Animal Farm Old Major Character Analysis

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Mrs. Fortenberry PreAP English I 1B 19 January 2011 Willingdon Beauty and His Meanings “Beasts of England, beasts of Ireland, Beasts of every land and clime, Hearken to my joyful tiding Of the golden future time.” (Orwell 12) In George Orwell’s Animal Farm, Old Major, also called Willingdon Beauty, creates a song to the tune of “Clementine” to excite all his fellow barnyard animals into rebellion. The song begins: “Beasts of England, beasts of Ireland, Beasts of every land and clime, Hearken to my joyful tiding Of the golden future time.” (Orwell 12) This song was designed to keep all the animals ready for a rebellion, but at the same time provides solace and comfort to creatures so that they can stand through suffering. Old Major, a visionary, wrote these words in hopes that the other animals would support his ideas, a direct comment on Karl Marx. Orwell did not disagree with the ideas of Marx, and indeed does not criticize him nor Vladimir Ilych Lenin, who is also represented by Old Major, though remarks through Old Major that Marx did not know the pain of the others, only utilized it for his dreams. Old Major begins the story as the wise pig who inspires all. As the revolution wears on, however, he is somewhat discredited by Squealer’s insistence that the song should no longer be sung, in favor of loyalty to Napoleon instead of rebellion. Squealer represents politicians, a silver tongued manipulator of language and debate. When Squealer changes which song is sung, from “Beasts of England” to “Comrade Napoleon,” he is throwing out Karl Marx’s ideas, Orwell’s major problem with the revolution. Orwell continuously tells us throughout Animal Farm that the Russians went overboard trying to change their society, got their new society caught in deceit and corruption, and abandoned its original catalytic ideals for the deceitful ideas of the new
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