Talk:Humpty Dumpty

Finnegans Wake

I have added a section for two appearances of Humpty Dumpty in James Joyce's Finnegans Wake, but an editor reversed it, suggesting that I should instead elaborate on what's already in the article about it. I thought about adding this for two reasons: first, there is already a section for Dumpty in "Through the Looking-Glass", therefore it should be OK to add sections discussing its appearances on other works of literature; and second, the references to Humpty Dumpty in the Finnegans Wake are pretty unique, specially in form. The inclusion of the quotes in the article could lead people searching the text of the Wake to this page and help them better understand the context of Dumpty's appearance in the book. Furthermore, the inclusion of the quotes could also help people interested in Dumpty overall to see its application on the wider idea of the Fall of Man. I would like to add back the section and elaborate on it. What are other editors' ideas about this?

Balconing Málaga

Its suggest that Humpty Dumtpy is a reference to the traditional balconing in Malaga and the south of Spain. Ricardo Liberal Baztan (talk) 08:28, 22 August 2023 (UTC)

Longest-running Broadway show 1869–1881

There is a succession link entitled "Longest-running Broadway show" but when I click on it the page it goes to does not even mention Humpty. Should the succession link be removed (or maybe the Broadway page updated)? It doesn't make sense having a link to somewhere where the topic isn't covered? GrimRob (talk) 21:24, 27 April 2025 (UTC)

Looks like the correct fix is to update List of the longest-running Broadway shows to include Humpty Dumpty between Hazel Kirke and The Black Crook, right? Joule36e5 (talk) 21:56, 27 April 2025 (UTC)

Thing is, I am not sure the information is accurate. https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-show/humpty-dumpty-409443

suggests Humpty didn't even run continuously and not for those 12 years?GrimRob (talk) 10:54, 28 April 2025 (UTC)

This topic should not even be discussed on the Talk Page of an article about the Nursery Rhyme character. It's WP:OFFTOPIC. User:Joule36e5 is right, the proper place for discussion is either in an article about the Broadway show or else in the list of all such shows. Sweetpool50 (talk) 11:05, 28 April 2025 (UTC)

As far as this page is concerned, it is accurate. It was the longest-running show from 1869–1881. It held the record until 1881 when it was surpassed by another show. It doesn't mean that it ran from 1869-1881 continuously which is what I assumed from the text. As far as I am concerned the matter is now closed. GrimRob (talk) 11:23, 28 April 2025 (UTC)

Semi-protected edit request on 9 June 2026

~2026-34093-91 (talk) 12:25, 9 June 2026 (UTC)

humty dumpy is not bald

 Not done: it's not clear what changes you want made. Please detail the specific changes in a "change X to Y" format and provide a reliable source if appropriate. {{GearsDatapacks|talk|contribs|in solidarity}} 14:37, 9 June 2026 (UTC)

Edit request 9 August 2026

• What I think should be changed (format using {{textdiff}}):

Lewis Carroll solved the riddle by merging clues from the cannon and the clumsy person, anthropomorphizing "pride that takes offense" into his Through the Looking Glass story. It teaches children emotional intelligence. SOLVING THE RIDDLE Clues from Alice in Wonderland: Alice says the last line of her verse is wrong, but you can put it together again, all by yourself . Humpty Dumpty’s face is “enormous,” or the GREATest thing about himself is himself, or his ego. Humpty is “like an egg” - Egos and eggs are fragile, and Egg and Ego are one letter off. A thin wall = a fence (similar to offense). A narrow wall is only one brick thick, including only one perspective. A thicker wall, built with Compassion, is sturdier. Humpty takes offense throughout the story. at being called an egg. When Humpty says “some people have no more sense than a baby,” he means not everyone is smart (… enough to solve riddles). Humpty addresses a tree, which is to say that he speaks to himself and doesn’t enter compassion for Alice. He calls Alice’s name “stupid” because it doesn’t mean anything, like his does. He says it refers to his shape, which is not a physical shape, which may reference the historical cannon. He sits alone because ego is an individual. He is insulted by easy riddles because his is a lifelong journey. He lies, denying that he could ever fall - illustrating lack of Accountability. He wants all the king’s horses to put him together again, another example of lacking Accountability. He lies about his nature, saying he is not proud, which is another example of lacking Accountability. Humpty says he can explain all the poems, even those that haven’t been written yet - a very arrogant, prideful remark. He asks how old Alice said she was, which she had not (a loaded question), and when she answered the wrong question, he feels triumphantly superior (which is pride’s modus operandi). He asks if Alice is too proud to grow after she expresses indignance. Taking offense will prevent someone from growing into Humility - pride has to get out of its own way. He is provoked - insulted - when people’s preconceived notions don’t match his perception of a belt or cravat. (Compassion would be inclusive rather than narrow-minded.) A knock down argument is one where he gets to define his words without external validation (circular), meaning that he can feel superior no matter what else is said. When Alice says, “I see you don’t,” Humpty uses a different definition of the word “see” and takes offense. He knocks himself down off the wall after taking offense from Alice’s “unsatisfactory” (insulting) remark. Humpty says he wouldn’t recognize Alice because she’s so much like other people. (Prosopagnosia has been posited here by others by way of explaining Humpty’s indifference, but the emotional intelligence lesson here is that you cannot conclude anything about a person’s character by what they look like.) Clues from history: Humpty Dumpty was the name of a cannon in the English Civil War that fell off a wall, broke, and all the king’s men couldn’t put it together again. This was the historical physical reference Carroll began with, which he then combined with slang for a” short and clumsy person” to address a spiritual component. Fragility sets pride apart from Humility, and the rendering of an egg as metaphor illustrates that Humpty is proud -easily fractured- and not humble.

Further background, specific clues from Carroll and history, and contemporary parenting uses are listed at egoomelette.com.

• Why it should be changed:

This is the true answer to the riddle; "egg" does not make sense. Identifying fallen pride is a survival skill. Emotional intelligence is how people determine who they can trust, and it is on the downslide while evil goes unnamed. Using an accurate metaphor with an everyday, ubiquitous item (egg) gives parents a way to teach their children how to grow themselves up and how to identify dangerous people.

• References supporting the possible change (format using the "cite" button):

cite egoomelette.com

Egoomelette (talk) 14:03, 9 August 2026 (UTC)

 Not done: it's not clear what changes you want made. Please detail the specific changes in a "change X to Y" format and provide a reliable source if appropriate. MichaelMaggs (talk) 17:25, 9 August 2026 (UTC)

The solution to Lewis Carroll's version of Humpty Dumpty has been neglected from the internet. I solved it on my own and documented my logic on a webpage; I have searched digital and physical volumes for the right answer, without success. Consensus will be established by every person that understands the underlying elements of the metaphor through personal experience. Using Humpty Dumpty as a metaphor for "pride that takes offense" teaches children emotional intelligence... Imagine if people used it that way.

Please add the solution "pride that takes offense" to Humpty Dumpty's riddle, as famously portrayed by Lewis Carroll in the form of an anthropomorphized egg. Egoomelette (talk) 18:45, 9 August 2026 (UTC)

Wikipedia does not host original research: see WP:OR. MichaelMaggs (talk) 20:24, 9 August 2026 (UTC)