The Prince and the Pauper

Violence is a motif that pervades the novel. Whom violence is enacted upon and whether this violence is accepted reveal important elements of Twain’s commentary on social class. The novel shows that in every social stratum, violence is directed downward. The king enacts violent laws on the country; aristocrats like Hugh Hendon inflict violence on their household and workers; local authorities abuse the public; and those at the lowest level, like John Canty, inflict domestic violence on women and children. In Tudor England’s social hierarchy, the ability to inflict violence is a marker of power and prestige. Therefore, even those in the lower classes can feel empowered if there is a class of people—defined by gender, age, or any other factor—that they can violate with impunity.

Tom’s introduction shows that violence is a regular part of his life as an impoverished child; his father and grandmother regularly abuse him, and he suffers “customary cuffs and abuses” (17) from people during his days begging. Edward has a similar experience once he changes social standing: He is hit by a guard as soon as he leaves the royal palace dressed as a pauper, and throughout his adventure, he is frequently assaulted and abused. Women are abused and intimidated throughout the novel as well. Tom’s mother and sisters also experience from John’s abuse, and although Edith is an aristocrat, Hugh intimidates her into silence with the threat of violence. The novel also contains abusive female characters, like Tom’s grandmother and Princess Mary.

Tom’s experience of royal life are notably different: No violence can be directed against the royal family. Tom learns that when Edward was punished, the whipping boy was beaten in his place. Being a prince led Edward to the view such casual cruelty as the norm. This mindset results in his shock and outrage once he suffers the violence his family metes out to others. When a guard threatens Edward on his first day as Tom, he threatens, “thou shalt hang for laying thy hand upon me” (27). Later when a gang of “hooligans” assaults Edward, the narrator states, “Then followed such a thing as England had never seen before—the sacred person of the heir to the throne rudely buffeted by plebeian hands, and set upon and torn by dogs” (30). Being the victim of violence is thus a class marker, and a humiliating one for Edward, who is consistently proud of his social standing.