Despite his rudeness and annoying penchant for asking riddles that have no answer, Carroll’s compassionate treatment of his insanity has encouraged some critics to read the chapter as radical stance for the humane treatment of the insane. And critics have long been fascinated by the hatter, and especially with his obsession with time. The Hatter is one of the most famous and most popular characters from the book, appearing in every adaptation and illustrated edition. ![]() In any case, although Carroll’s Hatter’s symptoms do not match those of mercury poisoning, his behavior certainly is peculiar, and, especially in Alice’s view, quite insane. Many speculate that it refers to the symptoms of Mercury poisoning which affected many hatters in the early nineteenth century who used mercury to cure pelts. ![]() The colloquial phrase “Mad as Hatter” entered common use in the 1830s although the origin is uncertain. Interestingly, although commonly referred to as the “Mad Hatter,” Carroll never calls him this in the book, where he is simply the “hatter.” Of course, the connection between the Cheshire Cat’s assurance that he is mad and his profession was certainly intentional. The Hatter does not appear in Alice’s Adventures Underground, being added, along with the rest of the Mad Tea Party, for the printed edition. He had been looking at Alice for some time with great curiosity, and this was his first speech. "Your hair wants cutting," said the hatter. Home -> Footnotes -> Chapter 7 -> The Hatter The Mad Hatter
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