Tweedledum

Tweedledum is a fictional character from Lewis Carroll's Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There. He and his brother, Tweedledee, are depicted as identical twins who are prone to fighting. Their names are often used to describe two people who are very similar or indistinguishable.

The characters are based on a nursery rhyme that predates Carroll's work. In the rhyme, Tweedledum and Tweedledee agree to have a battle over a broken rattle. Carroll adapted this into a scene where they prepare to fight over a new rattle. Their personalities are characterized by a childlike simplicity and a tendency towards absurd logic. They often finish each other's sentences and exhibit a shared, unthinking agreement.

In the story, Alice encounters Tweedledum and Tweedledee in the forest. They recite the poem about their fight to her before engaging in their own mock battle. Their conflict is quickly interrupted by the appearance of a monstrous crow, which frightens them into fleeing. This incident highlights their cowardice and the futility of their disputes.

The characters of Tweedledum and Tweedledee have become iconic in literature and popular culture. They are frequently referenced in discussions of identical twins, superficial differences, or pointless arguments. Their names are synonymous with a state of being almost exactly the same, often with minor or inconsequential distinctions. The duo represents a whimsical and slightly nonsensical element within Carroll's imaginative world.