Lord St. John Character Analysis in The Prince and the Pauper

One of Edward Tudor’s protectors. When Tom Canty is mistaken for Edward, King Henry VIII and the rest of the palace are convinced that the Prince of Wales has gone mad. St. John and the Earl of Hertford stay close to “Edward” to help him remember how to carry out his duties, what to say, and to remind of his engagements. Lord St. John wonders if Tom’s account of being a beggar and not the real Edward is true, but Hertford shuts him down (although he, too, wonders if Tom’s story is true). When King Henry VIII dies, St. John continues helping Hertford guide Tom through his royal duties and engagements.

Lord St. John Character Timeline in The Prince and the Pauper

The timeline below shows where the character Lord St. John appears in The Prince and the Pauper. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

Wealth, Poverty, and Morality Theme Icon

...Tom wants them to sit, but Hertford helps him understand that this wouldn’t be appropriate. Lord St. John comes in and asks Tom to dismiss everyone in the room but Hertford, who shows... (full context)

...reading or other entertainment instead of having to take his usual lessons until the banquet. St. John notices that Tom looks confused and he reassures Tom that he’ll start remembering things again... (full context)

Once alone, St. John and Hertford discuss the day’s events. They mourn that King Henry VIII is clearly nearing... (full context)

...this question and they agree that only the real Edward can answer it. Edward tells St. John that it’s in a hidden compartment in his room and how to open it. (full context)

On Tom’s orders, St. John runs to the palace to find the compartment and solve the mystery. While they wait,... (full context)

...he picked it up and put it somewhere. Edward’s face lights up and he tells St. John to go look in the arm of a suit of armor in the room. Tom... (full context)

The whole room buzzes with confused conversations and shouting until St. John returns with the seal in hand. Everyone begins shouting praises for the real king and... (full context)