The Transgressive Twain and the Pleasures of Profanity (Week 14)

Mark Twain's 1879 after-dinner speech entitled "The Science of Onanism" is a remnant of Twain's writings from his artist and writer-exclusive "Stomach Club." The piece is a hilarious, cheeky collection of observations regarding "self-abuse," and illuminates a decidedly bawdier side of the beloved writer. The speech examines the perils and pleasures of the taboo act, and does so in a lighthearted and wickedly funny tone.

Twain had a now well-documented struggle with his image - from his rebellious youth to his conservative courtship, Twain assumed many personas throughout his lifetime. Twain’s relationship with the profane and with free lifestyles began when he was young – a child obsessed with steamboat pilots, the coarse habits of those he admired rubbed off on him. An avid smoker and swearer, it was only when he became enamored with Livy that he realized that he must present an alternative image of himself in order to win over not just Livy, but her family. He succeeded in this endeavor, but there existed always a part of his old self, filled with the same sensibilities of humor as his younger incarnation.

This speech at the Stomach Club hearkens back to those old ways. Twain once said "Under certain circumstances, urgent circumstances, desperate circumstances, profanity provides a relief denied even to prayer." Twain utilized swearing as an outlet for both frustration and entertaining artistic expression. It is apparent, however, that though obviously very entertaining, Twain would grow to regret his lapse and wish to be disassociated with the writings. This regret is interesting to examine within the modern controversial contexts of many of his children’s works, such as the infamously provocative The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. Twain was proud of his talents and found joy in his repartee with his friends, but ultimately exercised elements of self-censorship toward his own writing.  It seems that much of Twain’s work was an exercise in how far he could take his humor, and with this piece it appears that Twain found his limits. 

The work is undoubtedly very funny, and the class session regarding “The Science of Onanism” was a particularly raucous class session. The fascinating part about this reading was not simply the actual content of what Twain wrote, but the knowledge of the context followed by an actual performance of the piece by Dr. Beringer. A part of this course that has fascinated me has been the performativity of Twain – his writings, in many cases, are truly meant to be heard aloud. What I find astonishing about this piece is not just the fact that the subject matter is raunchy and hysterical, but just how well it lends itself to spoken performance. I had read the piece before the class session, and though I giggled a few times, it was nothing compared to the full room filled with first nervous chuckles, then full-out cackles in some cases. Twain’s mastery of profanity is truly an art – he is able to craft a piece that strikes the right balance of inappropriate with the goofiness of air that allows for comfortable enjoyment of such a topic as that “majestic diversion.”

Image taken from: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/11/30/mark-twain-trivia_n_6220484.html