Mother Goose is a literary figure associated with fairy tales and nursery rhymes. The Real Mother Goose, a book of short poems published in 1916, contains well-known adaptations of children’s poems predating the book. The character was a figurehead description of a certain genre of literature, and her poems were likely told by peasant women. The theory that her poems were written by Elizabeth Goose is false. The 1916 illustrations suggest an early model for representations of witches. The Real Mother Goose is a great way to teach poetry to young children.
Mother Goose is an iconic figure in literature, associated with both fairy tales and nursery rhymes. The modern American reader may be more familiar with the classic book of short poems titled The Real Mother Goose, first published in 1916. Many of these poems are well-known adaptations of children’s poems or songs, predating the book’s publication.
References to Mother Goose date back to the 17th century and usually included the idea that she invented fairy tales in addition to poems. All the stories suitable for children were according to the French writer Jean Loret in his La Muse Historique of 17, like the tales of Mother Goose. This suggests that the character was well known and was essentially a figurehead description of a certain genre of literature. Poems of this sort would later be called nursery rhymes, as told in kindergarten by mothers, perhaps fathers, and often by wet nurses or nannies.
There have been various hypotheses that an actual mother goose existed at some point. Two French queens before the 12th century were considered by some to be Mother Goose. This is widely discredited. Another disproven theory is that her poems were written by a 19th-century American woman named Elizabeth Goose. This urban legend was enough to earn the possibly non-existent Elizabeth a spot in Ripley’s Believe it or Not! Museum like a wax figure. In this case, don’t believe it; many of the works in The Real Mother Goose can be traced back centuries.
More likely, Mother Goose was a reference to any peasant woman who could herd geese, or who could care for children and gather them about her in herds to tell stories. Some have also suggested that the figure is of pagan origin. Her costumes and appearance in the illustrations appear to be an early model for representations of witches. Especially her pointed nose, glasses and witch’s hat are suggestive in the 1916 collection.
Sometimes Mother Goose is simply depicted as a goose. This is definitely a modern take in keeping with the many anthropomorphic animals that entertain modern children in books and on television. The Real Mother Goose published in several forms retains the older illustrations and remains a delightful children’s book. It is often a great way to teach poetry to young children and to help them learn to memorize short rhythmic poems.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
