The Mouse's Tale
Encyclopedia
"The Mouse's Tale" is a concrete poem
by Lewis Carroll
which appears in his novel
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
. Though no formal title for the poem is given in the novel, the chapter title refers to "A Long Tale" and the Mouse
introduces it by saying, "Mine is a long and sad tale
!"
thinks the Mouse means its tail
, which makes her imagine the poem in its twisted, tail-like shape:
The poem can be seen here in its proper shape.
called Fury plotted to condemn it to death by serving as both judge
and jury
. "The Mouse's Tale" thus fits into Carroll's recurring themes of the insane trial
(found also at the end of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, as well as in The Hunting of the Snark
) and of predation
(found throughout the Alice books and especially in the poems). In this poem, Carroll also takes a jab at spurious litigation (apparently criminal in this case, judging by the sentence
), which may resonate with contemporary readers: “’…I’ll take no denial; We must have a trial: For really this morning I’ve nothing to do.’”
Although the Mouse claims that the "tale" will explain why he hates cats and dogs, the only villain in the poem is a dog; there is no actual explanation for the Mouse's animosity toward cats. However, Alice's Adventures Under Ground, the original version of Alice in Wonderland, contains a different poem at this point in the story (which begins, "We lived beneath the mat,/ Warm and snug and fat./ But one woe, that/ Was the cat!") which includes both cats and dogs as the enemies of the mice. That poem is also concrete poetry in the shape of a tail.
about a tail
, the poem is also typeset in the shape of a tail and its rhyme structure is that of a tail rhyme.
Concrete poetry
Concrete poetry or shape poetry is poetry in which the typographical arrangement of words is as important in conveying the intended effect as the conventional elements of the poem, such as meaning of words, rhythm, rhyme and so on....
by Lewis Carroll
Lewis Carroll
Charles Lutwidge Dodgson , better known by the pseudonym Lewis Carroll , was an English author, mathematician, logician, Anglican deacon and photographer. His most famous writings are Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and its sequel Through the Looking-Glass, as well as the poems "The Hunting of the...
which appears in his novel
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland is an 1865 novel written by English author Charles Lutwidge Dodgson under the pseudonym Lewis Carroll. It tells of a girl named Alice who falls down a rabbit hole into a fantasy world populated by peculiar, anthropomorphic creatures...
. Though no formal title for the poem is given in the novel, the chapter title refers to "A Long Tale" and the Mouse
Mouse (Alice's Adventures in Wonderland)
The Mouse is a fictional character in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll. He appears in Chapter II "The Pool of Tears" and Chapter III "A Caucus-Race and a Long Tale" ....
introduces it by saying, "Mine is a long and sad tale
Tale
Tale may refer to:*Cautionary tale, a traditional story told in folklore, to warn its hearer of a danger*Fairy tale, a fictional story that usually features folkloric characters and enchantments*Folk tale, a story passed-down within a particular population, which comprises the traditions of that...
!"
Concrete poetry
AliceAlice (Alice's Adventures in Wonderland)
Alice is a fictional character in the literary classic, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and its sequel, Through the Looking-Glass, And What Alice Found There. She is a young girl from Victorian-era Britain.-Development:...
thinks the Mouse means its tail
Tail
The tail is the section at the rear end of an animal's body; in general, the term refers to a distinct, flexible appendage to the torso. It is the part of the body that corresponds roughly to the sacrum and coccyx in mammals, reptiles, and birds...
, which makes her imagine the poem in its twisted, tail-like shape:
The poem can be seen here in its proper shape.
Content
In the tale, the Mouse (speaking of itself in the third person) explains how a curCur
Cur as slang refers to a type of random-bred, or mixed-breed dog. This article deals with Cur as a breed.-Etymology:The derivation of the word "cur" dates from the 13th century. It is thought to be short for the Middle English "curdogge", which derives from the word "curren", meaning "to growl"...
called Fury plotted to condemn it to death by serving as both judge
Judge
A judge is a person who presides over court proceedings, either alone or as part of a panel of judges. The powers, functions, method of appointment, discipline, and training of judges vary widely across different jurisdictions. The judge is supposed to conduct the trial impartially and in an open...
and jury
Jury
A jury is a sworn body of people convened to render an impartial verdict officially submitted to them by a court, or to set a penalty or judgment. Modern juries tend to be found in courts to ascertain the guilt, or lack thereof, in a crime. In Anglophone jurisdictions, the verdict may be guilty,...
. "The Mouse's Tale" thus fits into Carroll's recurring themes of the insane trial
Trial
A trial is, in the most general sense, a test, usually a test to see whether something does or does not meet a given standard.It may refer to:*Trial , the presentation of information in a formal setting, usually a court...
(found also at the end of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, as well as in The Hunting of the Snark
The Hunting of the Snark
The Hunting of the Snark is usually thought of as a nonsense poem written by Lewis Carroll in 1874, when he was 42 years old...
) and of predation
Predation
In ecology, predation describes a biological interaction where a predator feeds on its prey . Predators may or may not kill their prey prior to feeding on them, but the act of predation always results in the death of its prey and the eventual absorption of the prey's tissue through consumption...
(found throughout the Alice books and especially in the poems). In this poem, Carroll also takes a jab at spurious litigation (apparently criminal in this case, judging by the sentence
Sentence (law)
In law, a sentence forms the final explicit act of a judge-ruled process, and also the symbolic principal act connected to his function. The sentence can generally involve a decree of imprisonment, a fine and/or other punishments against a defendant convicted of a crime...
), which may resonate with contemporary readers: “’…I’ll take no denial; We must have a trial: For really this morning I’ve nothing to do.’”
Although the Mouse claims that the "tale" will explain why he hates cats and dogs, the only villain in the poem is a dog; there is no actual explanation for the Mouse's animosity toward cats. However, Alice's Adventures Under Ground, the original version of Alice in Wonderland, contains a different poem at this point in the story (which begins, "We lived beneath the mat,/ Warm and snug and fat./ But one woe, that/ Was the cat!") which includes both cats and dogs as the enemies of the mice. That poem is also concrete poetry in the shape of a tail.
Puns
The poem is a "quadruple pun": besides being a taleTale
Tale may refer to:*Cautionary tale, a traditional story told in folklore, to warn its hearer of a danger*Fairy tale, a fictional story that usually features folkloric characters and enchantments*Folk tale, a story passed-down within a particular population, which comprises the traditions of that...
about a tail
Tail
The tail is the section at the rear end of an animal's body; in general, the term refers to a distinct, flexible appendage to the torso. It is the part of the body that corresponds roughly to the sacrum and coccyx in mammals, reptiles, and birds...
, the poem is also typeset in the shape of a tail and its rhyme structure is that of a tail rhyme.