Jabberwocky

For other uses, see Jabberwocky (disambiguation).

The Jabberwock, as illustrated by John Tenniel

"Jabberwocky" is a nonsense poem written by Lewis Carroll in his 1871 novel Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There, a sequel to Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. The book tells of Alice's adventures within the back-to-front world of a looking glass.

In an early scene in which she first encounters the chess piece characters White King and White Queen, Alice finds a book written in a seemingly unintelligible language. Realising that she is travelling through an inverted world, she recognises that the verse on the pages are written in mirror-writing. She holds a mirror to one of the poems, and reads the reflected verse of "Jabberwocky". She finds the nonsense verse as puzzling as the odd land she has passed into, later revealed as a dreamscape.

"Jabberwocky" is considered one of the greatest nonsense poems written in English. Its playful, whimsical language has given English nonsense words and neologisms such as "galumphing" and "chortle".

Origin and publication

Alice climbing into the looking glass world. Illustration by John Tenniel, 1871

A decade before the publication of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and the sequel Through the Looking Glass, Carroll wrote the first stanza to what would become "Jabberwocky" while in Croft on Tees, close to Darlington, where he lived as a child, and printed it in 1855 in Mischmasch, a periodical he wrote and illustrated for the amusement of his family. The piece was titled "Stanza of Anglo-Saxon Poetry" and read:

Twas bryllyg, and ye slythy toves
Did gyre and gymble in ye wabe:
All mimsy were ye borogoves;
And ye mome raths outgrabe.

The rest of the poem was written during Carroll's stay with relatives at Whitburn, near Sunderland. The story may have been partly inspired by the local Sunderland area legend of the Lambton Worm.

The concept of nonsense verse was not original to Carroll, who would have known of chapbooks such as The World Turned Upside Down and stories such as "The Great Panjundrum". Nonsense existed in Shakespeare's work and was well-known in the Brothers Grimm's fairytales, some of which are called lying tales or lügenmärchen. Roger Lancelyn Green suggests that "Jabberwocky" is a parody of the old German ballad "The Shepherd of the Giant Mountains" in which a shepherd kills a griffin that is attacking his sheep. The ballad had been translated into English in blank verse by Carroll's cousin Menella Bute Smedley in 1846, many years before the appearance of the Alice books. Historian Sean B. Palmer suggests that Carroll was inspired by a section from Shakespeare's Hamlet, citing the lines: "The graves stood tenantless, and the sheeted dead/Did squeak and gibber in the Roman streets" from Act I, Scene i.

John Tenniel reluctantly agreed to illustrate the book in 1871, and his illustrations are still the defining images of the poem. The illustration of the Jabberwock may reflect the contemporary Victorian obsession with natural history and the fast-evolving sciences of palaeontology and geology. Stephen Prickett notes that in the context of Darwin and Mantell's publications and vast exhibitions of dinosaurs, such as those at the Crystal Palace from 1845, it is unsurprising that Tenniel gave the Jabberwock "the leathery wings of a pterodactyl and the long scaly neck and tail of a sauropod."

Lexicon

"Jabberwocky"

'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.

"Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
The frumious Bandersnatch!"

He took his vorpal sword in hand:
Long time the manxome foe he sought—
So rested he by the Tumtum tree,
And stood awhile in thought.

And as in uffish thought he stood,
The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,
Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,
And burbled as it came!

One, two! One, two! and through and through
The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!
He left it dead, and with its head
He went galumphing back.

"And hast thou slain the Jabberwock?
Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!"
He chortled in his joy.

'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.

from Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There (1871).

Many of the words in the poem are playful nonce words of Carroll's own invention, without intended explicit meaning. When Alice has finished reading the poem she gives her impressions:

'It seems very pretty,' she said when she had finished it, 'but it's rather hard to understand!' (You see she didn't like to confess, even to herself, that she couldn't make it out at all.) 'Somehow it seems to fill my head with ideas—only I don't exactly know what they are! However, somebody killed something: that's clear, at any rate'

This may reflect Carroll's intention for his readership; the poem is, after all, part of a dream. In later writings he discussed some of his lexicon, commenting that he did not know the specific meanings or sources of some of the words; the linguistic ambiguity and uncertainty throughout both the book and the poem may largely be the point. In Through the Looking-Glass, the character of Humpty Dumpty, in response to Alice's request, explains to her the non-sense words from the first stanza of the poem; however, Carroll's personal commentary on several of the words differ from Humpty's. For example, following the poem, a "rath" is described by Humpty as "a sort of green pig". Carroll's notes for the original in Mischmasch suggest a "rath" is "a species of Badger" that "lived chiefly on cheese" and had smooth white hair, long hind legs, and short horns like a stag. The appendices to certain Looking Glass editions, however, state that the creature is "a species of land turtle" that lived on swallows and oysters. Later critics added their own interpretations of the lexicon, often without reference to Carroll's own contextual commentary. An extended analysis of the poem and Carroll's commentary is given in the book The Annotated Alice by Martin Gardner.

In 1868 Carroll asked his publishing house Macmillan, "Have you any means, or can you find any, for printing a page or two in the next volume of Alice in reverse?" It may be that Carroll was wanting to print the whole poem in mirror writing. Macmillian responded that it would cost a great deal more to do, and this may have dissuaded him.

In the author's note to the Christmas 1896 edition of Through the Looking-Glass Carroll writes, "The new words, in the poem Jabberwocky, have given rise to some differences of opinion as to their pronunciation, so it may be well to give instructions on that point also. Pronounce 'slithy' as if it were the two words, 'sly, thee': make the 'g' hard in 'gyre' and 'gimble': and pronounce 'rath' to rhyme with 'bath.'" In the Preface to The Hunting of the Snark, Carroll wrote, "[Let] me take this opportunity of answering a question that has often been asked me, how to pronounce "slithy toves." The "i" in "slithy" is long, as in "writhe", and "toves" is pronounced so as to rhyme with "groves." Again, the first "o" in "borogoves" is pronounced like the "o" in "borrow." I have heard people try to give it the sound of the "o" in "worry." Such is Human Perversity."

Possible interpretations of words

• Bandersnatch: A swift moving creature with snapping jaws, capable of extending its neck. A 'bander' was also an archaic word for a 'leader', suggesting that a 'bandersnatch' might be an animal that hunts the leader of a group.

• Beamish: Radiantly beaming, happy, cheerful. Although Carroll may have believed he had coined this word, it is cited in the Oxford English Dictionary in 1530.

• Borogove: Following the poem Humpty Dumpty says, " 'borogove' is a thin shabby-looking bird with its feathers sticking out all round, something like a live mop." In explanatory book notes Carroll describes it further as "an extinct kind of Parrot. They had no wings, beaks turned up, made their nests under sun-dials and lived on veal." In Hunting of the Snark, Carroll says that the initial syllable of borogove is pronounced as in borrow rather than as in worry.

• Brillig: Following the poem, the character of Humpty Dumpty comments: " 'Brillig' means four o'clock in the afternoon, the time when you begin broiling things for dinner." According to Mischmasch, it is derived from the verb to bryl or broil.

• Burbled: In a letter of December 1877, Carroll notes that "burble" could be a mixture of the three verbs 'bleat', 'murmur', and 'warble', although he didn't remember creating it.

• Chortled: "Combination of 'chuckle' and 'snort'." (OED)

• Frabjous: Possibly a blend of fair, fabulous, and joyous. Definition from Oxford English Dictionary, credited to Lewis Carroll.

• Frumious: Combination of "fuming" and "furious". In Hunting of the Snark Carroll comments, "[T]ake the two words 'fuming' and 'furious'. Make up your mind that you will say both words, but leave it unsettled which you will say first. Now open your mouth and speak. If your thoughts incline ever so little towards 'fuming', you will say 'fuming-furious'; if they turn, by even a hair's breadth, towards 'furious', you will say 'furious-fuming'; but if you have the rarest of gifts, a perfectly balanced mind, you will say 'frumious'."

• Galumphing: Perhaps used in the poem a blend of 'gallop' and 'triumphant'. Used later by Kipling, and cited by Webster as "To move with a clumsy and heavy tread"

• Gimble: Humpty comments that it means "to make holes like a gimlet." The setting for spinning objects such as gyroscopes. (OED)

• Gyre: "To 'gyre' is to go round and round like a gyroscope." Gyre is entered in the OED from 1420, meaning a circular or spiral motion or form; especially a giant circular oceanic surface current. However, Carroll also wrote in Mischmasch that it meant to scratch like a dog. The g is pronounced like the /g/ in gold, not like gem.

• Jabberwocky: When a class in the Girls' Latin School in Boston asked Carroll's permission to name their school magazine The Jabberwock, he replied: "The Anglo-Saxon word 'wocer' or 'wocor' signifies 'offspring' or 'fruit'. Taking 'jabber' in its ordinary acceptation of 'excited and voluble discussion'..."

• Jubjub bird: 'A desperate bird that lives in perpetual passion', according to the Butcher in Carroll's later poem The Hunting of the Snark. 'Jub' is an ancient word for a jerkin or a dialect word for the trot of a horse (OED). It might make reference to the call of the bird resembling the sound "jub, jub".

• Manxome: Possibly 'fearsome'; A portmanteau of "manly" and "buxom", the latter relating to men for most of its history; or relating to Manx people.

• Mimsy: Humpty comments that " 'Mimsy' is 'flimsy and miserable' ".

• Mome rath: Humpty Dumpty says following the poem: "A 'rath' is a sort of green pig: but 'mome" I'm not certain about. I think it's short for 'from home', meaning that they'd lost their way". Carroll's notes for the original in Mischmasch state: "a species of Badger [which] had smooth white hair, long hind legs, and short horns like a stag [and] lived chiefly on cheese" Explanatory book notes comment that 'Mome' means to seem 'grave' and a 'Rath': is "a species of land turtle. Head erect, mouth like a shark, the front forelegs curved out so that the animal walked on its knees, smooth green body, lived on swallows and oysters." In the 1951 animated film adaptation of the book's prequel, the mome raths are depicted as small, multi-coloured creatures with tufty hair, round eyes, and long legs resembling pipe stems.

• Outgrabe: Humpty says " 'outgribing' is something between bellowing and whistling, with a kind of sneeze in the middle". Carroll's book appendices suggest it is the past tense of the verb to 'outgribe', connected with the old verb to 'grike' or 'shrike', which derived 'shriek' and 'creak' and hence 'squeak'.

• Slithy: Humpty Dumpty says: " 'Slithy' means 'lithe and slimy'. 'Lithe' is the same as 'active'. You see it's like a portmanteau, there are two meanings packed up into one word." The original in MischMasch notes that 'slithy' means "smooth and active" The i is long, as in writhe.

• Snicker-snack: possibly related to the large knife, the snickersnee.

• Tove: Humpty Dumpty says " 'Toves' are something like badgers, they're something like lizards, and they're something like corkscrews. [...] Also they make their nests under sun-dials, also they live on cheese." Pronounced so as to rhyme with groves. They "gyre and gimble," i.e. rotate and bore.

• Tulgey: Carroll himself said he could give no source for Tulgey. Could be taken to mean thick, dense, dark. It has been suggested that it comes from the Anglo-Cornish word "Tulgu", 'darkness', which in turn comes from the Cornish language "Tewolgow" 'darkness, gloominess'.

• Uffish: Carroll noted "It seemed to suggest a state of mind when the voice is gruffish, the manner roughish, and the temper huffish".

• Vorpal: Carroll said he could not explain this word, though it has been noted that it can be formed by taking letters alternately from "verbal" and "gospel".

• Wabe: The characters in the poem suggest it means "The grass plot around a sundial", called a 'wa-be' because it "goes a long way before it, and a long way behind it". In the original MischMasch text, Carroll states a 'wabe' is "the side of a hill (from its being soaked by rain)".

Linguistics and poetics

Humpty Dumpty who explains to Alice the definitions of some of the words in "Jabberwocky". Illustration by John Tenniel, 1871

Though the poem contains many nonsensical words, English syntax and poetic forms are observed, such as the quatrain verses, the general abab rhyme scheme and the iambic meter. The linguist Lucas believes the "nonsense" term is inaccurate. The poem relies on a distortion of sense rather than "non-sense", allowing the reader to infer meaning and therefore engage with narrative while lexical allusions swim under the surface of the poem.

Parsons describes the work as a "semiotic catastrophe", arguing that the words create a discernible narrative within the structure of the poem, though the reader cannot know what they symbolise. She argues that Humpty tries, after the recitation, to "ground" the unruly multiplicities of meaning with definitions, but cannot succeed as both the book and the poem are playgrounds for the "carnivalised aspect of language". Parsons suggests that this is mirrored in the prosody of the poem: in the tussle between the tetrameter in the first three lines of each stanza and trimeter in the last lines, such that one undercuts the other and we are left off balance, like the poem's hero.

Carroll wrote many poem parodies such as "Twinkle, twinkle little bat", "You Are Old, Father William" and "How Doth the Little Crocodile?" They have become generally better known than the originals on which they are based, and this is certainly the case with "Jabberwocky". The poems' successes do not rely on any recognition or association of the poems that they parody. Lucas suggests that the original poems provide a strong container but Carroll's works are famous precisely because of their random, surreal quality. Carroll's grave playfulness has been compared with that of the poet Edward Lear; there are also parallels with the work of Gerard Manley Hopkins in the high use of soundplay, alliteration, created-language and portmanteau. Both writers were Carroll's contemporaries.

Translations

Twas brilig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe;
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.

"Jabberwocky" has been translated into many languages. It is a difficult task because the poem holds to English syntax and many of the principal words of the poem are invented. Translators have generally dealt with them by creating equivalent words of their own. Often these are similar in spelling or sound to Carroll's while respecting the morphology of the language they are being translated into. In Frank L. Warrin's French translation, "'Twas brillig" becomes "Il brilgue". In instances like this, both the original and the invented words echo actual words of Carroll's lexicon, but not necessarily ones with similar meanings. Translators have invented words which draw on root words with meanings similar to the English roots used by Carroll. Douglas Hofstadter noted in his essay "Translations of Jabberwocky", the word 'slithy', for example, echoes the English 'slimy', 'slither', 'slippery', 'lithe' and 'sly'. A French translation that uses 'lubricilleux' for 'slithy', evokes French words like 'lubrifier' (to lubricate) to give an impression of a meaning similar to that of Carroll's word. In his exploration of the translation challenge, Hofstadter asks "what if a word does exist, but it is very intellectual-sounding and Latinate ('lubricilleux'), rather than earthy and Anglo-Saxon ('slithy')? Perhaps 'huilasse' would be better than 'lubricilleux'? Or does the Latin origin of the word 'lubricilleux' not make itself felt to a speaker of French in the way that it would if it were an English word ('lubricilious', perhaps)? ".

Hofstadter also notes that it makes a great difference whether the poem is translated in isolation or as part of a translation of the novel. In the latter case the translator must, through Humpty Dumpty, supply explanations of the invented words. But, he suggests, "even in this pathologically difficult case of translation, there seems to be some rough equivalence obtainable, a kind of rough isomorphism, partly global, partly local, between the brains of all the readers".

In 1967, D.G. Orlovskaya wrote a popular Russian translation of "Jabberwocky" entitled "Barmaglot" ("Бармаглот"). She translated "Barmaglot" for "Jabberwock", "Brandashmyg" for "Bandersnatch" while "myumsiki" ("мюмзики") echoes "mimsy". Full translations of "Jabberwocky" into French and German can be found in The Annotated Alice along with a discussion of why some translation decisions were made. Chao Yuen Ren, a Chinese linguist, translated the poem into Chinese by inventing characters to imitate what Rob Gifford of National Public Radio refers to as the "slithy toves that gyred and gimbled in the wabe of Carroll's original". Satyajit Ray, a film-maker, translated the work into Bengali and concrete poet Augusto de Campos created a Brazilian Portuguese version. There is also an Arabic translation by Wael Al-Mahdi, and at least two into Serbo-Croatian. Multiple translations into Latin were made within the first weeks of Carroll's original publication.

Some translations

Bulgarian (Lazar Goldman y Stefan Gechev)	Danish 1 (Mogens Jermiin Nissen) Jabberwocky	Danish 2 (Arne Herløv Petersen) Kloppervok
Бе сгладне и честлинестите комбурси търляха се и сврецваха в плите; съвсем окласни бяха тук щурпите и отма равапсатваха прасурси.	Et slidigt gravben vridrede i brumringen på tidvis plent, og lappingen var vaklig, og det borte grøfgrin grent.	I glummert lys den slyge spæg stod gomrende og glim. I børkens dyb stod mamren fjæg og bungrede i skim.

French (Frank L. Warrin)	Italian (Adriana Crespi)	German (Robert Scott)
Il brilgue: les tôves lubricilleux Se gyrent en vrillant dans le guave. Enmîmés sont les gougebosqueux Et le mômerade horsgrave.	Era brillosto, e gli alacridi tossi succhiellavano scabbi nel pantúle: Méstili eran tutti i paparossi, e strombavan musando i tartarocchi.	Es brillig war. Die schlichten Toven Wirrten und wimmelten in Waben; Und aller-mümsige Burggoven Die mohmen Räth' ausgraben.

Spanish 1 (Ulalume González de León) El Jabberwocky	Polish (Janusz Korwin-Mikke) Żabrołak	Russian (Samuil Marshak)
Era la parrillhora y los flexiosos tovos en el cesplejos giroscopiaban, vibrhoradaban. Frivoserables estaban los borogovos y los verchinos telehogariados relinchiflaban.	Błyszniało – szlisgich hopuch świr Tęczując w kałdach świtrzem wre, Mizgłupny był borolągw hyr, Chrząszczury wlizły młe.	Варкалось. Хливкие шорьки Пырялись по наве, И хрюкотали зелюки, Как мюмзики в мове.

Spanish 2 (Adolfo de Alba) El Jabberwocky	Latin (Hassard H. Dodgson) Gaberbocchus	Welsh (Selyf Roberts) Siaberwoci
Era la asarvesperia y los flexilimosos toves giroscopiaban taledrando en el vade; debilmiseros estaban los borogoves; bramatchisilban los verdilechos parde.	Hora aderat briligi. Nunc et Slythia Tova Plurima gyrabant gymbolitare vabo; Et Borogovorum mimzebant undique formae, Momiferique omnes exgrabure Rathi.	Mae'n brydgell ac mae'r brochgim stwd Yn gimblo a gyrian yn y mhello: Pob cólomrws yn féddabwd, A'r hoch oma'n chwibruo.

Esperanto 1 (Marjorie Boulton) La Ĵargonbesto	Esperanto 2 (Donalld Boadribb) Babilfrenzo	Irish (Nicholas Williams) An Gheabairleog	Hebrew 1 (Aharon Amir) פִּטְעוֹנִי	Hebrew 2 (Rina Litvin) גֶּבֶרִיקָא
Brilumis, kaj la ŝlirtaj melfoj en la iejo ĝiris, ŝraŭis; mizaris la maldikdudelfoj, forfuraj ratjoj vaŭis.	Rosge, dum la ŝliplaj tovoj Tre gire en l' ongefo borlis, Misgilis ĉiuj borogovoj, Tenrefoj dejmaj gorlis.	Briollaic a bhí ann; bhí na tóibhí sleo ag gírleáil ’s ag gimleáil ar an taof. B’an-chuama go deo na borragóibh is bhí na rádaí miseacha ag braíomh.	בְעֵת בָשָק וּשְלֵי פַחְזָר, בּאַפְסֵי חָק סָבְסוּ, מָקְדוּ, אוֹ אָז חִלְכֵן הָיָה נִמְזַר, וּמְתֵי עָרָן כּרְדוּ.	הִבְרִיל כְבָר, זַחְלָצִים קְלִיחִים חָגְווּ וְעָגוּ בַשְבִילֵל, מַסִים הָיוּ הַסְמַרְלַחִים וְחֶזְרוֹנִי צִרְלֵל.

Reception

According to Chesterton and Green and others, the original purpose of "Jabberwocky" was to satirise both pretentious verse and ignorant literary critics. It was designed as verse showing how not to write verse, but eventually became the subject of pedestrian translation or explanation and incorporated into classroom learning. It has also been interpreted as a parody of contemporary Oxford scholarship and specifically the story of how Benjamin Jowett, the notoriously agnostic Professor of Greek at Oxford, and Master of Balliol, came to sign the Thirty-Nine Articles, as an Anglican statement of faith, to save his job. The transformation of audience perception from satire to seriousness was in a large part predicted by G. K. Chesterton, who wrote in 1932, "Poor, poor, little Alice! She has not only been caught and made to do lessons; she has been forced to inflict lessons on others."

It is often now cited as one of the greatest nonsense poems written in the English language, the source for countless parodies and tributes. In most cases the writers have changed the non-sense words into words relating to the parodied subject, as in Frank Jacobs's "If Lewis Carroll Were a Hollywood Press Agent in the Thirties" in Mad for Better or Verse. Other writers use the poem as a form, much like a sonnet, and create their own words for it as in "Strunklemiss" by S. K. Azoulay or the poem "Oh Freddled Gruntbuggly" recited by Prostetnic Vogon Jeltz in Douglas Adams' The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, a book which contains numerous other references and homages to Carroll's work.

Oh freddled gruntbuggly thy micturations are to me
As plurdled gabbleblotchits on a lurgid bee.
Groop I implore thee my foonting turlingdromes
And hooptiously drangle me with crinkly bindlewurdles,
Or I will rend thee in the gobberwarts with my
blurglecruncheon, see if I don't!

Some of the words that Carroll created such as "chortled" and "galumphing" have entered the English language and are listed in the Oxford English Dictionary. The word "jabberwocky" itself has come to refer to non-sense language.

In other media

A song called "Beware the Jabberwock" was written for Disney's Alice in Wonderland (1951), to be sung by Stan Freberg with the Rhythmaires and Daws Butler. Written by Don Raye and Gene de Paul, it was a musical rendition of the "Jabberwocky" verse. The song was not included in the final film, but a demo recording was included in the 2004 and 2010 DVD releases of the movie. In the final release, the character of the Chesire Cat (played by Sterling Holloway) sings the first few lyrics of the Jabberwocky poem when Alice encounters him.

British musician Donovan put the poem to music in the song of the same name on his album H.M.S. Donovan in 1971.

The stage musical Jabberwocky by Andrew Kay, Malcolm Middleton and Peter Phillips, follows the basic plot of the poem.

The poem was a source of inspiration for Terry Gilliam's 1977 film, Jabberwocky.

The poem was cited as the inspiration for Jabberwocky 2014, a collaboration between ATP, Pitchfork, Primavera Sound and Lloyds TSB, headlined by psych folk band Neutral Milk Hotel and producer James Blake.

Tim Burton film

The Jabberwocky character appears in Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland, voiced by Christopher Lee. It appears as the favorite pet of the Red Queen and serves as her champion for the Frabjous Day. When it comes to him confronting Alice, the Jabberwocky quotes "Ah, my old foe. We meet on the battlefield once again." When Alice states that they never met, the Jabberwocky quotes "Not you insignificant bearer. My ancient enemy, the Vorpal One." Alice then engages the Jabberwocky. When the Jabberwocky has Alice pinned, the Mad Hatter interferes causing both sides to end up in battle. During the fight against the Jabberwocky, Alice manages to defeat it by using the Vorpal Sword to slice off the Jabberwocky's head causing the White Queen's side to win upon the Red Queen's soldiers surrendering. The White Queen later uses the Jabberwocky's venom to make a potion that will get Alice home.

Once Upon a Time

The Jabberwocky is referenced in the Once Upon a Time episode "Tiny." It was mentioned that Jack once slayed a Jabberwocky when she was in Wonderland and was given a magic mushroom by a "wise woman."

The Jabberwocky is featured in Once Upon a Time in Wonderland played by Peta Sergeant. This version is an ancient human creature that is powerful than an entire army. In "Nothing to Fear," Jafar learns about the Jabberwocky from the Caterpillar. Tweedledee's head is then asked by Jafar where he can find the Jabberwocky and to take it to where it was imprisoned. After killing the guard in charge of keeping people from entering the Jabberwocky's prison, Jafar enters the prison where the Jabberwocky's voice is heard as she has already entered Jafar's mind. The Jabberwocky agrees to help Jafar in exchange that Jafar frees her upon removing the blade from her chest. Jafar does so and the Jabberwocky is freed from the wall that it was pinned to. Before leaving the prison, the Jabberwocky states that Jafar should hold onto the blade that he removed from her "just in case." Irked by his response, the Jabberwocky demonstrates her knowledge of Jafar's greatest fear (which was being drowned underwater by his father when he was young) and taunts him until he is frozen with fright. In "Dirty Little Secrets," the Jabberwocky entered the town where the lamp that the Knave of Hearts was in and gets a man to tell him where to find the lamp using the fear of the man's wife killing his children near the river to get the information. She finds the house where Lizard's dead body is and takes her eyes which she gives to Jafar in order to find the genie's lamp. Using Lizard's eyes, Jafar and the Jabbberwocky learn that the Red Queen has the genie's lamp as Jafar instructs the Jabberwocky to bring him the Red Queen. The White Rabbit later tells the Red Queen and the Knave of Hearts that Jafar has released the Jabberwocky. Afterwards, the Red Queen is ambushed by the Jabberwocky upon predicting her attack and ordering the Knave of Hearts to get into the genie's lamp. The Jabberwocky starts to use the Red Queen's fear of finding the genie's lamp to find it. Using a stick, the Red Queen turns it into a sword so she can stab her. It doesn't work since the Jabberwocky is vulnerable to one blade. The Jabberwocky then steals the genie's lamp from the Red Queen with both of them having been brought by Jafar. Jafar also reveals to the Red Queen that she has made the Jabberwocky his new parter as he orders the Jabberwocky to not stop tormenting the Red Queen until all three wishes are made. The Jabberwocky then taunts the Red Queen for turning against the life that she should've had. The Jabberwocky then uses the Red Queen's fear of not getting Will's love back as a way to get her to use one of her three wishes. The Red Queen is tempted by the Jabberwocky into wishing for her crown as the Jabberwocky tries to get the Red Queen into wishing for her jewels and for the Jabberwocky to stop by getting into her head. The Jabberwocky succeeds as Jafar gains the genie's lamp with the Knave of Hearts in it. The Jabberwocky later speaks with Jafar where he states his plans to use the power of the three genies.

See also

• JABBER: The Jabberwocky Engine
• Works influenced by Alice in Wonderland

Sources

• Carpenter, Humphrey. (1985). Secret Gardens: The Golden Age of Children's Literature. Houghton Mifflin. ISBN 0-395-35293-2

Further reading

• Alakay-Gut, Karen. "Carroll's Jabberwocky". Explicator, Fall 1987. Volume 46, issue 1.
• Borchers, Melanie. A Linguistic Analysis of Lewis Carroll’s Poem ‘Jabberwocky’. The Carrollian: The Lewis Carroll Journal. Autumn 2009, No. 24, pp. 3–46. ISSN 1462-6519
• Dolitsky, Marlene (1984). Under the tumtum tree: from nonsense to sense, a study in nonautomatic comprehension. J. Benjamins Pub. Co. Amsterdam, Philadelphia
• Gardner, Martin (1999). The Annotated Alice: The Definitive Edition. New York, NY: W.W. Norton and Company.
• Green, Roger Lancelyn (1970). The Lewis Carroll Handbook, "Jabberwocky, and other parodies" : Dawson of Pall Mall, London
• Hofstadter, Douglas R. (1980). "Translations of Jabberwocky". Gödel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid. New York, NY: Vintage Books. ISBN 0-394-74502-7. {{cite book}}: External link in |chapterurl= (help); Unknown parameter |chapterurl= ignored (|chapter-url= suggested) (help)
• Lucas, Peter J. (1997). "Jabberwocky back to Old English: Nonsense, Anglo-Saxon and Oxford" in Language History and Linguistic Modelling ISBN 978-3-11-014504-5
• Richards, Fran. "The Poetic Structure of Jabberwocky." Jabberwocky: The Journal of the Lewis Carroll Society. 8:1 (1978/79). 16–19.

External links

• Essay: "Translations of Jabberwocky". Douglas R. Hofstadter, 1980 from Gödel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid ISBN 0-394-74502-7, Vintage Books, New York, NY
• BBC Video (2 mins), "Jabberwocky" read by English actor Brian Blessed
• Poetry Foundation Biography of Lewis Caroll
• The Lewis Carroll Journal published by The Lewis Carroll Society.