Symbols In The Prince And The Pauper
Jason Lee
Ms. Pat Cessna
English 10 - 2B
14 March 2015
Symbolism in the Prince and the Pauper
The Prince and the Pauper written by Mark Twain is another phenomenal novel that revolves around two boys, Edward the Prince of Wales and Tom who is a pauper, switching their lives. As many other successful novels, Mark Twain includes a countless amount of literary devices. One of the literary devices Mark Twain uses in The Prince and the Pauper is symbolism. In this story, Mark Twain uses three symbols that deal with the plot. The three symbols are the Great Seal of England, the clothing of the characters, and Offal Court. Through these three symbols, Twain provides the readers with both the background setting and the conflict of the story.
The first symbol Mark Twain displays in The Prince and the Pauper is the Great Seal of England. In the novel, the Great Seal of England represents the power that the king has with his country. For example, the first quote that shows the power of Great Seal of England is when the king makes the decision to kill the Duke of Norfolk. The king says, “I put my Great Seal in commission, choose thou the lords that shall compose it, and get ye to your work. Speed ye man! Before the sun shall rise and set again, bring me his head, that I may see it” (Twain 44). By signing the Great Seal of England, the king is able to make anything official. As a result, the Great Seal was a symbol of domination. Additionally, since the Great Seal represented the power of the king, it was also one of the few ways for the king or the prince to prove that he was the real one. When Edward tries to return everything back to normal after switching clothes with Tom, he shows the Great Seal of England to the people. Twain writes, “At last a sudden hush fell upon the house, and in the same moment St. John appeared upon the platform and held the Great Seal aloft in his hand. Then such a shout went up! Long live the true King!” (Twain 196). This shows that in order
Ms. Pat Cessna
English 10 - 2B
14 March 2015
Symbolism in the Prince and the Pauper
The Prince and the Pauper written by Mark Twain is another phenomenal novel that revolves around two boys, Edward the Prince of Wales and Tom who is a pauper, switching their lives. As many other successful novels, Mark Twain includes a countless amount of literary devices. One of the literary devices Mark Twain uses in The Prince and the Pauper is symbolism. In this story, Mark Twain uses three symbols that deal with the plot. The three symbols are the Great Seal of England, the clothing of the characters, and Offal Court. Through these three symbols, Twain provides the readers with both the background setting and the conflict of the story.
The first symbol Mark Twain displays in The Prince and the Pauper is the Great Seal of England. In the novel, the Great Seal of England represents the power that the king has with his country. For example, the first quote that shows the power of Great Seal of England is when the king makes the decision to kill the Duke of Norfolk. The king says, “I put my Great Seal in commission, choose thou the lords that shall compose it, and get ye to your work. Speed ye man! Before the sun shall rise and set again, bring me his head, that I may see it” (Twain 44). By signing the Great Seal of England, the king is able to make anything official. As a result, the Great Seal was a symbol of domination. Additionally, since the Great Seal represented the power of the king, it was also one of the few ways for the king or the prince to prove that he was the real one. When Edward tries to return everything back to normal after switching clothes with Tom, he shows the Great Seal of England to the people. Twain writes, “At last a sudden hush fell upon the house, and in the same moment St. John appeared upon the platform and held the Great Seal aloft in his hand. Then such a shout went up! Long live the true King!” (Twain 196). This shows that in order