The Mad Tea-Party

A bewildering tea party with the March Hare, the Hatter, and the Dormouse, where time stands still and nonsense reigns, culminating in Alice's departure in disgust.

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Arrival at the Tea Table

A Crowded Corner No Room! No Room! Alice approaches the March Hare's house, which has chimneys shaped like ears and a roof thatched with fur. A large table is set under a tree, but the three occupants—the March Hare, the Hatter, and a sleeping Dormouse—are crowded together at one corner. When they see Alice, they cry out, "No room! No room!" Alice indignantly points out that there is plenty of room and sits down in a large armchair at the end of the table. An Offer of Wine The March Hare offers Alice some wine, but she sees nothing on the table but tea. The Hare admits there is no wine, and Alice rebukes him for being uncivil. The Hare retorts that it was uncivil to sit down without an invitation. The Hatter, who has been staring at Alice, remarks, "Your hair wants cutting." Alice tells him not to make personal remarks, and the Hatter asks a riddle: "Why is a raven like a writing-desk?"

Riddles and Wordplay

The Riddle Game The Meaning of Words Alice believes she can guess the riddle, but the March Hare insists she should say what she means. The Hatter argues that saying what you mean is not the same as meaning what you say, illustrating with examples of reversed phrases. The Dormouse, still asleep, adds a nonsensical contribution. The conversation drops into silence, and Alice tries to think of ravens and writing-desks. The Hatter's Watch The Hatter breaks the silence by asking Alice what day of the month it is. He takes his watch out of his pocket, looking at it uneasily and shaking it. Alice says it is the fourth, and the Hatter mourns that it is two days wrong, blaming the butter the March Hare used. The March Hare defends the quality of the butter. Alice examines the watch and notes that it tells the day of the month but not the hour. The Hatter counters that her watch does not tell the year, and Alice is puzzled.

The Story of Time

Time as a Person The Quarrel with Time The Hatter explains that if you know Time as a person, you can make him do anything. He tells Alice that he quarreled with Time last March, just before the March Hare went mad. At a concert given by the Queen of Hearts, the Hatter sang "Twinkle, twinkle, little bat," and the Queen screamed, "He's murdering the time! Off with his head!" Since then, Time has refused to do anything the Hatter asks, and it is always six o'clock, which means it is always tea-time. The Endless Tea Party Alice realizes that is why so many tea-things are set out—they never have time to wash them between whiles. The Hatter confirms that they keep moving around the table as the things get used up. Alice asks what happens when they come to the beginning again, but the March Hare interrupts, yawning, and suggests Alice tell a story. She declines, so they order the Dormouse to tell one.

The Dormouse's Story

Three Sisters in a Treacle-Well The Dormouse's Tale The Dormouse, pinched awake, begins a story about three little sisters named Elsie, Lacie, and Tillie, who lived at the bottom of a well. Alice asks what they lived on, and the Dormouse says treacle. Alice objects that they would be ill, and the Dormouse confirms they were very ill. The story meanders as the Dormouse explains they were learning to draw, drawing everything that begins with an M—mousetraps, the moon, memory, and muchness. Interruptions and Confusion Alice keeps interrupting with questions, and the Hatter and March Hare intervene to move one place on, confusing the seating. The Dormouse grows sleepy and closes its eyes, but the Hatter pinches it awake. The story becomes increasingly nonsensical, and Alice finally gives up trying to understand. She gets up in great disgust and walks off, leaving the Hatter and March Hare trying to put the Dormouse into the teapot.

Alice's Exit

A Furious Departure The Stupidest Tea Party Alice walks away through the wood, declaring that she will never go to that tea party again. She finds it the stupidest she has ever attended. The rudeness and illogic have exhausted her patience. She looks back once or twice, hoping they might call her back, but they are too busy with the Dormouse to notice her departure. A Door in a Tree As she wanders, Alice notices a tree with a door leading into it. Curious, she opens it and finds herself back in the long hall with the little glass table. She sees the golden key and the door to the garden. This serendipitous return gives her a second chance to reach the garden she has been seeking. She nibbles the mushroom she still carries, shrinks to a foot high, and finally enters the beautiful garden.

after the Cheshire Cat, at the March Hare's house

early in the tea party

mid-tea party

late in the tea party

end of the tea party