Little Miss Muffet

Introductory Context. A series in contrasts.

Examining illustrations of Little Miss Muffet is a study of contrasts. This simple rhyme takes on a range of potential meanings conveyed through the illustrations. The choice of what is illustrated may be influenced by the artist’s intent, the type of Mother Goose book in which it is contained, and the age of the intended audience. The rhyme may be divided into 3 phases. Some illustrations take place before the title character realizes there is a spider nearby. More commonly the actual arrival of the spider is pictured, often capturing a moment of shock, horror, or disgust. More rarely viewers witness events after Little Miss Muffet’s initial surprise. It is interesting to look for the various artists’ interpretations of a tuffet in these illustrations.