Lewis Carroll's, Henry Holiday's and Joseph Swain's Tragicomedy
There was an old man of Port Grigor, Whose actions were noted for vigour; He stood on his head till his waistcoat turned red, That eclectic old man of Port Grigor. Edward Lear, 1872 He was black in the face, and they scarcely could trace The least likeness to what he had been: … Continue reading “Waistcoat Poetry”
Allegedly, the Snark hunting crew consists of ten members (MG017). Is that so? Martin Gardener (MG046) told us that “Phyllis Greenacre thinks that the ten members of the crew represent the ten children of the Dodgson family.” However, I think that to Dodgson/Carroll his private life was nothing to be referred to in his fiction … Continue reading “9.5±0.5 Snark Hunters”
The Baker’s 42 boxes (MG011) might be a reference to Thomas Cranmer’s 42 Articles. The Baker’s 42 Boxes are the original Protestant Articles of 1553, with Thomas Cranmer’s name on each. Angus MacIntyre, The Reverend Snark, Jabberwocky 23(1994): 51-52 I suggest that this belongs to Carroll’s references to Thomas Cranmer. A Baker is exposed … Continue reading “The Baker’s 42 Boxes”
“No doubt,” said I, “they settled who Was fittest to be sent Yet still to choose a brat like you, To haunt a man of forty-two, Was no great compliment!” In his 29th annotation (MG029) to The Hunting of the Snark, Martin Gardiner stated: Curiously, Carroll refers to … Continue reading “»To haunt a man of forty-two«”
Today I start to refer to Martin Gardner’s annotations to The Hunting of the Snark in a more systematical way. Admittedly, I should have done that much earlier. I didn’t read the annotations carefully enough. As an example, Martin Gardner annotated (MG058) to The Hunting of the Snark that Elizabeth Sewell pointed out in The … Continue reading “Martin Gardner’s Snark Annotations”
The images (click on them to read more) are related to my little article in the Knight Letter № 100 (July 2018, ISSN 0193-886X, published by the LCSNA). Blog entry related to this page Thomas Cranmer’s Burning Feedback: Twitter 3 | Twitter 2 | Twitter 1 | Facebook 2 | Facebook 1 | … Continue reading “Burning the Baker”
When the crew of Lewis Carroll’s The Hunting of the Snark is making preparations for seeking that impossible creature, we read that “the Boots and the Broker were sharpening a spade”. This action is so outlandish that the editor and commentator (Martin Gardner) remarks ad locum: “Why in the world were they sharpening a spade?” … Continue reading “Sharpening a Spade”
Martin Gardner wrote in his Annotated Snark (1962, MG064) about Henry Holiday’s almost surreal illustration: […] Thousands of readers must have glanced at this drawing without noticing (though they may have shivered with subliminal perception) the huge, almost transparent head of the Baker, abject terror on his features, as a gigantic beak (or is it … Continue reading “This is no Cigar”
297 “Be a man!” said the Bellman in wrath, as he heard 298 The Butcher beginning to sob. 299 “Should we meet with a Jubjub, that desperate bird, 300 We shall need all our strength for the job!” 321 Then a scream, shrill and high, rent the shuddering … Continue reading “jub jub jub jub jub jub jub jub jub …”
Remember, to Henry Holiday The Hunting of the Snark was a tragedy. 549 “It’s a Snark!” was the sound that first came to their ears, 550 And seemed almost too good to be true. 551 Then followed a torrent of laughter and cheers: 552 Then the ominous … Continue reading “Thomas Cranmer’s Burning”