This document provides background information on the 1901 edition of "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland" illustrated by Peter Newell. It discusses the social context of the late 1860s when the story was first published and illustrates. It also analyzes some of the literary elements and origins of phrases used in the story.

1. “Alice's Adventures in
Wonderland”
Fawn Russell
LIBR280
Spring 2012
Book Study

2. Sign of the Times (1867)

Women's right to vote (suffrage) at
it's height in England; Alice
portrayed as a heroine is a reflection
of the new roles of late Victorian
women.

Beginning of Industrial Revolution;
topsy-turvy world where social roles
and professions were rapidly
changing.

Abraham Lincoln is inaugurated for
a second term in America and also
assassinated by John Wilkes Booth.

Abolition of slavery has already
been established in England and
now America.

3. Background: Author

Originally published as “Alice's
Adventures Underground” in 1865 by
Charles Lutwidge Dodgson ( January
27th, 1832 – January 14th, 1898) with
his own illustrations.

His pen name, Lewis Carroll, was
created based on the author's name
translated into Latin; Lutwidge = Ludovic
= Louis, Charles = Carolus.

Dodgson was a well published
mathematician at Oxford University,
inventor, and avid amateur
photographer.

Made up the story for the Liddle sisters
during a weekend by the river in Oxford;
befriended many little girls.

4. Background: Illustrator

The original illustrator for Dodgson's
“Alice” books in 1866 and 1870; John
Tenniel (February 28th, 1820 –
February 25th, 1914).

Well known political cartoonist, social
commentary

Was unhappy with the first
publishing's quality; all 2000 books
were shelved whilst the next book
was a best seller.

5. Background: Post-humous Illustrator

An American cartoonist, Peter Newell
(March 5th, 1862 – January 15th, 1924)
illustrated the 1901 edition.

Published regularly in several magazines
and for other authors, including Mark
Twain and Stephen Crane.

His response when asked by Harper &
Brothers to update the classic: “...the
kindness with which the public has received my
other work, together with the encouragement of
certain friends (to whom the inception of this
undertaking is due) has inspired the hope in me
that this more serious effort will not be
altogether unwelcome."

6. The Details

1901 edition published by
Harper & Brothers Publishers,
located in New York and
London.

Hard cover is made from
covered boards which are
stamped and gilted with gold;
slightly worn off with impression
of Alice on the cover having no
embellishing left.

The pages are laid out 4 up and
are untrimmed along all three
edges.

Contains an introduction written
by E.S. Martin explaining the
updated edition in pages i-xvii;
193 pages long and 22 cm

7. Title Page

Octavo, juxtaposed to a
portrait of the author,
separated by protective
tissue paper.

Popular copperplate
Gothic script used
throughout the whole of
the text.

Bound with sewing
threads to spine on all
text pages; illustrated
pages glued in.

8. The Text

Greenish border around the black text
on every page created by Robert
Murray Wright; animal motif changes
according to the chapter.

Incipit: “All in the golden afternoon Full
leisurely we glide; For both our oars,
with little skill, By little arms are plied,
While little hands make vain pretense
Our wanderings to guide.”

Explicit: “Lady, dear, if Fairies may For
a moment lay aside, Cunning tricks
and elfish play,'Tis at happy
Christmas-tide.”

9. Illustrations
Tenniel's
version (left)
had woodcuts
used in the
process of
printing,
whereas
Newell's
(right)
illustrations
were created
with modern
halftone
printing.

10. Through the Looking Glass

11. Literary Reflections
“The Caucus Race
In England the term 'caucus' referred to a system of highly disciplined party
organization by committees. It was often used as an abusive term for the
organization of an opposing party. With the term 'causus race' Carroll may have
poked fun at the committees, as committee members generally did a lot of
running around in circles while they were getting nowhere.
The Cheshire Cat
"To grin like a Cheshire Cat" was a common phrase in Carroll’s day. Its origin is
not known. However, it could have originated from a sign painter in Cheshire,
who painted grinning lions on the sign-boards of inns in the area.
The Mad Hatter
'Mad as a hatter’ probably owes its origin to the fact that hatters actually did go
mad, because the mercury they used sometimes gave them mercury
poisoning.”
(source: The website aliceinwonderland.net, Lenny's Alice In Wonderland Site)

12. Bibliography
“Alice's Adventures in Wonderland”, Internet Archive. Web. 22 April,
2012.http://archive.org/details/alicesadventures00carr2
“Lenny's Alice in Wonderland Site”. Web. 22 April, 2012.
http://www.alice-in-wonderland.net
Little, Judith (1976) “Liberated Alice: Dodgson's female as domestic
rebel”. Women's Studies, Vol. 3, pp 195-205.
“Peter Newell, American Comic Illustrator”, Nonsenslit.org. Web. 22 April,
2012.http://www.nonsenselit.org/content/view/88/79/
Wheat, Andrew R. (Winter 2009) “Dodgson's dark deceit: evoking the
allegorical lineage of Alice”. Renascence, 61.2, pp 103-123.