Question

what do you think is the actual meaning of this nursery rhyme ?
'Mistress Mary quite contrary
How does your garden grow
With cockle shells and silver bells
And pretty maids all in a row'

class 10 English.. ​

Answer 1

Answer:

"Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary" is an English nursery rhyme. The rhyme has been seen as having religious and historical significance, but its origins and meaning are disputed. It has a Roud Folk Song Index number of 19626.

Answer 2

There are different theories to this nursery rhyme

Explanation:

• Theory is, it is a theological allegory of Catholicism with Mary being Mary, Jesus' mother, the bells representing the bells of the sanctums, the shells of cockles, the pilgrims' badges in the  Saint James Shrine in Spain and beautiful maids are nuns, but there is difference of opinion within this thought, that is,  if it is lament for Catholicism's persecution or reinstatement of Catholicism.
• Another theory connects the rhyme to Mary, the Queen of Scots. The line "how does your garden grow" refers to her reign over her empire, "silver bells" refers to cathedral bells, "cockleshells" insinuates that her spouse was unfaithful to her, and the line "pretty maids all in a row" refers to her ladies-in-waiting – "The 4 Marys"
• Mary is also identified with England's Mary I  and the line "How does your garden grow?" refers to her not having heirs, or that England became a Catholic branch/vassal of the  and Spain. It is also  a humorous reference to Stephen Gardiner, her chief minister. "Quite contrary" refers to her failed attempt to undo the ecclesiastic changes carried out by her brother Edward VI and father Henry VIII. Queen Mary was a strong Catholic, and the garden is an allusion to a cemeteries that rose of those who fought to preserve  the Protestant faith. The cockleshells and silver bells are colloquialisms for torture instruments. The line "pretty maids all in a row" is supposed  to refer to her execution of Lady Jane Grey or miscarriages. It could also mean The ‘maids’ was a device to behead people known as the Maiden. "Rows and rows" refer to her series of executions of the Protestants.