"Feeling a little Giddy": Nonsensical Emotions and the Body in Lewis Carroll's Alice books

This article links Victorian theories about emotions with recent cognitive studies to explore relations between emotions and nonsense literature. Lewis Carroll's representation of emotions in the Alice books juxtaposes different styles and genres to show how these hybrid texts evoke a plethora of complex emotions. Emotions are deeply embedded in these texts, as structural elements giving shape to the narratives themselves and as relevant components of Alice's mind. The discussion establishes that nonsensical surroundings do not impair readers' empathetic reactions but rather enhance emotional involvement. A productive dialogue links cognitive narratology studies focused on emotions with Carrollian nonsense, offering illuminating insights into the depiction and evocation of emotions in the Alice books.