And will 150 years of “Alice in Wonderland” – Expresso

Rebobinemos until 1865. Lewis Carroll, math teacher, presented the book “Alice in Wonderland”. Consciously or not that would do, ushered in a new era in children’s writing. The work has become timeless: characters like the Mad Hatter, the White Rabbit and Queen of Hearts are part of the imagination of many readers and will last in time. The story is celebrating a century and a half of existence.

The impact of this story was so notorious, that created the “day of Alice” that is still celebrated around the world. It began to be thought of the July 4, 1862, during a boat trip, in which were present 3 sisters, one name Alice Lidell. Initially the book began to be called “Alice Adventures Under Group”, coming out in July 1865. Today it is known around the world for Alice in Wonderland.

With confesses investigator Anglo-Portuguese Studies , New University of Lisbon, Rogério Puga, this was a work “which was innovative at a time when the books for children had a moralizing voice. And survived the times. ” In fact the work continues to inspire many artists, such as Damon Albarn preparing to debut in the UK the musical “Wonder Land”, based on Carroll’s book.

The researcher adds that this is a work that has been widely studied “It’s a whole cultural imagery that survives to that work: the figure of the mad hatter, the caterpillar, the hole the rabbit hole where Alice falls down and discovers a world of ‘nonsense’ and absurd. It is a very strange and ambiguous work. “

Puga reinforces the timelessness and revolutionary book character in relation to what was done so far” is a timeless, ambiguous book because it blurs the ratings between what is literature to children and adults. At the time there was even a discussion between what was reality and fantasy in literature and said the costume was bad for children. It was revolutionary because it speaks of madness and dream. “

This date was not lost in Portugal. The ninth day of October takes place at the National Library in Lisbon, a conference dedicated to the work and its century and a half of existence. Will feature the work of a translator Margaret Cat Valley and the investigating Ana Margarida Ramos, Sara Reis da Silva, Dora Batalim Sottomayor, as Blanca-Ana Roig Rechou Mociño and Isabel González, of the University of Santiago de Compostela.

The work was later adapted for film by Disney and Tim Burton, for theater and musical pieces.

In 150 years, the book had hundreds of adaptations, versions, translations and illustrations. Portugal is no exception and are available in the market several editions from original illustrations of John Tenniel, who gave body to figure Alice, the Cheshire Cat, the March Hare or mock turtle.