Animal Farm - World Literature Collection 5

Author George Orwell · Publisher Minumsa · Publication Date 1998-08-05 · ISBN 9788937460050

About the Book

■ The Birth and Corruption of an Ideal Society

At Manor Farm, run by the white male Mr. Jones, various animals including pigs, sheep, dogs, horses, cows, and chickens live day by day, working like slaves. One night, Old Major, an aged boar, gathers the animals and begins to speak. As he meticulously points out the meanness of humans and appeals for revolution, all the animals are filled with rage. Led by the pigs, they stage a revolution and drive all the humans off the farm. Afterward, under the slogan "Four legs good, two legs bad," the animals establish an equal ideal society called "Animal Farm" and set the Seven Commandments. However, because they can read and write, the pigs gradually begin to enjoy privileges within the community. Then, the young boar Napoleon frames and expels his rival Snowball, seizing power, and the society once again devolves into a dictatorship. The pigs repeat the vices of humans, changing the Seven Commandments to suit themselves, and the ignorant animals with poor memories are swayed by the leader and begin to suffer even worse exploitation than before. As years pass, the animals who participated in the revolution gradually die off, and the animals of Animal Farm continue to live day by day under the dictatorship of the pigs.

■ Beyond Contemporary Political Satire: An Allegory that Captivates Modern Readers

From the perspective of historical political satire, 『Animal Farm』 targets the political situation in the Soviet Union from the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution up to the Stalin era. The Bolshevik Revolution, which overthrew the Tsarist regime of Nicholas II and seized power, was the first socialist revolution in history. The Bolsheviks set out with the goal of building a new society fundamentally different from the institutions of Western European countries at all levels of social organization and operation, including the realization of equality through the elimination of the exploiting class, rule by the proletariat, communal ownership of the means of production, abolition of inheritance, and a centrally planned economy. The success or failure of this endeavor was a matter of paramount interest to Europeans throughout the first half of the 20th century. These Europeans were the primary readers of 『Animal Farm』, and when the book was published, it was not difficult to discern who the characters and events actually represented.

However, this work continues to strike a fresh chord with modern readers, even after the collapse of the Soviet Union, especially those who can only access the political realities of the Stalin era through historical records and testimonies, not through personal experience. This work is fundamentally a fable, and because the fable genre can utilize allegory more effectively than any other narrative genre, its meaning does not lose its potency in different times and spaces. Corrupt dictators can exist in any era, and power-hungry pigs can be found in any era. Even in the present era, after the collapse of the Soviet system, and in the future, the reason 『Animal Farm』 will continue to have strong relevance and appeal is that it contains a perennial allegory for the fundamental dangers and contradictions that corrupt the power realities of human political society.

■ A Work that Fully Embodies George Orwell's Literary Goals and Convictions

What Orwell aimed to convey in 『Animal Farm』 is that a revolution that aims only at power itself will merely result in a change of masters and will not bring about fundamental social change. He believed that revolution succeeds only when the masses are awake and alert, capable of monitoring, criticizing, and challenging their leaders. What becomes clear here is that the issue he explored throughout his works and essays was not the socialist revolution itself. His concern lay with the "betrayal of revolution," meaning failed and corrupted revolutions. In 『Homage to Catalonia』, he fully captured his experiences during his participation in the Spanish Civil War. He delves deeper into the corruption of socialism in 『Animal Farm』 and 『Nineteen Eighty-Four』. Do all human revolutions inevitably betray their initial promises? Are the achievements of all revolutions seized by the ruling elite who acquire power? Is the corruption of power an unavoidable condition of human society? Orwell's attitude, which began with these questions, did not merely end in pessimism; it also contained insights into what is needed to prevent the corruption of power. Throughout his writing career, George Orwell expressed his critical social perspective not only in novels but also in essays and commentaries. Unlike his other works, in 『Animal Farm』, he integrated his stance with a simple and clear writing style and the allegorical form, which allowed for brilliant black humor, opening a new dimension in the tradition of English satirical literature.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents
Animal Farm
Essays
Freedom and Happiness
Why I Write
Commentary/Doh Jeong-il
The World of [Animal Farm]
Author Chronology