A Wasp In A Wig is a blog drawing on various themes of Lewis Carroll, and other 19th century English writers. The Annotated Alice has long been one of the best books around. Carroll's allusions, mathematical puzzles, social commentary and creative humor make him a valuable resource in a fragmented age. His apparent pedophilia is reviled, while his literary works appreciated. This dichotomy is brought out in an entry on this blog celebrating his 173rd anniversary
Clearly we love the works of Lewis Carroll here. Personally I find his life an inspiration and a guiding light.Some interesting entries from "A Wasp In A Wig" include an exhibition of Alice Art in London and a new book on Lewis Carroll, annotating his bank account - well described by the author in the Times Literary SupplementThat said the hardest thing for me to deal with and accept was that Dodgson was a pedophile. The signs are everywhere but in my youth I chose to ignore them and believe that this man operated on a higher plane where love could exist purely for it's own sake.
That accepted it most be noted that Dodgson died as a virgin. While he spent many nights wrestling with what he called his demons there is no indication that he ever harmed a child or entered into any inappropriate relationship.
He controlled his impulses and tried to force his love into the higher plane I imagined.
This self control adds to his pleasant legend.
..........
There was much to love and ponder over the man.
The account also shows conclusively that at least one major aspect of Dodgson’s famous image is absolutely wrong. His reputation has always been that of an obsessive, picking at detail in a way which could drive others frantic. As Isa Bowman recalled, before a railway journey Dodgson would “exactly calculate the amount of money that must be spent, and, in different partitions of the two purses that he carried, arrange the various sums that would be necessary for cabs, porters, newspapers, refreshments and the other expenses of a journey . . .”. Then there was his correspondence with Macmillan’s, beginning in 1875, after he had analysed the Alice accounts. “On every thousand copies sold”, he complained, “your profit is £20.16s 8d, mine is £56.5s 0d, and the bookseller’s £70.16s.8d. This seems . . . altogether unfair . . .” After bombarding Macmillan
with letters, Dodgson began fixing the sale prices of his books himself in order to secure a larger profit, earning himself the enmity of booksellers and enhancing his reputation for financial sharpness.Continued on the next page Page 1 — Page 2
Article comments
1 - Lono
Lewis Carroll rules! As someone with an Literature degree, it should carry at least a little weight when I say Alice in Wonderland (which is actually two books) is the best book ever written. It is timeless, and never fails to impress or entertain me.
2 - Aaman
The concern about Carroll's pedophilia is in line with our modern sensibilities, but his preferences were not out of place in his own times - when the (not yet) Bishop of Canterbury could propose to a twelve-year old, and nary a complaint.
Great author, indeed - and talented in many more fields
3 - Richard Porter
Does this mean that we should embrace Carroll, just as Hollywood has embraced J.M. Barrie, the creator of Peter Pan (Finding Neverland)?
This movie seems to have left out a major part of that author's life, namely his fascination with young boys.
By your accord, we should excuse Michael Jackson, Barrie and Carroll and anyone else because they are extremely talented, are geniuses or during their lifetime the world wasn't civilized enough to realize how morally wrong their lusts would lead them.
Praise the stories not the man.
4 - Aaman
Ah - I expected the comparisons - I did not excuse this element of his life. It may have been a motive force for his creativity, and was morally wrong. In fact, it was probably the main reason he did not take up the cloth, as it were. He knew he was tormented by these demons, unlike, say, Michael
The contradictions exist in these people's lives - do with them what you will.
5 - Lono
You are all losing track and making very serious accusations which I think are totally baseless. The Alice in the book was a real life girl, Alice Little. She was the daughter of a good friend who used to accompany them on picnics.
Sure Dodgeson (pen name Carrol) was a strange fellow with a great imagination... that doesn't make him a pedophile. If you are to use that same rule of them (that creators of children's art are all pedophiles), then eveyr single employee of the Disney corporation should be charged and hung.
6 - Mike
This discussion of Carroll as a pedophile is pretty out of date isn't it? The newest research shows that the whole image of his so-called 'obsession' with small girls was created almost entirely (and almost accidentally) by biographers and dreamers anyway.
See the 'Looking for Lewis Carroll' website which had the latest research from the best writers on Carroll
7 - Aaman
Thanks Mike - great website.
8 - Richard Astley-Clemas
Everythings been said about this tiresome subject and little of it made sense anyway by applying todays morals and politically correct thinking to what happenned well over a century ago.
No one seems to have realised that Dodgson/Carroll would have been impotent thus a threat to nobody
9 - DrPat
If impotence or virginity were a bar to pedophilia, Michael Jackson wouldn't be in the trouble he's in.
Whether or not Dodson (or Barrie, for that matter) ever consumated their lusts, that they experienced a sexual urge toward children is part of the historical background of these men.
10 - Shark
Just wanna add a suggestion:
Alice in Wonderland by Abelardo Morrell
Beautiful and brilliant, it belongs in every Alice fanatic's collection.
PS: re - alleged pedophilia -- get a life, morons.
xxoo
S