The Jabberwocky

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• havo, vwo
• Leerjaar 2,3

The Jabberwocky 

By Lewis Carroll

First, let's read together!

Listen to the poem and fill in the gaps. We will check the answers afterwards.

What in the Jabberwock is this poem about?

The Jabberwocky: the first stanza

Let's read again. Underline/highlight any words you do not know.

`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, has 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.

What do these words mean?
1. frumious 2. vorpal 3. tulgey 4. beamish
5. callooh

What do you notice about these words?

What is a Bandersnatch?

The frumious Bandersnatch

vorpal sword

tulgey woods

beamish boy

Callooh! Callay!

Note: they are adjectives.

When words are written with a capital letter, you can assume that it is a name, brand, building, country etc.

Now let's read it again, but without the "weird" words. 

What do you notice?

`Twas …, and the … …

  Did (gyre) and … in the …:

All … were the …,

  And the … … ….

'Beware the Jabberwock, my son!

  The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!

Beware the Jubjub bird, and (shun)

  The … Bandersnatch!'

He took his … sword in hand:

  Long time the … (foe) he sought --

So rested he by the Tumtum tree,

  And stood awhile in thought.

And, as in … thought he stood,

  The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,

Came … through the … wood,

  And (burbled) as it came!

One, two! One, two! And through and through

  The … blade went (snicker-snack)!

He left it dead, and with its head

  He went … back.

'And, has (thou) (slain) the Jabberwock?

  Come to my arms, my … boy!

O … day! …! …!'

  He (chortled) in his joy.

--> `Twas …, and the … …

  Did (gyre) and … in the …;

All … were the …,

  And the … … ….

Literary terms (2 min)

Portmanteau words (e.g., "slithy" = slimy + lithe)

Onomatopoeia (e.g., "snicker-snack")

Alliteration (e.g., "Callooh! Callay!")

Now create your own portmanteau words! Write down at least three. 

What did this activity teach you?

Use the context to find out the meaning of words!

Creative Writing and Performance (10 minutes)

Now you write a short poem and come up with your own hero and monster! Feel free to use your own nonsense words. Use at least 4 stanzas (paragraphs) or a 100 words. You have to do this alone.

Perform your creations in front of the class.

Lesson recap and reflection

• How did the poem make you feel? 
• Why do you think Carroll wrote the poem this way? 
• How does nonsense poetry challenge the way we think about language?
• What did you learn this lesson?

I've enjoyed this lesson.

😒🙁😐🙂😃

I could understand the instructions.

😒🙁😐🙂😃

I was able to do the exercises easily.

😒🙁😐🙂😃

Something that I would still want to know (more) about is...

See you next time!