Mother Shipton Character Analysis in The Outcasts of Poker Flat

Like the Duchess, Mother Shipton is a prostitute who is exiled from Poker Flat along with Oakhurst and Uncle Billy. She is a crude woman with a vocabulary to match, and she often laments her circumstances with long strings of curse words. Also like the Duchess, her real name is never revealed in the story, though the narrator mentions that she “won the title of ‘Mother Shipton,’” who was a famous 15th-century prophetess. Although the historical Mother Shipton’s predictions were regional and small-scale ones, she soon became a figure of legend, rumored to have made grand, sweeping predictions like the Second Coming of Christ and the end of the world. In time, Mother Shipton’s name became closely associated with mysterious and tragic events that cropped up in North America, the UK, and Australia up until the 19th century. That Harte’s Mother Shipton “won” this nickname suggests that she, too, has the penchant for foreseeing future tragedies. In the story, when she sees a curl of smoke in the sky coming from the direction of Poker Flat, she screams bitter curses in its direction, seemingly more aware than some of her companions that they are going to die in the mountains. Despite her sharp tongue, Mother Shipton is tender and loving toward Piney, whom she calls “the child,” and does everything she can to entertain the young woman. As the group’s circumstances grow increasingly bleak, Mother Shipton begins starving herself, secretly tucking away her rations. On the 10th day in the mountains, moments away from death, she quietly tells Oakhurst to give her rations to Piney so that the girl can live a little bit longer. Despite her stained reputation as a prostitute and her abrasive vocabulary, Mother Shipton is also compassionate, generous, and self-sacrificial, suggesting that she wasn’t so immoral after all.

Mother Shipton Quotes in The Outcasts of Poker Flat

The The Outcasts of Poker Flat quotes below are all either spoken by Mother Shipton or refer to Mother Shipton. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:

In point of fact, Poker Flat was “after somebody.” It had lately suffered the loss of several thousand dollars, two valuable horses, and a prominent citizen. It was experiencing a spasm of virtuous reaction, quite as lawless and ungovernable as any of the acts that had provoked it. A secret committee had determined to rid the town of all improper persons. This was done permanently in regard of two men who were then hanging from the boughs of a sycamore in the gulch, and temporarily in the banishment of certain other objectionable characters. I regret to say that some of these were ladies. It is but due to the sex, however, to state that their impropriety was professional, and it was only in such easily established standards of evil that Poker Flat ventured to sit judgement.

Related Characters: John Oakhurst, The Duchess, Mother Shipton, Uncle Billy

Related Literary Devices:

Page Number and Citation: 27

Explanation and Analysis:

[…] Mr. Oakhurst knew that scarcely half the journey to Sandy Bar was accomplished, and the party were not equipped or provisioned for delay. This fact he pointed out to his companions curtly, with a philosophic commentary on the folly of “throwing up their hand before the game was played out.” But they were furnished with liquor […] In spite of his remonstrances, it was not long before they were more or less under its influence.

Related Characters: John Oakhurst (speaker), The Duchess, Mother Shipton, Uncle Billy

Page Number and Citation: 29

Explanation and Analysis:

He started to his feet with the intention of awakening the sleepers, for there was no time to lose. But turning to where Uncle Billy had been lying, he found him gone. A suspicion leaped to his brain and a curse to his lips. He ran to the spot where the mules had been tethered; they were no longer there. The tracks were already rapidly disappearing in the snow.

The momentary excitement brought Mr. Oakhurst back to the fire with his usual calm. He did not waken the sleepers.

Related Characters: John Oakhurst, Uncle Billy, The Duchess, Mother Shipton, Tom Simson, Piney Woods

Page Number and Citation: 31

Explanation and Analysis:

The third day came, and the sun, looking through the white-curtained valley, saw the outcasts divide their slowly decreasing store of provisions for the morning meal. It was one of the peculiarities of that mountain climate that its rays diffused a kindly warmth over the wintry landscape, as if in regretful commiseration of the past. But it revealed drift on drift of snow piled high around the hut,—a hopeless, uncharted, trackless sea of white lying below the rocky shores to which the castaways still clung.

Related Characters: Piney Woods, The Duchess, Mother Shipton, Tom Simson, John Oakhurst

Related Literary Devices:

Page Number and Citation: 34

Explanation and Analysis:

Day by day closer around them drew the snowy circle, until at last they looked from their prison over drifted walls of dazzling white, that towered twenty feet above their heads. […] The lovers turned from the dreary prospect and looked into each other’s eyes, and were happy. Mr. Oakhurst settled himself coolly to the losing game before him. The Duchess, more cheerful than she had been, assumed the care of Piney. Only Mother Shipton—once the strongest of the party—seemed to sicken and fade.

Related Characters: The Duchess, John Oakhurst, Piney Woods, Tom Simson, Mother Shipton

Related Literary Devices:

Page Number and Citation: 35

Explanation and Analysis:

Mother Shipton Character Timeline in The Outcasts of Poker Flat

The timeline below shows where the character Mother Shipton appears in The Outcasts of Poker Flat. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

The Brutality of the Old West Theme Icon

...Billy who is drunkard and “suspected sluice-robber,” and woman who has somehow earned the nickname Mother Shipton . When the group reaches the gulch—which marks the edge of Poker Flat—the guards turn... (full context)

Once the guards are gone, the Duchess begins to sob and Mother Shipton swears bitterly. Uncle Billy releases “a Parthian volley of expletives,” but “the philosophic Oakhurst” doesn’t... (full context)

...of alcohol, Uncle Billy becomes aggressive and combative, the Duchess grows weepy and sentimental, and Mother Shipton falls asleep. Meanwhile, Oakhurst stands off to the side, silently observing his companions. He doesn’t... (full context)

...that is so simple and pure that it leaves “the frail Duchess” and “the malevolent Mother Shipton ” speechless. (full context)

...sleep for a while longer. Tom is smiling in his sleep, while the Duchess and Mother Shipton sleep beside Piney like “celestial guardians” protecting her in her sleep. (full context)

...more provisions, and that he must have accidentally spooked the animals and made them stampede. Mother Shipton and the Duchess are aware of the reality of the situation, but Oakhurst warns them... (full context)

...the rocky shores to which the castaways still clung.” The sky is clear, though, and Mother Shipton spots a plume of smoke curling up in the sky from the direction of Poker... (full context)

Meanwhile, Mother Shipton slowly grows weak. At midnight on the group’s 10th day in the mountains, she quietly... (full context)

That day, no one plays accordion or recites Homer. After the group buries Mother Shipton in the snow, Oakhurst pulls Tom aside and presents him with a pair of homemade... (full context)

Mother Shipton Character Analysis

Mother Shipton Quotes in The Outcasts of Poker Flat

The Outcasts of Poker Flat Quotes

Mother Shipton Character Timeline in The Outcasts of Poker Flat