Comparing Clothing In The Prince And The Pauper
A.P. English
Social Standards.
Clothes are simply defined as “items worn to cover the body” however they are seen as much more than that. Clothing has always been a way of defining social hierarchy dating back to the ancient times, when peasants wore cheap clothing of wool or cotton and royalty were adorned in the most brilliant imported fabrics and silk. The idea that someone who may dress better is more appealing, and someone who dresses the opposite is less appealing is a concept that even the society today believes. However, in the end the real reality of it all is that even though people appear to look different than one another, that does not establish who they actually are. The man who …show more content…
wears clothes that makes him look like a deadbeat can actually be a very kind, generous, and hardworking person. The man that appears to be a successful individual can be an egotistical, selfish, and lazy human being. So basically it all comes down to perception, how one views the world and interprets certain individuals whether it be by judging their clothing style or their actual personality.
The idea of “clothes make the man” is present in Mark Twain’s The Prince and The Pauper to depict the lack of differences between social classes. It is said that writers write only what they know, Mark Twain was a man who did just that, the idea of social inequalities has always been a pertinent part of Twain’s life. He was exposed to things that he deemed were unjust at such a young age and he believed that everyone should be treated in humanely way. Growing up in Florida, Missouri, as the sixth of seven children in a small village Twain had been exposed to poverty at a young age, that being said he was able to identify the fact that there were two types of people, those whom were wealthy and those whom where poor like him and his family. Mark Twain grew up under a “Jacksonian Democracy” which was a new‚ and enduring political party‚ that dedicated the power of government on behalf of the common man trying to make “manifest destiny” a reality. Due to the fact that he lived under Andrew Jackson’s presidency Twain was
wanted to strive to become successful, in a way put aside the views of social standards and became something important. After he figured out that the carrying out manifest destiny in the west was quite unsuccessful he decided to fight in the Civil War. He fought in order to preserve state’s rights and to defend the democratic ideals on behalf of the common white man while trying to repair issues of equality for women‚ blacks‚ and ethnic minorities. After a brief period in the war he started to obtain a great amount of jobs that involved writing, which eventually lead him to a great success. In 1865‚ Clemens got his first “big break” with the publication of his short story‚ “Jim Smiley and His Jumping Frog” in papers across the country. Eight years later Twain seemed to be intrigued with social criticism He and Hartford Courant publisher Charles Dudley Warner co-wrote The Gilded Age, a novel that attacked corruption in politics, big business, and the obsession that Americans had with becoming rich. The idea of social criticism was a springboard for his later attempt at social commentary, Twain wrote The Prince and the Pauper in 1881 and A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur 's Court in 1889, both of which explored the relations between social class, criticizing oppression and the time period’s technological boom. Another famous novel by Twain Huckleberry Finn was written to criticize slavery and spoke strongly against the continued poor treatment of black Americans compared to white American overall. The Prince and the Pauper by Mark Twain is a perfect example of social commentary because it explores the differences placed on people from opposite social classes. The novel takes place in 16th century England; a rich prince, Edward Tudor decides to switch clothes with a pauper boy Tom Canty, who closely resembles him in order for the two of them to experience life through each other’s shoes. However, both of the boys discover that each other’s lives are not as magnificent as they had assumed. As soon as the prince leaves the palace in the pauper’s clothes he is treated with much hatred by the palace guards and thrown into the middle of an unfamiliar place. The prince eventually finds the pauper’s father and feels relieved however, the father does nothing but reprimand his “son” and forcefully beat him. On the other hand, the pauper boy who learns to repent on his decision to switch places with a prince he lives a life surrounded by servants watching his every move, and when he tries to convince people he is not the prince they assume he has gone mad. After a series of adventures and many attempts from the pauper boy and the prince to convince people they are not who they appear, the real prince returns to the palace and tells everyone the truth. The story ends happily and the prince who eventually turns into a king, and the pauper remain friends of one another. “Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society”(Kiskis, 2). In The Prince and the Pauper, Twain takes an interest in contrasting the lives of the rich and the poor, the lives of those who have nobility compared to the lives of those in the lower classes of society. At the same time, Twain tries to show the reader that someone of noble birth and someone of common birth are not all that different. In other words, if placed in one others position they would be able to adequately act as one another if given the chance to do so. The two main characters in the novel Tom Canty and Edward Tudor are shown as individuals who have such an immense difference in their lifestyles, which Twain uses to highlight their differences in social hierarchy. Edward Tudor was raised in a very fine manner and is used to having magnificent attire and a cuisine of splendid quality. Everything in his life is basically handed to him; his hundreds of servant’s fetch anything he needs right away and nobody dares to resist his commands, because he is in truth the Prince of Wales. In contrast, Tom Canty the pauper is raised in the slums of England, and is used to a scarce amount of food and rags as his clothing. He is expected to vouch for himself and if he fails to help provide for his family he is punished with severe beatings. Although the two boys live quite a different lifestyle the theme of the novel “clothes make the man” requires them to be similar in some aspects. The main aspect that ties them together is their appearance the two boys have the same height, weight, and facial features and they notice the only thing that is different between them is their clothing. One wears fabulous silk and gold fabric and the other is clad in worn and torn rags. Clothing in the novel helps identify who is who in a literary criticism by Hjorth Boyesen he says, “when the prince and the pauper first meet one another Tom is able to identify Edward as the prince only really by his attire, when the two switch their clothing there is virtually no difference at all, it was as if nothing had changed between them”(Boyesen, 3). After the two claim their new identities the prince ventures out into the real world, but when he wants to leave the palace a guard proceeds to lay a hand upon him to reprimand him for entering the palace. The prince responds violently and forgets whose clothing he is now clad in and says, “I am the Prince of Wales, my person is sacred; and thou shalt hang for laying thy hand upon me”(Twain, 22). The guard responds with laughter and pushes Edward into a crowd of laughing people who think he has gone mad for even thinking that he could possibly be a prince. When one contemplates switching lives with another, they usually fail to take into consideration what is at fault with the opposite person’s lifestyle. In this case Edward Tudor when under the guise of a pauper was ousted out into the middle of nowhere when people found out his “true” identity. In the case of Tom Canty, he is not treated with malice however he immediately repents on his decision to switch places with the prince because he is afraid he cannot act as he does. The first chance he gets, he tries to out himself as a mere pauper in royal clothing. In one scene of the novel one of “his” servants calls to him to announce that a young lady by the name Jane Grey wishes to see him, afraid that she will immediately know that he is not the true prince he says, “Ah be merciful, in sooth I am no lord but only poor Tom Canty of Offal court in the City” she responds to him in a very worried tone and says, “O, my lord, on thy knees and to me” (Twain, 28)? Lady Jane Grey is supposed to be someone who knows the prince quite well she is indeed his cousin, the fact that she could not point out that he was not the true prince really emphasizes the power of his attire. However, Twain makes it so that it is quite difficult to distinguish the two boys so easily, their facial features really aren’t the only things they have in common. In order for the theme to be really easy to understand Twain, creates a similarity in their personalities as well, making it easier to believe they are whom they dress as. In Rasmussen R. Kent’s criticism of the novel he says, “The plot requires for the two boys to share similar characteristics aside from their appearances, in order to stress the lack of difference between their ranks of social class”(Rasmussen, 1). Edward and Tom are alike in a way that they are both very intelligent, kind hearted, able to recognize what is cruel and unjust, willing to reward those who are in need, and learn from experience. If the two did not share these characteristics the entire plot would be flawed for example, if Tom were not able to learn from experience how to rule the kingdom people would easily be able to identify the fact that he was not the real king, making the novel virtually pointless and with an absence of curiosity as to how good of a ruler he may become. A Disguise is a temporary appearance to conceal one’s identity. However, as seen in many films, novels, and television shows a disguise can only be kept for a short period of time before the person’s true identity is shown. In the novel, the two boys are unidentifiable by various individuals however, usually when one is faced with family members or even people who are quite close to them it is easy to point out flaws in a person’s guise. When the king summons Tom Canty, he is quick to blurt out his true identity likewise the king does not believe him and says, “Alack, I had believed the rumor disproportioned to the truth, but I fear me ‘tis not so, come to thy father child thou are not well”(Twain, 29). His own father could not point out the flaw in his disguise, due to the fact that he was clothed in royal attire his father was blind to the fact that the child who stood before him was an imposter. The very same thing occurred when Edward confronted Tom’s father, John Canty when Edward saw him he said, “O thou art his father, sweet heaven grant me then, wilt thou fetch him and restore me? John responded in a confused tone and said, “I know not what thou meanest’ but I know I am thy father”(Twain, 25). The clothing serves as an element of reassurance making it hard for the two to think otherwise of their appearances in a literary criticism by Leary Lewis he says, “the clothes that the boys wear are powerful enough to fool even those who to be assumed to be the closest to them, they serve as a barrier between the reality and whom each boy claims to be” (Lewis, 1). Each boy’s duty is to carry out the necessary actions that the other would normally do themselves, if either one was to fail at doing so the entire plan would be flawed. However even when the two boys are unable to act as the other would nobody suspects a problem in them, they assume that they have either gone mad or are simply joking. Edward is able to find a man named Miles Hendon who treats him with great respect as if he were king because and believes that he enjoys acting as a king would. On the other hand, Edward assumes Miles believes he is king and orders him around however Miles responds by saying, “Dear heart he should have been king, he plays the part to a marvel”(Twain, 74). Even though Edward has the ability to order people to do what he wishes and speaks in such a way that it could possibly be a natural talent to him, Miles fails to believe that he is the true king. If Edward had ordered him around in a different kind of attire more like one of a king he would most likely believe him, in a literary criticism by Michael Kiskis he says, “Miles Hendon is one of the many characters in the novel who are bombarded with a great deal of evidence supporting the true identity of each boy and choose to ignore the reality of what is so blatantly obvious”(Kiskis, 2). That being said when compared to Tom’s situation Edward’s situation can be more understood because at a young age children are expected to act a certain way. Tom although he is also a child, makes more of a larger mistake that is of more importance, when he was asked where the royal seal was he responded by saying, “why in sooth I did have the seal but I am very feeble, forgive me I must have misplaced it”(Twain, 46). Many things can be forgotten but the royal seal is of great importance to the kingdom that being said it is hard to believe no suspicions erupt from this action by Tom Canty, nobody raises the possibility of him being under a false identity. What happens when the two boys are placed in the same room? When Tom is going through the coronation ceremony, it is revealed that the two of them switched places with one another just as Tom was about to be crowned king Edward called out “I forbid you to set that crown on his head I am the king”(Twain, 189). Nobody believes the child in pauper’s clothing until Tom himself makes a comment and says, “Loose him and forebear he is the king” (Twain, 190). Likewise there is still doubt amongst the crowd even though they have both confessed in order to verify the truth the “true” prince is asked to identify the answer to a riddle only the prince would know. The prince is asked to identify where the royal seal had been and when he does it is confirmed that he is the Prince of Wales. Again it makes no sense because earlier Tom was not able to answer the question to the riddle but they claimed he had gone mad which explained his forgetfulness, and yet they use the seal as verification to heir of the throne. In the grand scheme of things it seems as thought Twain put forth the idea of switching clothing in order to experience a different view on life for the purpose of each boy’s own benefit. In truth there is a bigger picture Twain wanted the two boys to switch lives in order to show another basic idea, which is the injustices in monarchy. Through the eyes of a pauper Edward was able to explore the world that his father ruled and understand why many people dislike the king. Edward encounters many horrifying things such as many people in poverty begging in the streets of England. By viewing the problems first hand he takes note of what he can improve when he becomes king and that will in turn make for a better England. Also, Tom is able to make for a better system in the royal kingdom as prince, he changes around laws that seem unjust for example, when a man is about to be basically melted alive for being accused of a crime, Tom orders that the law be abolished right away. Without the viewpoint of the other person things would not be done the same way a literary criticism in Century Magazine says, “Twain wishes to strip and expose England’s system of government, through the dual perspective boys are able to correct what they deem is unjust through their own code of ethics”(Unsigned, 4). In conclusion, In The Prince and the Pauper Mark Twain puts forth the idea “clothes make the man” in order to show the reader that there is virtually no difference between the poor and wealthy. He makes it so that the prince and the pauper are bred in such immensely different ways of life but share the same kind of mindset to highlight the fact that their social statuses are the only things that prevent them from being like one another.
Works Cited
"A Life Lived in a Rapidly Changing World: Samuel L. Clemens‚ 1835-1910." Welcome to the Mark Twain House & Museum. N.p., n.d
"American Experience: TV 's Most-watched History Series." PBS. PBS, n.d.
Twain, Mark. Mark Twain Historical Romances. N.p.: Library of America, 1994. Print.
Amber Baig
Mrs. Anger
A.P. English
12/10/13 Annotated Bibliography
Boyesen, Hjalmar Hjorth. "On The Prince and the Pauper." Bloom 's Literature. Facts On File, Inc. Web. 11 Dec. 2013
In this critical essay the author focuses mainly on how the novel is a watered down version of Twain’s capabilities as a writer. He believes that The Prince and the Pauper is too much of a basic piece of literature, and is not worthy of being called a Twain novel. The essay also states how the novel was a sort of springboard for Twain’s other works, such as Puddn’head Wilson.
Kiskis, Michael J. “The Prince and the Pauper: A Tale for Young People of All Ages.” Blooms Literature. Facts On File, Inc. Web.10 Dec.2013
This article discusses the author’s life before he wrote the novel, and how his children had influenced him to write literature that appealed to younger audiences. The article also touches upon how the novel criticizes the system of monarchy in England, which seems to be completely out of touch with the common man. Lastly, the article mentions the reasoning behind the dual perspectives of Tom and Edward and how it is significant to the story’s overall plot.
Lewis, Leary. “Mark Twain” American Writers Pamphlet (1960): Rpt. In Twentieth-Century Literary Criticism. Vol.9. Minneapolis: 1960.47
This critical essay discusses Twain’s views on the governmental system in England. Twain believed that the United States had a far superior system of government, compared to England’s system a democratic republic seemed more than fair and more efficient. The Critical essay also mentions how the story did a fine job, in choosing Edward as one the main characters. It was through Edward Twain as able to teach the reader the art of humility.
Rasmussen, R. Kent. “The Prince and the Pauper.” Blooms Literature. Facts On File, Inc. Web.10 Dec.2013
This article discusses the basic ideas in the novel and how they were effected by time and place that Twain was writing in “an age controlled by nobility and royalty.” The article also mentions how the main focus of the novel is really to point out the social injustices that a King is able to view when he roams the land as a pauper. He wanted people to understand the dual perspective of the relationship between a king and a pauper. “Unsigned Review in Century Magazine.” Bloom’s Literature. Facts On File, Inc. Web.10 Dec.2013
This article touches upon the main points of the story and how they reflect the author’s craft; it also addresses in depth the significance of the main character Tom Canty and how he is significant to the overall plot. The article also delves into how the story reflects the personal life of Mark twain and how he has created other works like Adventures of Huckleberry Finn that were springboards for the novel The Prince and the Pauper.
Social Standards.
Clothes are simply defined as “items worn to cover the body” however they are seen as much more than that. Clothing has always been a way of defining social hierarchy dating back to the ancient times, when peasants wore cheap clothing of wool or cotton and royalty were adorned in the most brilliant imported fabrics and silk. The idea that someone who may dress better is more appealing, and someone who dresses the opposite is less appealing is a concept that even the society today believes. However, in the end the real reality of it all is that even though people appear to look different than one another, that does not establish who they actually are. The man who …show more content…
wears clothes that makes him look like a deadbeat can actually be a very kind, generous, and hardworking person. The man that appears to be a successful individual can be an egotistical, selfish, and lazy human being. So basically it all comes down to perception, how one views the world and interprets certain individuals whether it be by judging their clothing style or their actual personality.
The idea of “clothes make the man” is present in Mark Twain’s The Prince and The Pauper to depict the lack of differences between social classes. It is said that writers write only what they know, Mark Twain was a man who did just that, the idea of social inequalities has always been a pertinent part of Twain’s life. He was exposed to things that he deemed were unjust at such a young age and he believed that everyone should be treated in humanely way. Growing up in Florida, Missouri, as the sixth of seven children in a small village Twain had been exposed to poverty at a young age, that being said he was able to identify the fact that there were two types of people, those whom were wealthy and those whom where poor like him and his family. Mark Twain grew up under a “Jacksonian Democracy” which was a new‚ and enduring political party‚ that dedicated the power of government on behalf of the common man trying to make “manifest destiny” a reality. Due to the fact that he lived under Andrew Jackson’s presidency Twain was
wanted to strive to become successful, in a way put aside the views of social standards and became something important. After he figured out that the carrying out manifest destiny in the west was quite unsuccessful he decided to fight in the Civil War. He fought in order to preserve state’s rights and to defend the democratic ideals on behalf of the common white man while trying to repair issues of equality for women‚ blacks‚ and ethnic minorities. After a brief period in the war he started to obtain a great amount of jobs that involved writing, which eventually lead him to a great success. In 1865‚ Clemens got his first “big break” with the publication of his short story‚ “Jim Smiley and His Jumping Frog” in papers across the country. Eight years later Twain seemed to be intrigued with social criticism He and Hartford Courant publisher Charles Dudley Warner co-wrote The Gilded Age, a novel that attacked corruption in politics, big business, and the obsession that Americans had with becoming rich. The idea of social criticism was a springboard for his later attempt at social commentary, Twain wrote The Prince and the Pauper in 1881 and A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur 's Court in 1889, both of which explored the relations between social class, criticizing oppression and the time period’s technological boom. Another famous novel by Twain Huckleberry Finn was written to criticize slavery and spoke strongly against the continued poor treatment of black Americans compared to white American overall. The Prince and the Pauper by Mark Twain is a perfect example of social commentary because it explores the differences placed on people from opposite social classes. The novel takes place in 16th century England; a rich prince, Edward Tudor decides to switch clothes with a pauper boy Tom Canty, who closely resembles him in order for the two of them to experience life through each other’s shoes. However, both of the boys discover that each other’s lives are not as magnificent as they had assumed. As soon as the prince leaves the palace in the pauper’s clothes he is treated with much hatred by the palace guards and thrown into the middle of an unfamiliar place. The prince eventually finds the pauper’s father and feels relieved however, the father does nothing but reprimand his “son” and forcefully beat him. On the other hand, the pauper boy who learns to repent on his decision to switch places with a prince he lives a life surrounded by servants watching his every move, and when he tries to convince people he is not the prince they assume he has gone mad. After a series of adventures and many attempts from the pauper boy and the prince to convince people they are not who they appear, the real prince returns to the palace and tells everyone the truth. The story ends happily and the prince who eventually turns into a king, and the pauper remain friends of one another. “Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society”(Kiskis, 2). In The Prince and the Pauper, Twain takes an interest in contrasting the lives of the rich and the poor, the lives of those who have nobility compared to the lives of those in the lower classes of society. At the same time, Twain tries to show the reader that someone of noble birth and someone of common birth are not all that different. In other words, if placed in one others position they would be able to adequately act as one another if given the chance to do so. The two main characters in the novel Tom Canty and Edward Tudor are shown as individuals who have such an immense difference in their lifestyles, which Twain uses to highlight their differences in social hierarchy. Edward Tudor was raised in a very fine manner and is used to having magnificent attire and a cuisine of splendid quality. Everything in his life is basically handed to him; his hundreds of servant’s fetch anything he needs right away and nobody dares to resist his commands, because he is in truth the Prince of Wales. In contrast, Tom Canty the pauper is raised in the slums of England, and is used to a scarce amount of food and rags as his clothing. He is expected to vouch for himself and if he fails to help provide for his family he is punished with severe beatings. Although the two boys live quite a different lifestyle the theme of the novel “clothes make the man” requires them to be similar in some aspects. The main aspect that ties them together is their appearance the two boys have the same height, weight, and facial features and they notice the only thing that is different between them is their clothing. One wears fabulous silk and gold fabric and the other is clad in worn and torn rags. Clothing in the novel helps identify who is who in a literary criticism by Hjorth Boyesen he says, “when the prince and the pauper first meet one another Tom is able to identify Edward as the prince only really by his attire, when the two switch their clothing there is virtually no difference at all, it was as if nothing had changed between them”(Boyesen, 3). After the two claim their new identities the prince ventures out into the real world, but when he wants to leave the palace a guard proceeds to lay a hand upon him to reprimand him for entering the palace. The prince responds violently and forgets whose clothing he is now clad in and says, “I am the Prince of Wales, my person is sacred; and thou shalt hang for laying thy hand upon me”(Twain, 22). The guard responds with laughter and pushes Edward into a crowd of laughing people who think he has gone mad for even thinking that he could possibly be a prince. When one contemplates switching lives with another, they usually fail to take into consideration what is at fault with the opposite person’s lifestyle. In this case Edward Tudor when under the guise of a pauper was ousted out into the middle of nowhere when people found out his “true” identity. In the case of Tom Canty, he is not treated with malice however he immediately repents on his decision to switch places with the prince because he is afraid he cannot act as he does. The first chance he gets, he tries to out himself as a mere pauper in royal clothing. In one scene of the novel one of “his” servants calls to him to announce that a young lady by the name Jane Grey wishes to see him, afraid that she will immediately know that he is not the true prince he says, “Ah be merciful, in sooth I am no lord but only poor Tom Canty of Offal court in the City” she responds to him in a very worried tone and says, “O, my lord, on thy knees and to me” (Twain, 28)? Lady Jane Grey is supposed to be someone who knows the prince quite well she is indeed his cousin, the fact that she could not point out that he was not the true prince really emphasizes the power of his attire. However, Twain makes it so that it is quite difficult to distinguish the two boys so easily, their facial features really aren’t the only things they have in common. In order for the theme to be really easy to understand Twain, creates a similarity in their personalities as well, making it easier to believe they are whom they dress as. In Rasmussen R. Kent’s criticism of the novel he says, “The plot requires for the two boys to share similar characteristics aside from their appearances, in order to stress the lack of difference between their ranks of social class”(Rasmussen, 1). Edward and Tom are alike in a way that they are both very intelligent, kind hearted, able to recognize what is cruel and unjust, willing to reward those who are in need, and learn from experience. If the two did not share these characteristics the entire plot would be flawed for example, if Tom were not able to learn from experience how to rule the kingdom people would easily be able to identify the fact that he was not the real king, making the novel virtually pointless and with an absence of curiosity as to how good of a ruler he may become. A Disguise is a temporary appearance to conceal one’s identity. However, as seen in many films, novels, and television shows a disguise can only be kept for a short period of time before the person’s true identity is shown. In the novel, the two boys are unidentifiable by various individuals however, usually when one is faced with family members or even people who are quite close to them it is easy to point out flaws in a person’s guise. When the king summons Tom Canty, he is quick to blurt out his true identity likewise the king does not believe him and says, “Alack, I had believed the rumor disproportioned to the truth, but I fear me ‘tis not so, come to thy father child thou are not well”(Twain, 29). His own father could not point out the flaw in his disguise, due to the fact that he was clothed in royal attire his father was blind to the fact that the child who stood before him was an imposter. The very same thing occurred when Edward confronted Tom’s father, John Canty when Edward saw him he said, “O thou art his father, sweet heaven grant me then, wilt thou fetch him and restore me? John responded in a confused tone and said, “I know not what thou meanest’ but I know I am thy father”(Twain, 25). The clothing serves as an element of reassurance making it hard for the two to think otherwise of their appearances in a literary criticism by Leary Lewis he says, “the clothes that the boys wear are powerful enough to fool even those who to be assumed to be the closest to them, they serve as a barrier between the reality and whom each boy claims to be” (Lewis, 1). Each boy’s duty is to carry out the necessary actions that the other would normally do themselves, if either one was to fail at doing so the entire plan would be flawed. However even when the two boys are unable to act as the other would nobody suspects a problem in them, they assume that they have either gone mad or are simply joking. Edward is able to find a man named Miles Hendon who treats him with great respect as if he were king because and believes that he enjoys acting as a king would. On the other hand, Edward assumes Miles believes he is king and orders him around however Miles responds by saying, “Dear heart he should have been king, he plays the part to a marvel”(Twain, 74). Even though Edward has the ability to order people to do what he wishes and speaks in such a way that it could possibly be a natural talent to him, Miles fails to believe that he is the true king. If Edward had ordered him around in a different kind of attire more like one of a king he would most likely believe him, in a literary criticism by Michael Kiskis he says, “Miles Hendon is one of the many characters in the novel who are bombarded with a great deal of evidence supporting the true identity of each boy and choose to ignore the reality of what is so blatantly obvious”(Kiskis, 2). That being said when compared to Tom’s situation Edward’s situation can be more understood because at a young age children are expected to act a certain way. Tom although he is also a child, makes more of a larger mistake that is of more importance, when he was asked where the royal seal was he responded by saying, “why in sooth I did have the seal but I am very feeble, forgive me I must have misplaced it”(Twain, 46). Many things can be forgotten but the royal seal is of great importance to the kingdom that being said it is hard to believe no suspicions erupt from this action by Tom Canty, nobody raises the possibility of him being under a false identity. What happens when the two boys are placed in the same room? When Tom is going through the coronation ceremony, it is revealed that the two of them switched places with one another just as Tom was about to be crowned king Edward called out “I forbid you to set that crown on his head I am the king”(Twain, 189). Nobody believes the child in pauper’s clothing until Tom himself makes a comment and says, “Loose him and forebear he is the king” (Twain, 190). Likewise there is still doubt amongst the crowd even though they have both confessed in order to verify the truth the “true” prince is asked to identify the answer to a riddle only the prince would know. The prince is asked to identify where the royal seal had been and when he does it is confirmed that he is the Prince of Wales. Again it makes no sense because earlier Tom was not able to answer the question to the riddle but they claimed he had gone mad which explained his forgetfulness, and yet they use the seal as verification to heir of the throne. In the grand scheme of things it seems as thought Twain put forth the idea of switching clothing in order to experience a different view on life for the purpose of each boy’s own benefit. In truth there is a bigger picture Twain wanted the two boys to switch lives in order to show another basic idea, which is the injustices in monarchy. Through the eyes of a pauper Edward was able to explore the world that his father ruled and understand why many people dislike the king. Edward encounters many horrifying things such as many people in poverty begging in the streets of England. By viewing the problems first hand he takes note of what he can improve when he becomes king and that will in turn make for a better England. Also, Tom is able to make for a better system in the royal kingdom as prince, he changes around laws that seem unjust for example, when a man is about to be basically melted alive for being accused of a crime, Tom orders that the law be abolished right away. Without the viewpoint of the other person things would not be done the same way a literary criticism in Century Magazine says, “Twain wishes to strip and expose England’s system of government, through the dual perspective boys are able to correct what they deem is unjust through their own code of ethics”(Unsigned, 4). In conclusion, In The Prince and the Pauper Mark Twain puts forth the idea “clothes make the man” in order to show the reader that there is virtually no difference between the poor and wealthy. He makes it so that the prince and the pauper are bred in such immensely different ways of life but share the same kind of mindset to highlight the fact that their social statuses are the only things that prevent them from being like one another.
Works Cited
"A Life Lived in a Rapidly Changing World: Samuel L. Clemens‚ 1835-1910." Welcome to the Mark Twain House & Museum. N.p., n.d
"American Experience: TV 's Most-watched History Series." PBS. PBS, n.d.
Twain, Mark. Mark Twain Historical Romances. N.p.: Library of America, 1994. Print.
Amber Baig
Mrs. Anger
A.P. English
12/10/13 Annotated Bibliography
Boyesen, Hjalmar Hjorth. "On The Prince and the Pauper." Bloom 's Literature. Facts On File, Inc. Web. 11 Dec. 2013
In this critical essay the author focuses mainly on how the novel is a watered down version of Twain’s capabilities as a writer. He believes that The Prince and the Pauper is too much of a basic piece of literature, and is not worthy of being called a Twain novel. The essay also states how the novel was a sort of springboard for Twain’s other works, such as Puddn’head Wilson.
Kiskis, Michael J. “The Prince and the Pauper: A Tale for Young People of All Ages.” Blooms Literature. Facts On File, Inc. Web.10 Dec.2013
This article discusses the author’s life before he wrote the novel, and how his children had influenced him to write literature that appealed to younger audiences. The article also touches upon how the novel criticizes the system of monarchy in England, which seems to be completely out of touch with the common man. Lastly, the article mentions the reasoning behind the dual perspectives of Tom and Edward and how it is significant to the story’s overall plot.
Lewis, Leary. “Mark Twain” American Writers Pamphlet (1960): Rpt. In Twentieth-Century Literary Criticism. Vol.9. Minneapolis: 1960.47
This critical essay discusses Twain’s views on the governmental system in England. Twain believed that the United States had a far superior system of government, compared to England’s system a democratic republic seemed more than fair and more efficient. The Critical essay also mentions how the story did a fine job, in choosing Edward as one the main characters. It was through Edward Twain as able to teach the reader the art of humility.
Rasmussen, R. Kent. “The Prince and the Pauper.” Blooms Literature. Facts On File, Inc. Web.10 Dec.2013
This article discusses the basic ideas in the novel and how they were effected by time and place that Twain was writing in “an age controlled by nobility and royalty.” The article also mentions how the main focus of the novel is really to point out the social injustices that a King is able to view when he roams the land as a pauper. He wanted people to understand the dual perspective of the relationship between a king and a pauper. “Unsigned Review in Century Magazine.” Bloom’s Literature. Facts On File, Inc. Web.10 Dec.2013
This article touches upon the main points of the story and how they reflect the author’s craft; it also addresses in depth the significance of the main character Tom Canty and how he is significant to the overall plot. The article also delves into how the story reflects the personal life of Mark twain and how he has created other works like Adventures of Huckleberry Finn that were springboards for the novel The Prince and the Pauper.