Publisher's Synopsis
The prince and the beggar, identical doubles, meet and suddenly find themselves situated each in the role of the other; none of them are believed when they try to mend the confusion; both are led down unexpected paths until each learns a valuable lesson. The Prince and the Pauper was published in 1881 when Mark Twain was 46 years old and at the height of his career. It differs greatly from the rest of his works. Set in the 16th century, with great attention to historical details, it possesses the grace, charm, and irrational violence common in ancient folk tales. Twain's decision to set his tale in a real place and date, with a true king as its central character, had its consequences: he had to use great ingenuity to match his tale without damaging his plot or our sense of history. In the search to achieve this, he unloads his criticism against the laws, ignorance, superstition and injustice of the time. By setting the work during the reigns of Henry VIII and Edward VI, he manages to satirize the Court and at the same time, raise a moral according to his time.
