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The Prince and the Pauper is a historical fiction children's novel written by Mark Twain and published in 1881. The novel, set in 1547, follows two identical boys, one of whom-Tom Canty-is a pauper, and the other-Prince Edward-is the son of King Henry VIII of England. The story proceeds predictably as the prince encounters the cruelties and unjust punishments that his poor subjects suffer, and the pauper learns that the life of a prince is not as desirable as he had imagined. Twain's intent was to show young readers the dangers of judging others by appearances. The novel was Twain's first work of historical fiction, the genre in which Twain would find his greatest literary success. The novel itself has been adapted for stage and screen, but the overall plot-two people of very different economic status switch places-has become a standard of storytelling.
