Was Mark Twain a drunk

Answer 1

Sam Clemmons might have been a good student if he had the opportunity to be a student at all. After his father's death he became a printer's apprentice at the age of 12. He was clearly a good observer and a quick learner as he began almost immediately contributing articles and by age 17 had published in a literary magazine. He also became a river boat pilot in his twenties which was the inspiration for his pseudonym of Mark Twain.

The pilots (on the Mississippi in this case) using a plumbline measured the depth of water. They would call out the depth in fathoms. "By the mark -- twain" meant the water was two fathoms or 12 feet deep. OR a more fun answer. . . Mark Twain could stand for Twain's obsessive drinking and his calling for two beers by saying Mark Twain or Mark Two (Source Mark Twain: His Amazing Adventures by A&E 1997 by Director Bill Harris)

Carla Heine of Haunted Sonoma adds: Mark Twain was as close to the shore as a riverboat could get safely. As the plumb boy Sam Clemens, to call "Mark Twain!" up to the Captain of the steamboat was to tell him "all is well'" As a riverboat captain, Sam Clemens was always glad to hear this call from his plumb boy. Anything less than Mark Twain meant the boat was headed for a scrape at best. As a newspaper reporter Samuel Clemens ruined two of his careers with his caustic sarcasm, and alienated many former friends and relatives. Changing his name to Mark Twain gave him a fresh start in the writing trade, and also recalled old times when all really was well.

Answer 2

Mark Twain struggled with Alcoholism throughout his life and wrote about his experiences with drinking in his autobiography. While he did consume alcohol regularly, it is important to consider the complexities of his relationship with alcohol before labeling him simply as a "drunk."

Answer 3

No