After"The Adventures of Tom Sawyer" Twain published another book about childhood - "The Prince and the Pauper" (1881). Historical in its content, it acquired the features of realistic authenticity not due to the description of the historical events themselves, but mainly due to the psychological motivation of the child's behavior in certain conditions. This is, first of all, about the resourceful "Prince of Poverty" Tom Canty, who had an effect in the Tudor palace, and only then - about England in the 16th century. That is why Twain emphasized in the dedication to the book of his historical narrative with a fairy tale, a legend, insisting on a generalized image of the European Middle Ages.

ironic over ordinary notions of historical accuracy, the writer perfectly used all the possibilities of his unusual plot. He forced Prince Edward to see the true life of the people, to understand that Tudor laws were cruel. The writer brought the street boy Tom Kenty into the palace, showing that a representative of the people can become the head of state. Considering the Middle Ages as an era of barbarism, Twain portrayed the despotic arbitrariness of monarchical power and the church, convincingly proving that under feudalism there was no place for social justice. As in his other stories about childhood, Twain poeticizes friendship, contrasting the disinterestedness of friendship with the greed and depravity of people in power in the English state. The trust of two teenage doubles who met by chance is opposed to insidious intrigues and suspicion. Little heroes of the story perceive life differently than adults. The main feature of their personality is love of freedom. That's why Prince Edward Tudor admires Tom so much. He would give the whole kingdom to walk barefoot, to be free. The fairy tale story of two boys born in the same city on the same day, according to Twain, was supposed to be a disgrace to social laws proclaiming inequality.

When creating the book, Twain read it to his daughters, eight-year-old Susie and six-year-old Clara. His narration not only corresponds to the perception of history at a certain age, but actively influences the development of the child's consciousness and imagination, leaving a lot of scope for comparisons and generalizations.

For Twain the satirist, as for any great artist, the versatility and significance of paintings and characteristics are important. In The Prince and the Pauper, Twain castigates the Middle Ages, in particular sharply opposes the reactionary role of the church, stigmatizes obscurantism, speaks with angry indignation about medieval tortures and jokingly argues that hermits should be enlightened, arranging performances for them, like schoolchildren. It would be wrong to say that only the fascinating plot of Twain's novel made his work accessible to children, that the deep social meaning of this work remains incomprehensible to them. Twain's outstanding merit lies precisely in the fact that he succeeds in awakening in the reader the desire to understand the social nature of various historical structures, to make his own judgment about what is fair and unfair.

The post was inspired by a reading of Mark Twain's historical novel The Prince and the Pauper.

reference

Author: Mark Twain
Full title: The Prince and the Pauper
Original language: English
Genre: historical novel
Year of publication: 1881
Number of pages (A4): 139

Summary of Mark Twain's historical novel "The Prince and the Pauper"

Mark Twain's novel is set in medieval England. Tom Canty's dysfunctional family lives in a poor area of ​​the city. His father drinks, forces Tom to beg, and beats him for disobedience or for insufficient results of his "work". Tom is also very fond of English history, loves to read and independently study court manners and customs.

One day, Tom enters the palace, where he is noticed by a prince who looks remarkably like him. This is the same boy who is weighed down by court ceremonies. They decide to change clothes for a while, but the prince jumps out of the palace gate and finds himself on the street as a pauper.

Tom and Edward have switched places: now Tom lives in the palace, and Edward suffers hardship. Neither one nor the other is satisfied with their position. Tom is burdened by pomp and luxury, and Edward endures deprivation and bullying. Edward sees the hard life of ordinary people, executions for the smallest offenses, crime, the hopelessness of the situation and the lack of rights of a huge number of people. He wants to restore his rights at all costs and alleviate the plight of ordinary people by abolishing harsh laws.

Edward is assisted by a destitute nobleman named Miles Hendon. He was deceived by his own brother, seizing his share of the inheritance and marrying his brother's bride. Miles thinks Edward is insane, but he tries his best to help him. As a result, Edward restores his rights to the throne, convincing the courtiers that he is the rightful heir to the king, and not Tom. Tom gladly gives him the throne and joins his royal retinue. Miles, for his services, receives permission to sit in the presence of the king.

Output

Of course, I should have read this novel at school, but for various reasons I did not. The gap is now closed. I recommend to everyone!

Year: 1882 Genre: novel

Main characters: Prince Edward of England, Tom Canty and Miles Hendon

The novel tells about two personalities, one of which is a prince, and the other is a beggar. The paths of both boys intersect, and they change, as it were, with their names and positions in society. All this leads to the fact that the prince cannot soon, having played with it, return to his place, since both of them are similar to impossibility. But in the end, they manage to switch places. Justice has prevailed.

Output. Mark Twain's novel teaches that justice will always prevail, even if it seems that there is no hope.

Read the summary of Mark Twain The Prince and the Pauper

times of the 16th century. London. Surprisingly, the most diverse and unusual miracles are still capable of happening in the world. In the kingdom of England, one fine day, a boy is born who will soon become the king himself. But on the same day, another person is also born, who is very similar to the smallest prince. And not even what it looks like - just a copy of it. But so far no one suspects it. But this boy, born on the same day and moment, is just a beggar who lives in poverty with his family.

So they grew up in parallel all this time - a beggar boy and a prince from the royal family. Their situation is different - one gets all the joy in this life, and the other - only grief and poverty, as well as all the possible reproaches of relatives who do not honor him for anyone.

The beggar boy lives, but sometimes he doesn’t even want to live, because he didn’t know even a little joy in this life. After all, even his relatives do not need him, among which is an evil and cruel old woman who is the boy's grandmother, as well as his twin sisters. In addition, his mother is a beggar and his father is a thief. All of them have some kind of housing in a slum. Always very cold and bitter. But besides, in the same slum there lives a priest who teaches when necessary a boy whose name is Tom Kentley. But best of all, this priest, he knows how to tell beautiful stories about the king and princes who live without knowing grief, in wealth and luxury.

One day, an incident happens that changes their whole life. The boy Tom goes to the palace, looking through the gates of bars at this beautiful miracle, as he is hungry and sad again. But then he was rudely pushed back into the crowd, giving a good slap, and it was one of the guards. But then suddenly the little prince, who appeared near the gates of his palace, stood up for the little beggar, and led him to his palace, where he treated him kindly and fed him. The beggar boy, who had not seen such blessings, was amazed and very moved. Meanwhile, the prince asked him about the life of poor people. He liked the amusement of the little beggar, who told how he and other boys played the king, which was he, Tom Kentley, and subjects.

The prince liked the entertainment, and everything seemed very interesting and even exciting. And so he offered to exchange clothes for a beggar boy. Tom agreed, but all this for a while. When they exchanged clothes, they realized that they were very similar. And then the prince ran out into the street, where the guards gave the tomboy a slap, and an identical bruise appeared on the prince, the newly-minted beggar. Everything seemed very funny at first, but once the prince was in the crowd, everything turned out to be not so funny.

The prince turned out to be simply helpless, because still feeling like a prince, a man, of royal blood, he could no longer give orders and wait for his orders to be executed. And therefore, he soon felt what cold, hunger and bitterness were, mixed with resentment and pain, which was no longer from physical violence, but from moral violence. And he began to understand not only poor Tom, who had been living like this all this time, not knowing even the slightest joy, but also other beggars who were starving, and especially children who were forced to do the same as their parents.

And at this time, Tom was accustomed to everything anew. Nobody seemed to suspect him, everyone considered it a little whim of the prince. Soon Tom got used to it, and then such a long-awaited day for the prince came - the coronation. Tom, who was sitting in the prince's seat, felt uncomfortable. But at the last moment, a prince appeared, with whom they exchanged clothes, and everyone recognized him as genuine. Everyone lived happily, and Tom Kentley was respected to the end of his days, and he lived in honor and wealth.

Picture or drawing The Prince and the Pauper

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The Prince and the Pauper is Mark Twain's first and most famous historical novel. The work was created in a Connecticut home and published in Canada in 1881. The first experience was more than successful. In the Soviet Union, the translation of the novel was repeatedly reprinted.

The novel is set in London in the 16th century. A boy appeared in the royal family, whose birth was expected by the whole country. It was the heir to the throne, Prince Edward. At the same time, another boy appeared in the poor family, whose birth no one wanted. His name was Tom Canty.

From the first days of his life, the prince was surrounded by prosperity and luxury. Tom Canty lives in poverty. The boy is constantly subjected to physical abuse by his father and grandmother. However, Tom does not lose heart. In the slums where the Kenty family lives, there is an old priest with whom Tom spends a lot of time. The old man teaches the boy to read, write and even Latin. The priest often tells Tom legends about kings and princes. Beautiful fairy tales capture the boy's imagination so much that he begins to try on the role of the heir to the throne. Gradually, Tom's friends are drawn into the game. Kenty portrays the prince, and his friends represent the retinue.

One day Tom finds himself near the royal palace, outside the gates of which he saw the Prince of Wales. The dream of a little beggar from the Court of Garbage to see a real prince has finally come true. The sentry, who notices the boy, throws him into the crowd. The rudeness of the guard caught the attention of Prince Edward. The prince stood up for Tom, and then invited him to his chambers. Left alone, the heir to the throne and the beggar suddenly notice that they are very similar to each other. Tom tells Edward about his life, about his thief father and sisters. Poverty seems so romantic to the prince that he invites Kenty to change clothes. Noticing a bruise on the hand of his new friend, the heir to the throne goes to the guard to reprimand him. However, the sentry, mistaking the prince for a "ragamuffin", because of which he got from His Highness, pushes Edward out of the gate, and the crowd that met him there drives the prince along the road until he is far from the palace.

Tom waited a long time for Edward in his chambers, but the heir never returned. Kenty tries to get out of the palace on his own, convincing the servants that he is not who they all think he is. The news of the "madness" of the young prince reaches King Henry, a cruel tyrant and a loving father at the same time. The king is deeply saddened by the sudden illness of his son. He forbids the courtiers to react to the strange behavior of the heir and in any way remind him of his illness.

By chance, Prince Edward ends up in the Court of Garbage, in the family of his double. The heir to the throne is angry at the way he is being treated by John, Tom's father. The Kenty family knew of the boy's morbid desire to play the part of a prince. That is why when a real prince tries to put John Canty in his place, Father Tom does not cause anything but rage.

The Kenti family was forced to flee the Garbage Yard. John accidentally killed an old priest who stood up for the prince. Taking advantage of the turmoil, Edward leaves his "relatives". He needs to get to the palace, because King Henry recently died. This means that not the legitimate heir can be crowned, but an impostor. However, he will not be able to reach the palace for a very long time. Edward will have to go through many adventures and ordeals.

Real life experience

The heir learns about the life of the common people, from whom he has always been so far away. He also learns about the cruelty of many English laws, about the injustice towards the poorest of his subjects. The prince has a devoted friend Miles Gendon, who, being from a wealthy family, also became a victim of injustice.

Edward manages to stop Tom Canty's coronation. The volume does not prevent the rightful heir from returning to the throne. King Edward VI lived a short life, but went down in the history of England as one of the most merciful rulers. The king did not forget to take care of the family of his double. Tom Canty lived a long time, enjoying honor and respect until the end of his days.

Tom Canty

Since childhood, Tom was different from his peers. He seemed to live in two worlds at the same time. The real world, in which he had to starve, endure humiliation and insults, was too unlike the radiant brilliant world that existed in his heart. While all the other children were adjusting to the life inherited from their parents, Tom was educated in a way that was accessible to him. Despite the difficult, full of hardships existence, the boy does not blame the king for his troubles, as others do. On the contrary, the images of kings and princes are full of nobility in the eyes of Tom.

The real character of the dreamer Kenti is revealed only when he falls into the place of his double. Tom shows wisdom and resourcefulness. He does not seek to take advantage of his new position for personal needs. Tom quickly realizes that life in the palace seems attractive only from the outside.

Prince Edward

From birth, Edward lived the way heirs to the throne usually live. What seemed like the ultimate dream to thousands of children in his country was a daily routine for the heir to the throne. Edward lives in a closed world of prosperity and material well-being, not even suspecting the needs of his subjects. Having met his double, the young prince naively asks about the attitude of his sisters to the servants. It never occurs to Edward that someone in his country does not have not only servants, but also a piece of bread.

Be sure to read - an American writer whose works are read by many generations of children and adults, and which can distract from any problems and despondency.

Another incredibly entertaining and light book is the story of Mark Twain, depicting the fascinating and almost carefree childhood of the boy Tom.

The character of the prince, like the character of Tom, is revealed only after he finds himself in the place of the poor. The reader notices in Edward a heightened sense of justice. The heir to the throne, unlike his tyrant father, cannot remain indifferent when a defenseless person is offended in his presence.

Courage and courage are two worthy character traits inherent in the young prince. The heir to the throne is not afraid to fight his offenders alone, even knowing that none of his servants will now come to his aid. Living among the poorest segments of the population helped Edward to know himself. As king, he knew exactly what he had to do for his most disadvantaged subjects.

The unusual situations in which quite ordinary characters find themselves are at the heart of the success of the novel. The stark contrast between the royal palace and the miserable shacks in the Garbage Court immediately arouses interest in the book and the desire to read it to the end.

Despite the gloomy scenes from the life of the inhabitants of London in the middle of the XVI century, the novel inspires optimism in those who read it. The example of poor Tom shows that a person's place of birth and the wealth of his family are not decisive for his future. The main thing is not how others see a person, but how he is in his soul. The little poor man fell in love with the world that he himself had created with all his heart. He did not wonder if this world was really available to him, he simply lived in the reality created in his soul. And one day a wild dream came true...

The Prince and the Pauper was written by Mark Twain in 1881. The author takes readers to the 16th century. True, the history of England has never known such events as the substitution of a prince, and not a single king has experienced the adventures that befell the protagonist of the book, Prince Edward, but nevertheless, the lives of ordinary people, the injustice of laws, the forced poverty of ordinary Englishmen described almost reliably and plausibly.

The main characters of M. Twain's novel "The Prince and the Pauper":

• Tom Canty- beggar. Thanks to the priest, he learned to read, and read books about another life with pleasure. Andrew's father told him legends, fairy tales. Tom began to read books and learned that there is a completely different life. He dreamed of seeing the Prince of Wales. In the future, he began to present himself as the Prince of Wales so much that his speech changed. He began to speak like a representative of high society. The boys at first mocked him, then respected him, recognized his leadership. The children told the adults, and the adults noticed how Tom Canty had changed. The adults began to consult with Tom. Tom started the Royal Court in his court, where he was a prince, and his friends were bodyguards, valets, lords, etc. It was a game. Beautiful, majestic. But life demanded that he beg. And one day, wandering around the city, he reached the royal palace. The prince invited him to the palace and they switched roles. Becoming king, Tom showed generosity and wisdom. True, his hands were often bound by conventions and etiquette. The prince's uncle tried to influence his actions. Tom began to enjoy being king. He made fewer and fewer mistakes.
• Tom's father- a negative hero: a drunkard, a thief and a brawler. Ignorant and heartless. This person does not know the feelings of love and affection.
• grandma- a beggar beggar. She also liked to drink, and when she drank, she used foul language.
• Beth and Nan- Sisters-dirty, twins 15 years old.
• Mother- a timid woman, downtrodden by her husband and poverty. She loved her son, and secretly from her father tried to hide the best piece for her son.
• Priest Andrew- a kind old man, not at all like the inhabitants of the house. He taught Tom to read and write, and even learned Latin. Protecting the prince, whom he mistook for Tom, Father Andrew died.
• King Henry VIII was a cruel and powerful king. Before his name trembled not only the subjects of England, but also neighboring countries. But he was a loving father to his children, and especially to Edward.
• Prince Edward of Wales- a good young man. He is well brought up and educated, as required by his destiny - to be king and master of his subjects. But at heart he remains a boy. He dreamed of escaping from the palace and at least for one day be in the role of a simple man, not a prince. But, dressed in the rags of a beggar, he continued to be a prince. Psychology, upbringing cannot be changed in one day. Under any, the most difficult circumstances, he retained his human and royal dignity.
• Edward Seymour Earl of Hertford The prince's maternal uncle. He wanted to take advantage of the "madness" of the prince to take the royal throne.
• Miles Gendon - protector and savior of the Prince of Wales. The impoverished nobleman, without knowing it, became a guardian angel for the young king.
• Humphrey Marlo - boy to be beaten in the royal palace. He became a friend for Tom, Tom learned a lot about royal orders and palace rituals from this boy.

King Edward regained his crown. He rewarded his friends, took care of the destitute. He ruled the country for a short time. But thanks to the trials that fell to his lot, he became a just king, and the people loved him.