The Enchanted Mad Hatter: A Blend of Real-World Inspiration and Victorian Absurdity

The character of the Mad Hatter from Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland has long fascinated readers and scholars. Martin Gardner in his revised printing of The Annotated Alice discussed various theories about the origin of this iconic character. According to demographic studies, there are several plausible candidates, each contributing to the creation of an absurd yet captivating figure. Let's explore these theories in depth.

The()* Who Was the Mad Hatter?

Martin Gardner mentions Theophilus Carter, an eccentric furniture dealer in the Oxford area, as the principal candidate. Carter was known for always wearing a top hat and displayed unusual behavior. Ellis Hillman, in an article written for Jabberwocky Winter 1973, proposed another candidate, Samuel Odgen, known as "Mad Sam" who was a Manchester hatter. Odgen designed a special hat for the tsar of Russia during his visit to London in 1814, showcasing his creative and eccentric nature.

Hillman also intriguingly suggested that the name "Mad Hatter" could be a play on words. If the "H" is dropped, "Mad Atter" sounds like "Mad Mathematician." This could reference Charles Babbage, a Cambridge mathematician famed for his mad ideas with the mechanical adding machine. Lewis Carroll, himself a mathematician, could have drawn inspiration from these eccentric characters and their intellectual quirks.

The Chemistry of the Mad Hatter

It wasn't a specific person but rather a broader problem in the profession of hat-making. In the 18th and 19th centuries, mercury was widely used in the production of felt, a common material in hat-making. Long-term exposure to mercury resulted in mercury poisoning, which caused a condition known as Erethism. This condition, characterized by irritability and erratic behavior, was commonly observed among hat-makers in towns like Danbury, Connecticut.

A notable example of this was in Danbury, where the hat-making industry was a major source of employment. The widespread occurrence of Erethism among hat-makers earned the condition a local moniker. The canonical Mad Hatter character, while certainly entertaining, was rooted in this troubling reality of the time.

A Blend of Victorian Social Commentary and Whimsy

Additionally, Carroll's inspiration may have come from the hat-maker Theophilus Carter, a friend of his and a real-life eccentric. Carter was renowned for his whimsical tea parties, a trait that directly influenced the Mad Hatter's character. The Mad Hatter embodies a blend of Victorian social commentary, whimsicality, and the playful absurdity that defines much of Carroll's work.

Through these multiple layers of inspiration, the Mad Hatter transcends his origins as a fictional character and becomes a symbol of the absurdities of Victorian society, the eccentricities of human nature, and the playful spirit of Carroll's prose.