Are there any metaphors in the poem jabberwocky?

Answer 1

Twas brillig, and the slithy toves

Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:

All mimsy were the borogoves,

And the mome raths outgrabe.

From the poem Jabberwocky, in Through The Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll

In Through The Looking Glass, Alice encounters this poem, but finds it 'rather hard to understand', so when she meets Humpty Dumpty she asks him to explain it to her.

'What are "toves"?' she asks.

He replies, 'Well, "toves" are something like badgers - they're something like lizards - and they're something like corkscrews.'

(Follow the link below to see Tenniel's illustration of the creatures in the poem, with the tove in the centre)

Through the Looking-Glass was written in 1871, but Carroll had already printed the first verse to Jabberwocky sixteen years previously. In 1855 the opening stanza appeared in Misch-masch, a private periodical Carroll produced to amuse his siblings, along with a glossary, which defined a 'tove' as "A species of Badger. They had smooth white hair, long hind legs, and short horns like a stag; lived chiefly on cheese."

So, strictly speaking, the answer to "was there a badger in the poem jabberwocky" is.....kind of.

Answer 2

Yes, "Jabberwocky" contains metaphors. For example, the "Jabberwock" itself can be interpreted as a metaphor for something frightening or unknown. The poem's nonsensical language and whimsical tone serve as metaphors for the absurdity and complexity of life.

Answer 3

Lines:28, Stanzas:7, Verse, Narrator: Father

Rhyme Scheme: ABAB/CDCD/EFGF/HIHI/JKLK/MNOM/ABAB

Imagery: Vorpal sword in hand(9), The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame(14)

Repetition: Jabberwock(5, 14, 21)

Onomatopoeia: Whiffling(15), burbled(16), snicker-snack(18), galumphing(20), Calllooh! Callay!(23)

Assonance: eh-left, head, dead(19), ih-it, with, its(19)

Answer 4

In the fourth stanza, second line it says "The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame" You have to guess that its eyes aren't actually made out of flame, but knowing Lewis Carroll it just might be. Good luck (:

Answer 5

There is more than one. The Related link below discusses the rhyming patterns in "The Jabberwocky".