Jabberwocky and Nonsensical Words

Jabberwocky is the quintessential nonsense poem throughout time. Even though it is considered a nonsense poem, the words are placed in such a way as to lend them to definitions of words that may sound similar in the modern language. Another poet that is world renowned in the genre of nonsensical poetry is Dr. Seuss.

The parents of the world have used his books and stories to teach children about values, morals, and equality. Carroll however, takes the nonsense a step further and upon first read the poem is completely nonsensical, and unless a person takes the poem line by line, the nonsense is entrenched even further. To truly understand Carroll meaning, one must look up some of those nonsensical words, or think of words that are semantically or diction based in similar terms. Only then can the meaning of the poem be understood.  

By modern vocabulary there are many words that many are sure have no meaning. To think in this way is completely wrong. In fact just about every nonsensical word used is a word found in old English or is a combined effort of two words to give itself a new meaning. He also created words that would be similar to the word that would have fit better, but because of the inflection of the word or the syntax used, the word fits and can be defined with limited problems.

The first section of the poem gives a perfect example as to the use of diction and syntax in the use of made up and nonsensical words
 Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
Did gyre and gimble in the wabe
All mimsy were the borogoves,
and the mome raths outgrabe. (Lines 1-4)

Upon first look it would seem that this is just a bunch of garbled words and phrases. But take a deeper look and the meaning can be determined. The first possible nonsensical word is brillig but if one uses old dictionaries one would discover that this word is of German origin and actually fits nicely into the poem. The meaning is the preparation of the evening meal (allwords.com). This shows the time frame and location of the story within the poem. By continuing in this way the remainder of the first stanza tells of the superstitions of the people and that they have built walls to keep out those creatures and things that scare them.

The second verse introduces the creatures that the people want to keep out of their village. The Jabberwock is mentioned first and is the most fearsome and ferocious. After the Jabberwock is the mythical Jubjub bird that represents the superstitions of the villagers, because there is nothing even remotely similar to this creature. The last of the imaginative creatures is the bandersnatch. This creature is the combination of two words, bander and snatch. Carroll used these words to affect the ideal of wit and take, through the use of similar sounds, bander and banter and snatch, meaning to tease and take.

Through the use of nonsensical words Carroll illicit the fear of the reader to the unknown, making the reader more of the child and the author the parent.  For the parent knows of things the child cannot comprehend. The fact that the remainder of the poem has more nonsensical words that work within the poem to give it definition shows that there will always be obstacles causing people to have to re-evaluate their plans and lives.

This brings the poem to its last stanza which is exactly the same as the first.  Therefore, the journey of the reader is over, and the creature that makes the villagers fear is gone.  However, the fact that the villagers still fear the Jabberwock and still maintain their shields around their village makes the reader wonder if anyone else has realized that the mythical creatures are not to be feared but defeated.  Carroll does not let the villagers grow as the reader and young protagonist do within the story.  The use of nonsensical words to end the poem shows this inability to give up superstitions of things that are unknown.