# Humpty Dumpty — Through the Looking-Glass character guide

> Humpty Dumpty in Through the Looking-Glass by Lewis Carroll.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** Humpty, VI Humpty Dumpty, Evidently Humpty Dumpty

**First appearance:** 0008-vi-humpty-dumpty

## Snapshot

A pompous egg-shaped philosopher perched on a narrow wall who insists words mean exactly what he chooses them to mean.

## Who they are

Humpty Dumpty sits cross-legged on his wall, refuses to look at Alice, and treats every polite question as an impertinent riddle. He is vain about his name, his shape, and his mastery of language, boasting that when he uses a word it means just what he intends. His bristling, self-important conversation gives Alice her sharpest lesson in the looking-glass world's habit of making meaning arbitrary.

## Relationships

### [Alice](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/through_the_looking_glass_se/characters/alice)

_rivalry_

Humpty Dumpty is condescending and argumentative toward Alice, engaging in a battle of wits and words.

### [Alice](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/through_the_looking_glass_se/characters/alice)

_rivalry_

Humpty Dumpty is condescending and argumentative toward Alice, engaging in a battle of wits and words.

### [Alice](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/through_the_looking_glass_se/characters/alice)

_rivalry_

Humpty Dumpty is condescending and argumentative toward Alice, engaging in a battle of wits and words.

## In the story

### [Humpty Dumpty](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/through_the_looking_glass_se/chapters/vi-humpty-dumpty)

Humpty Dumpty asserts his dominance over words, explaining their meanings arbitrarily and interpreting 'Jabberwocky' for Alice.

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

Depicted sitting cross-legged like a Turk on top of a high wall.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/through_the_looking_glass_se/characters/humpty_dumpty
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/through_the_looking_glass_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/through_the_looking_glass_se/characters