“Little Miss Muffet” by Mother Goose: A Critical Analysis

Introduction: “Little Miss Muffet” by Mother Goose

“Little Miss Muffet” by Mother Goose, first appeared in 1805 in a collection titled Songs for the Nursery, with its simple lines about a young girl frightened away by a spider, captures themes of innocence, curiosity, and surprise, elements that resonate with young audiences. The rhyme’s enduring popularity can be attributed to its vivid imagery, rhythmic flow, and relatable scenario, which spark both humor and a touch of suspense. Additionally, the playful language and memorable characters like Miss Muffet and the spider have made it a staple of children’s literature, cementing its place in cultural memory as both a teaching tool for language and a source of amusement across generations.

Text: “Little Miss Muffet” by Mother Goose

Annotations: “Little Miss Muffet” by Mother Goose

Line	Annotation	Literary Devices
Little Miss Muffet	Introduces the character, a young girl with a quaint name, setting a gentle, innocent tone.	Alliteration (repetition of ‘M’ sounds)
Sat on a tuffet,	Establishes the setting with “tuffet,” an old-fashioned term for a small mound or cushion, adding a whimsical feel.	Internal rhyme (Muffet/tuffet), Imagery
Eating her curds and whey;	Shows the character engaged in a simple, everyday activity, evoking a sense of routine and calm.	Imagery, Assonance (repetition of ‘e’ sounds), Alliteration (‘her’ and ‘curds’)
Along came a spider,	Introduces an unexpected element, creating a sudden contrast to the previous calm.	Personification (gives the spider agency), Foreshadowing, Suspense
Who sat down beside her,	The spider’s action mirrors Miss Muffet’s, suggesting it is curious or interested in her.	Parallelism (mirrors Miss Muffet’s action), Repetition (continuity of ‘sat’)
And frightened Miss Muffet away.	Climax of the rhyme, depicting Miss Muffet’s reaction; adds humor and a twist, breaking the calm.	Rhyme, Imagery, Alliteration (f/frightened), Personification (spider as agent)

Literary And Poetic Devices: “Little Miss Muffet” by Mother Goose

Literary Device	Example	Explanation
Alliteration	“Miss Muffet”	The repetition of the “M” sound emphasizes the character’s name, making it more memorable and rhythmic.
Anaphora	“Who sat…/And frightened…”	The use of similar structure in consecutive lines creates rhythm and ties actions together.
Assonance	“curds and whey”	The repetition of the “e” sound within “curds” and “whey” creates a soft musical quality.
Cacophony	“frightened”	The harsh “fr” and “ght” sounds add an abrupt tone, reinforcing the sense of fear.
Climax	“And frightened Miss Muffet away.”	The story builds to this moment of surprise, creating a simple but effective climax.
Consonance	“tuffet” and “Muffet”	The repetition of the “t” sound at the end of both words emphasizes their connection and rhyme.
End Rhyme	“Muffet / tuffet,” “whey / away”	Rhyming at the end of lines creates musicality and makes the rhyme easy to remember.
Foreshadowing	“Along came a spider”	The mention of the spider hints at a change in the poem’s tone, creating suspense.
Hyperbole	“frightened Miss Muffet away”	Implies an exaggerated reaction, adding humor to her strong reaction to the spider.
Imagery	“Eating her curds and whey”	This phrase evokes a visual image of the girl calmly eating, setting up the scene before the conflict.
Internal Rhyme	“Muffet” and “tuffet”	Rhyme within the line itself enhances the rhythm and flow of the poem.
Irony	Miss Muffet is frightened by a small spider	The disproportionate fear adds humor, as spiders are generally harmless.
Juxtaposition	“Sat on a tuffet” / “frightened away”	The calm setting contrasts with the sudden fright, adding an element of surprise.
Metaphor	“tuffet” as a seat	Though literal, “tuffet” is also symbolic of comfort and innocence, contrasting with the threat.
Onomatopoeia	“sat down beside her”	Though subtle, the phrase imitates the quiet nature of the spider’s approach, enhancing the scene.
Parallelism	“Sat on a tuffet” / “sat down beside her”	Repetition of the structure in these lines connects Miss Muffet and the spider.
Personification	“Who sat down beside her”	The spider is given human-like behavior, making it a character rather than a simple insect.
Repetition	“sat”	The repetition of “sat” emphasizes the shared activity, heightening the parallel between Miss Muffet and the spider.
Suspense	“Along came a spider”	This line introduces an element of suspense, suggesting something unsettling is about to happen.
Symbolism	Spider as fear	The spider symbolizes common fears or unexpected challenges in an otherwise calm setting.

Themes: “Little Miss Muffet” by Mother Goose

1. Innocence and Childhood
   The poem begins with Little Miss Muffet peacefully sitting on a “tuffet,” enjoying her food (“Eating her curds and whey”). This image represents innocence and the simple pleasures of childhood, as Miss Muffet is depicted in a serene moment of enjoyment. Her youthful innocence makes her reaction to the spider more humorous and relatable, as children often react strongly to unexpected surprises.
2. Fear of the Unknown
   The line “Along came a spider” introduces an element of the unexpected, symbolizing the fear or discomfort many feel when encountering something unfamiliar or creepy. Miss Muffet’s sudden fright and flight when the spider sits beside her (“And frightened Miss Muffet away”) exemplify a common reaction to fear of the unknown, often present in young children’s experiences with insects or animals they perceive as threatening.
3. Humor in Overreaction
   The poem’s humor lies in the disproportionate reaction of Miss Muffet to a spider, a small creature that likely poses no harm. The phrase “frightened Miss Muffet away” humorously exaggerates her reaction, capturing a moment of intense fear from something relatively harmless. This overreaction is relatable and amusing, as many people can recall moments of irrational fear in their own childhoods.
4. Nature’s Interruption in Daily Life
   Miss Muffet’s encounter with the spider highlights how nature often intrudes upon daily activities, disrupting routines unexpectedly. The spider “who sat down beside her” represents nature’s unpredictability, which can surprise and even frighten us in moments when we least expect it. This theme reflects a humorous look at human responses to the natural world’s small surprises.

Literary Theories and “Little Miss Muffet” by Mother Goose

Literary Theory	Application to “Little Miss Muffet”	References from the Poem
Psychoanalytic Theory	Examines the subconscious fears and anxieties present in the rhyme, where Miss Muffet’s reaction to the spider reflects an instinctual response to fear. This response could represent childhood anxieties, specifically the fear of the unknown or unfamiliar.	“Along came a spider, / Who sat down beside her, / And frightened Miss Muffet away” – highlights Miss Muffet’s fear and flight response, which can be interpreted as an unconscious reaction to something she perceives as a threat.
Feminist Theory	Analyzes the portrayal of Miss Muffet as a passive character whose routine is disrupted by an external force (the spider). This approach could suggest traditional gender roles, where the female character is depicted as vulnerable and reactive rather than proactive.	“Little Miss Muffet / Sat on a tuffet, / Eating her curds and whey” – Miss Muffet is portrayed in a domestic, passive role, engaging in a quiet activity, with the action of the poem revolving around her response to the spider rather than her initiating any change.
Structuralist Theory	Examines the binary oppositions within the rhyme, such as calm versus chaos, innocence versus fear, and human versus nature. The structure of the rhyme highlights a predictable world interrupted by an unexpected encounter, creating meaning through this contrast.	“Sat on a tuffet, / Eating her curds and whey” (calm and routine) versus “Along came a spider, / And frightened Miss Muffet away” (sudden fear) – these opposing scenes define the poem’s structure, emphasizing the shift from order to disorder.

Critical Questions about “Little Miss Muffet” by Mother Goose

• What does the poem suggest about childhood fears?
• “Little Miss Muffet” portrays a classic childhood fear of the unknown, represented by the spider’s sudden appearance. The line “And frightened Miss Muffet away” highlights the intensity of her reaction, capturing the exaggerated responses that are common in childhood. Children often respond with fear to unexpected creatures or events, particularly when they are unfamiliar. The spider’s entrance is abrupt and unsettling in an otherwise calm scene, underscoring how childhood innocence can be easily disrupted by even the smallest of surprises, a relatable scenario for many young readers.
• How does the poem reflect traditional gender roles?
• The character of Miss Muffet can be seen as embodying traditional femininity—she is passive, sitting quietly “on a tuffet, / Eating her curds and whey,” until an external force (the spider) disrupts her. Her reaction to flee rather than confront or question the spider reinforces a depiction of vulnerability. This response may mirror stereotypical portrayals of women in literature as more fearful or delicate, adding to a conventional view of femininity in the nursery rhyme genre. The poem subtly reflects these roles, making Miss Muffet a figure of innocence and dependence.
• What role does nature play in the poem?
• Nature, represented by the spider, acts as a disruptive force in “Little Miss Muffet.” While Miss Muffet is peacefully engaged in a mundane activity, the spider’s arrival symbolizes nature’s unpredictable and, to Miss Muffet, invasive presence. The spider is anthropomorphized—“Who sat down beside her”—which gives it a role in Miss Muffet’s narrative rather than being simply a passive element of the environment. This suggests that nature, even in the form of small creatures, can intrude upon and alter human activities, reflecting the theme of nature’s unexpected influence in our daily lives.
• How does the poem use simplicity to convey its message?
• The poem’s straightforward language and structure are part of what make “Little Miss Muffet”so effective. With only six short lines, the rhyme uses simple words and a clear sequence of events to capture a universal experience. Each line introduces either a character or action, building tension in a format that is easy for children to follow and understand. Phrases like “Along came a spider” and “And frightened Miss Muffet away” create a clear and relatable narrative arc, demonstrating how simplicity in structure and language can create vivid and memorable imagery.
• What is the significance of the rhyme scheme in the poem?
• The AABCCB rhyme scheme of “Little Miss Muffet” lends a musical quality that is common in nursery rhymes, making it engaging and easy to remember. The rhyming pairs—“Muffet” and “tuffet,” “whey” and “away”—provide a rhythm that emphasizes the narrative’s playful and lighthearted tone, even as it describes a moment of fear. This rhyme scheme aids in building anticipation; the calm tone established by the rhyming lines is disrupted by the final rhyme, “away,” which signifies Miss Muffet’s departure in a humorous and somewhat dramatic way. The rhyme scheme thus supports the storytelling, enhancing the poem’s appeal and reinforcing its themes.

Literary Works Similar to “Little Miss Muffet” by Mother Goose

1. “Jack and Jill“
   Like “Little Miss Muffet,” this nursery rhyme tells a simple, rhythmic story of two children encountering an unexpected mishap, highlighting innocence and vulnerability.
2. “Humpty Dumpty“
   This rhyme shares a similar theme of a sudden, unfortunate event disrupting an otherwise stable scene, much like Miss Muffet’s peaceful moment disturbed by the spider.
3. “Hey Diddle Diddle“
   Both poems use playful and whimsical imagery to create a lighthearted, memorable story that captivates children and presents amusing, imaginative scenarios.
4. “Mary Had a Little Lamb”
   This poem, like “Little Miss Muffet,” centers around a young protagonist in a simple, everyday scene that is gently disrupted, here by a lamb’s presence rather than a spider.
5. “There Was an Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe”
   Both poems use rhythmic and repetitive language to tell a brief narrative about characters in unusual situations, appealing to children’s imagination and sense of humor.

Representative Quotations of “Little Miss Muffet” by Mother Goose

Quotation	Context	Theoretical Perspective
“Little Miss Muffet”	Introduces the main character, a young girl with a quaint name, setting a gentle tone.	Feminist Theory: The use of “Miss” emphasizes gender, positioning her as a delicate figure in a traditional gender role.
“Sat on a tuffet”	Describes Miss Muffet in a passive, seated position, emphasizing innocence and calm.	Structuralist Theory: Highlights a moment of stability and order, which is later disrupted, forming a binary opposition with chaos.
“Eating her curds and whey”	Shows Miss Muffet engaged in an innocent, everyday activity, adding to the pastoral scene.	Psychoanalytic Theory: Reflects a child’s simple, routine behavior that can be disturbed by fear, representing underlying anxieties.
“Along came a spider”	Introduces an unexpected, external element, symbolizing the arrival of fear or danger.	Post-structuralist Theory: The spider disrupts the established order, challenging Miss Muffet’s sense of safety and innocence.
“Who sat down beside her”	The spider’s action mirrors Miss Muffet’s, adding tension as it disrupts her calm.	Ecocriticism: The spider represents nature’s unpredictable presence in human spaces, emphasizing nature’s influence on daily life.
“And frightened Miss Muffet away”	Conveys Miss Muffet’s reaction to fear, abruptly ending her peaceful moment.	Psychoanalytic Theory: The phrase captures the flight response, representing how instinctual fears can overpower rational thought, especially in children.

Suggested Readings: “Little Miss Muffet” by Mother Goose

1. Hickerson, Joseph C., and Alan Dundes. “Mother Goose Vice Verse.” The Journal of American Folklore, vol. 75, no. 297, 1962, pp. 249–59. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/537726. Accessed 7 Nov. 2024.
2. TYLER, ROBERT L. “Mother Goose and Pandora.” Prairie Schooner, vol. 30, no. 1, 1956, pp. 86–92. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/40624820. Accessed 7 Nov. 2024.
3. Haake, Cheryl M. “Mother Goose Is on the Loose.” The Reading Teacher, vol. 43, no. 4, 1990, pp. 350–51. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/20200389. Accessed 7 Nov. 2024.
4. Witherington, Paul. “News and Ideas.” College English, vol. 32, no. 8, 1971, pp. 962–63. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/375651. Accessed 7 Nov. 2024.
5. Smith, Jessie Willcox (American painter and illustrator, 1863-1935), and Colgate & Company, Dodd, Meade & Company. Little Miss Muffet Sat on a Tuffet. 1914. JSTOR, https://jstor.org/stable/community.31762143. Accessed 7 Nov. 2024.