The Prince and the Pauper.

Mark Twain turned from the American scene to Tudor England for this warm, sharp-eyed fable of two boys who swap their lives, and learn what the other's world is really made of.

What it's about

The Prince and the Pauper imagines that Edward, son of Henry VIII, and Tom Canty, a ragged boy from the London slums, discover they are each other's exact likeness and, on a whim, exchange clothes, only to be swept apart before they can change back. The prince is cast out to suffer the beatings and injustices endured by the poor, while the pauper is trapped in a palace, mistaken for mad, wrestling with the burdens of a crown. Their parallel ordeals carry them, at last, toward a reckoning that changes both.

Themes

The book is a study of justice and mercy, and of how rank blinds people to the sufferings on which their comfort rests. By making a future king walk in a beggar's shoes, Twain argues for compassion and against the cruelties written into law and custom.

Why it still matters

Its central idea, that circumstance, not worth, divides the powerful from the poor, has lost none of its bite, and its adventure and humour keep it endlessly readable. It remains a favourite gateway into Twain for younger readers and a pointed satire for older ones.

Who it's for

For readers of all ages who enjoy a rousing story with a conscience, and for anyone who loves Twain's mix of comedy and moral force.

Sources and references

Verified references for this edition: Mark Twain on Wikipedia.