The Prince and the Pauper

Mark Twain's 1881 novel examines sixteenth-century English society through an extraordinary premise. Two boys who look identical—Prince Edward, heir to the throne, and Tom Canty, a boy from the slums—exchange places and experience each other's worlds. Their adventures reveal profound truths about identity, class division, and humanity's capacity for compassion. The narrative serves as social commentary on inequality and the arbitrary nature of social hierarchy.