Today’s vocab word is still commonly used in texts and conversation, which is different from a lot of the words we’ve featured throughout the book. Our vocab word for The Prince and the Pauper Chapter 22 is…
SOLEMN
Keep reading or watch the video below see how the word ‘solemn’ is used in The Prince and the Pauper.
SOLEMN
DEFINITION
(adj) formal, dignified, serious
FACTS/CHARACTERISTICS
Often related to religious ceremonies/traditions
EXAMPLES
a formal ceremony funerals formal oaths/promises
NON-EXAMPLES
parties jokes/pranks comedies
Etymology
Language of Origin: Latin
sollemnis = “regularly appointed, solemn”
Sentences/Additional Forms
Straightforward sentence: The overall mood at the funeral was solemn, and the attendees rarely joked or laughed.
Sentence from the chapter: “…he was crowned King of the Game-Cocks; his meaner title being at the same time solemnly cancelled and annulled…” (p. 137-138)
In Chapter 21, Edward finds himself in a tricky situation. He’s being held captive by the hermit, and appears to have no way of escaping. If only he had read this blog post, maybe he could have gotten free! Today’s Fun Fact for The Prince and the Pauper Chapter 21 focuses on…
ESCAPING FROM BEING TIED UP
Keep reading or watch the video below for more information.
Reference in The Prince and the Pauper
“He finished with a gasp; and at once fell to struggling so frantically with his bonds again, that he shook off the smothering sheepskin.” (p. 136)
At the end of Chapter 20, the hermit tied Edward up while he was sleeping with the intention of killing him before the morning comes (after realizing his father was responsible for crushing his life aspirations). Throughout Chapter 21, Edward struggles to free himself from the bonds, unsuccessfully.
How to Escape Ropes
When getting tied up, make yourself as big as possible.
Once the captors are gone, shrink yourself back down as much as possible.
Work your hands to to loosen the rope/knots (stretch, push, move arms up and down, etc.)
Other Helpful Tips
Use a pointed object that sticks out (like a spike or hook) to help work the ropes loose.
Free your hands first.
If gagged, rub your face or head against a wall or furniture to slip it over your chin.
In addition to the word hermit, today’s vocabulary word is also very important to understanding our main antagonist in Chapters 20 and 21. Our vocab word for The Prince and the Pauper Chapter 21 is…
ARCHANGEL
Keep reading or watch the video below see how the word ‘archangel’ is used in The Prince and the Pauper.
ARCHANGEL
DEFINITION
(n.) a head messenger from God to people
FACTS/CHARACTERISTICS
Many faiths feature angels
EXAMPLES
cherub spirit supernatural being
NON-EXAMPLES
devil evil one fallen angel
Etymology
Language of Origin: Greek
arkhangelos = “chief angel”
Sentences/Additional Forms
Straightforward sentence: Archangels in art are often shown as being very strong and masculine.
Sentence from the chapter: “‘It is a secret—mark thou reveal it not. I am an archangel!’” (p. 134)
Have you ever tied a string around your finger in order to remember something? According to some, the act of having that constant reminder on your finger helps you to remember things. This same general idea relates to today’s Fun Fact as well. The Fun Fact for The Prince and the Pauper Chapter 20 focuses on…
HAIRSHIRTS
Keep reading or watch the video below for more information.
Reference in The Prince and the Pauper
“‘Thou shalt wear a hair shirt next thy skin; thou shalt drink water only; and thou shalt be at peace; yes, wholly at peace; for whoso comes to seek thee shall go his way again, baffled; he shall not find thee, he shall not molest thee.‘” (p. 127)
In this scene, the hermit is telling Edward all about what his time is going to be like while staying at his hut. As part of his speech, he mentions that Edward will wear a “hair shirt” next to thy skin.
What is a hair shirt?
A shirt made from rough, uncomfortable cloth
Usually goat’s hair
Some religious people wear this to punish themselves
Called mortification or penance
Called cilicium in Latin
Helped the wearer to resist temptations and served to discourage outward luxury and comfort in life
Some included a bit of spiked metal
Metaphorical Meaning
If you say that someone is wearing a hair shirt, you mean that they are trying to punish themselves to show they are sorry for something they have done. Example sentence: No one is asking you to put on a hair shirt and give up all your luxuries.
Other Fun Facts
Earliest hairshirts were probably the sackcloths mentioned in the Old Testament of the Bible
Have been worn by clergy, monks, nuns, friars and lay people in history
They are still used today – altar cloths during Lent
In the Game of Thrones books and movies, people of various fictional faiths wear them
In Chapter 20 we get a reference to a historical event that is extremely important to the hermit’s storyline. As the chapter goes along he becomes enraged by Edward’s presence after he realizes he is the son of Henry VIII. But what is the source of his rage? Today’s Historical Tidbit for The Prince and the Pauper Chapter 20 is about…
THE DISSOLUTION OF THE MONASTERIES
Keep reading or watch the video below to learn about this famous event.
In Chapter 20, Edward discovers the hermit in the woods. As they get to talking, the hermit starts to reveal more about himself and why he is living alone in the woods. The quote below shows several of his revelations.
“ ‘Yes, I am an archangel; a mere archangel!—I that might have been pope! It is verily true. I was told it from heaven in a dream, twenty years ago; ah, yes, I was to be pope!—and I should have been pope, for Heaven had said it—but the King dissolved my religious house, and I, poor obscure unfriended monk, was cast homeless upon the world, robbed of my mighty destiny!’ ” (p. 128)
What was the Dissolution of the monasteries?
Dissolution = the conclusion or end
Monasteries = buildings occupied by religious monks
Monk = a member of a religious community (usually of men)
Can be from many religions – in this case we’re talking about Catholic monks
When Henry VIII wanted to divorce his first wife (discussed in some of our previous posts) he went to the pope and was denied. As a result, he guided England away from the Catholic church and instead created his own church — The Church of England. In order to truly take away the Catholic church’s power in England, he enacted The Act of Suppression in 1536. Under this act, small monasteries with an income of less than £200 per year were closed and their land went to the Crown.
In 1539 there was another act called the Second Suppression Act. This allowed Henry to disolve larger monasteries as well. The lands that were taken from the church were then sold to families who supported Henry and the Church of England. As a result, thousands of monks were homeless and unemployed.
Little Jack Horner
Nursery rhyme believed to be connected to the Dissolution of the Monasteries
“Little Jack Horner
Sat in the corner,
Eating a Christmas pie;
He put in his thumb,
And pulled out a plum,
And said ‘What a good boy am I!”
Thomas Horner worked for an abbey
He was sent to London with a Christmas pie containing the deeds to a dozen large properties.
He opened the pie on his way to London.
He took out the deed to the manor of Mells in Somerset.
The properties included lead mines.
It is suggested that in the nursery rhyme when he “pulls out a plum” it is a play on Latin word plumbum which means lead.
Thomas Horner did become owner of this manor, but there is no proof that this story is real.
Have you heard of a hermit crab? Do you know how they got their name? It’s because they will often avoid threats or other things by withdrawing into their shell. Just like our vocab word for The Prince and the Pauper Chapter 20…
HERMIT
Keep reading or watch the video below see how the word ‘hermit’ is used in The Prince and the Pauper.
HERMIT
DEFINITION
(n.) someone who isolates themselves
FACTS/CHARACTERISTICS
Often done for religious reasons
EXAMPLES
eremite recluse Emily Dickinson (sort of…)
NON-EXAMPLES
socialite extrovert social butterfly
Etymology
Language of Origin: Greek
erēmia(desert), from erēmos(desolate)
Sentences/Additional Forms
Straightforward sentence: The man decided to become a hermit after he decided he disagreed with the laws.
Sentence from the chapter: “A black frown settled down upon the hermit’s face, and he clenched his bony hands with a vindictive energy.” (p. 129)
Other forms: hermitic (adj.), hermitically (adv.), hermitry (n.)
Famous Hermits
The Hermit of Gully Lake – William Kitchener Macdonald jumped from a moving troop train to get out of WWII
Masafumi Nagasaki- lives on Sotobanari Island (Japan)
Agafya Lykov- Fundamentalist of the Russian Orthodox church; fled when Stalin swore to purge all religions
Saint Hildegard of Bingen- offered to the church by her family
Do you believe in bad omens? What about good ones? Many people believe that horseshoes, the number 13, or double rainbows are signs of good fortune. Today’s Fun Fact for The Prince and the Pauper Chapter 19 focuses on…
GOOD LUCK SIGNS
Keep reading or watch the video below for more information.
Reference in The Prince and the Pauper
“‘Poor fool, why so fearful? I am as forlorn as thou. ’Twould be a sham in me to hurt the helpless, who am myself so helpless. Moreover, I owe you thanks for a good omen; for when a king has fallen so low that the very rats do make a bed of him, it surely meaneth that his fortunes be upon the turn, since it is plain he can no lower go.‘” (p. 119)
This scene shows Edward waking up after a night of sleeping in a barn only to discover a rat has used him as a bed. Instead of being terrified or disgusted, he sees the rat as a good omen because things couldn’t possibly get any worse.
Four-Leaf Clovers
Ancient Ireland
Celts believed they could help them see fairies in order to avoid their mischief
Many types of clovers grow four leaves
The lucky ones are a mutation of the white clover plant (only have three leaves normally)
True four-leaf clovers are rare (1 in 10,000)
Lucky Bamboo
China
Not actually bamboo; close relative called Dracaena
One of the luckiest plants in feng shui
Many types of clovers grow four leaves
Represents good fortune
The more stalks it has, the more luck it brings
Ladybugs
Multiple cultures
In German-speaking cultures its name (Glueckskaefer) translates to “lucky bugs”
Some say if one lands on you it’s lucky
Others say if a man and a woman see one at the same time they fall in love
Number of spots indicates how many children a woman could have
Killing a ladybug can bring misfortune
Ladybugs
Norse Culture (Vikings)
Believed they protected people from Thor’s wrath (lightning god)
Would place acorn on windowsill
Believed it would protect their house from being struck by lightning
Ladybugs
Africa
Some tribes believe these will grant them good luck
Especially when gambling
Modern-day surfers will sometimes wear these for protection
Chapter 19 mentions a specific historical figure. But in typical Mark Twain fashion, he gives virtually no explanation about who the figure is. He just assumes all the readers understand his allusion. So let’s explore it today! The Historical Tidbit is about….
KING ALFRED
Keep reading or watch the video below to learn about this semi-famous king.
In Chapter 19, Edward is found hiding in a barn by two little girls. They bring him into their home and their mother feels bad and feeds him. She also becomes obsessed with finding out who he is and where he comes from. Eventually she comes to the conclusion that he is a cook, and therefore asks him to look after the food for her for a while. The following quote shows Edward’s reaction to this request.
“‘Another English king had a commission like to this, in a bygone time—it is nothing against my dignity to undertake an office which the great Alfred stooped to assume. But I will try to better serve my trust than he; for he let the cakes burn.’” (p. 122)
Who was King Alfred?
“Alfred the Great”, King of Wessex
Born in 849 AD
King from 871 to 899
Defended against a Danish Viking invasion
King Alfred and the Cakes
As the story goes, during the Viking invasion, Alfred was on the run. He hid in a peasant woman’s house (the wife of a herdsman/swineherd). She didn’t recognize that he was the king. While she is cooking some cakes (small loaves of bread) in the embers of the fire, she asks Alfred to watch them while she goes to grab something. While he is in charge of the food he gets distracted (or in some versions falls asleep). The woman returns and scolds him for failing at the task, again obviously not realizing that he was the king.
Is the story true?
Most likely, this story is made up. The earliest written examples of the story wasn’t around until 300 years after the actual event supposedly would have happened. Some people question whether or not the story is just a legend, because they claim there is no lesson behind the story. What would be the point in telling this made-up tale if there wasn’t a moral to it? Other critics claim that the story is inaccurate because they weren’t actually cakes that burned, they were loaves. In any case, the story was probably passed down by word-of-mouth for many years, and probably changed from the original, if it even happened at all.
Is the story true?
Most homes at this time didn’t have ovens, so people relied on bakers to make their bread and other baked goods. However, in the countryside some people did not have the luxury of a baker nearby. So instead, they would bake their own cakes in their fires. Since equipment like cast iron skillets were expensive, people would just bake their cakes right on the embers of the fire. The end goal was for the outside of the cake to be scorched, but the inside to be warm and fluffy. Clearly Alfred did not achieve the desired outcome for his cakes.
Today’s word is very common. It is often used in novels both old and new, as well as in casual conversation. It’s even used in famously-quoted movie lines! Our vocab word for The Prince and the Pauper Chapter 19 is…
PITY
Keep reading or watch the video below see how the word ‘pity’ is used in The Prince and the Pauper.
PITY
DEFINITION
(n.) a feeling of sympathy for someone suffering
FACTS/CHARACTERISTICS
generally has more of negative connotation than other synonyms
EXAMPLES
compassion sympathy
NON-EXAMPLES
indifference cruelty
Etymology
Language of Origin: Latin
Pietatem = “piety, loyalty, duty”
Sentences/Additional Forms
Straightforward sentence: The townspeople took pity on the family whose house burned down.
Sentence from the chapter: “The children’s mother received the King kindly, and was full of pity; for his forlorn condition and apparently crazed intellect touched her womanly heart.” (p. 121)
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