Tuesday, November 18, 2008

The Prince and the Pauper: Mark Twain

By Arielle Potter, 8/29/07

Edward, Prince of Wales and Tom the beggar boy are as different as possible. However, when chance throws the two together they discover that they possess a startling resemblance. They switch clothes for fun, each thinking that the other’s life is better than his own, but they discover their mistake when Edward is cast out of the palace and Tom is taken for the prince. Edward is rescued from Tom’s cruel father by a kind soldier who is returning home after many years of absence. The prince intends to repay his friend with an earldom when he regains his throne, but will he ever regain it—for King Henry VIII dies and Tom is proclaimed king. Now it is more important than ever that Edward reach London before the coronation. The prince and pauper’s adventures during their mix-up masterfully portray life shortly before the Elizabethan period in England, and Mark Twain’s book deservedly remains on the list of classics.

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