Betty Botter Bought Some Butter

Introductory Context – Common characteristics of Betty

An analysis of versions of the rhyme reveals no significant differences in text. It is a fun and humorous tongue twister, the key element being the alliteration. Reading the text alone, or reciting it aloud, however, gives no indication of what the batter is for or what the character of Betty Botter is like, other than she is female.

Most of the illustrations studied feature common elements: Betty is indeed female and is most often shown in a kitchen holding or tasting the butter or stirring or tasting the batter. In some illustrations, she is pictured as a child and, in others, as a grown woman. This may suggest that women are brought up from childhood to be responsible for food preparation. The illustration above places her in a fairly early period and may confirm that women and food have always been associated.