# Tom Canty — The Prince and the Pauper character guide > Tom Canty in The Prince and the Pauper by Mark Twain. **Role:** major **Also known as:** Tom, Canty, little Tom, Poor little Tom, O Tom Canty, goodwife Canty, poor Tom, poor Tom Canty **First appearance:** 0004-i-the-birth-of-the-prince-and-the-pauper ## Who they are A beggar boy from Offal Court who dreams of palaces and princes, until a chance meeting at the palace gates makes the dream dangerously real. ## Relationships ### [Edward VI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_prince_and_the_pauper_se/characters/edward_vi) _friendship_ The prince and the pauper boy swap identities and develop a deep bond of mutual understanding and loyalty. ### [Bet](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_prince_and_the_pauper_se/characters/bet) _family_ Bet is Tom's kind-hearted mother who loves him deeply and is heartbroken by his apparent transformation. ### [John Canty](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_prince_and_the_pauper_se/characters/john_canty) _family_ John Canty is Tom's abusive father who beats and exploits him. ### [Miles Hendon](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_prince_and_the_pauper_se/characters/miles_hendon) _friendship_ Miles befriends Tom, believing him to be the mad prince, and offers him protection and loyalty. ### [Nan](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_prince_and_the_pauper_se/characters/nan) _family_ Nan is Tom's younger sister who loves him and suffers under their father's abuse. ### [Humphrey Marlow](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_prince_and_the_pauper_se/characters/humphrey_marlow) _friendship_ Humphrey is a young whipping boy who becomes Tom's friend and confidant at court. ### [Lady Edith](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_prince_and_the_pauper_se/characters/lady_edith) _social_ Lady Edith encounters Tom at court and is puzzled by his strange behavior, mistaking him for Edward. ### [Lord Protector](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_prince_and_the_pauper_se/characters/lord_protector) _professional_ The Lord Protector is a powerful regent who tries to control and manipulate the boy pretending to be king. ### [Lord St. John](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_prince_and_the_pauper_se/characters/lord_st_john) _professional_ Lord St. John serves as a courtier who assists Tom in his role as the supposed prince. ### [Edward VI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_prince_and_the_pauper_se/characters/edward_vi) _friendship_ The prince and the pauper boy swap identities and develop a deep bond of mutual understanding and loyalty. ### [Edward VI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_prince_and_the_pauper_se/characters/edward_vi) _friendship_ The prince and the pauper boy swap identities and develop a deep bond of mutual understanding and loyalty. ### [Miles Hendon](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_prince_and_the_pauper_se/characters/miles_hendon) _friendship_ Miles befriends Tom, believing him to be the mad prince, and offers him protection and loyalty. ## In the story ### [The Prince and the Pauper](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_prince_and_the_pauper_se/chapters/the-prince-and-the-pauper) Born into a poor family in Offal Court, Tom is neglected and abused by his father but finds solace in the stories of Father Andrew. ### [The Birth of the Prince and the Pauper](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_prince_and_the_pauper_se/chapters/i-the-birth-of-the-prince-and-the-pauper) Born on the same day to a poor family that did not want him, lapped in rags. ### [II: Tom’s Early Life](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_prince_and_the_pauper_se/chapters/ii-tom-s-early-life) The protagonist, a poor boy living in Offal Court, who endures abuse from his father and grandmother but finds escape in stories and dreams of princely life. ### [Tom's Meeting with the Prince](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_prince_and_the_pauper_se/chapters/iii-tom-s-meeting-with-the-prince) A poor boy from Offal Court who meets Prince Edward and swaps clothes with him. ### [Tom as a Patrician](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_prince_and_the_pauper_se/chapters/v-tom-as-a-patrician) Alone in the prince's cabinet, Tom admires his finery but grows fearful and lonely. He reveals his true identity to Lady Jane Grey, then is brought before King Henry VIII, where he pleads to be released. ### [Tom Receives Instructions](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_prince_and_the_pauper_se/chapters/vi-tom-receives-instructions) Struggles to maintain his princely role, receives instructions from the lords, and is aided by Princess Elizabeth and Lady Jane Grey. ### [Tom's First Royal Dinner](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_prince_and_the_pauper_se/chapters/vii-tom-s-first-royal-dinner) Tom is dressed for his first royal dinner and struggles with the strict court etiquette, eating with his fingers, filling his pockets with nuts, and scratching his own nose. He later retreats to his cabinet to eat nuts and read a book on court etiquette. ### [VIII: The Question of the Seal](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_prince_and_the_pauper_se/chapters/viii-the-question-of-the-seal) The Prince of Wales, who received the Great Seal but cannot recall where he put it due to his affliction. ### [IX: The River Pageant](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_prince_and_the_pauper_se/chapters/ix-the-river-pageant) The pauper boy now mistaken for the Prince of Wales, he is the hero of the river pageant, magnificently dressed and bowing to the crowd. ### [The Prince in the Toils](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_prince_and_the_pauper_se/chapters/x-the-prince-in-the-toils) Mentioned as the pauper lad who has taken Edward's place as prince; Edward resolves to denounce him as a usurper. ### [At Guildhall](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_prince_and_the_pauper_se/chapters/xi-at-guildhall) Attends the Guildhall banquet as the mistaken prince, later declares mercy as king. ### [XIV: “Le Roi Est Mort—Vive le Roi”](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_prince_and_the_pauper_se/chapters/xiv-le-roi-est-mort-vive-le-roi) Tom is now recognized as King Edward VI, but feels trapped and overwhelmed by the burdens of royalty, longing for his old life. ### [Tom as King](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_prince_and_the_pauper_se/chapters/xv-tom-as-king) Tom continues his uneasy reign, feeling the weight of captivity and ceremony. He shows compassion by intervening in the prisoners' fate and is moved by the man's plea for a merciful death. ### [XVI: The State Dinner](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_prince_and_the_pauper_se/chapters/xvi-the-state-dinner) Tom grows confident in his royal role, successfully managing the state dinner without mistakes. ### [Tom's Progress](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_prince_and_the_pauper_se/chapters/xxx-tom-s-progress) Tom grows into his royal role, enjoying the luxury, ceremony, and power, but feels occasional guilt about the true prince and his family. ### [The Recognition Procession](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_prince_and_the_pauper_se/chapters/xxxi-the-recognition-procession) The mock king, initially elated by the procession but later devastated by guilt after denying his mother. ### [Coronation Day](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_prince_and_the_pauper_se/chapters/xxxii-coronation-day) The mock-king who willingly relinquishes the throne and helps prove Edward's identity by recalling the Great Seal was used to crack nuts. ### [Edward as King](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_prince_and_the_pauper_se/chapters/xxxiii-edward-as-king) Appears before the king, is praised for his merciful rule, and is granted the title of the King's Ward. ### [Conclusion](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_prince_and_the_pauper_se/chapters/conclusion) Tom lives to a very old age, honored and reverenced as the King's Ward, his royal past remembered by his distinctive costume. ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_prince_and_the_pauper_se/characters/tom_canty - Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_prince_and_the_pauper_se - All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_prince_and_the_pauper_se/characters