Why say Humpty Dumpty was an egg?

Question

It's not mentioned anywhere in the rhyme.

In fact there's speculation to say it was actually about a cannon.

Your thoughts?

Answer 1

Previous to the "short, clumsy person" meaning, "humpty dumpty" referred to a drink of brandy boiled with ale. There are also various theories of an original "Humpty Dumpty", who was not an egg. Most, if not all, of these must be classified as false etymologies.

According to an insert taken from the East Anglia Tourist Board in England, Humpty Dumpty was a powerful cannon used in the Siege of Colchester during the English Civil War. It was mounted on top of the St. Mary's at the Wall Church in Colchester defending the city against siege in the summer of 1648. Although Colchester was a Royalist stronghold, it was besieged by the Roundheads for 11 weeks before finally falling. The church tower was hit by enemy cannon fire and the top of the tower was blown off, sending "Humpty" tumbling to the ground. Naturally all the King's horses and all the King's men (Royalist cavalry and infantry respectively) tried to mend "him" but in vain. Other reports have Humpty Dumpty referring to a sniper nicknamed One-Eyed Thompson, who occupied the same church tower.

Answer 2

This is the type of question I really love - word and saying origins. I've read sources that you're obviously familiar with about the tower at Colchester being brought down by cannon-fire during the 1648 English Revolution. There's also a thought that Humpty Dumpty originated as a riddle, which would make a lot of sense. Riddles were an ancient and beloved part of British literature. The riddle is basically "what could fall off a wall and never be put back together" with the answer being an egg. The egg really became fixed in literature with "Through the Looking Glass" by Lewis Carroll. The illustrations by Tennant show an egg shaped creature (with legs and arms) in the scene between Alice and Humpty Dumpty. After that, all illustrations of the old nursery rhyme pictured an egg. Very good points you make, though. Thanks

Answer 3

"According to Martin Gardner, in The Annotated Mother Goose, the Humpty Dumpty rhyme is a riddle. Riddling rhymes were a popular source of entertainment for many centuries. The answer to the Humpty Dumpty riddle is, of course, 'an egg.'"

Answer 4

I think one of the first illustrations that went along with the cartoon was a pic of humpty as an egg. That may or maynot have been the original author's intention. The only way to know what humpty truly was is to ask the author

Answer 5

This remains a mystery. Scholars believe that the rhyme is more than 500 years old, originally written to mock a nobleman who fell from favor with England's King Richard III. The rhyme has been changed and adapted in a number of different countries throughout history.

Answer 6

i never said that ! i thought humpty dumpty was a monarc
i always thought this was poitical satire

Answer 7

you are rite and i think he was pushed it was murder

Answer 8

i scrambled his inside :)

Answer 9

UUUHNN?