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Celerity

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35. Huckleberry Finn had nothing to do with Finnish people. Finn is a Irish-derived name and Twain stated the inspiration

Reply to GreatGazoo (Reply #2)

Sun Jan 5, 2025, 03:55 AM

Jan 5

for him came from Tom Blankenship, a real life friend.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huckleberry_Finn

The character of Huck Finn is based on Tom Blankenship, the real-life son of a sawmill laborer and sometime drunkard named Wood-son Blankenship, who lived in a "ramshackle" house near the Mississippi River behind the house where the author grew up in Hannibal, Missouri.

Twain mentions his childhood friend Tom Blankenship as the inspiration for creating Huckleberry Finn in his autobiography: "In Huckleberry Finn I have drawn Tom Blankenship exactly as he was. He was ignorant, unwashed, insufficiently fed; but he had as good a heart as ever any boy had. His liberties were totally unrestricted. He was the only really independent person—boy or man—in the community, and by consequence he was tranquilly and continuously happy and envied by the rest of us. And as his society was forbidden us by our parents the prohibition trebled and quadrupled its value, and therefore we sought and got more of his society than any other boy's." – Mark Twain's Autobiography.

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GreatGazoo

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Shakespeare and Myths About Genius [View all] GreatGazoo Jan 3 OP

Great post Prairie Gates Jan 3 #1

Edison and Ford also GreatGazoo Jan 3 #2

Huckleberry Finn had nothing to do with Finnish people. Finn is a Irish-derived name and Twain stated the inspiration Celerity Jan 5 #35

Yes - Blankenship was an inspiration but GreatGazoo Jan 5 #37

FWIW, everyone agrees it's the Irish origin. It came from a real "Jimmy Finn" muriel_volestrangler Jan 5 #41

I concede. GreatGazoo Jan 5 #42

This message was self-deleted by its author Celerity Jan 5 #44

That's a refreshing reminder peggysue2 Jan 3 #3

Shakespeare was observant, empathic, and quick witted. haele Jan 3 #4

We often use "art" or "artist" as a general complement GreatGazoo Jan 3 #8

Shakespeare had it easy in school... underpants Jan 3 #5

Loved Cunk on Shakespeare GreatGazoo Jan 3 #9

Hilarious underpants Jan 3 #13

I loved the bit with the gloves GreatGazoo Jan 3 #19

That's the most irreverent take on Shakespeare I've ever heard peggysue2 Jan 3 #15

And a case in point: Good Will Hunting localroger Jan 3 #6

Yes! GreatGazoo Jan 3 #10

Probably the best thing about that flick was the music. miyazaki Jan 3 #18

I have that soundtrack in my CD jukebox GreatGazoo Jan 3 #20

Ya it does have a certain moodiness for sure. miyazaki Jan 3 #21

This message was self-deleted by its author PeaceWave Jan 5 #33

Armageddon makes specific reference to the K-T impactor. So what? localroger Jan 5 #40

It's relatively easy to explain how Shakespeare could have set his plays thucythucy Jan 3 #7

Exactly. Shakespeare's true gift was his knack for beautiful prose and poetry. Aristus Jan 3 #11

Respectfully, pub conversations don't fill the gap. GreatGazoo Jan 3 #12

He very well might have visited Italy thucythucy Jan 3 #14

I had heard about Patrick Stewart's Shakespeare roles but had not seen any clips GreatGazoo Jan 3 #17

Your work sounds fascinating. thucythucy Jan 3 #26

Thanks -- History is much more fun that I thought it would be GreatGazoo Jan 5 #38

The printing press was over a hundred years old Retrograde Jan 3 #28

I approach the Shakespeare biography as a historian GreatGazoo Jan 4 #30

Thanks for the info on Henslowe Retrograde Jan 4 #31

Marchette Chute's "Shakespeare of London" is also another valuable resource. C0RI0LANUS Jan 5 #34

Henslowe is a gold mine GreatGazoo Jan 5 #36

I dont want bloody knuckles or nose, I confess GusBob Jan 3 #16

Shakespeare was forgotten for 150 years Blue_Tires Jan 3 #22

Thanks for the wonderful post, GreatGazoo. C0RI0LANUS Jan 3 #23

Do you think he wrote Mucedorus? GreatGazoo Jan 3 #24

Having never read Mucedorus (but I will now) here is my analysis. Apologies for the length. C0RI0LANUS Jan 3 #25

Hi Great Gazoo C0RI0LANUS Jan 5 #32

Thanks for that. Now I have to re-read it... GreatGazoo Jan 5 #39

You're welcome-- it won't take long. The version I read has Mucedorus using a club to kill Bremo with one blow. C0RI0LANUS Jan 5 #43

A grammar-school education was pretty rigorous back then. The church also educated. viva la Jan 3 #27

Wonderful post, will re-read soon, thanks! UTUSN Jan 4 #29