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sister, is fourteen, and the Lady Jane Grey, my cousin, is of my own age, and comely and gracious withal; but my sister the Lady Mary, with her gloomy mien
and – Look you: do thy sisters forbid their servants to smile, lest the sin destroy their souls?” 14. From this quotation, it can be seen that prince Edward does not
like what his sister Lady Mary does that is forbidding her servants even to smile. He does not agree even he refuses to treat his servants so. He treats them as his
meanest person. Just like as Tom Canty, the Prince is also a person who is full of curiosity.
When the Prince listens to the story of Tom Canty more and more about the life and the freedom that Tom Canty has, the Prince becomes more interested. His
curiosity encourages him to get an idea to exchange his position with Tom Canty and this character will bring him into an adventure that leads him to be a good
King later.
b. Outside the Palace
Edward Tudor’s meeting with a boy who comes from the lowest level of English society, Tom Canty, makes Edward starts in experiencing the life in the
lower society where he is now involved. By these experiences, he realizes that not everyone has the same condition as what he already has. He finds out that some
people have to struggle for himself in their life, and for other people besides them. Prince Edward’s sorrow starts after he leaves the palace. He gets a lot of
mocking from the other people. After he walks some hours, he meets the Christ’s church, a shelter where his father puts the poor and the forsaken children. “It is
the ancient Grey Friars’ church, which the king my father hath taken from the PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
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monks and given for a home forever for poor and forsaken children, and new- named it Christ’s church. Right gladly will they serve the son of him who hath
done so generously by them….” 19. Edward feels that his troubles will be over that he will get some help, but what actually happens is that he gets another
mocking and even such a thing which scratch the throne of England’s honour. The Prince of Wales is rudely buffeted by plebeian hands, and set upon and torn by
dogs 21. Then he realizes that there is something missing in that place. The children, who belong to his father’s subjects, have not got their rights as a citizen
yet. Roger Lockyer 33 implies that King Henry VIII was a king who seemed willing to devote himself to enjoyment, and spend the treasure of his father. In his
reign, it seemed that Henry VIII let his noblemen govern for him while he wasted his time on pleasure. Prince Edward finds that the children in the orphanage have
not got enough education beside the shelter and the food. The experience in the Christ’s church gives him an insight of what to do
later when he becomes the king. “When I am king, they shall not have bread and shelter only, but also teachings out of books; for a full belly is little worth where
the mind is starved, and the heart. I will keep this diligently in my remembrance, that this day lesson be not lost upon me, and my people suffer thereby; for learning
softeneth the heart and breedeth gentleness and charity” 22. From the story, Mark Twain shows the character of the Prince which is very gentle. He does not
take the bad experience with anger but with gentleness. This is the kind of character trait that makes Prince Edward one step forward from his father as king.
Prince Edward journey continues to his meeting with John Canty, Tom’s father, who recognizes the prince as the “mad” Tom. As usual, John Canty still
57
treats “Tom” rudely. He asks the Prince to beg to pay the owner of the house. But of course, Edward who is born in honour refuses it and he stands to protect his
honour. “Offend me not with thy sordid matters. I tell thee again I am the king’s son” 60. Then, when Mrs. Canty protects him from the John’s beatings Prince
Edward springs away from Mrs. Canty. It is because he does not want other people suffers for him. “Thou shalt not suffer for me, madam. Let these swine do
their will upon me alone” 60. Implicitly, Mark Twain describes that Prince Edward is not only as a person who is full of pity to other people and will not let
others suffer for him, but also as a tough person. Mark Twain describes how hard the journey of the Prince is. While Tom
Canty exclaims the end of the reign of blood, after the death of the greatest nobleman in the Kingdom, the real prince mourns for the death of the king, his
father, the king, that even he can not attend. “The tidings struck to a chill to the heart of the poor little waif, and sent a shudder through his frame. He realized the
greatness of his loss, and was filled with a bitter grief; for the grim tyrant who had been such a terror to others had always been gentle to him” 76.
From the quotation above, it can be revealed that Prince Edward, who from now on called King Edward VI, suffers more than just his loss feeling of his father.
Moreover, the people’s delight hurts him more, because in the middle of his mourning of his father death, they are happy of his father death. “The tears sprung
to his eyes and blurred all objects. For an instant he felt himself the most forlorn, outcast, and forsaken of God’s creatures…” 76. Once again, Mark Twain shows
not only how big-hearted King Edward Tudor is, but also how objective the Edward’s point of view is. In his mourning, Edward realizes that his father, as a
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king, has a role as a tyrant for his subjects. That is why the people are happy, not because of the death of the king, but because the end of the reign of blood.
Therefore, in his mourning he finds some consolation for himself. The consolation is that he hears the people shout “Long live King Edward the Sixth”
and he realizes that he is king now. “… and this made his eyes kindle, and thrilled him with pride to his fingers’ ends. “Ah,” he thought, “how grand and strange it
seems-I
AM KING
” 76. In this case, Mark Twain inserts an ironical fact that Prince Edward becomes king but not in his throne now, the “higher” place in
England, however he is in the “lower” place in England. Fortunately, in his hard journey, King Edward meets a person who is very
kind to him. He is Miles Hendon. Miles takes care the King compassionately, because he considers the King as a person who is weak, non-guarded, and ‘mad’.
“…In his diseased ravings he called himself the Prince of Wales, and bravely doth he keep up the character. Poor little friendless rat, doubtless his mind has been
disordered with ill usage” 80. But something that makes him give such a pity to the King actually is that the King is a gentle person, as shown in his sweet and
gentle face, who needs some helps and moreover he has no friend. “….what a comely, sweet and gentle face he hath, now that sleep hath conjured away its
troubles and griefs. I will teach him, I will cure his malady; yea, I will be his elder brother, and care for him and watch over him….“ 81.
Therefore, the prince, who is very generous, endues Miles by offering a reward as his gratitude of Miles’ help. Edward Tudor who becomes king now
knows that Miles’ helps means a lot for him. “Thou didst save me injury and shame, perchance my life, and so my crown. Such service demanded rich reward.
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Name thy desire, and so it be within the compass of my royal power, it is thine” 87. The prince is not only a generous person, but also a just person. He gets
angry when he listens to the Miles’ story. “Thou hast been shamefully abused” said the little king, with a flashing eye. “But, I will right thee-by the cross will I
The king hath said it” 87. The King does not like to hear any injustices in his kingdom. That is why he gets very angry hearing the injustices that happens to
Miles, his friend. Unfortunately, after meeting a good friend in his journey, Edward gets
alone again. It is because of John Canty’s trick that makes the King is being separated from Miles. Then, Edward Tudor has to face the troubles alone again.
John Canty sends Hugo to bring the Prince to him. Then John Canty and Hugo join a vagabonds’ gang, and also the King with them. He realizes that there are so
many of his subjects suffer and become the deserted people. ….the motliest company of tattered gutter scum and ruffians, of both sexes,
he had ever read or dreamed of. There were huge, stalwart men, brown with exposure, long-haired, and clothed in fantastic rags; there were
middle-seized youths, of truculent countenance, and similarly clad; there were blind mendicants, with patched or bandaged eyes; crippled ones, with
wooden legs and crutches; there was a villain-looking peddler with his pack; knife-grinder, a tinker, and a barber-surgeon, with the implements of
their trades….there were three sore-faced babies…. 136.
He meets the people that he has only learnt from the books, about the vagabonds, the ruffians; consist of beggars, thieves, robbers, slaves, deceiver, and
etc. The vagabonds were included in the third class of the poor. The gang consists of people who feel disappointed with the English laws, and they were usually
hunted by the government they get some injustices in their life. They were people who could work but they preferred to beg or steal. This group worried the
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government as they were mostly troublesome. They are the people who are being deserted by the society and the law; it is no wonder that they are so rude Poor in
Elizabethan England. His understanding of his own subjects comes since he is in the Christ’s
church that what are needed by his subjects is not only bread and shelter, but also the teaching, so that they can acquire the softness of the heart, gentleness and
charity. He understands truly that in the poverties, his subjects may become rude and tricky. The King is aware that the English laws also force his subjects to
become ‘wild’. As when he meets a blind man, who actually has two healthy eyes. “One of the blind men got up, and made ready by casting aside the patches that
sheltered his excellent eyes, and pathetic placard which recited the cause of his calamity” 136, and a cripple beggar, who actually has strong feet. “Dot-and-go-
One disencumbered himself of his timber leg and took his place upon sound and healthy limbs….” 136.
In this gang he realizes how actually the life of his subjects, and what the law has done to them. The King is aware of the effect of the English laws to his
subjects. He sees the effects of his father’s laws to the common inhabitants and it will drag them to the crime. He realizes it when he hears Mr. Yokel’s story 140.
Formerly, Mr. Yokel is a farmer and has a prosperous life. His mother is killed by the injustices of the English laws. His mother is accused of being a witch. Mr
Yokel himself also experiencing the injustices of the English Laws. He looses his wife and his children when the law drag him away from his wife and his children.
Then he looses his wealth, is punished; his ears are removed and he is sold as a PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
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slave. Then now he joins the ruffians’ gang. This is an ironic fact for Edward who is very gentle.
In the story, Edward Tudor is also described as a person who can learn to adapt, just like as Tom Canty. Even he is a very humble person. After Edward
escapes from John Canty and the gang, he meets a family which is very kind to him. They feed him, and they give a place to Edward in their table. Therefore,
Edward, who is touched by the kindness of the family, removes his identity as King and sits at the family table and eats with them. He does not ask them to stand
while he is eating, as when he is eating in the palace. ….by allowing him to sit at the family table and eat with his betters, on
ostensible terms of equality with them; and the king, on his side, was so remorseful for having broken his trust, after the family had been so kind to
him, that he forced himself to the family level, instead of requiring the woman and her children to stand and wait upon him while he occupied
their table in the solitary state due his birth and dignity 161.
He understands if he still keeps telling them who he is, it will make the family get confused and he does not want to disturb the restful lunch in the family.
It implies how humble Edward is, a prince that willingly removes his identity and sits in the same table with his common citizen.
The Prince also realizes that his father, King Henry VIII, has done too far in using his authority including in religion aspect. King Henry VIII separated the
English church from the Rome. The Prince meets a hermit who hopeless of his life. From this hermit, he knows the effect of his father regulation. There are
many churches that resist the king’s regulation being closed. “Dost know it was he that turned us into the world houseless and homeless?” 170. That is why, when
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the Prince says that he is Edward, the son of King Henry, the hermit wants to kill the Prince 164.
Edward’s awareness is getting sharp after he has more experience out of the palace. His realization that there are so many cruelties and injustices in
English laws becomes surer. Later he himself also experiences the injustices of the English laws when he is imprisoned for two times. First, he is imprisoned by
Hugo’s trick. He is accused of stealing a pig when Hugo, one of the ruffians, asks Edward to accompany him 187. Second, when he finds himself and Miles
Hendon are imprisoned by Hugo Hendon, Miles younger brother, who denies Miles as his real brother 212.
While Edward is in prison with Miles Hendon, Edward meets an old lawyer. The old lawyer is punished because he has written a pamphlet against the
Lord Chancellor in accusing him of injustice. His ears have been removed as his punishment, degradation from the bar and had been fined. Then he looses his two
ears and gets punishment again when he repeats his offence. Moreover, he is branded on both cheeks and remains in prison for life 224. This fact makes the
king pity to that lawyer and understand that he has to do something. “…within the compass of a month thou shalt be free; and more, the law that have dishonoured
thee, and shamed the English name, shall be swept from the statute-books. The world is made wrong, kings should go to school to their own laws at times, and so
learn mercy” 224. Edward becomes a tougher person as he experiencing the life out of his
palace. His awareness of his society also becomes deeper. He realizes what his subjects needs, and he wants to bring the justices for his subjects back. He
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becomes a merciful person, and when he gets back to his throne as a King he will obeys his subjects’ needs.
While Tom is getting proper with his role as a king, Edward Tudor still in his troubles to go back to the palace and competes with the time in order to be able
to get in the palace before the coronation day. …Edward, the true king, hungry and thirsty, soiled and draggled, worn
with travel, and clothed in rags and shreds-his share of the results of the riot-was wedged in among a crowd people who were watching with deep
interest certain hurrying gangs of workmen who streamed in and out of Westminster Abbey, busy as ants; they were making the last preparation
for the royal coronation 236.
Fortunately, he can come in time in the coronation day and he regains back his throne again. Edward gets his throne again also by Tom’s help. When he is
desperate and prefers to loose his throne because there is no one believes that he is the real king, Tom helps him to prove himself as a true king.
As soon as he gets back his crown, he does everything that he has learned through his journey. Edward Tudor becomes a wiser person as well as in
determining the laws in his kingdom. He makes renewal and recovery to his subjects and laws. He establishes the justice in his government. Edward Tudor
becomes a merciful person, and a King who obeys his subjects’ needs 271. He fulfils his promises to Mr. Yokel by helping him to have a new good life. “The
king sought out the farmer who had been branded and sold as a slave, and reclaimed him fro his evil life with the Ruffler’s gang, and put him in the way of a
comfortable livelihood” 271. He fulfils his promises to the lawyer in prison and for the woman that he
meets in prison. “He also took that old lawyer out of prison and remitted his fine. PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
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He provided good homes for the daughters of the two Baptist women whom he saw burned at the stake,…” 272. He also recovers the life of all good people that
he met and punishes the bad people. He also remembers indeed to his friend, Miles, who has saved and help him so much, by restoring Miles’ honour and
properties.
B. Mark Twain’s Criticism on the Nobles’ life in the 16
th
Century through Prince Edward Tudor and Tom Canty
In the novel, Mark Twain reveals so many aspects of the social life of England. While, the setting of the story is on the 16
th
century, therefore he focuses on the social life of England in the 16
th
century. Mark Twain conveys his criticism on the nobles’ life through the two main characters, Prince Edward Tudor and
Tom Canty. Mark Twain uses those two characters that come from different or even contrasting background, Prince Edward Tudor, who comes from the high-
rank society, and the other character that comes from the low-rank society, Tom Canty.
In this novel, there are a lot of characters of noblemen that might represent the actual behaviour in the real life of the nobles in the 16
th
Century. One of the nobles in the story is Prince Edward Tudor. He is one of main characters who are
used by Mark Twain to criticize other nobles. Mark Twain uses the character of Prince Edward Tudor, a character who accustomed to live in the high-rank living
not only in order to reveal the life of the lower-rank society in spite of using Tom Canty itself, but also Mark Twain uses Prince Edward as the comparison to other
noblemen who do not have the experience in living in the lower society. PLAGIAT MERUPAKAN TINDAKAN TIDAK TERPUJI
