With the Tim Burton’s second Alice in Wonderland film on the way and the success of the Disney version, there is no doubt that the story has been enchanting people since its publication in 1865. So, while I may have written this article because I am a ‘Wonder-lander’ and have read everything I can on Alice in Wonderland and its author Lewis Carroll, I think that sprinkling a little truth onto the tea table never hurt. So, below I give you ....5 things you never knew about Alice in Wonderland.
1. Lewis Caroll was NOT the authors real name
While every copy of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland is followed by the name Lewis Caroll, this was not the author's birth name. Born Charles Dodgson he took on the pseudonym in order to publish the children's' book. He was a Maths professor at Oxford University and felt that Alice's Adventures in Wonderland was a book away from the algebra textbooks he readily published, and so Lewis Carroll was born.
2.Alice is based on a real Alice
The Alice that falls down the Rabbit hole was inspired by Alice Liddle. Lewis Caroll befriended the Liddle family and their daughters. Alice Liddle and her sisters were much adored by Carroll, who enjoyed creating games to entertain them. Alice in Wonderland was inspired by Alice Liddle and her defiant nature. Upon publication Lewis Carroll sent her a copy of the manuscript, which now holds a priceless value
3. The Mad Hatter may have been Mad
The character of the Mad Hatter may have had a real reason to be mad. Hatters in England would use mercury in the process of making hats. This prolonged exposure to mercury vapors lead to a condition called Mad Hatter syndrome. Symptoms of the condition ranged from pathological shyness to paranoia and body tremors. All of these symptoms have been much used in creating the Mad Hatters that jumped across our screen.
4. "Do- do - dogson" as the Dodo
There has always been speculation whether or not Lewis Carroll based the characters in the novel on people he knew. Alice Liddle was Alice, so who else made their way into the novel? If this is true, then the Dodo must be Lewis Carroll himself. Known for his stutter he would introduce himself as “Charles Do-do-dogson”. Something, he was very self-conscious of. Scholars of the novel claim that every character is a parody of someone Carroll knew in his life.
5. Never been out of print
Since its publication in 1865 Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and its sequel Though the Looking Glass has never gone out of print. It has been published in 176 languages and continues to be reprinted and redone with new illustrations.
So when you head off to see Alice Though the Looking Glass in all its 3D wonder remember that the book was written by a lonely Maths professor with a stutter. He and his story about a girl continue to inspire children and this adult every day.
