The distant dogs howled, the melancholy kine complained, and the winds went on raging, whilst furious sheets of rain drove along the roof; but the Majesty of England slept on, undisturbed, and the calf did the same, it being a simple creature, and not easily troubled by storms or embarrassed by sleeping with a king. (Chapter XVIII, last sentence)The Prince and the Pauper is primarily a story of mistaken identity, despite how much the two protagonists insist on their true identities, and it was very amusing to read about the little calf, who is probably the only living being in the story that makes no judgement on him or decides for himself whether the King is mad or telling the truth. I think that this quote speaks to the fact that the idea that "clothes make the man" is completely a human trait; no other species judges its members the way that we do.
Monday, May 9, 2011
Quote of the Day-But the Animals Don't Mind
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This quote really got me thinking, too! I agree Twain was commenting that humans become too involved with appearance and miss truth or comfort or equality. I think it is interesting that Edward would be only comfortable here, in the barn where he could not see for it was so dark. I wonder if Twain was trying to say something about the importance of farm life and simplicity, too?
ReplyDeleteI really like the way that this line puts down the king. First there's the classic Twain "Man is the only animal that blushes-- or needs to." in there when the calf isn't embarrassed but then Twain has written the sentence in such a way as to imply that sleeping with a king is an embarrassing activity.
ReplyDeleteI agree with all that has been said. I think that during the whole story Twain tries to show how if you strip the crown from the Prince he is just another human being, but it is the title that gives him his power.
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