Analyzing the Theme of Fascism in "Mother Goose" by Kate Greenway

Mother Goose by Kate Greenway has fascism as one of the key themes, depicting the situation when the one with power dictates or forces the subject(s) under him or her to do whatever they wish. To achieve loyalty and obedience, the one in authority may go to the extent of using intimidation or violence to realize this course. The subjects are not allowed to question or oppose those in power. The topic is better manifested in the story “An old Woman Living in the Shoe”. Greenway has used the image and allegory of a shoe to reinforce the theme of fascism in it.

As per this story, the shoe was home for the old woman who also had several children. Interestingly, the children did not have any say in the home. They simply lived as per the dictates of the old woman. Her way of managing them involved whipping so that they do what she wanted. Further, she could also force them to go to bed when the time was ripe. At times, she could also give them broth without any bread (Greenway 17). Greenway skillfully describes this unfavorable condition:

There used to be an old woman whose dwelling place was a shoe,

He children were so many that she did not what to do about them

She could decide to give broth, without bread,

She could beat them thoroughly and sent them to bed when she wanted (12)

All these examples demonstrate that the old lady controlled her children forcefully.

Moreover, she was a dictator to her own children and did not show the virtue of good parenting. It was clear from the story that the children were living in a kind of prison. This shoe can therefore be used to mean a home, a country, or kingdom, with an authoritarian leader and subjects.

In real life situations, it is not possible to live in a shoe; therefore, Greenway has used the shoe figuratively to imply something else other than what is being said. In this regard, the shoe image is an indication of a certain form of governance. In other words, people are living in some form of enclosement with a leader. Through this story, Kate Greenway was trying to showcase the readers the form of governance that was prevalent in her country. Similar to the kind of life that the children were subjected to by the old woman, it is probable that in this country (Victoria), people lived under fear and did not have any say in matters pertaining to governance. They simply lived as per the whims of those in power. However, this is not the kind of leadership that people should have been subjected to. It was actually bad leadership.

Through this story, it is evident that the author wanted to show that fascism, the dictatorship kind of rule or governance, which citizens were subjected to, was not right. The regime clearly deprived people of their rights. In essence, it may not be ideal to introduce violence themes to young children as part of their lessons. However, it is evident that Greenway seeks to enlighten her audience early enough so that they may develop consciousness of the environment in which they are living in.

Work Cited

Greenway, Kate. Mother Goose: Or, the Old Nursery Rhymes. San Marino, Calif.: Huntington Library, 1974.