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George OrwellA modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.
The song “Beasts of England” symbolizes the high dreams and ideals of the Rebellion, inspired by Major and later betrayed by Napoleon. Major introduces the song to the animals in his barn meeting, and it creates a sensation as they take it up immediately and sing it over and over again “in tremendous unison” (10). Echoing Marx’s invocation, “Workers of the world, unite,” the lyrics call upon all animals in England to join together to overthrow “Tyrant Man” (9) so animals can roam the countryside free and enjoy its produce. Symbols of animals’ subjugation are mentioned: harnesses, rings, spurs, whips. The day when the revolution is accomplished is styled as “the golden future time” (9), suggesting the utopian dream of communism.
The song returns as a leitmotif throughout the rest of the book, with the animals singing it as a sign of belonging to Animal Farm and its ideals. When Napoleon abolishes the song, replacing it with a song composed by Minimus simplistically proclaiming loyalty to Animal Farm, the original dream of Animal Farm is gone.
By George Orwell
1984
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A Hanging
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Burmese Days
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Coming Up for Air
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Down and Out in Paris and London
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Homage To Catalonia
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Keep the Aspidistra Flying
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Politics and the English Language
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Shooting an Elephant
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