The Gilded Age: A Tale of Today

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

3178

Title

The Gilded Age: A Tale of Today

Language

en

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

Set in the Gilded Age, this novel satirizes American society, politics, and the pursuit of wealth. Through the intertwined lives of engineers, politicians, and social climbers, it exposes the corruption of Washington, the folly of speculative schemes, and the harsh realities of class disparity with biting humor and sharp social commentary.

Summary up to 500 words

In *The Gilded Age: A Tale of Today*, Mark Twain and Charles Dudley Warner present a scathing critique of the moral decay and rampant corruption characterizing the United States during its rapid industrialization. The narrative intertwines two primary storylines: the rise of a railroad empire in the West and the social struggles of a young woman in Washington, D.C. The story begins in the humble Knobs of East Tennessee, where Squire Hawkins and his family face poverty and the threat of losing their ancestral land. Their fortunes change when they are approached by Colonel Sellers, a flamboyant speculator who promises immense wealth through railroad construction and government land sales. While Sellers initially appears as a benefactor, he is revealed to be a manipulative figure whose schemes are built on deception and political bribery. His influence extends to Washington, where he operates with impunity, exploiting the venality of Congress to secure public funds for private gain. Parallel to this, the novel follows Laura Hawkins, a talented and spirited young woman from a poor background who moves to Washington to pursue a medical education. Despite her intelligence and charm, Laura faces relentless persecution from the city's elite. Her reputation is destroyed by malicious gossip regarding her relationship with the married Colonel Selby. Society turns against her, forcing her to defend her honor against false accusations of murder. Meanwhile, Philip Sterling, a railroad engineer, discovers a valuable coal vein, only to be devastated when his beloved, Ruth Bolton, falls critically ill. Philip's journey to save her highlights the human cost of the era's relentless pursuit of profit. The plot culminates in a high-stakes trial where Laura's fate hangs in the balance. The courtroom becomes a stage for exposing the deep-seated prejudices and systemic injustices of the time. Through the trial and the subsequent investigation into Senator Dilworthy's bribery scandal, the authors reveal that the nation's prosperity is merely a gilded surface hiding a rotting core of greed and hypocrisy. Ultimately, the novel offers a poignant look at the human cost of industrialization, suggesting that the pursuit of wealth often comes at the expense of truth, justice, and human dignity.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

Download URL

https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/3178.epub.noimages

Local file path

data/epubs/pg3178.epub

Removed after upload

Downloaded at

2026-07-05 15:15 UTC

Categories

• Fiction
• Politics
• Satire