Humor, Allusion, and Sadness Found in the Feud

      The Grangerford - Shepherdson feud is very similar to the famous novel of Romeo and Juliet written by  Shakespeare. There are many elements that add life to this feud. One of those elements would be the literary technique of allusion. The whole fight is very close to Romeo and Juliet when one compares the backgrounds of both. The two stories involve two members of the opposing families to fall in love and create even more tension. Another more specific example of allusion besides the overall situation is the artwork of Emmeline who was a member of the Grangerford family that had passed away. " She warn't particular; she could write about anything you choose to give her to write about just so it was sadful"( Twain 105). She was very artistic. Emilia drew many pictures and wrote poems and the main subject was usually death. Twain puts great emphasis on how much Emmeline focuses on death. In a way it is an allusion to the Renaissance period where Gothic art was very popular and death was a main topic portrayed. 

      In addition to allusion, sadness was also a main component to the Grangerford -Shepherdson feud. When Huck thought he lost Jim who was the only person he was really close to he was devastated. Huck was left without anyone so the Grangerfords took him in when they came across him. He became very close to them and felt like he fit in. They treated him well and he was beginning to love each one of them. When he heard from Buck about the feud he was surprised they still fought it even though it was costing so many lives from both sides. When Huck came down one morning everyone was gone in the house because fighting broke out. "I cried a little when I was covering up Buck's face, for he was mighty good to me"(Twain 117). Huck had to witness so many deaths that day from the two families fighting with one and other. Buck got shot so Huck felt it was his duty to cover his face out of respect. It was very sad for Huck to see those that he grew close to die right in front of him.

      Another element that Mark Twain added to the feud was humor. In a way he was using satire to make fun of the novel of Romeo and Juliet. "Oh, yes, pa knows, I recokon, and some of the other old people; but they don't know now what the row was about in the first place"(Twain 110). This quote can be used as an example of the humor in the feud between the two families. Buck was explaining the relationship of his family and the Shepherdsons to Huck. Naturally Huck would be asking Buck questions since he had never herd of a feud before. One of the questions asked by Huck was how the whole feud came to be in the first place. Buck tried answering but he didn't know the answer. In fact, he didn't even know for sure if his parents knew the exact reason why the feud was going on. In a way it is very funny and almost somewhat ironic because there is so much hatred and lives being lost over a feud that no one even knows the reason for. Mark Twain incorporates allusion, sadness, and humor all into the feud between the Gangerfords and Shepherdsons.