“Little Boy Blue”: Nursery Rhyme: A Critical Analysis

Introduction: “Little Boy Blue”: Nursery Rhyme

“Little Boy Blue,” a classic English nursery rhyme, first appeared in print in the 1744 collection Tommy Thumb’s Little Song Book. The rhyme tells the story of a boy tasked with watching over livestock, who falls asleep, allowing the sheep and cows to wander. Its main idea revolves around responsibility and the consequences of neglect, presented in a simple, engaging narrative suitable for children. The rhyme’s enduring popularity is attributed to its melodic rhythm, memorable imagery, and the relatable theme of youthful distraction, which resonates with readers across generations. Its inclusion in early nursery rhyme collections further solidified its place in literary tradition.

Text: “Little Boy Blue”: Nursery Rhyme

Annotations: “Little Boy Blue”: Nursery Rhyme

Line	Annotation
Little boy blue,	The titular character is introduced, a young boy often depicted as a shepherd, dressed in blue, symbolizing innocence, youth, and responsibility.
Come blow your horn,	A call to action for the boy to use his horn, an instrument traditionally used by shepherds to control livestock or signal their presence.
The sheep’s in the meadow,	Describes the situation where sheep, which should be under the boy’s care, have wandered into the meadow, potentially causing harm to the crops.
The cow’s in the corn.	Highlights further negligence, as the cow has strayed into the cornfield, damaging valuable crops and symbolizing the consequences of inattention.
But where is the boy	Raises a rhetorical question, reflecting concern or curiosity about the boy’s whereabouts while chaos unfolds in his absence.
Who looks after the sheep?	Emphasizes the boy’s primary responsibility—caring for the sheep, a metaphor for duty and vigilance in daily life.
He’s under a haystack,	Provides the answer: the boy is sleeping beneath a haystack, symbolizing negligence, escape from responsibility, or simple human vulnerability.
Fast asleep.	Concludes with the boy’s state, suggesting a complete lapse in attention, perhaps implying the innocence of youth rather than intentional failure.

Literary And Poetic Devices: “Little Boy Blue”: Nursery Rhyme

Device	Example	Explanation
Alliteration	” Little Boy Blue “	Repetition of the consonant sound “b” enhances the musical quality of the rhyme.
Allusion	“Little Boy Blue”	May allude to a pastoral tradition or biblical references to shepherds and their duties.
Anaphora	“The sheep’s in the meadow, / The cow’s in the corn”	Repetition of “The” at the beginning of successive lines emphasizes the disruption caused by the animals.
Assonance	“The cow’s in the corn”	Repetition of the vowel sound “o” creates a rhythmic harmony in the line.
Contrast	“But where is the boy / Who looks after the sheep?”	Highlights the expectation of duty versus the reality of neglect.
Enjambment	“The sheep’s in the meadow, / The cow’s in the corn”	The sentence flows beyond one line, maintaining a natural rhythm and continuity in narration.
Imagery	“The sheep’s in the meadow, / The cow’s in the corn”	Vivid descriptions evoke a pastoral setting and create a mental picture of the scene.
Irony	“He’s under a haystack, / Fast asleep”	Situational irony: the boy is expected to guard the animals but is instead sleeping, leading to chaos.
Metaphor	“Little Boy Blue”	The boy represents innocence and perhaps human flaws in fulfilling responsibilities.
Personification	“The sheep’s in the meadow, / The cow’s in the corn”	Implies animals have agency in their mischief, adding to the narrative’s playful tone.
Repetition	“The sheep’s in the meadow, / The cow’s in the corn”	Repetition of structure emphasizes the escalating problem caused by the boy’s neglect.
Rhyme	“horn/corn” and “sheep/asleep”	The rhyme scheme (AABB) gives the poem a musical and memorable quality, aiding in its appeal to children.

Themes: “Little Boy Blue”: Nursery Rhyme

• Responsibility and Neglect
• The central theme of “Little Boy Blue” revolves around the concept of responsibility and its neglect. The boy’s role as a shepherd involves protecting the sheep and ensuring that the livestock does not stray into the crops. The lines, “The sheep’s in the meadow, / The cow’s in the corn,” depict the consequences of his failure to fulfill these duties. His absence, described in “He’s under a haystack, / Fast asleep,” highlights the contrast between expectation and reality. This theme resonates universally, teaching readers about the importance of vigilance and the repercussions of neglect, particularly in roles requiring accountability.
• Innocence and Youth
• “Little Boy Blue” captures the innocence and vulnerabilities of childhood, as seen in the boy’s actions. His decision to sleep under the haystack instead of attending to his duties suggests a childlike lapse, one that stems more from inexperience than intentional neglect. The rhyme’s gentle tone avoids harsh judgment, suggesting a forgiving view of youthful errors. The imagery of “a haystack” further emphasizes the idyllic, pastoral world of the poem, reinforcing the idea that such innocence is natural and expected in children.
• Consequences of Inaction
• A critical theme in the poem is the direct consequences of inaction, as highlighted by the disruption caused by the boy’s negligence. The sheep and cows wandering freely into meadows and cornfields symbolize the potential harm that arises when responsibilities are ignored. The question, “But where is the boy / Who looks after the sheep?” underscores the importance of proactive behavior in avoiding problems. The rhyme subtly reminds readers that actions—or lack thereof—often have tangible impacts on the world around us.
• Human Flaws and Forgiveness
• Through its portrayal of the boy, the rhyme subtly explores the universality of human flaws and the need for forgiveness. The boy’s act of falling asleep under a haystack reflects a moment of vulnerability, which can be seen as a metaphor for human frailty. The rhyme does not dwell on reprimands or punishment, instead leaving the reader with a sense of understanding. The pastoral setting and soothing rhythm of the poem imply a tone of acceptance, suggesting that mistakes are a part of life and can be met with compassion.

Literary Theories and “Little Boy Blue”: Nursery Rhyme

Literary Theory	Application to Little Boy Blue	References from the Poem
Structuralism	Examines the rhyme’s structure and binary oppositions, such as responsibility vs. neglect and action vs. inaction.	Binary opposition: “The sheep’s in the meadow” (chaos) vs. “Come blow your horn” (order).
Marxist Theory	Interprets the boy’s role as a worker and the failure to fulfill duties as a disruption of the pastoral economy.	“The cow’s in the corn” suggests economic loss, as the corn is a valuable resource being destroyed by animals.
Psychoanalytic Criticism	Explores the unconscious desires and motivations of the boy, potentially seeing sleep as escapism or a retreat from pressure.	“He’s under a haystack, / Fast asleep” could symbolize the boy’s unconscious desire to avoid responsibility.

Critical Questions about “Little Boy Blue”: Nursery Rhyme

• What does “Little Boy Blue” suggest about the nature of responsibility?
• “Little Boy Blue” highlights the importance of responsibility by showing the consequences of neglect. The boy, tasked with caring for livestock, fails in his duty when he falls asleep under the haystack. This failure leads to the sheep wandering into the meadow and the cow into the cornfield, as seen in “The sheep’s in the meadow, / The cow’s in the corn.” The poem subtly critiques inaction, showing how neglect can lead to disorder. However, it also reflects the inevitability of lapses, especially in youth, suggesting that responsibility is a learned behavior shaped through experience.
• How does the poem reflect the innocence of childhood?
• The boy’s actions in the poem embody the innocence and vulnerabilities of childhood. Rather than acting out of malice, his decision to sleep under the haystack, as described in “He’s under a haystack, / Fast asleep,” indicates a natural inclination towards rest and play over duty. The pastoral setting and the gentle tone of the poem emphasize the boy’s innocence, portraying his mistake as a part of growing up rather than a serious failing. This innocence makes the rhyme relatable and endearing to readers of all ages.
• What role does the pastoral setting play in the narrative?
• The pastoral setting of “Little Boy Blue” provides a tranquil backdrop that contrasts with the chaos caused by the boy’s neglect. The imagery of “The sheep’s in the meadow” and “The cow’s in the corn” evokes a serene countryside disrupted by the boy’s inaction. This setting emphasizes the importance of harmony in rural life, where each individual plays a role in maintaining order. The calmness of the haystack where the boy sleeps further reinforces the idyllic nature of the scene, even as it highlights the fragility of that order.
• What commentary does the poem offer on human flaws?
• The poem subtly critiques human flaws, particularly negligence and escapism, through the boy’s failure to fulfill his duties. His act of falling asleep under the haystack suggests an innate vulnerability, symbolizing the universal tendency to avoid responsibilities at times. The rhetorical question, “But where is the boy / Who looks after the sheep?” reflects societal expectations of accountability while also expressing a note of concern rather than condemnation. This compassionate portrayal suggests that human flaws are inevitable and should be met with understanding rather than harsh judgment.

Literary Works Similar to “Little Boy Blue”: Nursery Rhyme

1. “Mary Had a Little Lamb”
   Similarity: Both poems focus on pastoral themes and the relationship between a child and their responsibilities involving animals.
2. “The Lamb” by William Blake
   Similarity: Explores themes of innocence and the symbolic role of sheep, akin to “Little Boy Blue’s” focus on livestock and youthful simplicity.
3. “Baa, Baa, Black Sheep”
   Similarity: Centers on sheep and uses rhyme to convey lessons, reflecting shared motifs of agricultural life and responsibility.
4. “The Owl and the Pussy-Cat” by Edward Lear
   Similarity: Features whimsical imagery and a musical quality in its rhyme, paralleling the charm and simplicity of “Little Boy Blue.”
5. “The Shepherd” by William Blake
   Similarity: Highlights the role of a shepherd in a pastoral setting, akin to the boy’s duty to care for sheep in “Little Boy Blue.”

Representative Quotations of “Little Boy Blue”: Nursery Rhyme

Quotation	Context	Theoretical Perspective
“Little boy blue, / Come blow your horn”	A call to action for the boy to fulfill his responsibilities as a shepherd.	Structuralism: Reflects the expectation of duty within a structured social role, emphasizing order in chaos.
“The sheep’s in the meadow”	Describes the disorder caused by the boy’s neglect of his duties.	Marxist Theory: Highlights the disruption of rural productivity and the economic impact of negligence.
“The cow’s in the corn”	Further emphasizes the consequences of inaction, as livestock damages crops.	Ecocriticism: Focuses on the human relationship with nature and its delicate balance.
“But where is the boy / Who looks after the sheep?”	Questions the boy’s whereabouts, reflecting concern for his responsibility.	Psychoanalytic Criticism: Suggests unconscious motives or desires behind the boy’s retreat from duty.
“He’s under a haystack, / Fast asleep”	Reveals the boy’s state of vulnerability, neglecting his task in favor of rest.	Humanism: Highlights the flaws of human nature and the importance of understanding and compassion.

Suggested Readings: “Little Boy Blue”: Nursery Rhyme

1. McDonald, Mary Palmer. “Rhyme or Reason?– A Microscopic View of Nursery Rhymes.” The Journal of Negro Education, vol. 43, no. 3, 1974, pp. 275–83. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/2966519. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.
2. BRIDESON, CYNTHIA, and SARA BRIDESON. “Little Boy Blue.” Ziegfeld and His Follies: A Biography of Broadway”s Greatest Producer, University Press of Kentucky, 2015, pp. 273–86. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt14tqd2z.20. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.
3. Farley, Charles. “Little Boy Blue: 1930–1945.” Soul of the Man: Bobby “Blue” Bland, University Press of Mississippi, 2011, pp. 41–48. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt12f4jx.7. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.
4. Blakely, Diann. “Little Boy Blue.” BOMB, no. 80, 2002, pp. 88–88. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/40426715. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.