Article #13-2 | Gutenberg Articles

Excerpt

Excerpt from The Hunting of the Snark: An Agony in Eight Fits, by Lewis Carroll

The Bellman, who was almost morbidly sensitive about appearances, used
to have the bowsprit unshipped once or twice a week to be revarnished,
and it more than once happened, when the time came for replacing it,
that no one on board could remember which end of the ship it belonged
to. They knew it was not of the slightest use to appeal to the Bellman
about it--he would only refer to his Naval Code, and read out in
pathetic tones Admiralty Instructions which none of them had ever been
able to understand--so it generally ended in its being fastened on,
anyhow, across the rudder. The helmsman used to stand by with tears in
his eyes; he knew it was all wrong, but alas! Rule 42 of the Code, “No
one shall speak to the Man at the Helm,” had been completed by the
Bellman himself with the words “and the Man at the Helm shall speak to
no one.” So remonstrance was impossible, and no steering could be done
till the next varnishing day. During these bewildering intervals the
ship usually sailed backwards.

As this poem is to some extent connected with the lay of the Jabberwock,
let me take this opportunity of answering a question that has often been
asked me, how to pronounce “slithy toves.” The “i” in “slithy” is long,
as in “writhe”; and “toves” is pronounced so as to rhyme with “groves.”
Again, the first “o” in “borogoves” is pronounced like the “o” in
“borrow.” I have heard people try to give it the sound of the “o” in
“worry”. Such is Human Perversity.

This also seems a fitting occasion to notice the other hard words in
that poem. Humpty-Dumpty’s theory, of two meanings packed into one word
like a portmanteau, seems to me the right explanation for all.

Explanation

Detailed Explanation of the Excerpt from The Hunting of the Snark

Lewis Carroll’s The Hunting of the Snark: An Agony in Eight Fits (1876) is a nonsensical epic poem that follows a crew of ten eccentric characters on a quest to hunt the elusive Snark, a creature whose nature remains mysterious. The poem is a masterpiece of absurdity, blending satire, wordplay, and existential themes. The excerpt provided offers a glimpse into the chaotic, rule-bound yet illogical world of the Snark-hunting crew, particularly focusing on the Bellman (their leader) and the absurdity of their naval operations.

1. Context of the Excerpt

The passage comes from Fit the First ("The Landing"), where Carroll introduces the crew and their bizarre behaviors. The Bellman, a pompous and pedantic figure, enforces nonsensical rules derived from an incomprehensible Naval Code, leading to operational chaos. The excerpt also includes Carroll’s authorial interjection, where he clarifies pronunciations from Jabberwocky (a poem from Through the Looking-Glass), reinforcing his playful engagement with language.

**Connection to Jabberwocky and Alice Books**

The Hunting of the Snark is often considered a darker, more complex companion to Jabberwocky and the Alice books.
The mention of "slithy toves" and "borogoves" ties the poem to Carroll’s broader linguistic experiments, where words are portmanteaus (blended meanings, as Humpty Dumpty explains in Through the Looking-Glass).
The authorial aside breaks the fourth wall, a technique Carroll frequently uses to engage readers directly, blurring the line between fiction and reality.

2. Themes in the Excerpt

A. Absurdity and Bureaucratic Nonsense

The Bellman’s obsession with appearances (varnishing the bowsprit) is pointless because the crew cannot even reattach it correctly.
His reliance on the Naval Code—a set of rules no one understands—parodies bureaucratic rigidity. The rules are so convoluted that they prevent functionality (e.g., Rule 42 silences the helmsman, making steering impossible).
The ship sailing backwards symbolizes progress in reverse, a critique of systems where blind adherence to rules leads to dysfunction.

B. Isolation and Helplessness

The helmsman’s tears highlight the human cost of absurd systems. He knows the ship is doomed but is forbidden to speak—a metaphor for powerlessness in oppressive structures.
The crew’s collective amnesia (forgetting which end the bowsprit belongs to) suggests institutionalized incompetence, where no one questions the system’s flaws.

C. Language and Meaning (or Lack Thereof)

Carroll’s pronunciation guide for Jabberwocky words reinforces his theme that language is arbitrary. The "correct" pronunciation is just as made-up as the words themselves.
The reference to Humpty Dumpty’s portmanteau theory (from Through the Looking-Glass) suggests that meaning is fluid—words can be stretched, blended, or invented, much like the Snark itself, which defies definition.

D. Existential and Philosophical Undertones

The Snark hunt is often read as an allegory for the search for meaning in a meaningless world. The crew’s futile efforts mirror human struggles against absurdity (a theme later explored by Existentialists like Camus).
The Naval Code can be seen as a false system of order—like religion, law, or tradition—that people cling to despite its irrationality.

3. Literary Devices

Device	Example	Effect
Absurdity/Humor	The bowsprit attached "anyhow, across the rudder"	Highlights the crew’s incompetence in a way that is both funny and unsettling.
Irony	The Bellman’s "morbid sensitivity about appearances" leads to functional disaster.	Critiques superficiality—obsessing over looks while ignoring practicality.
Parody	The Naval Code as a mockery of real naval or legal codes.	Satirizes blind obedience to authority and arbitrary rules.
Authorial Intrusion	Carroll’s sudden explanation of Jabberwocky pronunciations.	Breaks immersion, reminding readers that language is a construct.
Symbolism	The ship sailing backwards	Represents regressive progress, futile efforts, or societal decline.
Allusion	Reference to Humpty Dumpty’s portmanteau theory.	Connects to Carroll’s broader linguistic philosophy.
Repetition	"No one shall speak to the Man at the Helm, and the Man at the Helm shall speak to no one."	Emphasizes isolation and silence, reinforcing the crew’s trapped state.

4. Significance of the Passage

A. As a Microcosm of the Entire Poem

The excerpt encapsulates the core conflict of The Hunting of the Snark: a quest with no clear rules, led by an incompetent authority, doomed by absurdity.
The Bellman’s leadership foreshadows the crew’s eventual existential crisis—will they find the Snark? Does it even exist?

The passage satirizes Victorian institutions (the military, bureaucracy, religion) where rules replace reason.
The helmsman’s silence can be read as a comment on suppressed dissent—those who see the flaws in the system are ignored.

C. Philosophical Implications

The Naval Code is a false framework for meaning, much like how humans invent systems (morality, science, religion) to impose order on chaos.
The ship’s backward motion suggests that blind adherence to tradition leads to regression.

D. Linguistic Playfulness

Carroll’s interruption to explain pronunciations reinforces that language is a game—words have no inherent meaning beyond what we assign them.
This ties into post-structuralist ideas (later developed by thinkers like Derrida) that meaning is unstable and constructed.

5. Key Takeaways from the Text Itself

The Bellman’s Authority is Arbitrary
- He enforces rules no one understands, yet his word is law. This mirrors real-world power structures where authority is unquestioned despite being illogical.
The Crew’s Complicity
- No one challenges the Bellman, even when the ship is literally going backwards. This reflects groupthink and the dangers of unquestioning obedience.
The Helmsman as a Tragic Figure
- He knows the system is broken but is forbidden to act. His tears symbolize the human cost of absurdity.
Language as a Construct
- Carroll’s pronunciation guide reminds us that words are inventions—just like the Snark, they only have the meaning we give them.
The Futility of the Quest
- The Snark hunt, like the crew’s navigation, is doomed by its own rules. The journey is circular, illogical, and possibly endless.

6. Conclusion: Why This Matters

This excerpt is a masterclass in absurdism, blending humor, satire, and existential dread. Carroll uses nonsense to expose the flaws in logic, language, and authority. The Bellman’s ship is a metaphor for any system—government, religion, society—that operates on blind faith in rules rather than reason.

The passage also foreshadows the poem’s darker themes: the Snark may be a metaphor for death, the unknown, or the unknowable, and the crew’s journey is both farcical and tragic. By the end of the poem, the Baker’s disappearance (after finding the Snark) suggests that some truths are too absurd—or terrifying—to be faced directly.

In essence, Carroll invites readers to laugh at the absurdity while recognizing its reflection of real-world irrationality. The Snark hunt is our hunt—for meaning, for order, for answers—in a world that may have none.

Final Thought:

The Hunting of the Snark is often called "the longest and best sustained nonsense poem in the English language." This excerpt proves why: it is funny, unsettling, and profoundly philosophical, all while appearing to be just a silly story about a misplaced bowsprit. That’s the genius of Carroll—nonsense that makes perfect sense.

Questions

Question 1

The Bellman’s insistence on consulting the Naval Code despite its incomprehensibility most closely parallels which of the following philosophical critiques?

A. Nietzsche’s assertion that morality is a construct of the weak to control the strong.
B. Kafka’s depiction of bureaucratic systems as labyrinthine structures that entrap and dehumanise individuals.
C. Camus’ argument that the universe is indifferent, rendering human searches for meaning inherently absurd.
D. Foucault’s analysis of power as a decentralised network rather than a top-down hierarchy.
E. Sartre’s claim that existence precedes essence, and individuals must create their own purpose.

Question 2

The helmsman’s silent suffering in the passage serves primarily as a literary device to:

A. evoke pathos by emphasising the isolation of the individual in a collective failure.
B. underscore the absurdity of maritime traditions through exaggerated emotional responses.
C. expose the dehumanising consequences of rigid, unquestioned authority structures.
D. contrast the emotional vulnerability of the crew with the Bellman’s stoic adherence to rules.
E. foreshadow the eventual mutiny that will occur later in the poem.

Question 3

The author’s parenthetical explanation of “slithy toves” and “borogoves” functions within the passage as:

A. a meta-literary interruption that disrupts immersion to highlight the artificiality of language.
B. a pedagogical aside intended to clarify ambiguities for readers unfamiliar with Jabberwocky.
C. an example of the Bellman’s pedantic tendencies extending beyond the narrative into the authorial voice.
D. a transition to shift the poem’s tone from absurdity to linguistic precision.
E. a critique of readers who mispronounce words, framing them as participants in “Human Perversity.”

Question 4

The ship sailing backwards during the “bewildering intervals” is best interpreted as a symbol of:

A. the regressiveness of systems that prioritise form over function, leading to counterproductive outcomes.
B. the cyclical nature of human endeavour, where progress is illusory and efforts ultimately return to their starting point.
C. the crew’s collective unconscious desire to abandon the Snark hunt and retreat to safety.
D. the Bellman’s subconscious sabotage of the mission due to his fear of actually finding the Snark.
E. the inevitable entropy of all organised systems, which tend toward disorder without constant maintenance.

Question 5

Which of the following statements best captures the relationship between the Naval Code and the crew’s inability to function?

A. The Code is a well-intentioned but flawed system that fails due to the crew’s incompetence.
B. The crew’s incompetence is a direct result of the Code’s deliberate obfuscation, designed to maintain the Bellman’s authority.
C. The Code and the crew exist in a symbiotic relationship, each enabling the other’s dysfunction.
D. The Code’s incomprehensibility renders it functionally equivalent to no rules at all, creating a paradox of structured chaos.
E. The crew’s reliance on the Code reveals their latent desire for order, even if the order itself is nonsensical.

Solutions and Explanations

1) Correct answer: B

Why B is most correct: The Bellman’s blind adherence to an incomprehensible Naval Code—despite its impracticality—mirrors Kafka’s portrayal of bureaucratic systems in works like The Trial or The Castle, where individuals are trapped by labyrinthine, illogical rules that defy human reasoning. Both Carroll and Kafka use absurdity to critique how systems of authority can dehumanise and disempower those subject to them. The Bellman’s Code, like K.’s unseen court, is a self-perpetuating structure of control that serves no functional purpose beyond its own existence.