On the 193rd anniversary of Lewis Carroll’s birth, we look at the life and work of one of Britain’s most famous authors, and a celebrated mathematician.
Lewis Carroll is best known for his books on the famous Alice and her adventures in Wonderland. And rightly so, as these are excellent books that have helped shape the childhoods of so many people down the years.
These creations have left such an impression, that many other artists and writers have expanded Carroll’s world. They’ve adapted Alice and the Wonderland universe based on their own artistic vision.
The Life of Lewis Carroll
Lewis Carroll was born Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, on January 27th 1832, in Cheshire, northern England. His early years helped set him on his way as a writer – one of eleven children, Charles would have been exposed to the storytelling and games that siblings like to engage in. However, the strict conservatism of his parents – particularly his father – gave him something to rebel against.
Educated at Oxford University, Charles found he had two paths open to him. He was certainly a skilled mathematician, and his work in this field has been lauded over the years. But he was also an artist. When he published the romantic poem Solitude, under the pen name Lewis Carroll, it became clear that literature was his true calling.
Alice in Wonderland, and Super-Stardom
Lewis Carroll has left us with a rich body of work, but we can’t ignore the fact that Alice is his most famous literary character, and Wonderland his best known artistic universe. The first novel to feature Alice was Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, published in 1865. An enormous success, the novel was followed up by a sequel in 1871 – Through the Looking Glass.
Alice is a fictional character, but some believe she was inspired by the very real Alice Liddell, a daughter of Oxford dean Henry Liddell. Some of the stories contained within the books were originally told by Carroll to Alice and her sisters, giving some weight to the theory. However, there is no academic consensus on just how much of the real Alice Liddell is included in the fictional character of Alice.
Other characters from the first book include The White Rabbit, the Dormouse, the March Hare, and the Queen of Hearts from Alice in Wonderland. The sequel, Through the Looking Glass, introduced us to The Hatter, the Walrus and the Carpenter, and Tweedledum and Tweedledee.
All of these have since become part of literary legend.
The Adaptations of Alice in Wonderland: Books
Alice in Zombieland by Gena Showalter updates the Wonderland universe with a modern, horror twist.
The Alice Books by Christina Henry transpose the action into a dystopian landscape.
Alice in Wonderland High by Rachel Shane is a YA novel that shifts Alice’s adventures to a contemporary high school, and uses it as a backdrop for teen drama.
Not all the adaptations focus quite so exclusively on Alice herself.
Colleen Oakes’ Queen of Hearts Saga gives us a new perspective on the famous villain.
After Alice by Gregory Maguire shows us what happened to inhabitants of Wonderland once Alice left them behind.
A.G. Howard’s Splintered series focuses on a later descendant of Alice, and her own journeys into this fantasy world.
The Adaptations of Alice in Wonderland: Movies
Probably the most famous movie adaptation of Alice in Wonderland is the 1951 Disney animation, but there are plenty of other adaptations to enjoy.
Alice: Boy from Wonderland, the South Korean movie from 2015, delivers an interesting take on the classic tale.
In 2021, Olga Lopato directed a Russian-Belarussian animated version of the tale.
Back in 2016, Michael Glover took things several notches darker with his own horrific fantasy vision.
Of course, there are also the two wonderful Tim Burton Alice in Wonderland adaptations, one from 2010, and a sequel in 2016.
The Adaptations of Alice in Wonderland: Others
Other artists have also expressed their love of Carroll’s characters and literary creations. Both Avril Lavigne and Lady Gaga have released songs called simply Alice, while Jefferson Airplane’s White Rabbit has contributed its own mythology to the Wonderland Universe.
Surrealist painter Salvador Dali has offered his own interpretation of Carroll’s work, most famously with Who Stole The Tarts?
Political cartoonist Ralph Steadman released an illustrated version of the first Alice in Wonderland book in 1967, while fashion designer Vivienne Westwood provided a striking front cover for a 150th anniversary edition.
And then there are video games too. American McGee’s Alice was among the first in 2000, followed up with Alice: Madness Returns in 2011. The tie-in to Tim Burton’s 2010 film is also a striking and engaging interactive title.
Caroll at 193
Carroll is now closing in on his 200th birthday, although in fact he unfortunately died just short of his 66th. The writer made significant contributions to both literature and academia over his celebrated – and, truth be told, sometimes controversial – life.
Lewis Carroll’s literary innovation has inspired generations of artists to explore new avenues with their own work, and today’s Wonderland universe is far broader and more expansive than Carroll could ever have imagined.
It’s a fitting tribute to the author’s own extensive body of work.
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Migz
John Burns
John has been writing ever since he was small, and is delighted to be able to make his living as a writer now he’s not quite so small. Literature has always been a big part of John’s life, and he loves sharing this passion with readers from all over the world.
