The Prince and the Pauper · Chapters
Chapters explained
Chapter companions for The Prince and the Pauper by Mark Twain.
Chapter 1
Dedication
The author affectionately dedicates the book to his children, Susie and Clara Clemens.
Chapter 2
Epigraph
The epigraph quotes a passage from Shakespeare's 'The Merchant of Venice' on the theme of mercy, suggesting that mercy is a divine quality that blesses both the giver and the receiver, and is especially fitting for a monarch.
Chapter 3
The Prince and the Pauper
This opening chapter introduces the two main characters, Tom Canty and Prince Edward Tudor, born on the same day in vastly different circumstances. Tom grows up in poverty and neglect in Offal Court, while Edward is born into royal luxury. The chapter sets up the stark contrast between their lives, foreshadowing the eventual swap of identities.
Chapter 4
The Birth of the Prince and the Pauper
On the same autumn day in 16th-century London, two boys are born into vastly different circumstances: Edward Tudor, the long-awaited Prince of Wales, is celebrated by all of England, while Tom Canty, born into a poor family that does not want him, goes unnoticed except by his own pauper family.
Chapter 5
II: Tom’s Early Life
This chapter describes Tom Canty's impoverished childhood in Offal Court, London, detailing his family's squalid living conditions, his abusive father and grandmother, and his mother's secret kindness. Despite his hardships, Tom finds solace in the tales and teachings of the good priest Father Andrew, which fuel his imagination and his longing to see a real prince. His fantasies lead him to adopt princely manners and even organize a mock royal court among his peers, but his desire to behold a true prince becomes an all-consuming passion. The chapter ends with Tom returning home cold and hungry, dreaming of royal splendor, only to wake to the bitter reality of his wretched life.
Chapter 6
Tom's Meeting with the Prince
Tom Canty, a poor boy from Offal Court, wanders to Westminster Palace and is mistaken for a beggar by a soldier. Prince Edward Tudor intervenes, invites Tom inside, and they share a meal. The two boys discover they look identical and decide to swap clothes. Edward, dressed in Tom's rags, is thrown out of the palace by the soldier, who does not recognize him.
Chapter 7
IV: The Prince's Troubles Begin
After being abandoned by the mob, the prince wanders lost through London, bruised and exhausted. He seeks help at Christ's Church but is mocked and attacked by the boys there. Later, he is seized by John Canty, who claims to be his father and drags him away.
Chapter 8
Tom as a Patrician
Tom Canty, alone in the prince's cabinet, admires his new finery but grows anxious as the prince does not return. He fears being caught and executed. When Lady Jane Grey enters, he reveals his true identity, causing her to flee in horror. Rumors spread that the prince has gone mad. Tom is brought before King Henry VIII, who tries to comfort him, but Tom insists he is a pauper and begs to be released. The king, distressed, tests Tom's Latin and finds his responses lacking.
Chapter 9
Tom Receives Instructions
Tom is instructed by Lord St. John and Lord Hertford to conceal his identity and act as the prince, following King Henry VIII's command. He interacts with Princess Elizabeth and Lady Jane Grey, who help him navigate courtly conversation, and prepares for the Lord Mayor's banquet.
Chapter 10
Tom's First Royal Dinner
Tom Canty, now mistaken for Prince Edward, endures his first formal royal dinner, struggling with the elaborate etiquette and customs of the court. He eats with his fingers, fills his pockets with nuts, and scratches his own nose when it itches, all while the courtiers watch with sorrowful compassion. After the meal, he retreats to his private cabinet, where he tries on a suit of armor but soon abandons it to eat nuts and read a book on court etiquette.
Chapter 11
VIII: The Question of the Seal
King Henry VIII awakens from troubled dreams, aware of his failing health and eager to sign the warrant for the Duke of Norfolk's execution. He discovers the Great Seal is missing, having been given to the Prince of Wales (Tom Canty), who cannot recall where it is due to his affliction. The king, in a fit of rage, orders the Lord Chancellor to use the smaller seal and proceed with Norfolk's beheading.
Chapter 12
IX: The River Pageant
Tom Canty, mistaken for Prince Edward, is the center of a grand river pageant. Dressed in magnificent royal attire, he steps onto the palace terrace before a massive crowd and a procession of nobles, as the city celebrates what it believes is the Prince of Wales.
Chapter 13
The Prince in the Toils
Prince Edward, now mistaken for Tom Canty, is dragged to Offal Court by John Canty and subjected to abuse. Tom's mother and sisters show him compassion, but his insistence that he is the king's son convinces them he has lost his wits. After a violent incident involving Father Andrew, the Canty family flees into a festive crowd celebrating the Prince of Wales. Edward escapes John Canty's grip and realizes Tom Canty has taken his place as prince, resolving to denounce the impostor.
Chapter 14
At Guildhall
Tom Canty, mistaken for the prince, attends a grand banquet at Guildhall with Princess Elizabeth and Lady Jane Grey, witnessing elaborate festivities. Meanwhile, the real Prince Edward is outside the gates, proclaiming his identity and being mocked by the crowd. Miles Hendon defends Edward, and they escape as a messenger announces the king's death. Tom, now recognized as king, decrees mercy by sparing the Duke of Norfolk.
Chapter 15
XII: The Prince and His Deliverer
Miles Hendon escorts the little prince (now King Edward VI) through the crowds on London Bridge, where they learn of King Henry VIII's death. They lodge at an inn on the Bridge, where John Canty attempts to seize the boy but is thwarted by Hendon. The king, still believing himself royalty, insists on being treated as such, and Hendon humors him. The king hears Hendon's tale of betrayal by his brother Hugh and vows to right his wrongs.
Chapter 16
XIII: The Disappearance of the Prince
Miles Hendon cares for the sleeping king, takes his measurements, and buys him a secondhand suit of clothes. While Hendon is sewing and planning their journey to Hendon Hall, the king is tricked into leaving with a youth who claims Hendon sent for him. Hendon discovers the boy missing, learns from a servant that a ruffian joined them on the bridge, and vows to search the land until he finds his 'poor little mad master.'
Chapter 17
XIV: “Le Roi Est Mort—Vive le Roi”
Tom Canty awakens to find himself still king, now that Henry VIII has died. He struggles through a tedious council meeting, where he is pressured to approve expenses and grants, and longs for his former freedom. He meets his whipping-boy, Humphrey Marlow, and learns the strange custom of a substitute taking punishment for the prince's faults. The chapter ends with Tom enduring the elaborate and exhausting royal dressing ceremony.
Chapter 18
Tom as King
Tom Canty, now acting as king, struggles with the burdens of royalty and the loneliness of his new role. He receives foreign ambassadors, endures ceremonial duties, and longs for freedom. When a mob is halted outside the palace, Tom learns they are following three condemned prisoners to execution. Moved by compassion, he orders them brought before him. He recognizes the male prisoner as the man who once saved a drowning boy, but the man is accused of poisoning. Despite the prisoner's plea of innocence, the evidence seems damning. Tom grants the man's desperate request to be hanged rather than boiled alive, and vows to reform the cruel law.
Chapter 19
XVI: The State Dinner
Tom Canty, now accustomed to royal life, participates in a grand state dinner with elaborate ceremonial rituals. He successfully navigates the public dining ordeal, gaining confidence in his role as the prince.
Chapter 20
Foo-Foo the First
Miles Hendon searches for the king in Southwark but loses the trail; he deduces the boy will head for Hendon Hall. Meanwhile, the king is lured into a trap by Hugo and recaptured by John Canty, who has disguised himself as a lame ruffian. Canty forces the king to join a gang of thieves and vagabonds, where the king witnesses their crude revelry and hears tales of their brutal lives. The chapter ends with the king grieving for his father, Henry VIII.
Chapter 21
The Prince with the Tramps
Prince Edward, now forced to travel with a gang of vagabonds, endures a harsh march and witnesses their cruel behavior. He refuses to beg or steal, leading to conflict with Hugo. After a failed begging scheme, Edward escapes and wanders alone, cold and hungry, until he finds shelter in a barn with a calf, where he finally sleeps peacefully.
Chapter 22
XIX: The Prince with the Peasants
The king awakens in a barn, comforted by a rat, and is discovered by two little girls, Prissy and Margery, who believe his claim to be the King of England. Their mother takes him in, feeds him, and tries to uncover his origins through various questions, eventually concluding he must have worked in a palace kitchen. The king attempts to cook but burns the food, leading to a scolding, but the woman softens and allows him to eat at the family table. John Canty and Hugo arrive, forcing the king to flee with a basket of kittens.
Chapter 23
The Prince and the Hermit
Prince Edward, fleeing from his captors, seeks refuge in a forest and encounters a hermit who claims to be an archangel. The hermit initially welcomes the king, but upon learning Edward is the son of Henry VIII, he becomes vengeful and binds the sleeping boy, intending to kill him.
Chapter 24
Hendon to the Rescue
The hermit prepares to kill the captive king, but his plan is interrupted by Miles Hendon's arrival. Hendon confronts the hermit, who claims to be an archangel and deceives him into leaving. After Hendon departs, John Canty and Hugo enter, free the king, and drag him away.
Chapter 25
XXII: A Victim of Treachery
The king, still captive among the tramps and outlaws, endures mistreatment from Hugo and Canty. Hugo attempts to humiliate him by forcing a false sore on his leg, but a stranger intervenes. Later, Hugo frames the king for theft, but Miles Hendon arrives to rescue him just as the crowd closes in.
Chapter 26
XXIII: The Prince a Prisoner
Prince Edward, still mistaken for a commoner, is accused of stealing a pig and brought before a justice. Miles Hendon advises him to submit to the law. The woman who accused him initially values the pig at three shillings and eightpence, but when the judge explains that theft above thirteenpence ha'penny carries a death sentence, she revises the value to eightpence to save the boy. Hendon overhears the constable coercing the woman into selling the pig cheaply by threatening to expose her false oath. The judge sentences Edward to a short imprisonment and public flogging. Edward rebels at the thought of entering a common jail, but Hendon urges patience and trust.
Chapter 27
The Escape
Miles Hendon blackmails the constable into allowing Edward to escape by revealing he knows about the constable's unjust seizure of a pig, threatening him with legal consequences.
Chapter 28
Hendon Hall
Miles Hendon and the king travel leisurely toward Hendon Hall, sharing stories of their adventures. Upon arrival, Miles is shocked to find his brother Hugh denies his identity, claiming Miles died in battle years ago, and that their father is dead.
Chapter 29
Disowned
Miles Hendon and the king discuss the king's plan to write a letter in three languages to Lord Hertford. Hendon is preoccupied with Lady Edith's strange behavior, suspecting she was compelled to deny him. When Lady Edith enters, she warns Miles to leave, insisting she does not know him and that his life is in danger. She reveals her husband's tyranny. Miles refuses her purse and demands she swear she does not know him, which she does. Officers then burst in, overpower Hendon, and take both him and the king to prison.
Chapter 30
In Prison
King Edward and Miles Hendon are imprisoned together in a crowded cell. Edward converses with fellow prisoners, learning of their harsh sentences and becoming furious at the injustices. He vows to reform the laws when he regains his throne. Hendon wrestles with confusion over Lady Edith's apparent rejection. An old servant, Blake Andrews, recognizes Hendon but pretends not to, offering secret loyalty.
Chapter 31
The Sacrifice
Miles Hendon is tried and sentenced to the stocks for vagrancy and assault. The king, Edward, witnesses his servant's humiliation and attempts to intervene, but is threatened with a whipping. Hendon volunteers to take the lashes in the king's place, and Edward, moved by the sacrifice, dubs him an earl. The mob's hostility subsides into respectful silence.
Chapter 32
To London
After being released from the stocks, Miles Hendon and the King (Edward) set out for London, where Hendon hopes to seek justice from the young king. They become separated in a riot on London Bridge on the night before Coronation Day.
Chapter 33
Tom's Progress
While the true king Edward wanders in poverty and hardship, Tom Canty grows increasingly comfortable and delighted with his royal role. He loses his fears, enjoys the pomp and ceremony, and begins to wield power with confidence, even commanding nobles and defending the oppressed. However, he is occasionally haunted by guilt over the lost prince and his own family, though these thoughts fade as his coronation approaches.
Chapter 34
The Recognition Procession
Tom Canty, still posing as King Edward VI, participates in the grand recognition procession through London. Initially filled with pride and excitement at the adulation of the crowds, he is overwhelmed with guilt and shame when he sees his mother in the crowd. She recognizes him and rushes to embrace him, but he denies knowing her, and she is roughly pulled away by a guard. The encounter shatters Tom's joy, leaving him consumed by remorse and longing to be free of his captivity.
Chapter 35
Coronation Day
On the day of the coronation, Tom Canty is about to be crowned when the true king, Edward, arrives in rags and reveals himself. After a series of questions and the discovery that the Great Seal is missing, Tom recalls that Edward used it to crack nuts, proving Edward's identity. Edward is crowned king, and Tom is spared and honored.
Chapter 36
Edward as King
Miles Hendon searches for Edward in London, following the royal procession to Westminster, but falls asleep from exhaustion. He later approaches the palace to seek Sir Humphrey Marlow, but is arrested as a suspicious character. A document found on him leads to his release and escort into the palace, where he witnesses Edward, now crowned king, dispense justice: he restores Hendon's lands and titles, orders the arrest of Sir Hugh, and honors Tom Canty by making him the King's Ward.
Chapter 37
Conclusion
The mysteries are resolved: Hugh Hendon confesses to forcing Lady Edith to deny Miles, and he later dies on the continent. King Edward VI, having reclaimed his throne, dispenses merciful justice—freeing the wrongly imprisoned, punishing the cruel official, and saving several from execution. Tom Canty lives to an honored old age as the King's Ward, and Miles Hendon (now Earl of Kent) retains his privilege of sitting in the sovereign's presence. Edward's brief reign is remembered as singularly merciful, and he often retells his adventures to keep compassion alive in his heart.
Chapter 38
General Note
The author introduces a reflection on the so-called 'Blue Laws of Connecticut,' arguing that they were actually a humane and early departure from the judicial brutality of the time, contrasting them with the far more severe English legal system that punished over two hundred crimes by death within living memory.
Chapter 39
Endnotes
The endnotes provide historical context and commentary on the events and institutions referenced in the novel, including the founding of Christ's Hospital by Edward VI, the repeal of harsh laws under his reign, and various legal and social practices of the Tudor period.
