What Makes a Mother Goose a Mother Goose?

Attire and Accoutrements

What kind of clothing does Mother Goose wear in the illustrations seen so far? What does her attire imply about her as a character? Is it that of a simple peasant woman or is it more elaborate and/or formal? Look closely at the use of aprons, capes, collars, gloves, and other items of clothing in these illustrations.

Hats and Shoes

Mother Goose is often portrayed wearing a hat or some other head covering. Variations of a witch’s hat are frequently seen, even in the most benign characters. Some wear what is closer to a stovepipe hat while others cover their heads with various types of broad-brimmed hats, with fancy bonnets, with something similar to a night cap, or with scarves.

What kinds of headgear appear in the images you have seen thus far? Does the head covering give clues to the personalities of particular Mother Goose figures? Identify similarities and differences in what Mother Goose wears on her head.

What kind of shoes does Mother Goose wear? What do those items of footwear imply about the personalities or the activities of various Mother Goose figures?

Notice that in the first image, the small bird is wearing a hat and collar that mimics that of Mother Goose, perhaps signaling her role as mother.

The final two illustrations of Mother Goose may be symbolic of the modern older woman in her pumps or sneakers, flying hatless over the city with her grey hair streaming out behind her.

Hats

Shoes