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The helmsman used to stand by with tears in his eyes; he knew it was all wrong, but alas! Rule 42 of the Code, "No one shall speak to the Man at the Helm," had been completed by the Bellman himself with the words "and the Man at the Helm shall speak to no one."
42 might refer to Thomas Cranmer's 42 Articles. The 42 Articles, written by Archbishop Thomas Cranmer in 1553, were a doctrinal statement for the Church of England during the reign of King Edward VI.
remonstrance
Remonstrance and Religious Subtext in The Hunting of the Snark
Remonstrance is a religious term referring to a forceful protest or objection, often expressed through a formal document outlining grievances or disagreements. A notable example is the 1610 Remonstrance by the Arminians of the Dutch Reformed Church, which presented theological objections to strict Calvinist doctrine.
The sequence of Rule 42 followed by the use of remonstrance suggests a possible religious subtext in Carroll’s poem. If Carroll was subtly referencing the 42 Articles—a foundational Protestant doctrine—then remonstrance could serve to reinforce themes of theological debate and doctrinal resistance.
Historically, the term remonstrance was strongly associated with the 1610 Remonstrants, a group of Dutch theologians who challenged Calvinist teachings. If Carroll was aware of this context, he might have deliberately embedded theological wordplay into his nonsense poem—perhaps symbolizing rebellion against rigid structures, much like the Bellman’s chaotic authority.
Of course, ambiguity was central to Carroll’s style, leaving open the possibility that these connections were intentionally left to reader interpretation.
What I tell you three times is true."
In The Hunting of the Snark, the phrase “What I tell you three times is true” is a humorous take on how repetition can create a sense of authority or legitimacy.
it included a Boots— A maker of Bonnets and Hoods—
A Barrister, brought to arrange th...
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And a Broker, to value th...
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He could only bake Bridecake—for which, I may state, No materials were to be had.
The Beaver's best course was, no doubt, to procure A second-hand dagger-proof coat— So the Baker advised it—and next, to insure Its life in some Office of note: This the Banker suggested, and offered for hire (On moderate terms), or for sale, Two excellent Policies, one Against Fire, And one Against Damage From Hail.
If we allow the Beaver to be industry and the Butcher to be regulation, then the dagger-proof coat might be industry's promise of voluntary self-regulation, a half-hearted effort. The banker's offer of insurance policies doesn't protect against the threat (the Butcher).
Yet still, ever after that sorrowful day, Whenever the Butcher was by, The Beaver kept looking the opposite way, And appeared unaccountably shy.
Trying to avoid regulatory scruitiny.
He had bought a large map representing the sea, Without the least vestige of land: And the crew were much pleased when they found it to be A map they could all understand.
"Other maps are such shapes, with their islands and capes! But we've got our brave Captain to thank:" (So the crew would protest) "that he's bought us the best— A perfect and absolute blank!"
Then the bowsprit got mixed with the rudder sometimes: A thing, as the Bellman remarked, That frequently happens in tropical climes, When a vessel is, so to speak, "snarked."
He acknowledges a risk (which could be avoided with a map) in a dismissive way. When a sailing ship traveled into equatorial climes they might get too far from the trade winds and be stuck in the doldrums with no way out. A map could help avoid wandering into the equatorial climes and avoid being stuck.
But the danger was past—they had landed at last, With their boxes, portmanteaus, and bags: Yet at first sight the crew were not pleased with the view, Which consisted of chasms and crags.
Ups and downs of Market behavior. The sailors didn't expect the challenges.
"Friends, Romans, and countrymen, lend me your ears!"
Marc Antony in Shakespeare
"Come, listen, my men, while I tell you again The five unmistakable marks By which you may know, wheresoever you go, The warranted genuine Snarks.
"Let us take them in order. The first is the taste, Which is meagre and hollow, but crisp: Like a coat that is rather too tight in the waist, With a flavour of Will-o'-the-wisp.
Meager and Hollow - Hunger? But crisp - seems substantial. A coat that's too tight in the waist - seems like growing fat on excess. Will o the Wisps lure travelers to their doom. The sailors are travelers.
"Its habit of getting up late you'll agree That it carries too far, when I say That it frequently breakfasts at five-o'clock tea, And dines on the following day.
This getting up late also occurs in the Jabberwocky Poem where the interepreation of one of the nonsense words mean s 4 o'clock. It might represent speculation or rumor mill discussion happening after trading hours.
"The third is its slowness in taking a jest. Should you happen to venture on one, It will sigh like a thing that is deeply distressed: And it always looks grave at a pun.
If the Snark represents economic collapse or regulation, its humorless nature could symbolize the cold, impersonal forces that govern financial systems.
The Snark is humoreless and grave. An economic collapse wouldn't be much fun, either.
"The fourth is its fondness for bathing-machines, Which is constantly carries about, And believes that they add to the beauty of scenes— A sentiment open to doubt.
This also seems humorless or at least unable to appreciate beauty. The assumption is that when at a beach or other pleasan scenery, the Snark goes inside the "Bathing Machine" which is an eclosure intended for chaning out of street clothes and into a swimsuit at the beach.
"The fifth is ambition. It next will be right To describe each particular batch: Distinguishing those that have feathers, and bite, And those that have whiskers, and scratch.
This is suprisingly direct. "The fifth is ambition." Carrol then goes on to describe that Snarks can come in different types: feathers and bite or whiskers and scratch. He doesn't wax poetic about ambition.
Feathers and bite could reference written things (quills represent writing) and indicate correspondences and maybe accountaints. Wiskers and bite might be other wealthy people who contest with you for the enterprise.
"For, although common Snarks do no manner of harm,
"For, although common Snarks do no manner of harm, A common snark might be a minor downturn where as the Boojums ruin fortunes.
"He remarked to me then," said that mildest of men, "'If your Snark be a Snark, that is right: Fetch it home by all means—you may serve it with greens, And it's handy for striking a light.
"Greens" references "Snake in the grass" while handy for striking a light seems like the rough hide of a shark. The Snark is apparently a portmaneau of Snake and Shark which can be seen as lying and predation.
"'You may seek it with thimbles—and seek it with care; You may hunt it with forks and hope; You may threaten its life with a railway-share; You may charm it with smiles and soap—'"
The railway-share line brings to mind the Railway Mania of the time. I don't know about thimbles, but it implies sewing. I'm assuming it indicates careful detailed work. Forks and hope implies hunger. Charming with smiles and soap seems like salesmanship, cleaning it up to look better than it is.
"'But oh, beamish nephew, beware of the day, If your Snark be a Boojum! For then You will softly and suddenly vanish away, And never be met with again!'
"I engage with the Snark—every night after dark— In a dreamy delirious fight: I serve it with greens in those shadowy scenes, And I use it for striking a light:
"To seek it with thimbles, to seek it with care; To pursue it with forks and hope; To threaten its life with a railway-share; To charm it with smiles and soap!
"For England expects—I forbear to proceed: 'Tis a maxim tremendous, but trite: And you'd best be unpacking the things that you need To rig yourselves out for the fight."
Then the Banker endorsed a blank cheque (which he crossed), And changed his loose silver for notes. The Baker with care combed his whiskers and hair, And shook the dust out of his coats.
Here we see the banker making a bad promise (blanck check but voided) and making sure all his money is in the bank (no loose silver.) We also see him referenced with whiskers which is a call back to one of the two types of Snark that isn't a Boojum.
The Boots and the Broker were sharpening a spade— Each working the grindstone in turn: But the Beaver went on making lace, and displayed No interest in the concern:
Boots is given something to do! If Boots (Bonnets and Hoods) stands for Society (Nobility, Rich) he and the Broker (Also given something to do) (Barrister) are sharpening a spade. That seems like gearing up to fight the Snark. Industry, however, isn't as thrilled.
The maker of Bonnets ferociously planned A novel arrangement of bows: While the Billiard-marker with quivering hand Was chalking the tip of his nose.
