Discussion Topic
Comparison of the social backgrounds and characteristics of Edward Tudor and Tom Canty in The Prince and the Pauper
Summary:
Edward Tudor and Tom Canty in The Prince and the Pauper have contrasting social backgrounds: Edward is a prince born into royalty, while Tom is a pauper from a poor family. Edward's life is filled with luxury and privilege, whereas Tom's existence is marked by hardship and poverty. Despite their different upbringings, both boys share a sense of curiosity and a desire to experience each other’s lives.
Compare and contrast Tom Canty and Edward Tudor in The Prince and the Pauper.
The physical comparison of these two characters is quite easy to do. They look identical to each other, and that is something that is pointed out to readers and the boys in chapter 3.
Thou hast the same hair, the same eyes, the same voice and manner, the
same form and stature, the same face and countenance that I bear. Fared we forth naked, there is none could say which was you, and which the Prince of Wales.
Other than that, the boys are quite different from each other. They have completely different socioeconomic experiences. Edward is a prince, and his every need is met. Tom struggles to obtain the basic necessities for life. If anybody should harbor angry feelings at the world and the people around him, it should be Tom; however, readers will quickly come to see that Edward's life of entitlement has developed him into a classic...
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jerk. He is ignorant of the world around him, he's full of pride, and he's incredibly selfish. It's one of the reasons why in chapter 10 he is still blaming Tom as a nefarious mastermind, and Edward plans to have him killed.
He easily concluded that the pauper lad, Tom Canty, had deliberately taken advantage of his stupendous opportunity and become a usurper. Therefore there was but one course to pursue—find his way to the Guildhall, make himself known, and denounce the impostor. He also made up his mind that Tom should be allowed a reasonable time for spiritual preparation, and then be hanged, drawn, and quartered, according to the law and usage of the day, in cases of high treason.
Of course his experiences outside of the palace walls are what allow him to become a much reformed person and king.
On the other hand, Tom is a much more static character. He starts out intelligent, empathetic to the plight of other people, and kind. Being kind is who he is, and that is who he is throughout the text. It's why he changes the law to a law of mercy rather than a law of blood:
Then shall the king's law be law of mercy, from this day, and never more be law of blood!
Tom is a great kid; however, Edward is the much more interesting character to read about because of his dynamic changes.
What are the social backgrounds of Edward Tudor and Tom Canty in The Prince and the Pauper?
Prince Edward Tudor comes from a royal background; as a prince, he lives a privileged lifestyle of grandeur and ease. Tom Canty is born into poverty; as a member of the impoverished class, his social standing is far beneath that of the prince's.
Tom Canty's family shares a dilapidated house with other "wretchedly poor families" at Offal Court. The whole family lives in a room on the third floor of the house. While his father and mother sleep on a bed of sorts, Tom, his grandmother, and his two sisters must made do with haphazard piles of straw on the floor. Tom's father, John Canty, is a thief, while the grandmother and the children work as beggars. Tom is regularly beaten by his father and grandmother for returning home empty-handed at night. Even Tom's mother is beaten by his father if she is caught slipping Tom small morsels of food.
Meanwhile, drunken brawls and riots regularly occur at Offal Court; in all, it is an unpleasant place to live. In the midst of such daily misery, Tom dreams of becoming a prince and rising above his circumstances.
His royal counterpart, Prince Edward, lives in luxury. He has his own servants and is always clothed in silks and satins. While Tom is the "Prince of Poverty," Edward is the "Prince of Limitless Plenty." When Prince Edward speaks, his servants obey him and his subjects stand in awe of him. Because of their social backgrounds, Tom and Edward live diametrically-opposed lives.