4/18/2023 0 Comments Ring around the rosie meaningYet, no one does, despite the fact that antiquarians began collecting such material in the 18th century and publishing it. If the rhyme is that old, it would be expected that someone would have mentioned it somewhere between the 14th century and the 19th even if it were only a few words tossed off as an aside. There are no references to this rhyme in contemporary literature, artwork, or the like that I have been able to discover. Once again, we have many firsthand accounts of this calamity-even more than in the earlier outbreak, since literacy was more widespread by the 17th.įrom a purely historical standpoint, there were already difficulties in attributing the rhyme as far back as the 14th century. Sometimes, the plague referenced in the rhyme is said to be the Great Plague of London of 1665-6, the last major outbreak of plague in the English-speaking world. In visual art, the "dance of death", featuring skeletons leading people of all classes to their death, became common in both secular and sacred art. ![]() Those who are familiar with Boccaccio's Decameron will know, for instance, that the setting for this series of stories is a country villa where several people have fled to escape the plague. The "plague" usually referred to by those who give this explanation is the Black Death of 1347-50, which killed perhaps 1/3 of the population of Europe and had a decided effect on literature and art of the period. So, where to turn for a reliable explanation? The people who spend their lives studying the oral and written tradition of rhymes like this one are folklorists, and it is to them that we should look for evidence of the rhyme's antiquity and origins.īut first, a bit of historical background. Even academics sometimes spread misinformation, especially tasty tidbits like this one. Surely, these people have done their research! Unfortunately, this does not seem to be the case. Many have also seen reference made to it in history programs on A&E and the like. Now, I know a number of people have read this explanation in credible (or seemingly so) sources such as medical journals and Smithsonian magazine. ![]() However, when I started reading the Internet newsgroup devoted to the study of urban legends () (1), I quickly discovered that folklorists generally discounted the plague origins theory. Many rhymes and fairy tales are of significant antiquity and tales which the modern reader might consider "gruesome" were certainly in circulation in the Middle Ages and early modern era- why not this one? I know I passed it on myself a number of times. Now, this explanation is seemingly plausible. "We all fall down." - The Plague was not selective in its victims both rich and poor, young and old, succumbed. "Ashes, ashes" -either a reference to the cremation of plague victims or to the words said in the funeral Mass."Ashes to ashes, dust to dust." Sometimes line three is rendered as "Atischoo, atischoo"-sneezing, another sign of infection. "A pocket full of posies"- refers to sachets of herbs carried to ward off infection "Ring around the Rosie"-refers to a red mark, supposedly the first sign of the plague ![]() Doubtless, many of you will have heard it: I remember the first time I heard the explanation of the "real meaning" of "Ring around the Rosie." During a unit on the Middle Ages, I heard an elementary school teacher give the kids an explanation that, to my ears, made some sense: this rhyme referred to the Black Death. Rosie The "Real" Meaning of "Ring Around the Rosie" Magistra Nicolaa de Bracton
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