ALICE IN WONDERLAND – The book
Alice In Wonderland HistoryAlice’s Adventures in Wonderland is written by the English author and mathematician Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, who used a pseudonym Lewis Carroll. The book is commonly referred to by the abbreviated title Alice in Wonderland. It has become one of the most famous children’s books of all time, one that appeals to children as well as adults. The story tells what happens to a girl named Alice who falls down a rabbit-hole into a fantasy world which is populated by peculiar imaginary creatures and objects that come alive and have a personality, like talking playing cards.
Alice in Wonderland does not contain obvious moralizing tales like so many children’s books nowadays do. It is a delightful adventure story in which a normal, healthy, little girl reacts to the reality of the adult world.
Alice’s intelligent responses to absurdities of language and her reactions to encountering the most enchanting characters are the reasons that make adults love Alice along with their children.
THE AUTHOR, Lewis Carroll
Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, alias Lewis Carroll (1832-1898)
“Lewis Carroll” was the pseudonym that Charles Lutwidge Dodgson created by translating his first and middle names into Latin, reversing their order, and translating them back into English. This happened in 1856 after he had begun writing humorous texts and stories to keep them separate from his serious mathematical writings which he published under his real name.
Lewis CarrollCharles Lutwidge Dodgson was born on Jan. 27, 1832. His early years were happy with his nine sisters and two brothers to whom he frequently made up games and wrote stories. His school years at Rugby (1846-1849) were not so happy because he was shy and often sick.
But he was still recognized as a good scholar, and in 1850 he was admitted to Christ Church College in Oxford, England. He graduated in 1854, and was appointed a mathematical lecturer at the college the following year.
This appointment was permanent and recognized his academic superiority which also brought him financial security. The appointment meant that Dodgson had to take orders from the Anglican Church and not get married. In 1861 he was ordained a deacon.
Charles Lutwidge Dodgson more widely known as Lewis Carroll, died of pneumonia suddenly and unexpectedly in January 1898.
Alice’s Adventures In Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass
In 1856 Dodgson met Lorina, Alice and Edith Liddell, daughters of Henry George Liddell, the Dean of Christ Church College in Oxford. During the next few years he spent a lot of time with the girls, photographed them and made up stories for them. On July 4, 1862, Dodgson was travelling on a boat to go to a picnic with a friend, Reverend Robinson Duckworth, and the Liddell girls.
To keep the girls entertained Dodgson told them a story of a girl named Alice and her magical adventures under ground. Alice’s sisters appeared in the story as well. The girls loved the story, and Alice Liddell asked Dodgson to write it down for her.
On 26 November 1864 Dodgson gave Alice the manuscript of Alice’s Adventures Under Ground. But before that Dodgson had given the unfinished manuscript to his mentor George MacDonald. His children loved the story and MacDonald advised Dodgson to publish it.
Before submitting it to publication Dodgson was fortunate to have the famous illustrator John Tenniel to draw the illustrations for it. He also decided on the name “Lewis Carroll” which would become his author name. The manuscript was retitled Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.
In June 1865, Dodgson’s tale was published as Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by “Lewis Carroll” with illustrations by John Tenniel.
The first print run was only 2,000 copies and it sold out quickly. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland was a publishing sensation being printed edition after edition. It has been translated into 125 languages and it has been a favourite children’s story in the minds of children and adults alike.
Lewis Carroll was encouraged by the success of Alice and he wrote a sequel, Through the Looking Glass and What Alice Found There, published in 1872.
ALICE LIDDELL – The main inspiration for Alice in Wonderland
Alice LiddellAlice Pleasance Liddell was born on May 4th 1852, to Henry George Liddell, Dean of Christ Church, Oxford, and his wife Lorina Hanna. Alice was the fourth of their 10 children. She had two older brothers and an older sister. She also had six younger siblings. Two of her brothers died young.
Alice grew up primarily in the company of the two sisters nearest to her in age: Lorina, who was three years older, and Edith, who was two years younger.
In 1880 Alice married at the age of 28. They had three sons but unfortunately two of them, Alan Knyveton Hargreaves and Leopold Reginald Hargreaves, were killed in World War I. Caryl Liddell Hargreaves was the only surviving son who was to give Alice her only grandchild, a girl.
Alice was an educated woman and she lived the life of a land-lady. She was also an enthusiastic painter.
After the death of husband Reginald Hargreaves Alice sold her manuscript of “Alice’s Adventures Under Ground” in Sotheby’s auction house in 1928. It was bought by an American who paid 15,400 pounds for it. That was an enormous amount of money in those days. In 1932, at the age of 80, Alice published her own memoirs and two years later, on 15 November 1934, she died in Westerham, Kent.
[Image sources: Book Title Page image: Charles Dodgson (alias Lewis Carroll), published by MacMillan and Co., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons; Lewis Carroll photo: Oscar Gustave Rejlander, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons; Alice Liddell photo: Lewis Carroll, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons]