A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court Hank Morgan, a Connecticut Yankee working in a munitions factory near Hartford, is tapped on the head by a crowbar during a quarrel with a fellow worker. He awakens in the early part of the sixth century, A.D. Captured by the knight Sir Kay, he is taken to Camelot, King Arthur's court, where the knights of the realm gather around the "Table Round." The Yankee is amazed to here each knight exaggerate the tale of his own exploits in his quest for the Holy Grail. The unhappy Hank is sentenced to be burned at the stake on the twenty first of June. Fortunately, he draws on his knowledge of science and history and recalls that there was a total eclipse of the sun on that day. Quickly noticing the ignorance of the people he is now among, Hank threatens to blot out the sun if he is harmed. When the eclipse occurs, terrifying the spectators, King Arthur promises the Yankee the second place in the kingdom if the "magician" Hank will bring back the sun. Merlin, previously the presiding magician at the court, is jealous at the Yankee's success. He vows revenge for being pushed into the background.Soon, Hank is familiarly called "the Boss" by everyone. He starts an extensive program of reorganization of King Arthur's kingdom. The Boss can dictate every group in England (including the knights), except to the priests of the established church. He steers clear of this opposition group. After causing Merlin's tower to crumble with a detonation of some secretly installed explosives, the Boss is hailed as the powerful purveyor of magic. With the help of a young page named Clarence, the Yankee begins to organize schools and factories to train workers for what he visualizes will be a superior society. Perhaps a society like one built in the late nineteenth century, but with less materialism and more dedication to intellectual and spiritual progress. Challenged to a duel by Sir Sagramor, the Boss (a...
