In literature, tragedy involves a bunch of misfortunes that carry very bad consequences. “Puddn’head Wilson” exemplifies that description. In fact, the book was originally published in 1894 as “The Tragedy of Puddn’head Wilson and the Comedy of Those Extraordinary Twins.”
A novel’s tragedy usually occurs in stages: happines, start of a problem, the problem grows, helplessness, and an awful ending that leaves the reader sad. In the town of Dawson’s Landing, this particular timeline can be followed from beginning to end, except there are many problems in “Pudd’nhead Wilson” instead of just one singular main problem.
Happiness: The town of Dawson’s Landing is small and secluded, full of people who are quite happy with their daily routines. It seems that in the beginning of the novel that normal is nice and everyone is perfectly satisfied in keeping life just as it is.
Problems Start: There are all sorts of problematic events that start to effect Dawson’s Landing, beginning with the death of Percy Driscoll’s wife after childbirth. This leaves Percy’s slave, Roxy, to care for both her own baby, Valet de Chambers, and Percy’s newborn son, Tom.
Then Attorney David Wilson arrives. His thoughts and opinions are very different from the people of Dawson’s Landing so they don’t really listen to him and call him a ”Pudd’nhead”, a person with a soft mind. Wilson is so disliked by the town that his firm closes due to lack of clients.
Two new people arrive in town and are immediately popular. Luigi and Angelo Capello, twins, are adored by everyone in Dawson’s Landing because they are not viewed as an intrusion and rather seen as “new” in a good way.
Since both her son and Percy’s son are light-skinned, Roxy exchanges their clothing to prevent her son from being sold. This results in Tom taking Valet’s place to grow up as a slave while Valet turns into a spoiled, abusive criminal. After Percy’s death his brother, Judge Driscoll, is given custody of Tom, who is really Valet, and disinherits him due to his rebellious behavior.
Growth of Problems: Tension in the town grows as Judge Driscoll is murdered with a knife belonging to the Capello twins. The idea these two beloved men could be capable of such a crime is inconceivable. However, Luigi and Angelo are without a lawyer until Pudd’nhead Wilson comes to their rescue.
Helplessness: Both the town and the Capello twins feel helpless in their current situation. The brothers know they are innocent of murder but the town can’t believe it and has to playing the waiting game.
Sorrowful ending: As a collector of fingerprints, Pudd’nhead Wilson uses his legal and forensic skills in order to solve the murder of Judge Driscoll, whose killer is Tom. Pudd’nhead also proves that Tom Driscoll is actually Valet de Chambers and that Valet’s biological father is a wealthy slave owner and an elite member of society.
While Pudd’nhead Wilson’s victory in court is to be commended, a cloud still hangs over Dawson’s Landing. The day is darkened by the fact that although justice has been served in the murder of Judge Driscoll, nothing else in the town has truly changed.
Despite her efforts, Roxy loses her son. The judge remains dead and Pudd’nhead, although having proven himself a competent attorney, will always be considered a bit odd. Slaves are still seen as property with their only value lying in their service to their owners. So in the end nothing really changes.
Great American Novels 2020 