Information AboutMad Hatter |
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The Mad Hatter is a fictional character initially encountered at a tea party in Lewis Carroll 's '' Alice's Adventures In Wonderland ''. The chapter in which he first appears, "A Mad Tea-Party", is often erroneously called "The Mad Hatter's Tea Party" but in fact it takes place in the garden of the March Hare . Later in the book, when the Hatter is summoned to give his evidence at the Knave of Heart's trial to uncover who stole the Queen's tarts, the King prompts him by saying "Don't be nervous or I'll have you executed on the spot." The Hatter makes another appearance in the sequel '' Through The Looking-Glass '' as '''Hatta''', one of the White King's messengers. The phrase "mad as a hatter" existed long before the character (''see Hatter ''). The "10/6" on the Hatter's hat means ten Shilling s and six Pence , the price of the hat in Pre-decimalisation British Money . He has been portrayed on Film by Edward Everett Horton , Sir Robert Helpmann , Martin Short , Anthony Newley , and Ed Wynn , and in a Music Video by Tom Petty . THE REAL HATTER The Hatter is generally believed to be based on Theophilus Carter , at one time a Servitor at Christ Church , one of the University of Oxford's colleges. He invented an alarm clock bed, exhibited at the Great Exhibition of 1851, that tipped out the sleeper at waking-up time. He later owned a furniture shop, and became known as the Mad Hatter from his habit of standing in the door of his shop wearing a top hat. Sir John Tenniel is reported to have come to Oxford especially to sketch him for his illustrations. There is also the possibility that the root of the term "mad hatter" is drawn from a time when Mercury was used in the process of curing felt used in some hats. It was impossible for hatters to avoid inhaling the mercury fumes given off during the hat making process. Over time, the residual mercury caused neurological damage, as well as confused speech and distorted vision. As the mercury poisoning progressed to dangerously high levels, sufferers could also experience Psychotic symptoms, such as Hallucinations . Given that anyone exhibiting an altered mental state was dubbed mad at the time, the cause of such malady, and subsequent death of such people doubtless went unexplained for a long time. POPULAR CULTURE .]] The Mad Hatter character appears in a number of other places:
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