By Carol Lucas
As I sat at my computer trying to decide upon a topic for this week’s edition, I must admit to experiencing a total blank. Oh, I know, there is plenty out there to investigate, to rail against, to verbally fight for.
Still, nothing came to me. Writer’s block, that much-dreaded affliction when you know you have a deadline to meet.
So I sat cogitating, and all of a sudden, the nursery rhyme about Humpty Dumpty came to mind. Seriously; I kid you not! As they like to say, dear reader, “You can’t make this stuff up.”
I started to laugh aloud, and then I stopped long enough to ask myself why that seemingly meaningless bit of rhyme should worm its way into my brain (with apologies to RFK Jr.). Yes, that is digression.
So, much like Alice of wonderland fame, I descended down the rabbit hole to explore the symbolic essence of Humpty Dumpty. And as I searched, it became apparent to me that I was brought back around to something much more important than nonsensical child’s play. So, here we go!
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.
Much of my research took me to Wikipedia. However, there are other general descriptions, not necessarily with attribution, of how to look at Humpty Dumpty. What follows are just a few.
Initially, this fictional character was purported to be the name of a cannon used during the English Civil War that was toppled from a tower during a siege. Historically, there were those who chose to see it as limitations of certain powers, often representing something or someone who was broken or in a precarious position. Often mentioned was the defeated monarch, King Richard III.
A more straightforward interpretation is that Humpty Dumpty is a fragile object, like an egg, and represents that which cannot be repaired once broken. This highlights the irreversible nature of certain actions or misfortunes.
Many saw the egg as symbolizing “ego” and the need to break it for character and spiritual growth. In this way, the egg is a figure who is inherently vulnerable and prone to falling from high places. It’s worth noting that the fragile ego of those in high places represents a danger to all.
Perhaps by now, dear reader, you can see where I am going with this.
The rhyme can certainly be interpreted as a metaphor for the fleeting nature of power, where a position of authority (the wall) leads to a dangerous ascent that results in a devastating fall. Notice that all the “king’s” horses or his men cannot reverse what has happened.
The most common moral of “Humpty Dumpty” is a warning about the fragility of things and the irreversible condition of certain mistakes; once something is broken, it often cannot be fixed.
Other interpretations go on to include lessons on the impermanence of power and status, the inherent limitations of human power against universal forces like death or irreversible change, and the importance of caution and accepting responsibility for one’s actions to avoid irreversible damage.
Maybe we who are watching with fear and grave concern regarding what is happening in our country, should create badges made of broken egg shells. While the message may be lost on some, others will get it.
It was the English historian Lord Acton, in an 1887 letter to an Anglican bishop, who wrote that “power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” He used this to argue that the same moral standards should apply to all people, regardless of their position or power.
So, is there a life lesson in this sometimes vague, yet rather transparent nursery rhyme?
Perhaps there is, and it might well be this: all who are fully cognizant of what is happening around us must adopt a resilient mindset. Rather than watch our country devolve into a dictatorship with only “the king’s men” as the authority, we must fight back to save our democracy, and thereby evolve into a better nation.
I played with the idea of injecting what I saw as humorous quips throughout this piece. One was to refer to the wall upon which Humpty Dumpty sits as that between the U.S. and Mexico. Another was to note the difference between the yolk and the white. However, my better judgment kicked in because there is very little humor to be had in our current situation.
If you have made it to the end of this piece which some will deem to be nothing more than frivolity, I applaud your tenacity. That said, start cracking those eggs!
Carol Lucas is a retired high school teacher and a Lady’s Island resident. She is the author of the recently published “A Breath Away: One Woman’s Journey Through Widowhood.”
