English
Ms. Stewart
Jamilette Perez
Explaining how Tyrants are evident in Animal Farm
A tyrant is by definition an absolute ruler who exercises ultimate authority and power over a nation or people. In George Orwell’s novella, Animal Farm, the dictator of the Animal Farm is Napoleon, a formidable Berkshire boar, who is often characterized as a power-hungry and oppressive tyrant.
As the leader of Animal Farm, Napoleon’s first step towards tyranny is when he assumes control after the death of Major, one of the two leading pigs of the animal revolution, and the farm’s advocate for an animal-led government. Alongside the other leading pig, Snowball, Napoleon was supposedly the joint head of the government. In this capacity, he can easily bend
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After appointing himself the leader of the farm, Napoleon immediately establishes a cult of personality and turns the power dynamics within the farm in his favor, thereby establishing himself as a dictatorial ruler. In doing so, he rewrites history, alters the commandments, and replaces them with his own set of rules that benefit him and his “loyal” pigs while disadvantaging the other animals.
Additionally, Napoleon also enacted a policy of fear-mongering and terror to pressure the animals into compliance. In this way, he can make sure the animals remain subservient to him under the threat of punishment from his “loyal” pigs. He also uses his authority to establish a hierarchical system on the farm where his most loyal pigs are given the highest perks and spoils while the rest are given soilure.
Finally, Napoleon proves himself to be a tyrant when he begins to hoard food and limit the other animals’ access to it. He even goes so far as to claim the milk and apples given to the other animals are a reward for his hard work and differs from the General “Law of Animal Farm.” In this way, he can exploit the animals and gets them to cater to his needs. By using his oppressive tactics, Napoleon can successfully control the animals and maintain his