The Prince and the Pauper

Tom Canty is a poor boy who has always dreamed of a better life. One day, he meets the Prince of Wales, Edward Tudor. In his excitement, the boy gets too close to the prince and is almost beaten by the guards. However, Edward saves the boy and invites him to his chamber. After getting to know each other, they decide to switch places for a few days. The prince dresses as the poor boy and goes out onto the streets, while Tom remains in the castle. However, Edward does not know what awaits him in these dangerous streets.

Why did the prince save the poor boy? What is their reason for switching places? What do they hope to achieve with this experiment? How will Prince Edward deal with all the obstacles he is about to face? Will the two boys return to their real lives?

Find all the answers in Mark Twain’s novel, “The Prince and the Pauper”, published in 1881.

Mark Twain, pseudonym of Samuel Langhorne Clemens, (1835–1910), was an American humorist, lecturer, journalist and novelist who acquired international fame for his adventure stories of boyhood, especially "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" and "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" as well as for his travel narratives, especially "The Innocents Abroad", "Roughing It", and "Life on the Mississippi". Twain transcended the apparent limitations of his origins to become a popular public figure and one of America’s most beloved writers.