Prince and Beggar

Author: Mark Twain
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-03-01
Features: Chinese set of encyclopedic color picture classic reading books! Comes with expert introductions: background knowledge / author introduction / work summary; exclusively introduces exquisite illustrations by famous Italian artists; it is both a literary classic with beautiful color illustrations and an encyclopedia about the classic. In the mid-17th century in London, on a certain day, two children were born simultaneously. One was young Tom Canty, born in a dilapidated house in the slums, and his father was a rogue and thief. The other was Edward Tudor, the son of the British king, born in the royal palace. As the heir to the throne, he had been long-awaited, so the entire city of London celebrated his birth. Originally, no matter what, they would never meet. Young Tom begged in the streets every day, hunger was a daily occurrence for him, and he was often bullied and lived a miserable life as part of the lower class. Edward, on the other hand, received a good education from a young age and lived a wealthy life, completely unaware of what poverty was, and he was also the future heir to the throne. But incredibly, one day, the two children actually met face-to-face and got along well. Later, driven by curiosity, the two innocent children swapped clothes. Strangely enough, they looked just like they hadn’t changed clothes at all—on the surface, young Tom seemed like Edward, and Edward like young Tom. The prince, dressed in ragged clothes, sneaked out of the palace, intending to have some fun, but never expected that in order to prove his identity, he endured countless hardships and still no one believed him. In the end, he fell into the hands of thieves and ruffians. During those days, he truly experienced the hardships and injustices of life. Young Tom and Edward had completely different experiences; he unknowingly became the king. At first, he was filled with fear and anxiety, but gradually, he grew to enjoy the feeling of being a king. The ending of the story is full of drama and can be considered quite satisfying. The Prince and the Pauper is very interesting and thought-provoking, a realistic work that powerfully criticizes and satirizes the social reality of the time, telling people not to be too (superstitious of authority) or be deceived by external appearances. It is a work that inspires people to pursue justice and peace.