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Mark Twain through Tom Canty’s speech implicitly would like to criticize the previous reign, the reign of Henry VIII, and regards this reign as a reign which full
of cruelty, that he calls it as a reign of blood.
b. Interfering the Church
In the novel, through Prince Edward’s adventure Mark Twain criticizes again the greatest nobleman in the Kingdom, King Henry VIII. Woodward in his
book states that Henry VIII had separated the English church from Rome and declared himself as the head of the English church in the 16
th
century. In the novel he declares himself as the ‘Only Supreme Head in earth of the Church of England’.
In the sixteenth century, the church in England experienced so many kinds of interference by the government. King Henry VIII and Queen Mary made some
policy related to the church. Kenneth O. Morgan 246-7 describes that Henry VIII declared some Acts in his reign, which some of them affected the role of the
Roman Church in England. Henry and Parliament finally threw off England’s allegiance to Rome in an
unsurpassed burst of revolutionary statute-marking: the Act of Annates 1532, the Act of Appeals 1533, the Act of Supremacy 1534, the First
Act of Succession 1534, the Treasons Act 1534, and the Act against the Pope’s Authority 1536. The act of Appeals proclaimed Henry VIII’s new
imperial status—all English jurisdiction, both secular and religious, now sprang from the king—and abolished the pope’s right to decide English
ecclesiastical cases. The Act of Supremacy declared that the king of England was supreme head of the Ecclesia Anglicana, or Church of
England—not the pope 1984.
Therefore, in the 16
th
century the nobles also had a strong influence in political and social aspects that they could insert their influence in the government
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Century states about the Duke of Northumberland’s policy which arranged to move English policy in a more Protestant direction. In Wikipedia’s Lady Jane
Grey, Henry VIII closed so many Catholic monasteries and divided the Churchs assets among his supporters, while it is no wonder that several Protestant nobles
had become wealthy because of the king’s policy. While, Lockyer 127 states that Queen Mary in her effort in retaining the
Roman church in England, burned approximately three hundred men and women who were accused of heresy against the Catholic church.
In the novel, Mark Twain inserts his criticism on the Prince Edward’s adventure when the Prince meets the hermits 164. Henry VIII has done too far in
using his authority including in religion aspect. He closes so many churches. Then because of it the hermit becomes crazy 167 and homeless and houseless 170.
That is why the hermit feels so vengeful to the King, even wants to kill everybody who has a relation with the king, including the prince who apparently a pauper.
“His father wrought us evil, he destroyed us-and is gone down into the eternal fires Yes, down into the eternal fires He escaped us-but it was God’s will, yes it
was God’s will, we must not repine. But he hath not escaped the fires, the consuming, unpitying, remorseless fires-and they are everlasting” 171.
CHAPTER V CONCLUSIONS AND SUGGESTIONS
This chapter contains two subchapters, they are conclusion and suggestion. The conclusion part consists of the answer of the two questions as stated in the
problem formulation. The suggestion part consists of two parts. First is the suggestion for future researchers and the second is suggestion for
implementation of teaching learning process.
A. Conclusions
Based on the analysis, Tom Canty and Prince Edward Tudor are described as two people who are look alike in physical appearance. Tom Canty and Prince
Edward are born on the same day, but different in the social context. Tom Canty is born in a poor family, while Edward Tudor is born in a rich family. Mark Twain
also describes the character traits of the two main characters which are also similar. Mark Twain describes Tom Canty and Prince Edward Tudor as a gentle,
mild mannered and kind people. Mark Twain also describes Tom Canty and Prince Edward Tudor as two people who have similar great-curiosity and strong
will. Based on the analysis, Tom Canty is described as a smart, intelligent and
brave boy. Tom Canty is also described as a person who is full of spirit and has special talent in adapting himself to the condition of his neighbourhood, even in a
new neighbourhood. Tom Canty is not only described as a person who has a great influence on other people surround him but also has willingness to learn
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