The Hunting of the Snark
The Hunting of the Snark (An Agony in 8 Fits) is a nonsense poem written by Lewis Carroll, the pen name of Charles Lutwidge Dodgson.
| File:The Hunting of the Snark (1876).djvu Cover of first edition | |
| Author | Lewis Carroll |
|---|---|
| Illustrator | Henry Holiday |
| Cover artist | Henry Holiday |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | Macmillan |
| OCLC | 2035667 |
| Text | The Hunting of the Snark at Wikisource |
The poem was written from 1874 to 1876. The setting, some creatures, and eight portmanteau words are taken from Carroll's earlier poem Jabberwocky in his children's novel Through the Looking-Glass (1871). The eight words are: bandersnatch, beamish, frumious, galumphing, jubjub, mimsiest (which previously appeared as mimsy in "Jabberwocky"), outgrabe and uffish.[1]
The first two stanzas contain one of the most famous quotations in nonsense poetry:
- "Just the place for a Snark!" the Bellman cried,
- As he landed his crew with care;
- Supporting each man on the top of the tide
- By a finger entwined in his hair.
- "Just the place for a Snark! I have said it twice:
- That alone should encourage the crew.
- Just the place for a Snark! I have said it thrice:
- What I tell you three times is true."
The Bellman refers the mediaeval use of a town crier or bellman. He would ring his bell, and shout Oyez, Oyez, Oyez! at set places in a town, and read out proclamations of legal decisions made by courts or the town council. This was necessary because most people were illiterate.
Another curiosity of the poem is that the crew of ten all have occupations beginning with the letter "B".
What I tell you three times is true: The idea of repetition as a grounds for truth is sometimes called the Bellman's theory. That, of course, is humour. All the same, repetition is a recurring trope in many kinds of discussion and argument.
The Hunting of the Snark has been many times adapted for the theatre, and many times referred to in fiction.
The Hunting Of The Snark Media
The Boojum tree in Baja California, Mexico, takes its name from the poem.[2]
bookcover rear of "The Hunting of the Snark" by Lewis Carroll und Henry Holiday
- SnarkBellman
maker of Bonnets and Hoods
- SnarkBarrister
- SnarkBroker
- SnarkBilliardMarker
- SnarkBanker
References
- ↑ Carroll, Lewis [1876] 2006. The Annotated Hunting of the Snark. Edited with notes by Martin Gardner, illustrations by Henry Holiday and others, introduction by Adam Gopnik. "Definitive edition", W.W. Norton. ISBN 0-393-06242-2
- ↑ Gardner 2006.
- ↑ Kelly 1990, p. 67.
- ↑ Gardner 2006, p. 70.
Other websites
Works related to The Hunting of the Snark at Wikisource