Jabberwocky

Jabberwocky is a famous nonsense poem by Lewis Carroll, first published in 1871 in Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There. The poem appears as a playful ballad that Alice reads aloud within the narrative, recounting a hunter’s quest to slay the Jabberwock in a fantastical forest. Though its surface language is whimsical, the verse follows recognizable English meter and rhyme, inviting readers to infer meaning from context.

The work is celebrated for its inventive lexicon. Carroll coins numerous portmanteau words that blend two or more terms to create vivid, sometimes opaque images. The opening lines—“Twas brillig, and the slithy toves / Did gyre and gimble in the wabe”—show how familiar forms can be fused with new ones such as “slithy,” “mome,” “gyre,” and “gimble.” The poem introduces elements like the “vorpal sword” and uses onomatopoeic phrases such as “snicker-snack.” The closing passages contribute words that entered common usage, including “chortled” and “galumph,” reflecting Carroll’s playful manipulation of language.

Reception and legacy: Since its publication, Jabberwocky has been widely analyzed for linguistic creativity and narrative function. It is regarded as a landmark example of literary nonsense and has influenced poets and writers who admire language experimentation. Because many coined terms are context-dependent and semantically flexible, readers often derive meaning from syntax and situational cues. The poem has been translated into numerous languages, presenting challenges for rendering neologisms while preserving rhythm and humor. It remains a central piece of Carroll’s oeuvre and a staple in discussions of language, imagination, and early fantasy literature.