.
What happens
Mark Twain recounts the dueling craze in Nevada during the 1860s, his own near-duel with Mr. Laird, and the role of his second Steve Gillis in defusing the situation. He reflects on the absurdity and danger of dueling, his relief at avoiding it, and his lasting fascination with the subject.
Themes in this chapter
Hypocrisy and Human Nature
Twain explores the social pressure to duel for respectability, his own shame at not participating, and the absurdity of the practice.
Character and Morality
The chapter examines courage, honor, and the moral choices involved in dueling, as well as Twain's eventual disapproval of the practice.
Characters to notice
- Mark Twain
Narrator and former city editor; describes his lack of desire to duel and his accidental escape from a duel with Laird.
- Joe Goodman
Editor of the Virginia City Enterprise; fought and won a duel with Fitch of the Virginia Union.
- Steve Gillis
Twain's second; a small but formidable fighter who helped avert Twain's duel and pacified another challenger, Mr. Cutler.
- C. H. Higbie
Mentioned as a member of the staff who had tried to get into duels.
Key passages
“In those early days dueling suddenly became a fashion in the new territory of Nevada, and by 1864 everybody was anxious to have a chance in the new sport, mainly for the reason that he was not able to thoroughly respect himself so long as he had not killed or crippled somebody in a duel or been killed or crippled in one himself.”
Dueling became popular in Nevada around 1864 because people felt they couldn't respect themselves unless they had participated in a duel, either as victor or victim.
Twain explains the social motivation behind the dueling craze.
“I thoroughly disapprove of duels. I consider them unwise, and I know they are dangerous. Still, I have always taken a great interest in other people’s duels.”
Twain condemns dueling as foolish and hazardous, yet admits he remains fascinated by the duels of others.
Twain's ambivalent attitude toward dueling is summarized.