August 2015
GR5RL8

DIRECTIONS: Read
Scene 1 of “Excerpt from
The Prince and the Pauper
,” and answer the questions.
SCENE 1
Adapted from the novel by Mark Twain
SYNOPSIS: Tom Canty , a pauper, is
As the Curtain Rises: Two GUARDS — one at right, one at left —stand in front of gates, and several VILLAGERS hover the youngest son of a poor family that nearby, trying to see into courtyard lived in Offal Court. A pauper is a where the PRINCE may be seen person who is poor. The local priest, through fence, playing. Two WOMEN who taught him to read and write, enter right. encourages him to have a better life.
One day, while he is waiting around the
1 st WOMAN palace gates, he sees the Prince of
I have walked all morning just to have a
Wales, Edward VI . He is so excited that glimpse of Westminster Palace. he moves closer to the gates. Tom is nearly caught by the Royal Guards;
2 nd WOMAN however, Edward stops them and invites
Maybe if we can get near enough to the
Tom into his palace chamber. There the gates, we can have a glimpse of the two boys get to know each other, young Prince. (TOM CANTY, dirty and fascinated by each other's life and their ragged, comes out of crowd and steps strange resemblance. They decide to close to gates.) switch clothes "temporarily." The Prince momentarily goes outside dressed in
TOM
Tom's rags. He is not recognized by the
I have always dreamed of seeing a real guards, who drive him from the palace. prince! (Excited, he presses his nose
After a while he finds his way to Tom
Canty’s home. He finds out that Tom’s against gates.) father is very mean and finally manages to escape from him.
CAST OF CHARACTERS
1 st WOMAN
2 nd WOMAN
TOM CANTY
1 st GUARD
THE PRINCE OF WALES (Edward VI)
LORD HERTFORD
(Prince Edward’s
Uncle)
THE KING
ST. JOHN
JOHN CANTY ( Tom’s father)
Page 2

1 st GUARD
Mind your manners, you young beggar!
( Seizes TOM by the collar and sends him sprawling into the crowd. VILLAGERS laugh, as TOM slowly gets to his feet.)
PRINCE
( Rushing to gates.
)
How dare you treat a poor subject of the
King in such a manner! Open the gates and let him in! ( The VILLAGERS take off their hats and bow low.
)
VILLAGERS
(Shouting together.)
Long live Edward, the Prince of Wales!
(GUARDS open gates and TOM slowly passes through, as if in a dream.)
PRINCE
(To TOM .)
You look tired, and you have been treated as cruelly as a fish out of water on a hot sunny day. I am Edward, Prince of Wales.
What is your name?
TOM
( Looking around in shock.
)
Tom Canty, Your Highness.
PRINCE
Come into the palace with me, Tom.
(PRINCE leads TOM into the waiting room.
VILLAGERS quietly talk and all but a few exit.) Where do you live, Tom?
TOM
In the city, Your Highness, in Offal Court.
PRINCE
Offal Court? That is an odd name. Do you have parents?
TOM
Yes, Your Highness.
PRINCE
How does your father treat you?
TOM
If it pleases you, Your Highness, when I am not able to beg a penny for our supper, he treats me to beatings.
Page 3

PRINCE
( Shocked.
)
What! Beatings? My father is not a calm man, but he does not beat me. ( Looks at
TOM thoughtfully.
) The way you speak is music to my ears! Have you ever gone to school?
TOM
Very little, Your Highness. A good priest who shares our house in Offal Court has taught me from his books.
PRINCE
Do you have a pleasant life in Offal Court?
TOM
Pleasant enough, Your Highness, save when I am hungry. We have puppet shows and sometimes we lads have fights in the street.
PRINCE
( Eagerly.
)
I should like that. Tell me more.
TOM
In summer, we run races and swim in the river, and we love to play in the mud.
PRINCE
( Sighing, sadly.
) If I could wear your clothes and play in the mud just once, with no one to stop me, I think I could give up my crown!
TOM
( Shaking his head.
)
And if I could wear your fine clothes just once, Your Highness . . .
PRINCE
Would you like that? Come, then. We shall change places. You can take off your rags and put on my clothes —and I will put on yours. ( He leads TOM behind screen, and they return shortly, each wearing the other’s clothes.) Le t’s look at ourselves in this mirror. ( Leads TOM to mirror.)
TOM
Oh, Your Highness, it is not proper for me to wear such clothes.
Page 4

PRINCE
( Excitedly, as he looks in mirror.
)
Heavens, do you not see it? We look like brothers! We have the same features and size. If we went about together, dressed alike, there is no one who could say which is the Prince of Wales and which is Tom
Canty!
TOM
( Drawing back and rubbing his hand .
)
Your Highness, I am frightened. . . .
PRINCE
Do not worry. ( Seeing TOM rub his hand ) Is that a bruise on your hand?
TOM
Yes, but it is a slight thing, Your Highness.
PRINCE
( Angrily.
)
It was shameful and cruel of that guard to strike you. Do not stir a step until I come back. I command you! ( He picks up the golden Seal of England and carefully puts it into a piece of armor. He then dashes out to gates.
) Open! Unbar the gates at once!
(2 nd GUARD opens gates, and as the
PRINCE runs out, in rags, 1 st GUARD seizes him, boxes him on the ear, and knocks him to the ground.)
1 st GUARD
Take that, you little beggar, for the trouble you have caused for me with the Prince.
( VILLAGERS roar with laughter.
)
PRINCE
( Picking himself up, turning on GUARD furiously.
) I am the Prince of Wales! You shall hang for laying your hand on me!
1 st GUARD
( Presenting arms; mockingly.
)
I salute Your Gracious Highness! ( Then, angrily, 1 st GUARD shoves PRINCE roughly aside.
) Be off, you little bag of rags!
(PRINCE is surrounded by VILLAGERS, who hustle him off.)
VILLAGERS
( Exit, shouting.
) Make way for His Royal
Highness! Make way for the Prince of
Wales! Hail to the Prince!
Page 5

TOM
( Admiring himself in mirror.
)
If only the boys in Offal Court could see me! They will not believe me when I tell them about this. ( Looks around nervously.
)
But where is the Prince? ( Looks carefully into courtyard. TWO GUARDS immediately snap to attention and salute. He quickly moves back into the waiting room as Lord s’
HERTFORD and ST. JOHN enter at rear.)
HERTFORD
( Going toward TOM, then stopping and bowing low.
)
My Lord, you look unhappy. What is wrong?
TOM
( Trembling.
)
Oh, I beg of you, be forgiving. I am no
Prince, but poor Tom Canty of Offal Court.
Please let me see the Prince, and he will give my rags back to me and let me go unhurt. ( Kneeling.
) Please, be forgiving and spare me!
HERTFORD
( Confused and disturbed.
)
Your Highness, on your knees? To me?
( Bows quickly, then, aside to ST. JOHN.)
The Prince has gone mad! We must inform the King. ( To TOM.) A moment, your Highness. (HERTFORD and ST.
JOHN exit rear.
)
TOM
Oh, there is no hope for me now. They will hang me for certain! (HERTFORD and
ST. JOHN re-enter , supporting the KING.
TOM watches in shock as they help him to couch, where he sinks down wearily .)
KING
( Inviting TOM close to him.
)
Now, my son, Edward, my Prince. What is this? Do you mean to fool me, the King, your father, who loves you and treats you so kindly?
TOM
( Dropping to his knees.
)
You are the King? Then I have no hope!
KING
( Surprised.
)
My child, you are not well. Do not break your fathe r’s old heart. Say you know me.
TOM
Yes, you are my lord the King.
Page 6

KING
True, that is right. Now, you will not deny that you are Prince of Wales, as they say you did just a while ago?
TOM
I beg you, Your Grace, believe me. I am the lowest of your subjects, being born a pauper, and it is by a great mistake that I am here. I am too young to die. Oh, please, spare me, sire!
KING
( Amazed.
)
Die? Do not talk so, my child. You shall not die.
TOM
(G ratefully.
)
God save you, my king! And now, may I go?
KING
Go? Where would you go?
TOM
Back to the place where I was born and lived in misery.
KING
My poor child, rest your head here. ( He holds TOM ’s head and pats his shoulder, then turns to HERTFORD and ST. JOHN.
)
Alas, I am old and ill, and my son is crazy.
But this shall pass. Crazy or sane, he is my son and shall rule England. Tomorrow he shall be installed as King. Bring the Great
Seal!
HERTFORD
( Bowing low.
)
Please, Your Majesty, you gave the Great
Seal to the Chancellor two days ago to give to the Prince.
KING
So I did. ( To TOM.) My son, tell me, where is the Great Seal?
TOM
( Trembling.
)
Indeed, my lord, I do not know.
Page 7

KING
Ah, your affliction hangs heavily upon you.
’Tis no matter. You will remember later.
Listen, carefully! ( Gently, but firmly.
) I command you to hide your affliction in all ways that be within your power. You shall not deny that you are the true prince, and if your memory should fail you upon any occasion, you shall be advised by your uncle, the Lord Hertford.
TOM
( Resigned.
)
The King has spoken. The King shall be obeyed.
KING
And now, my child, I go to rest. ( He stands weakly, and HERTFORD leads him off to the rear.
)
TOM
( Wearily, to ST. JOHN.)
May it please your lordship to let me rest now?
ST. JOHN
So it please Your Highness, it is for you to command and us to obey. But it is wise that you rest, for this evening you must attend the Lord Mayo r’s banquet in your honor. ( He pulls bell cord, and Three
Servants enter and kneel before TOM.)
TOM
Banquet? (Terrified, he sits on the couch and reaches for a cup of water, but the 1st servant instantly seizes the cup, drops on one knee, and serves it to him. TOM starts to take off his boots, but the second servant stops him and does it for him. He tries to remove his cape and gloves, and third servant does it for him.) I wonder that you do not try to breathe for me also! ( Lies down carefully. Servants cover him with robe, then back away and exit .)
ST. JOHN
( To HERTFORD, as he enters .)
Plainly, what do you think?
HERTFORD
Plainly, this. The King is near death, my nephew the Prince of Wales is clearly crazy and will mount the throne crazy.
God protect England, for she will need it!
ST. JOHN
Does it not seem strange that madness could so change his manner from what it used to be? It troubles me, his saying he is not the Prince.
HERTFORD
Peace, my lord! If he were an impostor and called himself Prince, that would be natural. But was there ever an impostor, who being called Prince by the King and court, denied it? Never! This is the true
Prince gone crazy. And tonight all London shall honor him. (HERTFORD and ST.
JOHN exit. TOM sits up, looks around helplessly, then gets up.
)
Page 8

TOM
I should have thought to order something to eat. ( Sees bowl of nuts on table.
) Ah! Here are some nuts! ( Looks around, sees Great
Seal in armor, takes it out, looks at it curiously.
) This will make a good nutcracker. ( He takes bowl of nuts, sits on couch and begins to crack nuts with the
Great Seal and eat them, as curtain falls.
)
Page 9

1. What quote from the Prince in the play describes the reason that he changes places with Tom?
A. “You look tired, and you have been treated cruelly.”
B.
“If I could wear your clothes and play in the mud just once, with no one to stop me, I think I could give up my crown!”
C. “What! Beatings? My father is not a calm man, but he does not beat me.”
D. “The way you speak is music to my ears!”
2. What quote from the King suggests that he does not believe Tom when he tells the
King that he is not his son?
A. “And now, my child, I go to rest.”
B. “My poor child, rest your head here.”
C. “My child, you are not well … Say you know me.”
D. “Die? Do not talk so, my child. You shall not die.”
3. Which quote describes how the villagers and guards treat the Prince when he is dressed in Tom’s clothes?
A.
“Be off, you mad bag of rags!”
B. “You shall hang for laying your hand on me!”
C. “It was shameful and cruel of that guard to strike you.”
D. “Two Guards immediately snap to attention and salute.”
Page 10

4. How does Tom feel when he first sees himself in the Prince’s clothing? Tom is:
A. hurt.
B. afraid.
C. hungry.
D. excited.
5. How does the Prince feel after he leaves the palace and is approached by the guards? The Prince is:
A. angry.
B. excited.
C. hungry.
D. afraid.
6. How does the King feel when Tom tells him that he is not the Prince? The King is:
A. sympathetic.
B. enraged.
C. in disbelief.
D. annoyed.
Page 11

7. Once the Prince leaves the Palace the “guard seizes him, boxes him on the ear, and knocks him to the ground.” What does the word boxes mean?
A. Pinches
B. Hits
C. Grabs
D. Mocks
8. The King uses the word affliction to describe Tom’s behavior after he claims that he is not the Prince. What does the word affliction mean?
A. Honesty
B. Disbelief
C. Falseness
D. Illness
9. Hereford, the Princes uncle, considers the word impostor to describe the Prince.
The word imposter means:
A. phony.
B. sneak.
C. intruder..
D. fool.
Page 12

Pauper (noun)
Pronunciation: paw-per
Dictionary Reference 1
1. a person without any means of support, especially a destitute
2. person who depends on aid from public welfare funds or charity. a very poor person.
10. Look at Dictionary Reference 1. Which sentence below has the same pronunciation of the word pauper as it is used in the sentence
“I am the lowest of your subjects, being born a pauper ”?
A. The pauper was used to make money.
B. The pauper needed money for food.
C. Pauper had a son at school.
D. He wanted to pauper his son.
Wallow (verb) (used without object)
Pronunciation: wol-oh
1.
2.
3.
4.
Dictionary Reference 2 to roll about or lie in water, snow, mud, dust, or the like, as for refreshment: Goats wallowed in the dust. to live self-indulgently; luxuriate; revel: to wallow in luxury; to wallow in sentimentality. to flounder about; move along or proceed clumsily or with difficulty:
A gunboat wallowed toward port. to surge up or billow forth, as smoke or heat: Waves of black smoke wallowed into the room.
11. Look at the Dictionary Reference 2. Which sentence below has the correct pronunciation of the word wallow as it is used in the sentence
“In summer, we run races and swim in the river, and we love to wallow in the mud ”?
A. The pigs saw the wallow in the dirt on a rainy day.
B. The pigs like to wallow the dirt in their mouths on a rainy day.
C. The pigs like to wallow in the dirt on a rainy day.
D. The pigs were next to the wallow in the dirt on a rainy day.
Page 13

12. What does the phrase “you have been treated as cruelly as a fish out of water on a hot sunny day” mean as it is used to describe Tom after the guards pushed him?
A. The pauper has been treated badly before by other people.
B. The pauper deserves to have bad things happen to him.
C. The prince feels that he has been treated as unfairly as the pauper.
D. The prince wants to help the pauper become wealthy.
A metaphor or “as.” compares two unlike things without using the words “like”
13.
What does the metaphor “The way you speak is music to my ears!” mean as it is used by the Prince in speaking to Tom?
A. The pauper has a beautiful voice.
B. The prince loves the pauper’s speech.
C. The pauper speaks in an educated manner.
D. The prince thinks the pauper is a singer.
14.
What does the metaphor “Be off, you mad bag of rags!” mean as it is used by the guards and villagers to the Prince?
A. The boy is ill and should wash his clothes.
B. The boy is dirty and needs to leave.
C. The boy is upset and needs to go away.
D. The boy is afflicted and needs help.
Page 14

DIRECTIONS: Read
Scene 2 of “Excerpt from
The Prince and the Pauper,
” and answer the questions.
SCENE 2
Time: Later that night.
(
CANTY
Staring in amazement.
)
Gone stark crazy! But crazy or not,
I’ll soon find where the soft places lie in
Setting: A street in London, near Offal your bones. Come home! ( Starts to drag
Court.
PRINCE off.
)
At Curtain Rise: PRINCE limps in, dirty and
tousled. He looks around wearily.
PRINCE
( Struggling.
).
Several VILLAGERS pass by, pushing
Let me go! I am the Prince of Wales, and against him. the King shall have your life for this!
PRINCE
I have never seen this poor section of
London. I must be near Offal Court. If I
CANTY
( Angrily.
)
I’ll take no more of your madness! can only find it before I drop! (JOHN
CANTY steps out of crowd, seizes
( Raises stick to strike, but PRINCE struggles free and runs off, and JOHN
PRINCE roughly.
)
CANTY runs after him.)
CANTY
Out at this time of night, and I guarantee you have n’t brought a single cent home!
If that is the case and I do not break all the bones in your miserable body, then
I am not John Canty!
PRINCE
( Eagerly ).
Oh, are you his father?
CANTY
His father? I am your father, and
—
PRINCE
Take me to the palace at once, and your son will be returned to you. The
King, my father, will make you rich beyond your wildest dreams. Oh, save me, for I am indeed the Prince of Wales.
Page 15

Tousled
Dictionary Reference 3
Pronunciation: [tou-zuh ld]
1. disordered or disheveled (adj)
2. to disorder or dishevel (v)
3. to handle roughly (v)
4. a disheveled or rumpled mass, especially of hair (n)
5. a disordered, disheveled, or tangled condition (n)
15. Look at Dictionary Reference 3. Which sentence below has the same pronunciation of the word tousled as it is used in the phrase “Prince limps in, dirty and tousled ”?
A. The dog tousled the stick to his master.
B. The dog tousled the ball with his nose.
C. The dogs tousled with each other.
D.
The dog’s hair tousled in the wind.
Page 16

The setting is the time and place where a play is set.
16. Describe the setting in Scene 1 and in Scene 2 of the play. What are two ways that the setting changes from Scene 1 to Scene 2?
Setting of Scene 1: Setting of Scene 2:
What are two ways that the setting changes from Scene 1 to Scene 2?
1.
2.
Page 17

17.
The playwright sequences the events in the play from the beginning to the end to provide structure to the story. Fill in the missing events using one or two complete sentences.
Scene 1
First Event
The beggar, Tom, meets the Prince. They exchange clothes to see what each other’s life is like. Mistaken for the Prince, Tom is taken to the palace.
Second
Event
Third Event
The servants enter and help Tom. He is very confused by being treated like a prince.
Fourth Event
Scene 2
Fifth Event
Page 18