March Hare

Alice character
March Hare
Development imformation
First appeared	Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
Created by	Lewis Carroll
In-story information
Aliases	Haigha
Species	Hare
Gender	Male
Occupation	Host of the Mad Tea Party Messanger
Significant other(s)	Hatter Dormouse
Nationality	Wonderland Looking-Glass Land

Haigha, the March Hare is a character most famous for appearing in the tea party scene in Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.

The main character, Alice, hypothesises,

"The March Hare will be much the most interesting, and perhaps as this is May it won't be raving mad -- at least not so mad as it was in March."

"Mad as a March hare" was a common phrase in Carroll's time, and appears in John Heywood's collection of proverbs published in 1546. It is reported in The Annotated Alice by Martin Gardner that this proverb is based on popular belief about hares' behavior at the beginning of the long breeding season, which lasts from February to September in Britain. Early in the season, unreceptive females often use their forelegs to repel overenthusiastic males. It used to be incorrectly believed that these bouts were between males fighting for breeding supremacy.

Like the character's friend, the Hatter, the March Hare feels compelled to always behave as though it is tea-time because the Hatter supposedly "murdered the time" whilst singing for the Queen of Hearts. Sir John Tenniel's illustration also shows him with straw on his head, a common way to depict madness in Victorian times. The March Hare later appears at the trial for the Knave of Hearts, and for a final time as "Haigha" (which Carroll tells us is pronounced to rhyme with "mayor"), the personal messenger to the White King in Through the Looking-Glass.

Interpretations

Disney Animated Film

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Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland

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Alice in the Country of Hearts

In this Japanese manga, Alice in the Country of Hearts, the March Hare is Elliot March. Elliot is Blood Dupre (the Hatter)'s right hand man. He is basically human with the exception of two, brown rabbit ears. When called a rabbit, he often becomes insulted and rants about how his ears are 'just bigger than average'. He isn't specifically crazy or mad, but he is a bit violent in the beginning. He almost kills Alice with his long-barelled gun before Blood stopped him. But, as the story progresses, it is shown that Elliot is a loveable, amusing character who is really very sweet.

Alice in Verse

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Cultural references

American McGee

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Other

• In the video game adaption of video game adaption of Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland, Thackery is a playable character. His special ability is Telekinesis, and his main form of attack is to throw teacups. He also uses his large feet and big ears as weapons.
• In BioShock 2, when Subject Delta runs into Alexander the Great, Augustus Sinclair remarks "He must be madder than a March Hare!"

Music

• In the Yes song "We Have Heaven" on the Fragile album, the lyrics are "Tell the Moon dog, Tell the March Hare, Tell the Moon dog, Tell the March Hare... We... Have... Heaven."

Television and film

• In the film Mad Max, one of the police cars used by the Main Force Patrol is named March Hare.
• In SyFy's TV Miniseries Alice, the March Hare is represented by the character Mad March. Mad March is a dead assassin re-animated by the Carpenter. Because Mad March’s head was missing, the Carpenter fitted him with a giant porcelain head of a rabbit.

Quotes

• "A very Merry Un-Birthday to you!"
• "You're all late for tea!"
• "It's the wrong Alice?!"
• "Spoon."
• "Cup?"
• "It had been the best butter..."
• "Thanks very much, nah."
• "A White Queen? How can we be sure it's not the Red Queen dressed in white?"
• "The Ja...Ja...Jabberwocky! Beware the Jabberwock..."
• "Why do they need this sword so badly? Teapots are far more efficient."