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2006-06-07 00:49:32 · 14 answers · asked by Jammy Dodgers 4 in Education & Reference ➔ Trivia
That Humpty Dumpty is an egg is not actually stated in the rhyme. In its first printed form, in 1810, it is a riddle, and exploits for misdirection the fact that "humpty dumpty" was 18th-Century reduplicative slang for a short, clumsy person. Whereas a clumsy person falling off a wall would not be irreperably damaged, an egg would be. The rhyme is no longer posed as a riddle, since the answer is now so well known. Similar riddles exist in other languages, such as "Boule Boule" in French, or "Thille Lille" in Swedish. It is often assumed that Humpty Dumpty died, and the rhyme is used when an accidental death has taken place.
2006-06-07 00:53:24 · answer #1 · answered by Bog woppit. 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
In Colchester, Essex, England there is a story that 'Humpty Dumpty' was the name of a large cannon positioned atop a church tower (St Mary's - now an art centre) adjacent to the town walls during a seige of the town in the English Civil War. The cannon was blasted off the tower (and the tower damaged) by parliamentarian (Roundhead) artillery fire and 'Humpty' destroyed. This leads to the 'all the kings horses and all the kings men couldn't put humpty together again' as the troops under siege were Royalists (Cavaliers). This sounds a good story but I believe other towns besieged during the civil war also have a similar one but with the gun defending their walls. Perhaps one is true though and 'Humpty' wasn't originally an egg.
2006-06-13 01:57:10 · answer #2 · answered by ? 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
He wasn't an egg. In the tradition of RIng a round the Rosie, the children's ryhme has a social/political background, there was a prince of a family of ill repute that was watching a battle from the castle wall and fell to his death. The ryhme is a criticism of that family and their mortality.
2006-06-13 06:26:23 · answer #3 · answered by Andrew M 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think it may be due to Tenniel's drawing,first published in Alice through the looking glass to illustrate Alice's conversation with Humpty. These were classic representations of Lewis carrols work and our image of Alice- long hair, 'Alice' band are due to the popularity of these illustrations which have been copied ever since.
2006-06-07 00:57:48 · answer #4 · answered by loobyloo 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There is a huge picture of an egg sitting on a wall below the poem. Isn't it so in your book?
2006-06-07 00:53:36 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ricky Gervais makes a few observations on this matter in his stand-up 'Politics'.
For example, why would you send a horse to mend an egg? If you were to design an egg-smashing tool, a horse's hoof would be pretty close!
2006-06-07 00:55:03 · answer #6 · answered by johninmelb 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
it never says in the poem.but all so y the f**k u send all the king men and f**kin horse.A)wot if sum1 tryed to invade at that point B) how the hell wud horse help the matter...they hav houfs wudnt that just make the situation worse for the poor broken creature
2006-06-07 00:58:47 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
because in every nursery rhyme book since the beginning of time he has always been drawn as an egg
2006-06-07 01:01:43 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Though the drawings in the book.
But I guess he could have been glass also, but then they could have made a stained glass window out of him if he was.
2006-06-07 00:56:07 · answer #9 · answered by Kelly K 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
something to do with his shape????
i think the illustrations in childrens books show him cracked like an egg?
2006-06-07 00:53:14 · answer #10 · answered by Jo L 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋