The Fears of Humans

There are many poems throughout the history of literature that are considered nonsense

poetry, but are still able to be understood by the reader. Maybe not at first glance, but through

the reading the words almost seem to make sense. The most renowned nonsense writer could

be touted as Dr. Seuss. His creations and vocabularies are used to teach children morals of the

world, such as to pick up messes, and to not discriminate, and much more. However, before

Dr. Seuss, there was another poet who, in modern times, is considered the best nonsensical

poet to have ever written verse. This poet is most notably known for his prose, “Alice in

Wonderland” and “Through the Looking Glass.” These wonderful stories took children on

journeys with Alice to learn many things especially that all children grow into adults. However,

to call Lewis Carroll a nonsense poet is exactly that, nonsense.

The reason why Lewis Carroll is considered a nonsense poet by today’s standards is

because of the poetry found in his prose work, in particular, “Jabberwocky.” First found in the

“Through the Looking Glass” this poem has become an entity of its own and is often considered

for critical analysis as such. While this process works, one should not forget that the main

theme in the poem “Jabberwocky” is a very similar theme to the Alice stories, the theme of

journeys.

First, the theme of the poem “Jabberwocky” is journey. This seems like a fairly easy

theme, but the way in which Carroll used words, rhymes, and other poetic strategies tends to

show not one but at least two journeys. These two journeys are then pieced into the journeys of

Alice. By analyzing the poem, the hope is to show how Carroll used his genius to create a

poem that is not nonsense, but is in fact a deeper thematic expression of the journey from

childhood to adulthood.

Many readers’s first glance at the “Jabberwocky” poem makes them believe in the

concept that the poem uses nonsensical words to portray a theme. While many of the words by

today’s standards are nonsense and some were even considered nonsense at the time of the
writing. However, several of the words were used if not often, at least enough for the reader to

understand them. Carroll uses these words as well as portmanteaus, which is the combining of

two or more words to create a new definition through out the poem (Goldfarb, 86; portmanteau).

Often times, he used certain words or made up words that were similar to other words, but

because of the context the nonsense word was used to create a conflict within the line. This

use of combination words, the use of double definitions, lends to the thematic view that the

poem is really about two journeys (Goldfarb, 86), but what are the journeys of the poem.

The concept begins with the first stanza. “‘Twas brillig, and the slithy toves/ Did gyre

and gimble in the wabe;/ All mimsy were the borogoves,/and the mome raths outgrabe.” To

understand this stanza, one must first define the nonsense words. For example, the word brillig

is German in origin and is defined as the time to start cooking supper (allwords.com). By looking

at the etymology of the words and previous definitions, this new information gives meaning to

the first stanza. It allows the reader to visualize a small village in a cove that is calm. The last

line talks of enclosures and dull people which could men not stupid, but superstitious and that

they have created an enclosure to ward off all creatures they fear.

The second verse begins the true context of the poem. Here the reader is given the

names of three obviously mythical creatures, which from the outside looking in, could represent

the fears of the villagers and be the reason the village has erected the structure. However, the

Jabberwock is first mentioned and possibly the most dangerous. The Jubjub bird is the next,

however, there is no such creature in reality. Knowing that Carroll used words that were known

at the time, or that sounded similar to other words makes the reader curious about the Jubjub

bird. A similar sounding word is jujube. This is a tree, hence the association with bird, that is

found around the Mediterranean and in Africa (allwords.com). The bandersnatch is the third

mythical creature and again using the theory that the words are meant to sound similar allows

the reader to see this as a portmanteau. Bandersnatch, therefore, becomes banter and snatch,

which together means a “playful and quick grab” (allwords.com). The second and third mythical
creatures are not mentioned therefore, one cannot be sure of the actual meaning of these

words, other than to understand that they are to be feared (Goldfarb 86).

The next four stanzas tells how the young boy of the poem who has been warned by his

father about these creatures, takes his sharp sward and seeks out the indefinitely possible

creature the Jabberwock. Again Carroll has used portmanteau and other similar words to

explain the circumstances of the young boy when he comes face to face with the Jabberwock.

Without hesitation, the young boy slaughters the Jabberwock and takes the head of the creature

back to the village to show that he had destroyed the feared creature. Upon his return father

praises him for doing what no other had done (allwords.com, Goldfarb, 86).

How does all this fit in with the concept of the journey, especially from childhood to

adulthood? The poem plays on the fears of the reader. Children are afraid to grow up and

adults are afraid to let their children grow up. From either standpoint, the journey is not

necessarily a joyous occasion at the onset, just as the father gives the warning as to the deadly

weapons of the Jabberwock (Goldfarb, 87; Oates 9). In fact the father also mentions other

creatures, but does not go into much detail in relation to the other creatures. This is similar to

the parents warning their children of hazards, then their teens of other hazards. The first

hazards use scare tactics to keep the child in line, but as they grow older only telling them not to

be influenced into an action are usually enough, and not much detail is needed.

The journey to adulthood is never ending. There are always going to be obstacles in the

way of children and adults. This could be the reason for the first and last stanza to be exactly

alike. Once the child kills the Jabberwock, he is no longer a child, but is not yet an adult. The

journey will continue over and over. The only difference will be the mythological creature that

will be faced. This is similar to the real world in that children pass through phases on their way

to adulthood, and as they pass each stage, they become more adult.

This poem in and of itself shows the journey each and every person will take in their

lifetime. The creatures may be different, but creatures there will be and they will become
obstacles to overcome. Many will be feared until they are confronted head on and destroyed.

Think about the child who is afraid of the dark. Once he confronts the fear, there is nothing left

to fear and thus one more step has been taken. Carroll understands this concept of journey and

uses it in all parts of his poetry and prose, intertwining them and creating a deeper look at the

human nature in relation to the mythological creatures that all humans fear.
 Works Cited

Allwords.com: English Dictionary with Multi-Lingual Search. 2009. 26 April 2009

http://www.allwords.com/

Goldfarb, Nancy. "Carroll's Jabberwocky." Explicator 57.2 (1999): 86.

<http://gateway.proquest.com.ezproxy.umuc.edu/openurl?ctx_ver=Z39.88-

2003&xri:pqil:res_ver=0.2&res_id=xri:lion-us&rft_id=xri:lion:rec:abell:R01518710>.

Oates, Joyce Carol. "First Loves: From "Jabberwocky" to "After Apple-Picking"." American

Poetry Review 28.6 (1999) <http://gateway.proquest.com.ezproxy.umuc.edu/openurl?

ctx_ver=Z39.88-2003&xri:pqil:res_ver=0.2&res_id=xri:lion-

us&rft_id=xri:lion:rec:abell:R01622255>.

"portmanteau." Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. 2009. Merriam-Webster Online. 26 April

2009. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/portmanteau>