LINKING CZAR NICHOLAS II TO ANIMAL FARM
Czar Nicholas II
When Czar Nicholas II was in control, his people were on a food shortage in homes. This resulted in most of the Russian population to be in the state of poverty because food is one of the basic needs of life (BBC, n.d.). Czar Nicholas II was the last czar to rule Russia, thus ending monarchy in the country (BBC, n.d.). Strikes occurred throughout the whole country in an attempt to overthrow Czar Nicholas II from the government (Spartacus Educational, n.d.). Czar Nicholas II was overthrown from leadership power and became exiled by his own citizens (MacDonald, 1994). Czar Nicholas II did not know how to be an effective leader and how to successfully manage his country (MacDonald, 1994). Czar Nicholas II and his family was first exiled from the rest of the society, but stayed in St. Petersburg for a while during his exile. Later on, they were transported to Ekaterinburg Town and never came back to Russia prior to their execution in the town (EyeWitness to History, 2005). |
How The Czar Is Represented In Animal Farm
(Represented by Mr. Jones) When Mr. Jones was in control of the farm, he did not care about feeding his livestock. This resulted in the starvation of the animals and the need of animals to find their own food by themselves.
Mr. Jones became the last farmer of Manor/Animal Farm, thus ending human rule of the farm animals. Meetings organized by the pigs discussed how the animals would overpower Mr. Jones and take over Animal Farm. Mr. Jones was overthrown as a farmer and the leader of the animals by his own farm animals. As a punishment, he was scared away from his own farm and was not welcomed back. Mr. Jones frequently became drunk after drinking alcohol. When someone is drunk, that person cannot think or act properly and normally. Instead, the person becomes unconscious, therefore does not know what he or she is even doing and forgets everything while not being able to recall any past events. Mr. and Mrs. Jones were exiled from the farm, but stayed in a nearby tavern in the same city. Later on in the plot, they left to another city and was never heard by the animals since. |
WHY DID ORWELL REPRESENT CZAR NICHOLAS II THIS WAY?
- Orwell represented Mr. Jones as a human and the leader of animals because humans, who represent the upper class, are smart while animals, who represent the lower class, are not. This shows that Nicholas II was a stupid and unideal leader because his citizens managed to maintain the country better than he ever did. For example, the czar was a poor and inexperienced military commander, while Stalin at that time, who was still yet considered a lower class citizen, led revolutionary wars that defeated the upper class people.
- Mr. Jones is a farmer, and farmers have many responsibilities to take care of for their crops and livestock in order to maintain a successful farm, just like Nicholas II had many responsibilities towards his citizens. If farmers are not responsible to their crops and livestock, then the farm would be unsuccessful and bankrupt. Similarly, when the Czar did not take responsibility for Russia and its citizens, the whole country fell and became poor. By representing Czar Nicholas II this way, Orwell can effectively show that the czar had many tasks to do in order to maintain a stable, big and powerful nation, which was clearly not easy to accomplish. This proves that the citizens of Russia were very dependent on Czar Nicholas II and his government because the czar had most of the control over the country, so the people needed the czar to help build a peaceful and advanced society (MacDonald, 1994). However, since the czar became an unsuccessful leader and failed to take responsibility for his citizen, society in the Russian empire became out of control, which is similar to what happened to Animal Farm when Mr. Jones was too drunk to feed his livestock.
- Mr. Jones is a farmer, and farmers have many responsibilities to take care of for their crops and livestock in order to maintain a successful farm, just like Nicholas II had many responsibilities towards his citizens. If farmers are not responsible to their crops and livestock, then the farm would be unsuccessful and bankrupt. Similarly, when the Czar did not take responsibility for Russia and its citizens, the whole country fell and became poor. By representing Czar Nicholas II this way, Orwell can effectively show that the czar had many tasks to do in order to maintain a stable, big and powerful nation, which was clearly not easy to accomplish. This proves that the citizens of Russia were very dependent on Czar Nicholas II and his government because the czar had most of the control over the country, so the people needed the czar to help build a peaceful and advanced society (MacDonald, 1994). However, since the czar became an unsuccessful leader and failed to take responsibility for his citizen, society in the Russian empire became out of control, which is similar to what happened to Animal Farm when Mr. Jones was too drunk to feed his livestock.
WAS ORWELL SUCCESSFUL?
Orwell was successful because although there is little amount of specificity in Orwell’s opinions and descriptions of Czar Nicholas II, the content in the novel gives enough information to explain how the czar lead his nation and why the Russian citizens had a revolution against the czar. This allows readers to fully understand the cause for the Russian revolution, and therefore understand the animals’ purposes and opinions of setting up a new farm government. As a result, it provides more sense to the plot and makes the plot more easier to follow for the readers.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
BBC (n.d.). Nicholas II (1868-1918). Retrieved February 26, 2013, from:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/nicholas_ii.shtml
EyeWitness to History (2005). The Execution of Tsar Nicholas II, 1918. Retrieved March 18, 2013, from: http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/nicholas.htm#
McDonalds, H. (1994). Russia and the USSR: Empire of revolution. Essex: Pearson.
Spartacus Educational (n.d.). Tsar nicholas II. Retrieved April 2, 2013, from:
http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/FWWtsar.htm
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/nicholas_ii.shtml
EyeWitness to History (2005). The Execution of Tsar Nicholas II, 1918. Retrieved March 18, 2013, from: http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/nicholas.htm#
McDonalds, H. (1994). Russia and the USSR: Empire of revolution. Essex: Pearson.
Spartacus Educational (n.d.). Tsar nicholas II. Retrieved April 2, 2013, from:
http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/FWWtsar.htm