Why does the Queen of Hearts want to kill Alice?

Answer 1

In the book, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, the Queen of Hearts first demands Alice's execution just moments after having met her, as she thinks that she has been rude to her, but she is quickly disuaded by the King.

`And who are THESE?' said the Queen, pointing to the three gardeners who were lying round the rosetree; for, you see, as they were lying on their faces, and the pattern on their backs was the same as the rest of the pack, she could not tell whether they were gardeners, or soldiers, or courtiers, or three of her own children.

`How should I know?' said Alice, surprised at her own courage. `It's no business of MINE.'

The Queen turned crimson with fury, and, after glaring at her for a moment like a wild beast, screamed `Off with her head! Off--'

`Nonsense!' said Alice, very loudly and decidedly, and the Queen was silent.

The King laid his hand upon her arm, and timidly said `Consider, my dear: she is only a child!'

The Queen turned angrily away from him, and said to the Knave `Turn them over!'

The next time she orders Alice's decapitation is during the trial of the Knave of Hearts, as Alice is openly defiant towards her.

`No, no!' said the Queen. `Sentence first--verdict afterwards.'

`Stuff and nonsense!' said Alice loudly. `The idea of having the sentence first!'

`Hold your tongue!' said the Queen, turning purple.

`I won't!' said Alice.

`Off with her head!' the Queen shouted at the top of her voice. Nobody moved.

`Who cares for you?' said Alice, (she had grown to her full size by this time.) `You're nothing but a pack of cards!'

In Disney's 1951 animated film, the Queen first attempts to order Alice's execution during the croquet game, when she mistakenly thinks that Alice has tripped her up, but the King persuades her that Alice ought to have a trial first. The queen spends the trial attempting to demand Alice's head be cut off, until Alice informs her that she is "a fat, pompous, bad tempered old tyrant," which inspires the Queen to cry, "off with her head!" several times.