Of course you do! They are Alice, the March Hare, and the (Mad) Hatter. These characters have reached iconic levels of recognition all around the world thanks to the wonderful (and one of my personal favorites) books by author Lewis Carroll: Alice in Wonderland & Through the looking-glass.
But have you ever wondered “Why are these two specific characters in this very very crazy world?” after all, a March Hare is a very specific animal and a Hatter is a very specific profession, but why are they so silly and why do they fit in this bizarre world our Friend Lewis Carroll created? Is it because he secretly wanted to be a Hatter? Did he keep a love for Hares in his heart? Let’s find out…
“As Mad as a Hatter”
In the U.K. since Victorian times there has existed the expression
“as mad as a hatter” which was a type of insult that meant that a person was silly or crazy. This definitely makes sense with our colorful friend in the story! But, still, why a Hatter?! Well, there is a reason for that, though I am afraid it is a bit dark…
A hatter is a person that makes hats, and in the 19th century felt for hats (the type of material with which hats are made of) was treated with mercury nitrate to make the process faster. This led to the hatters working with mercury to suffer from diseases like Erythrism (also known as “hatter’s syndrome or “Minamata’s disease”) and Dementia, creating the horrible expression and giving us the reason why our happy friend fits in the world of wonderland.
Next week we shall discover the origin of his best friend and tea buddy, the March Hare!
Meanwhile, a riddle: “Why is a raven like a writing desk?”
Exselsior!
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