Beware! The March hare at the ready

To be as "mad as a March hare" is an English idiomatic phrase derived from the observed antics, said to occur (incorrectly)^[1] only in the March breeding season of the Hare, genus Lepus. The phrase is an allusion that can be used to refer to any other animal or human who behaves in the excitable and unpredictable manner of a "March hare".^[2] Image File history File links Feldhase. ... Image File history File links Feldhase. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... An Idiom is an expression (i. ... Reproduction is the creation of one thing as a copy of, product of, or replacement for a similar thing, e. ... Jack rabbit and Jackrabbit redirect here. ... For other uses of the word, please see Genus (disambiguation). ...

The first recorded use of the phrase is by Sir Thomas More, who was executed for treason and later depicted as A Man for All Seasons in Robert Bolt's 1960 play.^[3][4] There are also several institutions named Thomas More College. ... A Man for All Seasons is a play by Robert Bolt, first performed in London on July 1, 1960. ... Robert Oxton Bolt (August 15, 1924 – February 12, 1995) was an English playwright and screenwriter. ...

Historical development of the idiom

There has been a long held view that the hare will behave strangely and excitedly throughout its breeding season which in Europe is the month of March. The hare will behave oddly throughout that breeding season (which in fact extends over several months beyond March), boxing at other hares, jumping vertically for seemingly no reason and generally displaying abnormal behaviour.^[3] The first verbal record of this animal's strange behaviour occurred in about 1500, in the poem Blowbol's Test^[5] where the original poet said: Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Wiktionary (from wiki and dictionary) is a multilingual, Web-based project to create a free content dictionary, available in over 150 languages. ... This article is 150 kilobytes or more in size. ... March is the third month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar and one of seven Gregorian months with the length of 31 days. ... 1500 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Thanne [th]ey begyn to swere and to stare, And be as braynles as a Marshe hare

(Then they begin to swerve and to stare, And be as brainless as a March hare)

The first recorded use of the phrase itself appears to have occurred in 1529 when Sir Thomas More (who became a Saint in the Roman Catholic Church in 1935), wrote in his text, The supplycacyon of soulys made by syr Thomas More knyght councellour to our souerayn lorde the Kynge and chauncellour of hys Duchy of Lancaster. Agaynst the supplycacyon of beggars.^[4] Events April 22 - Treaty of Saragossa divides the eastern hemisphere between Spain and Portugal, stipulating that the dividing line should lie 297. ... In traditional Christian iconography, Saints are often depicted as having halos. ...

As mad not as a March hare, but as a madde dogge.^[3]

The Mad March Hare and friends from Alice in Wonderland

Whilst the phrase in general has been in continuous use since the 16th century,^[3] it was popularised in more recent times by Lewis Carroll in his book Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, which has the March Hare as one of its main characters (along with the Mad Hatter). More recently, in Stanley Kubrick's classic film Dr. Strangelove, Group Captain Lionel Mandrake (Peter Sellers) says to Colonel Batguano (Keenan Wynn), "Don't you know the General went as mad as a march hare and sent the Wing to attack the Soviets, don't you know that?" Image File history File links Alice_par_John_Tenniel_25. ... Image File history File links Alice_par_John_Tenniel_25. ... Charles Lutwidge Dodgson (Lewis Carroll) - believed to be a self-portrait Charles Lutwidge Dodgson (January 27, 1832 – January 14, 1898), better known by the pen name Lewis Carroll, was an English author, mathematician, logician, Anglican clergyman, and photographer. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The March Hare, often called the Mad March Hare, is a character from the tea party scene in Lewis Carrolls Alices Adventures in Wonderland. ... The Hatter as depicted by Tenniel For the Batman supervillain, see Mad Hatter (comics). ... Stanley Kubrick (July 26, 1928 – March 7, 1999) was an influential and acclaimed American film director and producer. ... Strangelove redirects here. ... Richard Henry Peter Sellers, CBE (8 September 1925 – 24 July 1980) was an English comedian, actor, and performer, who came to prominence on the BBC radio series The Goon Show and later became a film star. ... Wynn in Warning Shot (1967) Keenan Wynn (July 27, 1916 – October 14, 1986) was an American character actor and member of a well-known show-business family. ...

References and notes

2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the Anno Domini era. ... April 14 is the 104th day of the year (105th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 261 days remaining. ... 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the Anno Domini era. ... April 14 is the 104th day of the year (105th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 261 days remaining. ... 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the Anno Domini era. ... April 14 is the 104th day of the year (105th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 261 days remaining. ... 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the Anno Domini era. ... April 14 is the 104th day of the year (105th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 261 days remaining. ...

See also

• March Hare (festival)