Humpty Dumpty

Humpty Dumpty

Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall

Humpty Dumpty had a great fall

All the King’s horses, and all the King’s Men

Couldn’t put Humpty together again

Written:          Unknown

Published:        1797

In fifteenth century England “humpty dumpty” was a slang term to describe someone who was obese.

In the seventeenth century - according to the Oxford English Dictionary - the term "humpty dumpty" referred to a drink of brandy boiled with ale.

And in the eighteenth century "humpty dumpty" was slang for a short and clumsy person.

There are various theories of what and who "Humpty Dumpty" was and they are as follows:

·         One suggestion was that Humpty Dumpty was a "tortoise" siege engine (a siege engine was a device that was designed to break down city walls in a time of warfare initially made of wood however with time and new inventions came to be an armoured frame). It was suggested that a “tortoise” was used unsuccessfully to approach the walls of the Parliamentary held city of Gloucester in 1643 during the Siege of Gloucester during the English Civil War. This suggestion was put forward in 1956 by Professor David Daube in The Oxford Magazine on 16^th February 1956. Academics acclaimed this theory however this theory was derided by others and declared to be a spoof.

·         A second (most discussed / plausible and believable) theory claims that “Humpty Dumpty” was a cannon – the theory goes as follows: The cannon was used during the English Civil War (1642-1649) in the Siege of Colchester 13^th June 1648-27^th August 1648) when the Roundheads (Parliamentarians) laid siege to the town against the Cavaliers (Royalists). In 1648 Colchester was a walled town with a castle and several churches and was protected by the city wall. A huge cannon – known locally as “Humpty Dumpty” was strategically placed on the city wall. A shot from a Parliamentary cannon succeeded in damaging the wall beneath “Humpty Dumpty” which caused the cannon to fall to the ground. The Cavaliers (Royalists - 'all the King's men') attempted to raise “Humpty Dumpty” on to another part of the wall but because the cannon was so heavy 'All the King's horses and all the King's men couldn't put Humpty together again.' This had severe consequences for the Cavaliers (Royalists) as the tactically important town of Colchester fell to the Roundheads (Parliamentarians) after a siege that had lasted for eleven weeks.

·         Another theory – put forward by Katherine Ewles Thomas claims that “Humpty Dumpty” was King Richard III of England depicted in Tudor history and in particular in Shakespeare's play: Richard III. He was portrayed as a humpbacked King who was defeated - despite his armies – at Bosworth Field in 1485.

However for clarification purposes the term humpback was not recorded until the eighteenth century and to date there is no direct evidence linking the rhyme “Humpty Dumpty” with the historical figure.

Written by: Andria Owen