Essay Questions

What is the novel’s somewhat sobering conclusion about the nature of power?

The Prince of Wales is at birth conferred with an inestimable assumption of power, yet the minute he exchanges places with a beggar-boy all that potential power drains away to nothing. Tom Canty, meanwhile, co-opts that potential power of being heir to the throne of England in the exact same minute. In reality, however, Tom’s power is severely more constricted than Edward’s by virtue of being thought mad by the courtiers around him. The exact same position with the exact same expectation of power yet one of these boys is not like the other. On the other hand, even is his restricted circumstances as Prince, Tom wields more power than he has ever known, despite being the exact same boy who earlier was living the life of a beaten beggar-boy. On a lesser scale, the same principles apply to Miles whose power as first-born son is usurped by his younger conniving sibling. The message is abundantly clear: no matter the extent of the potential power one is afforded, that potential is utterly dependent upon how much others are willing to submit. Or, put another way, unlimited potential power is at the very same time unlimited potential for limiting the exercise of that power.

What is the unexpectedly radically subversive moral of the story?

One of the truly fundamentally unique American proverbial truths is the oft-repeated boast that “anyone can grow up to be President.” Nobody ever seriously made the same assertion about growing up to become King of England or Pope or Tsar. The United States of American introduced a truly radical concept into the world: leadership need not be dependent upon bloodlines or the violent usurpation thereof. Yet by the end of the novel, Twain has issued a proclamation: anyone could—not can, certainly, but could—become King of England. The ability to do the job is subjugated to the randomness of chance, but like President, it is not a job requiring any particular set of genetic combinations.

What kind of commentary do the events in the narrative make on the subject of mental capacity?

It has been observed that two people engaging in the same deranged acts existing outside the conventions of normality can be separated into two groups based on no other divergence other than economic: crazy and eccentric. A person of wealth or influence can be suspected of mental incompetence which is conveniently overlooked in deference to expectations of power. When Tom Canty is suspected of being the Prince of Wales suddenly exhibiting inexplicable behavior, he suffers no undo consequences and receives the official protection of the monarch. The actual Prince of Wales declaring himself the Prince of Wales despite all appearances to the contrary, however, is subject to relentless mockery, insults and ridicule and barely escapes murder at the hands of a truly mentally deranged man. The line separating crazy from eccentric is unambiguous, stark and iniquitous in its inequitable preference for the privileged.