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A Joycean’s Interpretation of Lewis Carroll’s “Jabberwocky”
Back in 2004/5, Dr. Vladimir Orel, who was at that time engaged in teaching English Literature at Mount Royal College (Now University), tasked his students with writing an interpretation of Jabberwocky. My wife at the time, former spouse now, his student then, previous to his occupation as my once upon a time business partner and best friend, wrote her own interpretation, and I, the smart-ass that I am, offered up my own, alongside an invitation for our families to enjoy a weekend together at the Calgary Zoo, so that we could get to know each other. I received an A++. She received a B-. What follows is not the essay that I wrote back then, as it has since been lost, a victim of circumstance. It is, instead, an attempt to revisit that time, when life was good, and the forewarning concerning the Jabberwock in my own life went unheeded. A time also a victim of circumstance.
‘Twas Brillig, springtime, when all creatures succumb to fertility’s madness, driven by a desire to shag,
And the Slithy toves, Slime oozing genitalia, like the skins of toads, frogs, amphibians, et alia, Also, the stamen of flowers erupting with orgasms of pollen,
Did Gyre and Gimble, Moving hither and thither, aimless and frothing, this way and that.
In the Wabe, A tidal wave, the ooze proliferant, an environment of gelatinous cooze and cum such that none may escape except to become part of its orgiastic turpitude.
All Mimsy, the dizzying scent of pheromones, overcoming all reason, vaginal secretions proliferating wave upon wave of her ambrosian scent, an adolescent fervor,
were the Borogroves, the virginal and matronly standing like orchards, tossed about by winds whose forceful thrusts are the same which carry the airborne semen they crave,
And the Mome raths, eager, flowering genitalia, reaching and writhing towards the fruition they demandingly crave, seeking a partner with which to mate.
Outgrabe, moaning with desire and groaning with anticipation.
“Beware the Jabberwock, my son! Says a sanctimonious Polonius to his young Laertes, the Jabberwock being the most convincing, conniving, and cunning pair of lips owned by women, whom have two pairs, both as cruel and as dangerous as the other. Particular to a talkative (jabber) woman (wock), similar to “SKWAWK”, like the loud noise that birds make when startled or simply expressing their birdness. See note on Jubjub Bird, two lines hence.
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch! Speaks for itself, though one is immediately reminded of vaginalia such as vaginisimus and vagina dentata.
Beware the Jubjub bird Jub being rhyme slang for Chub, meaning Chubby, and bird is an English slang term for Women. Thus, beware of chubby women.
and shun The frumious Bandersnatch! An incessantly talkative woman (or a woman who speaks her own mind). Snatch is slang for vagina. Bander broguish for Banter. Frumious is a combinative of Furious and Ruminous, or Furiously Ruminous, meaning endless or violent regurgitation of one’s thoughts. May also imply a rumour monger or one who engages in intercourse during intercourse (won’t stop talking during coitus). Another interpretation is audible quiffs (pussy farts).
He took his vorpal sword in hand Masturbation. Vorpal, from the German Vor (before, front) Pfahl (pole, boundary post), meaning large or long penis.. Sword adjectively implies a dangerous or violent weapon, suggesting that it ought to be handled with care and respect. Swords are typically sheathed, where this one, is held in hand, thus unsheathed. Vagina, from the Latin, literally means sheath or scabbard.
manxome foe Manxome, refers to the Isle of Man, it’s people, language and customs. A common Manx expression is, “TRAA DY LIOOAR“, meaning “Time Enough”, or “Time Enough Tomorrow”, suggesting a lazy, lax and tardy attitude towards, well, everything. In this manner, Manxome would mean “late”, as in, “late for an appointment”. Until the 13th Century, the Manx were ruled by the Skanke family, or Skanks. Skank is slang for prostitute, most particularly those who do not wash between clients, who are diseased and dirty. The derivative adjective Skanky means “Fishy”, referring to the smell of an unclean vagina, or a person of lower quality or of loose morals. Combined, Manxome may mean a prostitute who’s running late for a date, which makes sense in the context that the protagonist of the story, is standing around with his cock in his hand waiting around for a prostitute whom never seems to arrive.
Tumtum tree Tummy means one’s abdomen, often infantasized in baby-talk as “Tum Tum”. Tree is another euphemism for penis. In this case, standing around with his cock in his hand.
And stood awhile in thought. Waiting for the prostitute, dejected and sulking, most likely. One might expect that being ghosted by a hooker would kind of suck.
And, as in uffish thought he stood Uffish, short for “Huffy”, or “In a huff”, meaning pissed off, grumpy, “put-out”, impatient. Since the first line of this verse is a close repetition of the last, adding “uffish” implying that he is not feeling very appreciated.
The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame As before, a Jabberwock is a talkative woman, whose insane, thirsty gaze shows that she is in heat, synonymous with “come fuck me eyes”.
Came whiffling Came, as in the past tense for Cum, which means to already be in the throes of orgasm. The term “Coming” or “Cumming”, means “On the way”, “Not there yet”, I’m Cumming literally means, “Almost there”, often confused with having already arrived. Came literally means having arrived, reached orgasm, ejaculation, squirting, etc. Similarly, and confusingly, perhaps, the sentence is written in the past tense, so “Came Whiffling” would suggest that she is yet, or is in the process of arrival, but is well on her way or already there. (Double Entendre).
Wiffling, “Wife-ling”, “Whiff”, “Wiffle” and “-ling”. The suffix “-ling” means, “child”, “young”, or “inexperienced” (possibly virginal),. Wife-ling, as in a young woman who has reached maturity, though, at the time of original publication, that age was significantly lower than current laws and social norms, and thus would have meant a woman who has reached puberty. Wiffle, being the sound of a gust of air, with a faint whistling sound. May refer to the sounds she makes when she walks, or the sounds she makes when she talks. Also, possibly, Mewling, as in the noises that some animals make when in heat. Whiff, as in a scent, or the act of smelling something. May refer to a distinct pheremonal scent given off by adolescent women.
Through A multiple entendre, assumed at first to mean “passing through”, in this case, traveling from one place to another by way of the “Tulgey Wood”, as if it were a place. Through may also reference time, or timing, or a period of time, where it might suggest that the creature in question took over the protagonist’s onanism half-way through the process, and perhaps continued the activity until it’s process was through. Yet another interpretation, as valid as the last, and likely equally intended, is that she had been “Run Through”, as in having taken the whole length of the “Vorpal Sword” to the hilt, as it were, from one end to the other.
Tulgey Wood: Wood is slang for an erect penis. Tulgey, according to the author, means Thick, Dense, and Dark. This may refer to the protagonist’s pubic hair. Tulge is and Old English adjective meaning Strong, Firm, and Long. Alongside of earlier descriptions of the protagonist’s penis, one would assume that this one is of extraordinary (or exaggerated as is often the case with legendary tales) size.
And burbled as it came! Burbling is a sound made when liquid is being forced out of a geyser or small hole, often causing bubbles, which, when popped due to pressurized ejection, makes a popping sound, or a continuous bubbling noise (Not to be confused with FIZZLING, since FIZZY is certainly a sign of infection, and ought to be avoided at all costs.) Came/Cum, see earlier description. Again, repetition is used to suggest increased importance or a sense of immediacy. As it Came, refer to the previous discussion of the subject of approach versus arrival, and in this case, it likely means arrival, or completion.
One, two! One, two! Keeping a rhythm, beat, or marching in step, the exclamation point impressing the excitation of the moment. Pumping, thrusting, pulsating, repetition, cadence, pacing, sequence and tempo. The key to great sex is the same to great comedy … timing. Note that the use of repetition is now found on the same line, in the same sentence, in this and the following two lines, suggestive of quickening pace and immediacy of action.
And through and through Through is mentioned previously, through has many meanings, all of them relevant, as is the use of repetition. Repetitiously.
The vorpal blade went snicker-snack! Onomatopea, referencing the slopping, sound that a penis makes when thrusting in and out of a wet vagina, or also the sound of squeaky bed noises, or the sound of a ball-sack smacking up against the outside of whatever orifice it is penetrating.( Similarly,“Fapping” suggestive of the sound of masturbation, a dry fist tossing). Snickering is to laugh in a scornful, bullying, mean or disrespectful manner, as an expression of superiority, condescension, and usually in a suppressed or covert manner, not shared with others, but kept to oneself or amongst one’s conspirators. Conversely, the sound of snapping, crackling, or popping, during copulation is rarely a good sign. As with many Shakespearean conclusions which end in rhyme, which itself is a form of repetition, the broken sounding near-rhymes of the words Snick and Snack may imply a sudden end to the rising tension.
He left it dead After he has had his way, he leaves her as she sleeps, or as his erection has been spent. This is as much an insult to her honor as it is a sign of disregard to any affection.
and with its head: I am not the first to suggest that “its head” means her maiden-head, or having taken her virginity (specifically, having broken her hymen by way of sexual intercourse). “With its head” meaning a token of battle, a trophy, prize, or “bragging rights”, as per deeds of immorality.
He went: Note that, instead of Coming, or Coming, “Went” is instead leaving, having left, or having already finished. As in,“He Came and Went”. One may also think that in Heraldic symbolism, (from the view of the bearer not the beholder) the Left side of an armorial emblem is called the “Sinister” (as opposed to the Right side, which is called the Dexter, also meaning the “Greater Side of Honor”), a word which also means an attitude of selfishness, arrogance, apathy, impolite, rude, mean, or hurtful.
galumphing back A combinative word made up of Galloping and Triumph. Galloping, as in traveling hurriedly, quickly, or hastily (without pause). Triumph, a sense of reward or fulfilment, pridefulness, victory, self-satisfaction, achievement, and confidence. The most accepted meaning of Gallumph is to prance around in a self satisfied manner, likely with an exaggerated air of arrogance, confidence, or “Swagger”. Back, one would assume by the following verse, means that the protagonist (child, student, or p returning to the parent or mentor (Earlier compared with Polonius, from Shakespeare’s Hamlet) who advised him from, or warned him off of seeking the Jabberwock, Jubjub Bird, and Bandersnatch, but whom instead seems to have taken it as a challenge instead.
“And hast thou slain the Jabberwock? What seems like an innocent question, from an elder to their progeny, suddenly takes on a different mood. “Have you wet your willy?”, Dad asks. The narrative doesn’t offer the protagonist’s answer, but the following lines reveal an affirmative response, all the same.
Come to my arms, my beamish boy! A (Chiastic, Xiastic) 180 degree turn around in meaning begins here. Instead of warning the protagonist off of the women-folk, it would appear that he is instead PROUD that his “son” has lost his V-card (virginity) and successfully proven his manhood. Beamish suggests another double meaning, both for a person who shines brightly, who is smiling and filled with energy or enthusiasm, as well as a “load bearing length of thick wood or steel”. One can immediately see the relevance of the former, and if by now they are incapable of comprehending the latter, there is no hope for them to dirty their sculls like honest folk. But, since thoroughness demands a complete review, “load bearing” in this case would refer to the protagonist’s own youthful virility.
O frabjous day! Fabulous, Joyous. The use of an ‘R’ in “Frab” and the “OOSE” in Jous, pokes fun at the sexually ambiguous accents of South European Latin masculinity, whose flamboyant bravado is common to the Parisian (French), Romish (Italian), and possibly Spanish (Catalan, though this is an assumption on the part of the Essayist) expressions of manliness, which tend to come off to outsiders as signals of closeted homosexuality. To the teutonic sensibility, manhood is a matter of hardiness, stoic and unannounced. Prowess need not be celebrated, only sacrificed upon an altar of war.
Callooh! Callay! Another example of near-rhyme repetition.
He chortled in his joy. Chortle is a common form of laughter, similar to the aforementioned “Snicker”, though more closely related to a “Chuckle”. Chortling, like Snickering, has an unexpressed or unshared punchline,, which is known only to the chortler themselves. Chuckling is usually based on a personally contextual (guiding principle, intent, purpose or precedent) form of humour, which does not necessarily include a harmful or hurtful precedent. This chortling is not guided by the same mean-spirited and intentionally hurtful nature as a Snicker, but instead suggests information, experience or intelligence which adds nuance and detail to their own personal perspective of comedic interest.
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Original, for reference:
’Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.
“Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
The frumious Bandersnatch!”
He took his vorpal sword in hand;
Long time the manxome foe he sought—
So rested he by the Tumtum tree
And stood awhile in thought.
And, as in uffish thought he stood,
The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,
Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,
And burbled as it came!
One, two! One, two! And through and through
The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!
He left it dead, and with its head
He went galumphing back.
“And hast thou slain the Jabberwock?
Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!”
He chortled in his joy.
’Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
And the mome raths outgrabe.