Nov 21, 2013 11:00 AM
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(Updated Nov 21, 2013 11:20 AM)
‘Classics are books that everyone admires but no one reads.’ *‘rightly quoted an immaculate writer of classics- Mark Twain. But here’s a classic by the same dramatist that all children and grown-ups desirous of light fiction would love to read and cherish.
Tom is in rags, and Edward is in robes. Tom starves daily, and Edward has delicacies. Edward is a prince and Tom is a pauper. Edward shines and Tom is shabby.
What then, is common in them? The answer lies in their exterior, voice and date of birth.
About the author:
Mark Twain: One of the most respected and loved authors of classics- Mark Twain is best remembered for his 2 excellent works – The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. We had Tom Sawyer’s abridged edition during school. Somehow I never enjoyed reading the curriculum books however interesting they were, but managed to gain immense interest in them after leaving school behind.
It was interesting to note that Twain was born shortly after a visit by Halley's Comet, and he predicted that he would "go out with it, " too. He died the day following the comet's subsequent return. He is a humourist as well who has given us numerous worthy quotes like- ‘A person who won’t read has no advantage over a person who can’t.’ and ‘A banker is a fellow who lends you his umbrella when the sun is shining, but wants it back the minute it begins to rain.’
Story: I had never heard of this book before I stumbled upon a list of works by the esteemed author. This title threw an indication that the story is simple, but intriguing. 13-year old Tom lives in his ramshackle hut with his parents, grandmother and siblings. He is accustomed to beatings and ill-treatment by his father. In the darkness of his heart, there flourishes a flame of hope- a hope of meeting a true prince and fascinations of a visit to any palace. This hope, with time, becomes the only passion of his life. He takes efforts to learn royal manners and speech. In due course, his neighbours start regarding him as a prince of past life and they come to him for advice. One fine day, beset by the daily sufferings, he wanders off to an unexplored place and lo! He meets a prince outside a palace - this spectacle fulfills his only motive in life. The prince is as old as him and is called Edward. Edward has never seen anyone dressed in rags before and expresses a keen desire to spend some time in privacy with him and switch robes for fun. No sooner do they exchange their clothes, than they realize that they look stunningly alike. Horrified at a beggar talking to the royal prince, the servants chase away the real prince Edward and usher the pauper- Tom inside the royal palace!
Tom as the king:Tired after trying to persuade the servants, king and princesses of his true identity, Tom succumbs to the gilded cage. The whole royal clan thinks that the prince has gone mad and treats him with respect, sympathy and compassion. Soon after, the king dies and Tom is declared as the successor. The forcefully ennobled little king is flabbergasted at the turn of things. He begins to dread the melancholy life where he is followed by a hoard of servants everywhere and where scratching his own nose also seems to be done by only the domestics.
Edward as the pauper: Edward’s adventures kick start the moment he is mistakenly dethroned. He meets various people- ones who treat him as their son, ones who mistreat him like a dog, and ones who sympathize with him for his loony behavior when he tells them that he is the king. But there seems no means to go back to his palace.
What happens when the true king Edward comes into the presence of Tom? Will Tom, now comfortable in the king’s skin, forsake all the luxury? What punishment will Tom get if the impersonation is revealed?
Quotes:
For a full belly is little worth where the mind is starved.
Tom, with a sigh of resignation murmured "Beshrew me, but I marvel these servants do not require to breathe for me also!"
He was indeed a captive now, and might remain forever shut up in this gilded cage, a forlorn and friendless prince.
God be merciful to me, a stricken man! Gone, the worthy taken and the worthless spared, in me!
The words smote upon the King's soul as the strokes of a funeral bell smite upon the soul of a surviving friend when they remind him of secret treacheries suffered at his hands by him that is gone.
Pros:
Simple story, writing flair, generous onomatopoeia usage.
The story transports us to an old era of kings, gives a picturesque description of their flamboyance.
Finely defined and etched characters that are thoroughly believable, relatable and pragmatic.
Rich vocabulary usage embedded with subtle humour.
Cons:
The dialogs are in archaic English. It may command extended investment of thy time to go through the story for those who hath interest!
As the cost of being called blasphemous, I found the story to be a tad marred. It is a bit unbelievable that Tom could learn the royal manners on his own to such an extent that the complete royal clan regarded him as the prince merely because of the swapping of clothes. One more point the author has ignored is the fact that Tom received thrashings from his family almost every day! How was his skin unblemished when he met Edward?
But the cons do not supersede the pros and I would award 3.5 stars to this lovely story. Happy reading!
