He is dispirited by the tendency of the Old World to profit on its history, as shown in such practices as accumulating spurious religious relics for display. In matters of religion, Twain represents an American Protestant viewpoint critical of the power of the priesthood and certain traditional religious practices. While a fervent believer in democracy, Twain admires certain monarchs whom he considers effective leaders. Much of the humor of the book comes from cultural misunderstandings, including the clash between liberal 19th-century ideas and the more traditional ways of life that prevail in the Old World. Twain finds much of the romantic prose written about the Old World to be at variance with reality, and he misses no chance to shatter illusions about this. He is both admiring of and skeptical of this culture-skeptical of the reverence shown to certain artists of the past, for example, while admiring some “old master” paintings. Reflecting the viewpoint of the New World, Twain turns a critical eye on the culture and institutions of Europe and the Middle East. At the same time, these travelers are from the New World, the land of progress, efficiency, and technology. Twain views his devoutly Christian fellow travelers as “pilgrims” in search of their spiritual roots. The book’s subtitle, The New Pilgrim’s Progress, is an allusion to John Bunyan’s classic allegory The Pilgrim’s Progress.
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