British Political History in Alice
By Brianna Kessler
Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland includes many adult themes that, while missed by the young readers of his work, have been examined by it’s older audience in order to better understand the quirky world created in this beloved children’s story. One of these themes is British Political History. Carroll alludes to some instances in particular in his story.
The War of the Roses
A series of civil wars fought in England between 1455-1485 is thought to have influenced one of the most memorable scenes in Alice. The entire series of civil wars is entitled “The War of the Roses”, between House Lancaster and House York and is so named due to the fact that the badge of both houses was a rose; The Lancaster’s a red rose, the York’s a white rose. Initially, the disagreement between houses stemmed from the York’s attempt to usurp the Lancaster’s from the throne while the Lancaster’s were vulnerable following The Hundred Years’ War. The war between the two families would die down and be revived two additional times after its initial beginning, eventually ending with the Lancastrian faction turning to Henry Tudor, also known as King Henry VII, for leadership. Henry VII would come to be known as the founder of the Tudor Dynasty in England. Henry would go on to marry a daughter of House York, uniting the two clashing families, and resulting in an eventual strengthening of the English crown.
These events are thought to be referenced in the scene in which Alice enters the castle belonging to the Queen of Hearts to find the Queen’s servants painting the white roses in her garden red, according to the Queen’s preference. The War of the Roses may also be referenced in the violent outcomes the gardeners face as a result of the Queen’s displeasure with them.
Queen Victoria
Some readers and scholars believe that Carroll’s inspiration for the character of the Queen of Hearts was the ruler of the era in which the story was penned, Queen Victoria. The young Victoria entered adolescence almost entirely deprived of the companionship of children her own age and grew up surrounded by adults motivated to advance their own self-interest. Some may attribute her unusual upbringing as the source of three lifelong attitudes of Queen Victoria that would hold a huge impact on her reign: A strong aversion to the physical aspect of sexuality, an over idealized idea of male perfection, and the her need of a series of strong male figures whom she could dominate even as she was dominated by them, including her husband and Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli.
The Queen of Hearts is characterized as severe and domineering as well as uptight, and is constantly calling for the beheading of subjects she views as in the wrong. This may be a representation of Queen Victoria herself or of the societal standards set in the Victorian Period, valuing for sexual restraint, low tolerance of crime and a strict social code of conduct.
References:
Blumberg, Arnold. "Queen Victoria." Salem Press Biographical Encyclopedia (2014): Research Starters. Web. 24 Apr. 2015.
"Roses, Wars Of The." Funk & Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia (2014): 1p. 1. Funk & Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia. Web. 24 Apr. 2015.
The War of the Roses
A series of civil wars fought in England between 1455-1485 is thought to have influenced one of the most memorable scenes in Alice. The entire series of civil wars is entitled “The War of the Roses”, between House Lancaster and House York and is so named due to the fact that the badge of both houses was a rose; The Lancaster’s a red rose, the York’s a white rose. Initially, the disagreement between houses stemmed from the York’s attempt to usurp the Lancaster’s from the throne while the Lancaster’s were vulnerable following The Hundred Years’ War. The war between the two families would die down and be revived two additional times after its initial beginning, eventually ending with the Lancastrian faction turning to Henry Tudor, also known as King Henry VII, for leadership. Henry VII would come to be known as the founder of the Tudor Dynasty in England. Henry would go on to marry a daughter of House York, uniting the two clashing families, and resulting in an eventual strengthening of the English crown.
These events are thought to be referenced in the scene in which Alice enters the castle belonging to the Queen of Hearts to find the Queen’s servants painting the white roses in her garden red, according to the Queen’s preference. The War of the Roses may also be referenced in the violent outcomes the gardeners face as a result of the Queen’s displeasure with them.
Queen Victoria
Some readers and scholars believe that Carroll’s inspiration for the character of the Queen of Hearts was the ruler of the era in which the story was penned, Queen Victoria. The young Victoria entered adolescence almost entirely deprived of the companionship of children her own age and grew up surrounded by adults motivated to advance their own self-interest. Some may attribute her unusual upbringing as the source of three lifelong attitudes of Queen Victoria that would hold a huge impact on her reign: A strong aversion to the physical aspect of sexuality, an over idealized idea of male perfection, and the her need of a series of strong male figures whom she could dominate even as she was dominated by them, including her husband and Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli.
The Queen of Hearts is characterized as severe and domineering as well as uptight, and is constantly calling for the beheading of subjects she views as in the wrong. This may be a representation of Queen Victoria herself or of the societal standards set in the Victorian Period, valuing for sexual restraint, low tolerance of crime and a strict social code of conduct.
References:
Blumberg, Arnold. "Queen Victoria." Salem Press Biographical Encyclopedia (2014): Research Starters. Web. 24 Apr. 2015.
"Roses, Wars Of The." Funk & Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia (2014): 1p. 1. Funk & Wagnalls New World Encyclopedia. Web. 24 Apr. 2015.