Extract from Captain Stormfield's Visit to Heaven

Last updated
Extract from Captain Stormfield's Visit to Heaven
Extract from Captain Stormfield Harper's December 1907.jpg
First page from the first printing in Harper's Magazine , December 1907
Author Mark Twain
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Publisher Harper & Brothers
Publication date
1909
Media typePrint (hardback)
Pages121 [1]
Preceded by Is Shakespeare Dead?  
Followed by Letters from the Earth  

"Extract from Captain Stormfield's Visit to Heaven" is a short story written by American writer Mark Twain. It first appeared in print in Harper's Magazine in December 1907 and January 1908, and was published in book form with some revisions in 1909. This was the last story published by Twain during his life. [2]

Contents

Description and plot outline

The story follows Captain Elias Stormfield on his decades long cosmic journey to Heaven; his accidental misplacement after racing a comet; his short-lived interest in singing and playing the harp (generated by his preconceptions of heaven); and the general obsession of souls with the celebrities of Heaven such as Adam, Moses, and Elijah, who according to Twain become as distant to most people in Heaven as living celebrities are on Earth. Twain uses this story to show his view that the common conception of Heaven is ludicrous, and points out the incongruities of such beliefs with his characteristic adroit usage of hyperbole.

Much of the story's description is given by the character Sandy McWilliams, a cranberry farmer who is very experienced in the ways of Heaven. Sandy gives Stormfield, a newcomer, the description in the form of a conversational question-and-answer session. The Heaven described by him is similar to the conventional Christian Heaven, but includes a larger version of all the locations on Earth, as well as of everywhere in the universe (which mention of, albeit as a backdrop, is the last science fiction element). All sentient life-forms travel to Heaven, often through interplanetary or interstellar space, and land at a particular gate (which are without number), which is reserved for people from that originating planet. Each newcomer must then give his name and planet of origin to a gatekeeper, who sends him in to Heaven. Once inside, the being spends eternity living as they think fit, usually according to its true (sometimes undiscovered) talent. According to one of the characters, a cobbler who "has the soul of a poet in him won't have to make shoes here," implying that he would instead turn to poetry and achieve perfection in it. On special occasions a procession of the greatest people in history is formed; on this particular occasion this includes Buddha, William Shakespeare, Homer, Muhammed, Daniel, Ezekiel, and Jeremiah plus several otherwise unknown people whose talents far exceeded those of the world's pivotal figures, but who were never famous on Earth.

As Stormfield proceeds through Heaven he learns that the conventional image of angels as winged, white-robed figures bearing haloes, harps, and palm leaves is a mere illusion generated for the benefit of humans, who mistake "figurative language" for accurate description (the wings are part of their uniforms, and not functionally wings); that all of Heaven's denizens choose their ages, thus aligning themselves with the time of life at which they were most content; that anything desired is awarded to its seeker, if it does not violate any prohibition; that the prohibitions themselves are different from those envisioned on Earth; that each of the Earth-like regions of Heaven includes every human being who has ever lived on it; that families are not always together forever, because of decisions made by those who have died first; that white-skinned people are a minority in Heaven; that kings are not kings in Heaven (Charles II is a comedian while Henry VI has a religious book-stand), etc.

Background

First edition 1909 CaptainStormfield.jpg
First edition 1909

Although not published until 1907 in Harper's Magazine , followed by a slim book version with some revisions in 1909, the story was quite old. The original manuscript dated back perhaps as far as 1868, and an 1873 version has survived. The story was revised several times, and chapters 3 and 4 of the manuscript became the Harper's story. [2] [3] Longer versions of the manuscript have subsequently been published, including one edited by Dixon Wector which appeared as part of Report from Paradise (1952), and in part 1 of Mark Twain's Quarrel with Heaven: "Captain Stormfield's Visit to Heaven" And Other Sketches" (Ray B. Browne, ed., 1970). [2] Twain claimed that the story in its early version was a satire of Elizabeth Stuart Phelps Ward's The Gates Ajar , a very popular novel published in 1868. [4]

Cultural references

The story mentions several public figures who were widely known at the time of first publication, but are not as well known today. These include Moody and Sankey, Charles Peace, Thomas De Witt Talmage and Prince Gortschakoff.

Adaptations

Film versions

In the 1985 claymation movie The Adventures of Mark Twain , "Extract from Captain Stormfield's Visit to Heaven" is one of the many adapted works, however the plot of the adaptation is very different to the original story. In it we are introduced to Stormfield as he is contacted by Mark Twain. While Stormfield is chasing 'his own comet' Twain asks him where he is going to which Stormfield says he's going to heaven. He then lands head-first into a cloud with a door marked 'heaven' (which is more akin to the entrance of a Nightclub), and he is greeted by a blue, 3-headed, slug-like creature who asks him where he is from. When Stormfield says he is from San Francisco he is made fun of by the creature who mocks him for not understanding he meant what planet he was from. After some more misunderstandings the creature lets Stormfield into heaven but before he goes in he asks where his wreath, halo, hymnbook and palm branch are (all objects featured in stereotypical heaven descriptions) to which the creature tells him "Oh, trust me, you won't be conspicuous in this district without it". When he actually enters 'heaven' he is shocked and appalled to find out that everyone else is also one of the slug creatures and they partake in irreligious, immoral and degenerate acts such as drinking, smoking, raving etc. Stormfield leaves and comes to the realization that "A man has got to be in his own heaven to be happy". The slug creature agrees and tells him "Did you imagine that the same heaven would suit all sorts of people?". Stormfield then jumps to another cloud where he is met by Saint Peter in front of the stereotypical Pearly Gates who gives him all the items Stormfield expected. When Stormfield tries to talk he is constantly shushed by both Peter and the gates themselves. The segment ends with Twain saying "A harp, a hymnbook and wings? Good God, what a swindle. I'm led to consider a different path. Heaven for climate, hell for company."

Related Research Articles

<i>Adventures of Huckleberry Finn</i> 1885 novel by Mark Twain

Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is a novel by American author Mark Twain, which was first published in the United Kingdom in December 1884 and in the United States in February 1885.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mark Twain</span> American author and humorist (1835–1910)

Samuel Langhorne Clemens, known by the pen name Mark Twain, was an American writer, humorist, essayist, entrepreneur, publisher and lecturer. He was praised as the "greatest humorist the United States has produced", with William Faulkner calling him "the father of American literature." His novels include The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876) and its sequel, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1884), with the latter often called the "Great American Novel." Twain also wrote A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court (1889) and Pudd'nhead Wilson (1894), and co-wrote The Gilded Age: A Tale of Today (1873) with Charles Dudley Warner.

<i>The Mysterious Stranger</i> Unfinished novel by Mark Twain

The Mysterious Stranger is a novel attempted by the American author Mark Twain. He worked on it intermittently from 1897 through 1908. Twain wrote multiple versions of the story; each involves a supernatural character called "Satan" or "No. 44".

"The War Prayer", a short story or prose poem by Mark Twain, is a scathing indictment of war, and particularly of blind patriotic and religious fervor as motivations for war. The structure of the work is simple: an unnamed country goes to war, and patriotic citizens attend a church service for soldiers who have been called up. The people call upon God to grant them victory and protect their troops. Suddenly, an "aged stranger" appears and announces that he is God's messenger. He explains to them that he is there to speak aloud the second part of their prayer for victory, the part which they have implicitly wished for but have not spoken aloud themselves: the prayer for the suffering and destruction of their enemies. What follows is a grisly depiction of hardships inflicted on war-torn nations by their conquerors. The story ends with the man being condemned as a lunatic, "for there was no sense in what he said".

Captain Future is a pulp science fiction hero — a space-traveling scientist and adventurer —originally published in his namesake pulp magazine from 1940 to 1944. The character was created by editors Mort Weisinger and Leo Margulies. The majority of the stories were authored by Edmond Hamilton. A number of adaptations and derivative works followed. Significant was a 1978-79 Japanese anime (キャプテン・フューチャー), which was dubbed into several languages and proved popular, particularly in Spanish, French, German, Italian and Arabic. His francophone name is Capitaine Futur, although he is better known in francophone countries under the name Capitaine Flam.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County</span> 1865 short story by Mark Twain

"The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County" is an 1865 short story by Mark Twain. It was his first great success as a writer and brought him national attention. The story has also been published as "Jim Smiley and His Jumping Frog" and "The Notorious Jumping Frog of Calaveras County". In it, the narrator retells a story he heard from a bartender, Simon Wheeler, at the Angels Hotel in Angels Camp, California, about the gambler Jim Smiley. The narrator describes him: "If he even seen a straddle bug start to go anywheres, he would bet you how long it would take him to get to wherever he going to, and if you took him up, he would foller that straddle bug to Mexico but what he would find out where he was bound for and how long he was on the road."

<i>Dragon Ball Z: Lord Slug</i> 1991 Japanese film

Dragon Ball Z: Lord Slug is a 1991 Japanese animated science fiction martial arts film and the fourth Dragon Ball Z feature film. It was originally released in Japan on March 9 between episodes 81 and 82 at the Toei Anime Fair as part of a double feature with the first Magical Tarurūto-kun film. It was preceded by Dragon Ball Z: The Tree of Might and followed by Dragon Ball Z: Cooler's Revenge.

Richard Henzel is a Chicago-based stage, film, TV, and voice-over actor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eve's Diary</span> 1905 short story by Mark Twain

"Eve's Diary" is a comic short story by Mark Twain. It was first published in the 1905 Christmas issue of the magazine Harper's Bazaar, in book format as one contribution to a volume entitled "Their Husband's Wives" and then in June 1906 as a standalone book by Harper and Brothers publishing house.

<i>The Adventures of Mark Twain</i> (1985 film) 1985 film

The Adventures of Mark Twain, also known as Comet Quest in the United Kingdom, is a 1985 American independent stop-motion claymation fantasy film directed by Will Vinton and starring James Whitmore. It received a limited theatrical release in May 1985 and was released on DVD in January 2006 and again as a collector's edition in 2012 on DVD and Blu-ray.

Luck is an 1886 short story by Mark Twain which was first published in 1891 in Harper's Magazine. It was subsequently reprinted in 1892 in the anthology Merry Tales; the first British publication was in 1900, in the collection The Man That Corrupted Hadleyburg. It is one of Twain's more neglected stories, and received little critical attention upon its publication.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clara Clemens</span> American; daughter of Mark Twain; opera singer

Clara Langhorne Clemens Samossoud, formerly Clara Langhorne Clemens Gabrilowitsch, was a daughter of Samuel Clemens, who wrote as Mark Twain. She was a contralto concert singer and she managed his estate and guarded his legacy after his death as his only surviving child. She was married first to Ossip Gabrilowitsch, then to Jacques Samossoud after Gabrilowitsch's death. She wrote biographies of Gabrilowitsch and of her father. In her later life, she became a Christian Scientist.

<i>Extracts from Adams Diary</i> 1893 short story by Mark Twain

"Extracts from Adam's Diary: Translated from the Original Ms." is a comic short story by the American humorist and writer Mark Twain. The story was first published in The Niagara Book (1893), and was collected in Twain's 1903 book My Debut as a Literary Person with Other Essays and Stories. "Extracts from Adam's Diary" was first published as a book in 1904 by Harper & Brothers, with numerous illustrations by Frederick Strothmann.

<i>The $30,000 Bequest and Other Stories</i>

The $30,000 Bequest and Other Stories (1906) is a collection of thirty comic short stories by the American writer Mark Twain. The stories contained span the course of his career, from "Advice to Young Girls" in 1865 to the titular tale in 1904. Although Twain had ample time to refine his short stories between their original publication date and this collection, there is little evidence to suggest he took an active interest in doing so. "A Burlesque Biography" contains only a few minor technical revisions which make it different from the 1871 version found in Mark Twain's "(Burlesque) Autobiography and First Romance". "Advice to Little Girls" shows slight revision from its earlier publication in The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Concerning the Jews</span> 1899 book by Mark Twain

"Concerning the Jews" is an 1899 short essay by Mark Twain. Twain had lived in Austria during 1896, and opined that the Habsburg empire used Jews as scapegoats to maintain unity in their immensely diverse empire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mark Twain bibliography</span> About the works of Mark Twain

Samuel Langhorne Clemens ,⁣ well known by his pen name Mark Twain, was an American author and humorist. Twain is noted for his novels Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1884), which has been called the "Great American Novel," and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876). He also wrote poetry, short stories, essays, and non-fiction. His big break was "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County" (1867).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Isabel Lyon</span>

Isabel Van Kleek Lyon was Mark Twain's secretary for most of his final years. While in this position, she gained significant influence over Twain's personal and business affairs. Twain fired her in 1909 for reasons that remain in dispute.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stormfield</span> Final residence (1908–1910) of Mark Twain in Redding, Connecticut, US

Stormfield was the mansion built in Redding, Connecticut for author Samuel Clemens, best known as Mark Twain, who lived there from 1908 until his death in 1910. He derived the property's name from the short story "Extract from Captain Stormfield's Visit to Heaven". The building was destroyed in a 1923 fire.

<i>Comets</i> (anthology) 1986 anthology of science fiction short stories

Comets is an anthology of science fiction short stories edited by Isaac Asimov, Martin H. Greenberg and Charles G. Waugh as the fourth volume in their Isaac Asimov's Wonderful Worlds of Science Fiction series. It was first published in paperback by Signet/New American Library in February 1986.

References

  1. Facsimile of the original 1st edition.
  2. 1 2 3 Ketterer, David. Tales of Wonder - Notes, p. ix-x (1984)
  3. Autobiography of Mark Twain, Volume 1, p. 31 (2010)
  4. Baetzhold, Howard G. & Joseph B. McCulloch (eds.) The Bible According to Mark Twain, p. 130 (1995)