What was Tom's first act as king in Mark Twain's The Prince and the Pauper?
Mark Twain's The Prince and the Pauper is, of course, a story about role reversal and learning empathy for others. Tom Canty, a poor boy who has spent his young life dreaming about living a life of luxury, suddenly becomes (at least to the world) Edward Tudor, the Prince of Wales and son of Henry VIII. Edward has always wondered what it would be like to live a life without the encumbrances of nobility, and he suddenly learns, firsthand.
In chapter fourteen, Tom suddenly becomes King of England because his father (actually Edward's father) has died. His first act as king reveals his kind heart and compassionate temperament, as well as his youth and inexperience.
Humphrey Marlowe is Tom's official whipping boy. Every time that Tom did not know his lessons properly, Marlowe was whipped (because of course a prince can never be punished). Now that Tom is king,...
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Marlowe is afraid he will be out of a job and he will no longer be able to support himself and his sisters. The new king assures his whipping boy that he will continue his lessons and continue to make mistakes, ensuring Marlowe's continued employment.
Of course, Tom is king and he could just as easily have gifted Marlowe in another way and spared him the whipping, but he is young and unaware of his royal prerogative. Tom does what he knows to do for the poor whipping boy, demonstrating his compassion and kindness.
“Yes, King Edward VI lived only a few years, poor boy, but he lived them worthily.”
What is Tom's first declaration as king in The Prince and the Pauper?
In chapter 14 of The Prince and the Pauper, Tom suddenly and unexpectedly finds himself crowned as the King of England due to the death of Prince Edward's father. That very morning, Tom is conducted to the throne room in order to conduct the business of the king. The first order of business has to do with the late king's bequeathals and other matters that either bore or confuse Tom.
At one point, the secretary of state asks the new king's assent to hold a reception for the foreign ambassadors the next day. Upon Lord Hertford's advice, Tom grants his consent to the reception. This appears to be his first official act as king. According to Hertford's advice, Tom makes similar decrees over such matters of business that may concern a new king, although he does not fully understand or agree with them.
However, the first declaration that Tom makes on his own shows both his kind spirit as well as his innocence. Humphrey Marlow, the prince's whipping boy, approaches Tom in a desperate state. He is concerned that he will lose his job now that the prince is now a king. Marlow's job as whipping boy is to be punished for the prince's mistakes during his scholastic lessons. This greatly distresses Tom, who hates to see anyone harmed on his account.
However, Marlow seems more concerned about losing his job now that the prince is the king. Tom takes pity on Marlow and makes him and his family the Hereditary Grand Whipping Boys to the English royal family. Of course, there is irony in this act of kindness that ensures that Marlow and his descendants will have secure employment in a job that seems absolutely barbaric in today's society.