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Cover of The Prince and the Pauper

Historical Fiction

The Prince and the Pauper

by Mark Twain

The Prince of England and a pauper find their identities switched.

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First published
1881
Length
69,827 words
Reading time
About 4 hr 51 min
Language
English (US)

About the book

The Prince and the Pauper remains one of Twain’s more popular novels, having been adapted many times for the stage, screen, and elsewhere. When Tom Canty, a young pauper in London, meets Prince Edward, the two switch clothes and assume the other’s identity. Tom then learns the life of royalty, while the true prince discovers the troubles of commoners.

As usual, Twain delivers both humor and social commentary in abundance. Although aimed at children, Pauper provides moral and social criticism of topics like the justice system and inequality, and deals with themes which appeal to readers of all ages.

First published 1881; the Read4Max reading text contains approximately 69,827 words arranged in 40 navigable sections.

About the author

Mark Twain

Mark Twain (1835–1910) is described by Wikidata as American author and humorist (1835–1910), with citizenship or national association recorded as United States.

Recorded occupations include journalist, novelist, autobiographer, teacher, humorist, and children's writer. Languages recorded for Mark Twain include English and German. Wikidata lists Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer among Mark Twain's notable works. Open Library identifies Adventures of Huckleberry Finn as a leading work in its author record. Open Library catalogs 7399 works under this author record. The Read4Max catalog currently includes A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court, Pudd’nhead Wilson, Roughing It, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, The Autobiography of Mark Twain, and The Innocents Abroad under Mark Twain's authorship.

1835–1910

Reading options

  • A complete text with direct section navigation in the browser reader.
  • A downloadable EPUB for phones, tablets, desktop reading apps, and compatible ereaders.
  • Book and contributor metadata are checked against the source edition before indexing.

Themes and ideas

  • Historical fiction
  • London (England)
  • Impostors and imposture
  • Boys
  • Social classes
  • Princes
  • Edward VI, King of England, 1537-1553
  • Poor children

Table of contents

Open reader
Show all 40 sections
  1. Dedication
  2. Epigraph
  3. Preface
  4. The Prince and the Pauper
  5. I
  6. II
  7. III
  8. IV
  9. V
  10. VI
  11. VII
  12. VIII
  13. IX
  14. X
  15. XI
  16. XII
  17. XIII
  18. XIV
  19. XV
  20. XVI
  21. XVII
  22. XVIII
  23. XIX
  24. XX
  25. XXI
  26. XXII
  27. XXIII
  28. XXIV
  29. XXV
  30. XXVI
  31. XXVII
  32. XXVIII
  33. XXIX
  34. XXX
  35. XXXI
  36. XXXII
  37. XXXIII
  38. Conclusion
  39. General Note
  40. Endnotes
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