Throughout April I’m taking part in the Blogging from A-Z Challenge. I’ll be posting every day (except Sundays) on my chosen theme of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll.
For the letter H, unsurprisingly I’m focusing on perhaps the most famous Wonderland character of all, the Hatter.
The Hatter is one of the members of the mad tea party in Alice in Wonderland. The Hatter and the March Hare are forever stuck at 6:00 pm ever since they sang for the Queen of Hearts and she sentenced Hatter to death for ‘murdering the time’. Luckily, Hatter escaped decapitation but is doomed to an eternity of teatimes.
The Cheshire Cat warns Alice that the Hatter and March Hare are “both mad”. When Alice arrives at the tea party, the Hatter addresses her in quite a rude manner, asks her unanswerable riddles, recites nonsense poetry and demands that they keep switching places at the table, like a game of musical chairs. Eventually, Alice gets fed up with this and storms off.
Later, he appears as a witness at the Knave of Heart’s trial, where he is extremely nervous because the Queen seems to recognise him as the singer she sentenced to death. The Hatter also reappears briefly in Through the Looking-Glass in the form of the Anglo-Saxon messenger ‘Hatta’.
Quotes
Illustration of the Hatter reciting by John Tenniel
‘Your hair wants cutting,’ said the Hatter. He had been looking at Alice for some time with great curiosity, and this was his first speech.
`You should learn not to make personal remarks,’ Alice said with some severity; `it’s very rude.’
The Hatter opened his eyes very wide on hearing this; but all he SAID was, `Why is a raven like a writing-desk?’
***
`I’ve had nothing yet,’ Alice replied in an offended tone, `so I can’t take more.’
`You mean you can’t take LESS,’ said the Hatter: `it’s very easy to take MORE than nothing.’
`Nobody asked YOUR opinion,’ said Alice.
`Who’s making personal remarks now?’ the Hatter asked triumphantly.
Symbolism
The Hatter mainly seems to symbolise madness (or the perception of madness) and actually has quite a sad contextual background. Even though the Hatter is described as being mad, Carroll never actually used the term “Mad Hatter”. However, the phrase predates Alice in Wonderland and was a common phrase at the time. Hat making was the main trade in Carroll’s hometown of Stockport and many hatters contracted mercury poisoning, which causes neurological symptoms such as confusion, slurred speech, memory loss and tremors.
Sadly, many Victorian textile workers died from mercury poisoning or contracted illnesses of the nervous system and were sent to lunatic asylums. This seems to fit with the suggestion by some critics that Alice in Wonderland was a satire on the 19th-century British social system. The Hatter, like Bill the Lizard, could represent the environmental dangers that British workers faced.
It’s likely that Tenniel’s illustration of the Hatter was based on a furniture dealer near Oxford called Theophilius Carter. He became known as “the mad hatter” because he had rather eccentric ideas and always wore a top hat.
The tag on the Hatter’s hat displays the price of 10 shillings and 6 pennies.
The Mad Hatter is also a supervillain (Jervis Tetch) and an enemy of Batman in the DC comics.
In the 1951 Disney animation, the Hatter was voiced by Ed Wynn, who also appeared in Mary Poppins as Uncle Albert (“I love to laugh, ha ha ha”). Incidentally, his father was a hatmaker!
Before you go…
Did you know about the depressing origin of the phrase ‘mad as a hatter’?
I did not know the origin of the phrase ‘mad as a hatter’, but now you mention it, it does not surprise me – those poor people.
Tasha Tasha’s Thinkings – Movie Monsters
I’m loving your little anecdotes about the characters – and also how they reference Victorian society – I’d heard of the hat makers getting mercury poisoning but had never connected it to the Mad Hatter – really interesting seeing all these little subcontexts.
There are so many different layers of potential meaning in both books. I wonder how much Carroll included purposefully, how much was added subconsciously and how much just comes from our modern interpretation.
I was unaware that hat making back in those days came with so many health hazards. After reading your post, I’m enlightened to the historical context behind the phrase “mad hatter.”
REally really enjoyed this post. Not only because I love the Hatter and his party, but also for the background info you provided. I knew about the saying, but I didnt’ know anything else.
Personally, I think the idea of the interpretation of the workig class seems very likely.
Throughout April I’m taking part in the Blogging from A-Z Challenge. I’ll be posting every day (except Sundays) on my chosen theme of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll.
Love the fun facts — now I have to watch “Mary Poppins” again 🙂 Unfortunately I already knew about the origins of the term “mad as a hatter”.
Mary Poppins is such a great film, I used to watch it over and over when I was little.
I did not know the origin of the phrase ‘mad as a hatter’, but now you mention it, it does not surprise me – those poor people.
Tasha
Tasha’s Thinkings – Movie Monsters
It’s really sad, isn’t it? The Victorian era was not a great time for workers and even children weren’t spared from the brutality.
I’m loving your little anecdotes about the characters – and also how they reference Victorian society – I’d heard of the hat makers getting mercury poisoning but had never connected it to the Mad Hatter – really interesting seeing all these little subcontexts.
Leanne | http://www.crestingthehill.com.au
H for Hang on to your Dreams
There are so many different layers of potential meaning in both books. I wonder how much Carroll included purposefully, how much was added subconsciously and how much just comes from our modern interpretation.
Why is a raven like a writing desk? Poe wrote on both…
That’s my favourite solution to the riddle. I attempted to answer it myself here.
I had read about the mercury poisoning as part of the workplace in the Victorian era, but hadn’t tied it to Alice and Wonderland. Fascinating post!
Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it.
I was unaware that hat making back in those days came with so many health hazards. After reading your post, I’m enlightened to the historical context behind the phrase “mad hatter.”
So many Victorian trades were dangerous, it’s so sad.
REally really enjoyed this post. Not only because I love the Hatter and his party, but also for the background info you provided. I knew about the saying, but I didnt’ know anything else.
Personally, I think the idea of the interpretation of the workig class seems very likely.
Glad you liked it!
I absolutely love your theme. It’s wonderful. I never knew the background of the hatter. It’s very interesting.