Miscellaneous Alice > Which is Madder?

[NeVaR aSk]

I'm playing devil's advocate of course - I think we're supposed to believe that the Hatter and the March Hare are 'mad' - but recently I read something where someone pointed out that in fact there's no particular evidence for the characters being mad, other than the word of the Cheshire Cat - and I thought it was an interesting point that bore thinking about

Besides the Cheshire Cat, we can also look at the March Hare illustration depicted with wisps of straw in his head. It was common practice on the stage/art to use this techniques as a symbol of madnes.

Also and more important is Dodgson's uncle Robert W Skeffington Lutwidge who played an important part in his life (for starters he was the one who introduced him to photography)...

"Uncle Skeffington" as government commisioner for Lunacy was apointed to inspect asylums... Dodgson many times went with him to satisfied his lifelong interest in mental disorders.

So I think "mad" is used in this context... as to do with some sort of wacky "craziness" bestowed in the characters.

[Beautiful Soup]

I'm playing devil's advocate of course - I think we're supposed to believe that the Hatter and the March Hare are 'mad' - but recently I read something where someone pointed out that in fact there's no particular evidence for the characters being mad, other than the word of the Cheshire Cat - and I thought it was an interesting point that bore thinking about

Besides the Cheshire Cat, we can also look at the March Hare illustration depicted with wisps of straw in his head. It was common practice on the stage/art to use this techniques as a symbol of madnes.

Also and more important is Dodgson's uncle Robert W Skeffington Lutwidge who played an important part in his life (for starters he was the one who introduced him to photography)...

"Uncle Skeffington" as government commisioner for Lunacy was apointed to inspect asylums... Dodgson many times went with him to satisfied his lifelong interest in mental disorders.

So I think "mad" is used in this context... as to do with some sort of wacky "craziness" bestowed in the characters.

Really? Cor, how fascinating...and Dodgson had a "lifelong interest in mental disorders"...That's an interesting piece of information

And "government commisioner for Lunacy" Was that actually his job title? I love it! I want that as a job title. Amazing!

[NeVaR aSk]

^ Yes he was keen on mental disorders having books in his library concerning this subject... also many topics in medicine/psychology.

He was always interested in the power of the mind and things related... this is not to say that he was constantly on this subject, he has another priorities... if you like, it was like a hobby.

Yes that was his uncle job title from 1855 up untill his death in 1873... btw, he died as consecuence of a head injury after a mental patience pierced his head with a large nail *so if I were you I would think twice to get this job title *

[Beautiful Soup]

^ Yes he was keen on mental disorders having books in his library concerning this subject... also many topics in medicine/psychology.

He was always interested in the power of the mind and things related... this is not to say that he was constantly on this subject, he has another priorities... if you like, it was like a hobby.

Yes that was his uncle job title from 1855 up untill his death in 1873... btw, he died as consecuence of a head injury after a mental patience pierced his head with a large nail *so if I were you I would think twice to get this job title *

Perhaps I could just have the job title, but not actually have the job

[jack in wonderland]

You know I think Carroll was thinking ahead. Like he purposely made the story without any explanations, like having ourselves interpret the story.Maybe.. ... Maybe the true interpretation is only visible as how someone driven mad would see it. We're All Mad Here...

[The Queen of Hearts]

Sorry for the off topic, but--I'm pretty sure he was just telling the story to amuse Alice and her sisters. She had to pester him to write it down, so it's not like he sat down and decided to write a book.

Anyway, I think you can only say that someone is mad through comparison and because everyone is "mad" there really is no determining who is madder.

[Candy_Tarts]

Surely you cannot do a who is madder poll without putting up Alice?

I mean how are we to know that she is crazy and the hatter and hare are sane. Being logical in Wonderland could be classed as crazy and although the Cheshire Cat has said that everyone in wonderland is crazy, he could be speaking from the logic of Alice who thinks she is sane, but being in Wonderland could mean others think she is insane as she is sane in her normal life.

Haha i confused myself XD

[3rdpoliceman]

The Hare is madder. His mind is obviously completely broken. Look at the way the Hatter orders him about! The Hatter is more of an eccentric, silly, flamboyant character, mad because of his own twisted bhrand of logic.