Edward Tudor, Prince of Wales having spent his entire life in the confines of the royal

apartments, he has daydreamed about the freedom experienced by boys such as Tom Canty.

Tom Canty As a pauper's son, he has been brought up in one of the most notorious parts of
London and has spent much time daydreaming about living the life of royalty.

King Henry VIII the loving father of Edward, Prince of Wales; he is anxious to see his son
installed as the heir apparent before it is discovered that the prince is mad.

John Canty the unloving and harsh father of Tom Canty; he keeps his son in tow solely so that
young Tom can beg money for him.

Bet, Nan, and Mother Canty The sisters and mother of Tom Canty, who try to protect him from
John Canty's brutality.

Father Andrew priest who teaches Tom how to read and write and teaches a bit of Latin

The Lady Jane Grey, The Lady Elizabeth, and the Lady Mary Half-sisters to Edward, Prince
of Wales. At many times, they are kind or sarcastic to Tom Canty, who they believe to be the real
prince.

The Lord Hertford and The Lord St. John -two lords of the realm in charge of overseeing the
welfare of the Prince of Wales.

Miles Hendon he is a good friend of young Edward Tudor, and he represents the best of
Englishmen; he thinks that the young prince is ill, and because he feels sorry for him, he
becomes his protector as they wander throughout the English countryside.

Hugo A gangster traveler member of the troop which holds the prince captive; later, he is beaten
by the prince in a contest of skill.

Hugh Hendon Miles's brother who grabs Miles's rightful place in the family and also marries the
woman Miles loves. He pretends not to recognize Miles Hendon, and responsible for Miles
Hendon and the young prince's being imprisoned.

Blake Andrews The old retainer of Miles Hendon's father; he comes to jail and explains the
several events that have emerged since Miles Hendon has been away.

Sir Humphrey Marlow (deceased) An old friend of Miles's father, Miles hopes that the old
fellow will help him regain his rightful position as a recognized member of the Hendon family.

Humphrey Marlow A young boy who is hired to take the prince's whippings. He helps young
Tom Canty adapt to his role as prince.
The Hermit A mad old man who takes young Edward in and pretends to be kind to him;
however, when he hears that Edward is the son of Henry VIII, the hermit is almost successful at
killing the lad.

BOOK SUMMARY

The Prince and the Pauper tells the tale of two boys who trade clothing one afternoon and, as a
result, they trade lives as well. After many adventures, matters are set right again, with one of the
boys resuming his rightful, royal position and the other boy accepting a position that recognizes
his inherent intelligence and good heartedness.

One of these boys is the long-awaited heir to the throne of England, Edward Tudor, son of Henry
VIII. The other boy is Tom Canty, the unloved son of a beggar and thief. Accidentally, Tom
Canty and Edward Tudor were born in London on the same day.
Tom Canty's life in Offal Court, off Pudding Lane, is a hard life in one of London's poorest areas.
He is forced by his father to go out begging daily, and he is beaten brutally if he returns
unsuccessful. Father Andrew, however, provides him some relief from this life by telling him
tales about the goodness, while instructing him in morality, reading, writing, and Latin.
Treasuring these tales, which tell of a considerably better life, Tom Canty creatively relives them
in his daydreams.

One day, Tom's daydreaming leads him out of the city of London, past the palaces of the rich,
and finally to Westminster, where he actually sees Edward Tudor at play on the other side of a
fence. At the same time, the prince notices Tom when he sees a soldier roughly pulling the young
boy away from the fence; the prince rebukes the soldier and invites Tom into the palace. Each of
the boys is captivated by the other's life — Tom, by the luxury and the cleanliness that Edward
has, and Edward, by the freedom that Tom has. To get a "feeling" of the other's life, they
exchange clothing and discover that they look very much alike.

When the prince discovers a bruise on Tom's hand, he rushes out of the palace, paying no regard
to the way he is dressed, to rebuke the guard. The guard, believing that the prince is the pauper,
immediately puts him out of the gates, and thus the stage is set for Edward Tudor to experience
the life of a free and for Tom Canty to live the life of a real-life prince.

Arrogantly and angrily proclaiming that he is the Prince of Wales, Edward is teased by the crowd
around the royal gate, beaten, and has several dogs set upon him; all the while proclaiming that
he is the son of the king. Rushed back into London, Edward walks around, not knowing where to
go until he is finally caught by John Canty, Tom's father, and dragged off to Offal Court.

In the meantime, young Tom Canty has been left in the prince's royal apartment in the palace. At
first, he enjoys the luxury of his surroundings, but he becomes increasingly apprehensive about
what will happen to him if he is discovered in the prince's clothing. The Lady Jane Grey talks
with him and becomes very confused about Tom's behavior; word quickly spreads that the prince
is mad. Every time that Tom tries to say something to dismiss this idea, it makes those around
him only more convinced that the prince has indeed gone mad.

After talking with his son, Henry VIII gives orders: first, he commands that the Duke of Norfolk
be killed so that the prince can be immediately named heir apparent with no opposition. Second,
he orders that all persons in the court say nothing about the prince's madness and that they ignore
any indications of it. Finally, he orders his son to say no more about living in Offal Court and to
try to regain his mental health. To this end, the Lord St. John and the Lord Hertford are to be his
companions, to watch over him, and to remind him of what he is to do.

The first ceremony that Tom must undergo is dinner. Although he blunders frequently, his
behavior is overlooked. Afterward, he finds a book dealing with the custom of the English court,
and he begins the process of learning to manage in his new position. His next ordeal is a city
dinner in London, toward which he and his entourage move in great splendor along the Thames
River.
The scene then shifts momentarily to the Prince of Wales, who is now in the controls of John
Canty. He is brought to the dirty room where the Cantys live and is put on display to show the
neighborhood his mad misunderstanding that he is the Prince of Wales; later, he is beaten
because he brought no money home.

Late that night, the Cantys are awakened by someone who has come to tell them that the man
whom John Canty struck with his stick, while bringing his son home, has died. They all leave
immediately, Canty keeping the prince in tow. The prince, however, manages to slip away from
old Canty.

While Tom dines with the nobility and watches the display of the dinner, the real prince stands
outside the Guildhall, trying to get in, asserting that he is the true Prince of Wales. The crowd
jeers at him and would have thoroughly beaten him until Miles Hendon had not suddenly
appeared and protected him. While the prince and Hendon are struggling with the crowd outside,
and while the nobility is having a merry time inside the Guildhall, a messenger carries the news
that Henry VIII is dead. Tom Canty is thus suddenly elevated from prince to king, and his first
act is to free the Duke of Norfolk.

Hendon, meanwhile, leads Edward Tudor through the crowd toward his quarters in a hotel on
London Bridge, then a city unto itself. John Canty, however, interrupts them and tries to take the
prince, whom he still believes to be his son, but Miles Hendon sends him away. In Hendon's
quarter, the prince acts out his familiar role and expects Miles Hendon to serve him; Hendon
does so, without a protest. As a reward for his help and kindness, Hendon is granted the right to
sit in the presence of the king and is made a knight.

In the morning, Hendon leaves while the prince is still sleeping and goes out to buy new clothes
for the boy. When he returns, however, the prince is gone, lured away by a boy who is later
joined by a gangster as they head toward Southwark. Although Hendon tries to follow, he loses
the trail.

That same morning, Tom Canty is awakened, dressed, and fed; then the Lord Hertford takes him
into the throne room, where he must sit through many dull reports on affairs of state. Although
Tom is learning to handle such situations, the Lord Hertford prevents him from making several
blunders. In the afternoon, Tom makes good use of an interview with Humphrey Marlow, his
whipping boy, to learn many of the things he needs to know, from this point on, Tom uses every
opportunity to learn, and to remember, important royal matters.

The next two days are similar to the first, and Tom becomes more accustomed to what he must
do. On the fourth day, however, the noise of a crowd diverts Tom's attention. Looking out the
window, he asks what the cause of this is and, after hearing about the trouble, he has the three
condemned people brought before him. Questioning them wisely and disposing of their
sentences decisively, he gains the admiration of all those present; his court also begins to wonder
about the so-called rumors of his madness. With the new confidence that his actions have given
him, Tom eats the state dinner, before all those who care to watch, without doubt, and without
error.
The prince, in the meantime, is lured into an old country barn by John Canty and Hugo, his
accomplice. He falls asleep on a pile of straw, and when he awakens, he hears many tales of
injustice at the hands of the law. Outraged, he declares such laws should be abolished. This, as
well as his assertion that he is the King of England, earns him the mockery of the troop of
travelers who have joined Canty and Hugo. Forced to travel with these beggars, the prince
nevertheless refuses to take part in their escapades, and he finally manages to escape from
Hugo's custody when he tells a man that Hugo is a thief. He then wanders alone across the
countryside, driven away whenever he begs for food or rest, until at last he finds an empty barn.
Sleeping that night next to a calf, the prince is awakened by two young children who believe his
story about his royal claim and take him to their mother. The woman feeds him and sets him to
doing a variety of household tasks. As he is working, however, he sees Canty and Hugo arriving
in front of the house, so he runs off toward the woods. There, he makes his way until he reaches
a hermit's hut. The hermit, who is genuinely mad, feeds the boy and cares for him, but when he
hears that the boy is the King of England, son of Henry VIII, he becomes consumed with
revenge; he ties up the prince and is about to drop a knife into him when Miles Hendon arrives at
the door. The hermit manages to lead Hendon away, but, accidentally, his absence allows John
Canty and Hugo to take the prince with them.

Once again, Hugo tries to make the Prince participate in begging and thieving; the prince
however, steadfastly refuses to have anything to do with such activities. Hugo therefore decides
to put the prince into the hands of the law, which he accomplishes by snatching a bundle,
thrusting it into the prince's arms, and dashing away. The appearance of guilt is enough for the
crowd that gathers, and the burliest of them is about to beat the prince when Miles Hendon once
again appears. To appease the crowd, Miles Hendon and the prince must go before the official.
The judge is kindly, and the sentence is short. Miles Hendon then manages to convince the
sheriff that the wisest course would be to free the boy, and the two leave, headed toward Hendon
Hall, from which Miles has been absent for some ten years.

When they arrive there, Miles's brother Hugh and the Lady Edith, who once loved Miles, deny
that Miles is still alive. In fact, Hugh Hendon has Miles arrested as an impostor, and the prince is
taken to jail along with him. There, the prince discovers the filthy conditions of his country's
prisons, and he hears more stories about the many injustices of English laws. Finally, Miles is
sentenced to sit two hours in the pillory; he also takes twelve lashes because the prince once
again tries to proclaim himself. When the two are released at last, they turn back toward London.

Accidentally, as the prince is returning to London, Tom Canty is rapidly learning to be a king and
is preparing for his coronation. On Coronation Day, he rides in a grand procession through
London. Riding past Offal Court, he sees his mother, and he denies knowing her; immediately,
however, he is stricken with sorrow.

The ceremony begins; then, suddenly, just as the Archbishop of Canterbury is about to place the
crown on Tom's head, the real prince steps forward and forbids it. Tom affirms the boy's claim.
Several inconclusive tests are tried in order to determine the identity of the boys, and finally the
location of the Great Seal of England is suggested. With some prompting from Tom, Edward
Tudor tells the Lord St. John where the seal is to be found, thus establishing his true right to the
throne of England.
When Miles Hendon, who has been separated from the prince, appears outside Westminster, he is
arrested and brought before the newly crowned king. Having believed throughout their travels
together that the boy was mad, Hendon cannot believe that his young friend, now on the throne,
is the same person. To test him, he pulls up a chair and sits in his presence; Edward affirms
Miles's right to do so, and he also affirms that he has made Hendon a knight and that,
furthermore, Hendon is now a peer of England, Earl of Kent. Later, Tom Canty is made the
King's Ward, and his sisters and his mother are granted lifetime care at Christ's Hospital.

The last chapter ties up loose ends of the plot: Hugh Hendon, though not prosecuted, leaves
England and goes to the Continent; the Lady Edith marries Miles; Edward amply rewards those
who were land to him, punishes those who were not, and makes damages to those who suffered
from the cruel injustice of English laws. Throughout his short life and reign, Edward Tudor
always remembers his adventures and reigns more mercifully because of them.

MORAL

The moral level of the novel The Prince and the Pauper is to always put yourself in the shoes of
other people because when you start seeing what you have in other people's perspective you
would learn to appreciate what you have. Like what the Prince Edward experience of being a
pauper also, Another moral is great leaders are those who understand how their publics feel. and
the prince's experience of being a pauper is a great privilege for him because it puts him in the
shoes of the lowest of his people... the pauper's experience, on the other hand, lets him realize
that though there is great wealth and pleasure in being a royal blood, the position entails great
responsibilities and that should make him understand that it is not easy being a leader.

Plot
Tom Canty, youngest son of a poor family living in Offal Court, London, has always aspired to a
better life, encouraged by the local priest (who has taught him to read and write). Loitering
around the palace gates one day, he sees a prince (the Prince of Wales – Edward VI). Coming too
close in his intense excitement, Tom is nearly caught and beaten by the Royal Guards; however,
Edward stops them and invites Tom into his palace chamber. There the two boys get to know one
another, fascinated by each other's life and their uncanny resemblance; they were born on the
same day. They decide to switch clothes "temporarily". The Prince momentarily goes outside,
quickly hiding an article of national importance (which the reader later learns is the Great Seal of
England), but dressed as he is in Tom's rags, he is not recognized by the guards, who drive him
from the palace, and he eventually finds his way through the streets to the Canty home. There he
is subjected to the brutality of Tom's abusive father, from whom he manages to escape, and meets
one Miles Hendon, a soldier and nobleman returning from war. Although Miles does not believe
Edward's claims to royalty, he humors him and becomes his protector. Meanwhile, news reaches
them that King Henry VIII has died and Edward is now the king.
Tom, posing as the prince, tries to cope with court customs and manners. His fellow nobles and
palace staff think "the prince" has an illness which has caused memory loss and fear he will go
mad. They repeatedly ask him about the missing "Great Seal", but he knows nothing about it;
however, when Tom is asked to sit in on judgments, his common-sense observations reassure
them his mind is sound.

As Edward experiences the brutish life of a pauper firsthand, he becomes aware of the stark class
inequality in England. In particular, he sees the harsh, punitive nature of the English judicial
system where people are burned at the stake, pilloried, and flogged. He realizes that the accused
are convicted on flimsy evidence (and branded – or hanged – for petty offenses), and vows to
reign with mercy when he regains his rightful place. When Edward unwisely declares to a gang
of thieves that he is the king and will put an end to unjust laws, they assume he is insane and
hold a mock coronation.

After a series of adventures (including a stint in prison), Edward interrupts the coronation as Tom
is about to celebrate it as King Edward VI. Tom is eager to give up the throne; however, the
nobles refuse to believe that the beggarly child Edward appears to be is the rightful king until he
produces the Great Seal that he hid before leaving the palace. Tom declares that if anyone had
bothered to describe the seal he could have produced it at once, since he had found it inside a
decorative suit of armor (where Edward had hidden it) and had been using it to crack nuts.

Edward and Tom switch back to their original places and Miles is rewarded with the rank of earl
and the family right to sit in the presence of the king. In gratitude for supporting the new king's
claim to the throne, Edward names Tom the "king's ward" (a privileged position he holds for the
rest of his life).

ABSTRACT (Philosophical Level)

The story of “The Prince and The Pauper” is about two boys who have the
same face but yet they are born in different social status. One is born as a
prince while another is born a beggar. Fate meets these two boys and they
decide to switch their clothes and their life. The prince boy lives as a beggar
and otherwise, the beggar boy lives as a prince. Both of them then live their
new life and finally they learn a lesson. In the end both of them are able to
switch each other again and they live happily.