There once was a man from Nantucket
Encyclopedia
"There once was a man from Nantucket" is the opening line for many limericks
. The popularity of this literary trope can be attributed to the way the name of the island of Nantucket lends itself easily to humorous rhyme
s and pun
s, particularly ribald
ones. In the many vulgar versions, the protagonist is typically portrayed as a well-hung, hypersexualized persona.
Other publications seized upon the "Nantucket" motif, spawning many sequels. Of these, perhaps the two most famous appeared, respectively, in the Chicago Tribune
and the New York Press
:
of the limerick are the basis for its lasting popularity. Many variations on the theme are possible because of the ease of rhyming Nantucket with certain vulgar phrases. The following example comes from Immortalia: An Anthology of American Ballads, Sailors' Songs, Cowboy Songs, College Songs, Parodies, Limericks, and other humorous verses and doggerel, published in 1927.
, both as an iconic example of dirty poetry and as a joking example of fine art, whose vulgarity and simple form provides an unexpected contrast to an expected refinement.
A few examples: In Woody Allen
's 1966 film What's Up, Tiger Lily?
, the protagonist Phil Moskowitz reads the opening line of "ancient erotic poetry": "There once was a man from Nantucket". In Steven Soderbergh
's 2002 film Solaris
, the male protagonist tries to impress his girlfriend with his knowledge of poet Dylan Thomas
, but when she asks him for his favorite poem he comes up with "the one he is most famous for, which starts, um, 'There once was a young man from Nantucket'". On the television show Laverne and Shirley, Laverne often started the poem, but was always stopped after the first line.
In his Below the Beltway column of July 11, 2010 for the Washington Post Magazine, humor writer Gene Weingarten
recast this limerick as an Elizabethan Sonnet.
In SpongeBob SquarePants season 8 episode 157a, SpongeBob is preparing for an opera and pulls out a note with "There once was a man from Nantucket..." written on it. He proceeds to read it to a crowd who gasps before he corrects his error.
In the pilot episode of the TV series Babylon 5
, The Gathering
, Commander Jeffrey Sinclair notes to Ambassador Delenn about his like for poetry. She asks "Poetry?". Sinclair describes it as a metrical verse. She responds, "Ah. There Once was a Man from Nantucket."
Limerick (poetry)
A limerick is a kind of a witty, humorous, or nonsense poem, especially one in five-line or meter with a strict rhyme scheme , which is sometimes obscene with humorous intent. The form can be found in England as of the early years of the 18th century...
. The popularity of this literary trope can be attributed to the way the name of the island of Nantucket lends itself easily to humorous rhyme
Rhyme
A rhyme is a repetition of similar sounds in two or more words and is most often used in poetry and songs. The word "rhyme" may also refer to a short poem, such as a rhyming couplet or other brief rhyming poem such as nursery rhymes.-Etymology:...
s and pun
Pun
The pun, also called paronomasia, is a form of word play which suggests two or more meanings, by exploiting multiple meanings of words, or of similar-sounding words, for an intended humorous or rhetorical effect. These ambiguities can arise from the intentional use and abuse of homophonic,...
s, particularly ribald
Obscenity
An obscenity is any statement or act which strongly offends the prevalent morality of the time, is a profanity, or is otherwise taboo, indecent, abhorrent, or disgusting, or is especially inauspicious...
ones. In the many vulgar versions, the protagonist is typically portrayed as a well-hung, hypersexualized persona.
History
The earliest published version appeared in 1902 in the Princeton Tiger:- There once was a man from Nantucket
- Who kept all his cash in a bucket.
- But his daughter, named Nan,
- Ran away with a man
- And as for the bucket, Nantucket.
Other publications seized upon the "Nantucket" motif, spawning many sequels. Of these, perhaps the two most famous appeared, respectively, in the Chicago Tribune
Chicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
and the New York Press
New York Press (historical)
The New York Press was a New York City newspaper that began publication in December, 1887 and continued publication until July 2, 1916, then being merged with Frank Munsey's New York Herald...
:
- But he followed the pair to PawtucketPawtucket, Rhode IslandPawtucket is a city in Providence County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 71,148 at the 2010 census. It is the fourth largest city in the state.-History:...
, - The man and the girl with the bucket;
- And he said to the man,
- He was welcome to Nan,
- But as for the bucket, Pawtucket.
- Then the pair followed Pa to ManhassetManhasset, New YorkManhasset is a hamlet and neighborhood in Nassau County, New York, on the North Shore of Long Island. As of the United States 2010 Census, the population was 8,080....
, - Where he still held the cash as an asset;
- But Nan and the man
- Stole the money and ran,
- And as for the bucket, Manhasset.
Obscene versions
The many ribald versionsRibaldry
Ribaldry is humorous entertainment that ranges from bordering on indelicacy to gross indecency. It is also referred to as "bawdiness", "gaminess" or "bawdry"....
of the limerick are the basis for its lasting popularity. Many variations on the theme are possible because of the ease of rhyming Nantucket with certain vulgar phrases. The following example comes from Immortalia: An Anthology of American Ballads, Sailors' Songs, Cowboy Songs, College Songs, Parodies, Limericks, and other humorous verses and doggerel, published in 1927.
- There once was a man from Nantucket
- Whose dick was so long he could suck it.
- And he said with a grin
- As he wiped off his chin,
- "If my ear were a cunt, I would fuck it."
In popular culture
The poem has become a staple of American humorAmerican humor
American humor refers collectively to the conventions and common threads that tie together humor in the United States. It is often defined in comparison to the humor of another country - for example, how it is different from British humor and Canadian humor...
, both as an iconic example of dirty poetry and as a joking example of fine art, whose vulgarity and simple form provides an unexpected contrast to an expected refinement.
A few examples: In Woody Allen
Woody Allen
Woody Allen is an American screenwriter, director, actor, comedian, jazz musician, author, and playwright. Allen's films draw heavily on literature, sexuality, philosophy, psychology, Jewish identity, and the history of cinema...
's 1966 film What's Up, Tiger Lily?
What's Up, Tiger Lily?
The soundtrack album to What's Up Tiger Lily? was released in 1966. It contains music by The Lovin' Spoonful. It was re-released on CD along with You're a Big Boy Now, the Spoonful's soundtrack for the 1966 Francis Ford Coppola film. It reached No...
, the protagonist Phil Moskowitz reads the opening line of "ancient erotic poetry": "There once was a man from Nantucket". In Steven Soderbergh
Steven Soderbergh
Steven Andrew Soderbergh is an American film producer, screenwriter, cinematographer, editor, and an Academy Award-winning film director. He is best known for directing commercial Hollywood films like Erin Brockovich, Traffic, and the remake of Ocean's Eleven, but he has also directed smaller less...
's 2002 film Solaris
Solaris (2002 film)
Solaris is a 2002 science fiction film and psychological drama directed by Steven Soderbergh and starring George Clooney and Natascha McElhone...
, the male protagonist tries to impress his girlfriend with his knowledge of poet Dylan Thomas
Dylan Thomas
Dylan Marlais Thomas was a Welsh poet and writer, Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 11 January 2008. who wrote exclusively in English. In addition to poetry, he wrote short stories and scripts for film and radio, which he often performed himself...
, but when she asks him for his favorite poem he comes up with "the one he is most famous for, which starts, um, 'There once was a young man from Nantucket'". On the television show Laverne and Shirley, Laverne often started the poem, but was always stopped after the first line.
In his Below the Beltway column of July 11, 2010 for the Washington Post Magazine, humor writer Gene Weingarten
Gene Weingarten
Gene Weingarten is a two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist known for both his serious and humorous work...
recast this limerick as an Elizabethan Sonnet.
In SpongeBob SquarePants season 8 episode 157a, SpongeBob is preparing for an opera and pulls out a note with "There once was a man from Nantucket..." written on it. He proceeds to read it to a crowd who gasps before he corrects his error.
In the pilot episode of the TV series Babylon 5
Babylon 5
Babylon 5 is an American science fiction television series created, produced and largely written by J. Michael Straczynski. The show centers on a space station named Babylon 5: a focal point for politics, diplomacy, and conflict during the years 2257–2262...
, The Gathering
The Gathering
- Film and television :* The Gathering , a made-for-TV drama starring Edward Asner and Maureen Stapleton* The Gathering , a thriller/horror film starring Christina Ricci...
, Commander Jeffrey Sinclair notes to Ambassador Delenn about his like for poetry. She asks "Poetry?". Sinclair describes it as a metrical verse. She responds, "Ah. There Once was a Man from Nantucket."
External links
- Ten variants of the limerick from Life Magazine, 1903
- Several modern variants