Oranges And Lemons Analysis

“Oranges and Lemons” Many of the nursery rhymes that are loved today have a deeper meaning than their lyrics suggest, some of which could be considered quite sinister. The poems and lullabies that are currently used as games, or methods of soothing children, are often based on dark happenings or figures in history, frequently oriented in England around the eighteenth century. Even though the nursery rhyme “Oranges and Lemons” is not as well-known as some of its contemporaries, it too has a shadowed influence, as it is based on some of the most horrific violence in England’s long history. The original nursery rhyme “Oranges and Lemons” was created in 1665, and was made into a square dance. The nursery rhyme is considered very sinister …show more content…
The line “Pokers and tongs say the bells of St. Johns,” might refer to hideous forms of torture that could have taken place in the building. Some lines refer to owing money, which refers to the debtors that were held in Newgate prison. “Pancakes and Fritters’ refer to bakers in the area, “Kettles and pans” refer to Copper Smiths, and “brickbats and tiles” means that there were builders in the area of St. Giles church. Each line in the poem has a different meaning to it, some lines are darker than …show more content…
It shows many secrets of life within the London area. The original name of the rhyme was “London’s bells”, and it eventually evolved into the name that it is known as today. Most of the lyrics were forgotten, because it was quite a long rhyme, and children can remember the shortened version much easier. The rhyme includes many of the famous bell churches in London, and hints to different happenings that were located at the churches, or around them. Even though most people see it as a fun little rhyme, there is a large amount of history about one area, that would usually never be thought