The Hatter - Definition and Overview

The Hatter (far right), as depicted by Tenniel

The Hatter, popularly known as The Mad Hatter (though he is never actually given that name in the book) is a fictional character encountered at a tea party in Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. He makes a cameo appearance in the sequel Through the Looking Glass as "Hatta", the imprisoned royal messenger. He has been portrayed on film by Edward Everett Horton, Martin Short, Ed Wynn and in a music video by Tom Petty. The chapter in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland called "The Mad Tea Party" is often erroneously called "The Mad Hatter's Tea Party", though in fact it takes place in the garden of the March Hare.

The phrase "Mad as a Hatter" existed long before the character, and may derive from the harmful effects of chemicals, such as Mercury, formerly used in hat-making.

The "10/6" on the Hatter's hat is commonly believed to be the price of the hat, meaning ten Shillings and Sixpence.

The Hatter is generally believed to be based on Theophilus Carter, at one time a servitor at Christ Church. He invented an alarm clock bed, exhibited at the Great Exhibition of 1851, that tipped out the sleeper at waking up time. He later owned a furniture shop, and became known as the Mad Hatter from his habit of standing in the door of his shop wearing a top hat. Sir John Tenniel is reported to have come to Oxford especially to sketch him for his illustrations.

See also:

• Hatter
• The Mad Hatter, comic-book supervillain modelled on the Wonderland character