Character Analysis
Hilarious
Looking for comic relief? Look no further: this guy wouldn't look out of place right in the middle of Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Not exactly what you expect from a knight, is he?
The narrator describes Miles like this:
The speaker was a sort of Don Caesar de Bazan in dress, aspect, and bearing.— He was tall, trim-built, muscular. His doublet and trunks were of rich material, but faded and threadbare, and their gold-lace adornments were sadly tarnished; his ruff was rumpled and damaged; the plume in his slouched hat was broken and had a bedraggled and disreputable look; at his side he wore a long rapier in a rusty iron sheath; his swaggering carriage marked him at once as a ruffler of the camp. The speech of this fantastic figure was received with an explosion of jeers and laughter. (11.11)
Picture an out-of-work knight who could use a little oil on his joints. You can tell by looking at Miles Hendon that he was once a fancy guy, but now he's down on his luck. He's more likely to draw laughs than inspire fear in the heart of his enemy.
But why does Twain make him so funny?
A Knight in Shining Armor, or, The Most Dedicated Dad Ever
Well, think about it. What kind of self-respecting knight would follow around a pompous little boy who's claiming to be the king? None. Miles Hendon has to be a little "funny" in order to play along with Edward's delusions.
And he doesn't just play along: Miles is just as devoted to Edward as any knight would be to his king—only he doesn't actually know that Edward is his king. He's just like an adopted father to Edward. Here it is from the horse's mouth:
"Well, I will be his friend; I have saved him, and it draweth me strongly to him; already I love the bold-tongued little rascal. How soldier-like he faced the smutty rabble and flung back his high defiance! And what a comely, sweet and gentle face he hath, now that sleep hath conjured away its troubles and its 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; and whoso would shame him or do him hurt, may order his shroud, for though I be burnt for it he shall need it!" (12.19)
If those aren't the words of someone who loves that kid, we don't know what they are. We can totally imagine Miles taking Edward home, treating him like his son, and building a new life together. That is, if Edward weren't actually the king.
It seems like Mark Twain is playing with the idea of the traditional romantic knight and his chivalrous duty to his Lord. Miles is the knight, and Prince Edward is his Lord. So it's only natural that he would be so dedicated. After all, who better to serve a "fake" king, than a "fake" knight?
A Mini Identity Mystery
So, did you notice that Miles Hendon's family story parallels the overall story of mistaken identity in The Prince and the Pauper? Kind of like in a Shakespearean play, these two plots parallel each other and flesh each other out.
In case you didn't get the memo, we'll break it down. Miles was in love with the Lady Edith, but she was engaged to his big brother from birth. His big brother Arthur fell in love with another lady and told Miles to marry Lady Edith, but Miles's younger brother, Hugh, was not exactly the most pure-hearted of people, and he wanted Lady Edith for her money. So he devised a plot to convince Miles's dad that Miles was going to elope—which led Daddy to banish Miles for three years. Got it?
Miles is hoping for a grand reception when gets home, but that's not exactly what happens. Instead, his brother claims not to recognize him. Now, maybe people changed a lot more in three years in the 16th century than they do now, but we're still suspicious. And it gets worse. Miles says:
"It was a lie! Call thy father—he will know me."
"One may not call the dead."
''Dead?" Miles's voice was subdued, and his lips trembled. "My father dead!—oh, this is heavy news. Half my new joy is withered now. Prithee, let me see my brother Arthur—he will know me; he will know me and console me."
"He, also, is dead." (25.32)
Well, basically Miles's entire family is dead, except for his conniving younger brother. How convenient.
Now, doesn't this sound like a situation we're already familiar with? Just like Prince Edward, Miles has had his rightful place taken by someone else. His father, too, has died. And to top it all off, no one believes he's really Miles Hendon.
While we know the entire truth behind the situation of the two young boys, Mark Twain actually puts us in suspense with the story of the Hendon family. What's actually going on? Can we believe Miles? What's Hugh up to? It's the first time that we can see how confusing this situation could be to everyone else, since we are just as confused.
Of course, since Miles's story is parallel to the young boys' story, we should already know the answer: Miles is telling the truth, just like Tom and Edward. It just goes to show us how flimsy your identity can be in 16th-century England, and how easily you can go from being well-off and taken care of to totally poor and on the streets.