In Defence of Harriet Shelley

Mark Twain’s essay launches with a cheeky confession of his own literary sins before diving into a spirited defense of Harriet Shelley, the often‑overlooked wife of the famous poet. In a tone that blends irony with genuine curiosity, he unpacks the tangled rumors surrounding Percy Shelley’s first marriage and his subsequent liaison with Mary Godwin, all while questioning the reverent narratives that dominate the classroom.

Twain likens the biography he critiques to a “literary cake‑walk,” describing its ornate language as a parade of finely dressed sentences that stride across the page. His satire exposes the pretensions of scholarly prose, turning everyday facts into flamboyant performances. Listeners will be drawn into a lively, thought‑provoking commentary that both entertains and invites a fresh look at Romantic history, all without giving away the story’s later twists.