In 1873, Mark twain and Charles Dudley Warner wrote the novel �The Gilded Age: A Tale of Today'. This is said to be not one of Twain's well-known work but it has appeared almost 100 times in different editions since publication in 1873. There are two reasons as to why this book is remarkable:

• This novel is the only one that Twain wrote in collaboration with the another writer
• The title is said to have become synonymous quickly with materialism, corruption and graft in the public life.

History:

Charles Dudley Warner was a close friend of Mark Twain, who himself was an editor and writer. He was the neighbor of Mark Twain in Connecticut. History says that Warner and Twain's wife challenged their husbands to come up with a novel which should be better than what they read mostly. Accepting the challenge, Twain was known to write the first 11 chapters while rest of the 12 chapters were completed by Warner. The complete novel was written between 1873 February and April.

Contemporary Critics doesn't consider this collaboration much of a success as they say that the stories written by both were independent and so didn't blend well. Even in 1874, it received bad reviews.

Summary:

The theme of novel is based on the greed of getting rich using the land speculation which pervades in the society.

The novel revolves around a Tennessee Family who is in constant effort to gain wealth by getting the right time for selling 75,000 acres of land. This unimproved land was acquired by Si Hawkins, their patriarch. Going through a lot of adventures, the family is unsuccessful in selling the land and their patriarch dies. For the rest of story the focus is on an adopted daughter, Laura, by Hawkins who is very beautiful. Laura then goes to become a lobbyist in Washington. Using a senator's help, she is able to enter a society and tries to persuade the congressman to convince federal government to buy the land.

Parallel to this story, a story by Warner runs which is related to upper-class men, Henry Brierly and Philip sterling. They both are seeking fortunes in the land. Philip and Henry both have different natures. Henry is a salesman and natural lobbyist while Philip is plodding fellow but good natured. Philip is in love with Ruth, a doctor. Another character that emerges is Beriah Sellers.

Story mainly takes place in Washington DC and gives the insight of how the governing class is greedy as well as corrupted.

At the end of the story, Laura is unable to acquire enough votes for passing a bill for the federal government to buy the land of Hawkins. She kills her lover and dies disheartened and broke after failing at a lecturing career. On the other hand Philip and Ruth are together now and Philip finds coal with the help of his engineering skills on a land which is purchase by the father of Ruth. Sellers and Henry is presumed to live gaily using their intelligence while others to pay up their bills.

This book is said to be not match the theme of modern â��gilded age' for the reason that maybe it was written in the very beginning. � Nowadays, modern â��gilded age' is based on corporations, industrialization etc