The Mysterious Stranger, published posthumously in 1916, belongs to Twain's "dark" period. At the time of composition, Twain had suffered a series of painful physical, economic, and emotional losses. In his chilling tale, a stranger named Satan visits an old Austrian town to convince the religious faithful that there is no God, and "nothing exists; all is a dream."
The Mysterious Stranger, published posthumously in 1916, belongs to Twain's "dark" period. At the time of composition, Twain had suffered a series of painful physical, economic, and emotional losses. In his chilling tale, a stranger named Satan visits an old Austrian town to convince the religious faithful that there is no God, and "nothing exists; all is a dream."