# The Queen of Hearts — Alice's Adventures in Wonderland character guide

> The Queen of Hearts in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll.

**Role:** major

**Also known as:** Queen of Hearts, The Queen, The Queen of Hearts

**First appearance:** 0009-viii-the-queen-s-croquet-ground

## Snapshot

A screaming, smiling tyrant whose single solution to every problem, great or small, is a cheerful cry of "Off with his head!"

## Who they are

She rules the croquet ground by tantrum, sentencing three players to execution for missing turns while the game collapses into quarreling flamingos and fleeing hedgehogs. Her smile as she passes Alice is more frightening than her rage, because it shows she has heard the criticism and simply doesn't care. Alice's growing refusal to be cowed by her matters enormously to the book's middle arc, where a child's ordinary sense of fairness starts to look like real courage.

## In the story

### [VIII: The Queen's Croquet-Ground](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/alices_adventures_in_wonderland_se/chapters/viii-the-queen-s-croquet-ground)

Constantly orders beheadings, is furious when Alice doesn't cower, and argues for executing the Cheshire Cat.

### [XI: Who Stole the Tarts?](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/alices_adventures_in_wonderland_se/chapters/xi-who-stole-the-tarts)

Presides, frequently demanding beheadings and intimidating the Hatter.

### [Alice's Evidence](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/alices_adventures_in_wonderland_se/chapters/xii-alice-s-evidence)

Demands 'sentence first—verdict afterwards' and orders Alice's execution before the dream ends.

### [List of Illustrations](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/alices_adventures_in_wonderland_se/chapters/list-of-illustrations)

Seated on her throne; shown screaming 'Off with her head!' during the croquet game.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/alices_adventures_in_wonderland_se/characters/queen_of_hearts
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/alices_adventures_in_wonderland_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/alices_adventures_in_wonderland_se/characters