March Hare

[Ducklet Cat]

In "Alice in Wonderland", is there any wordplay or symbolism in "March Hare"?

I mean would it have been different if Lewis Carol called it January Hare?

Why March Hare? Does it have anything to do with the Easter? Or with marching (walking)?

Or is it just a random name?

Thanks

 

[englishhobby]

I think any animal behaves itself a bit differently from his usual way in March (do you remember cats mewing like mad in March?). As I view it, March Hare is associated with strange abnormal behaviour.

 

[bhaisahab]

In "Alice in Wonderland", is there any wordplay or symbolism in "March Hare"?

I mean would it have been different if Lewis Carol called it January Hare?

Why March Hare? Does it have anything to do with the Easter? Or with marching (walking)?

Or is it just a random name?

Thanks

There is a saying in English "Mad as a March hare" which refers to the lively behaviour of hares in March.

 

[Rover_KE]

Is March their mating season?

Rover

 

[bhaisahab]

Is March their mating season?

Rover

I'm not sure, but it probably is.

 

[BobK]

More or less. Because of the difference between the Julian and Gregorian calendars many sayings are 11 days out! The saying 'Cast not a clout till May be out' could refer either to 31 May or to 11 June, or indeed to hawthorn blossom.

As bhaisahab said, we have the expression 'Mad as a March Hare'. 'Mad as an early-April Hare hasn't got the same alliterative force!

Males 'box' each other, standing on two legs.

b

 

[Ducklet Cat]

Thanks!
I've read the proverb "mad as March hare" before, but I've thought it was coined after Alice in Wonderland. ;-)

Males 'box' each other, standing on two legs.

They do?!

 

[BobK]

YouTube - HARES BOXING - They're not very good at the 'standing up' part! ;-)

b

 

[birdeen's call]

YouTube - HARES BOXING - They're not very good at the 'standing up' part! ;-)

b

Mike Tyson could have a full meal in this kind of boxing! ;-)

 

[Ducklet Cat]

I've never seen that before. :lol:

 

[5jj]

try: As mad as a March hare

 

[Ducklet Cat]

That's a useful site. I bookmarked it. :up:
Thanks fivejedjon.