The Prince and the Pauper
CRITIQUE | THE TEXT
First Canadian editionSubtitle
A Tale For Young People of All Ages
First publication
1881
Literature form
Novel
Genres
Literary, historical fiction, adventure, children's
Writing language
English
Author's country
United States
Length
Approx. 60,500 words
Notable lines
I will set down a tale as it was told to me by one who had it of his father, which latter had it of his father, this last having in like manner had it of his father—and so on....
— First line, "Preface"
In the ancient city of London, on a certain autumn day in the second quarter of the sixteenth century, a boy was born to a poor family of the name of Canty, who did not want him.
— First line, "Chapter 1"
It may be history, it may be only a legend, a tradition. It may have happened, it may not have happened; but it could have happened.
He had a hard time of it, but did not know it. It was the sort of time that all the Offal Court boys had, therefore he supposed it was the correct and comfortable thing. When he came home empty-handed at night, he knew his father would curse him and thrash him first, and that when he was done the awful grandmother would do it all over again and improve on it; and that away in the night his starving mother would slip to him stealthily with any miserable scrap or crust she had been able to save for him by going hungry herself, notwithstanding she was often caught in that sort of treason and soundly beaten for it by her husband.
"When I am king, they shall not have bread and shelter only, but also teachings out of books; for a full belly is little worth where the mind is starved, and the heart."
The reign of Edward VI was a singularly merciful one for those harsh times. Now that we are taking leave of him, let us try to keep this in our minds, to his credit.
— Last lines
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CRITIQUE | THE TEXT
