English Literature, Anul 2, Sem.

2
Titular curs: Prof. dr. Andreea Cristina Paris-Popa
Eseu academic
Nume: Enculescu
Prenume: Georgia-Sorina
Adresa de email: enculescu.georgia@yahoo.com
Facultate: Facultatea de Litere, Universitatea din București
An studii: anul 3
Grupa: 4
Specializarea A: Limba și literatura română
Specializarea B: Limba si literatura engleză
Conducător seminar: Alina Bottez

The social and political climate of the twentieth century in George Orwell’s
Nineteen Eighty-Four

George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four, published in 1949, serves as a stark and

compelling commentary on the social and political climate of the twentieth century. The novel
reflects the anxieties and dynamics of Orwell’s era, particulary focusing on the rise of
totalitarian regimes, the pervasive reach of state surveillance, and the manipulation of truth and
language for political control. Through its dystopian vision, Nineteen Eighty-Four captures the
essence of the fears and realities of Orwell’s time, offering a timeless warning about the dangers
of unchecked authority.
The totalitarian regime depicted in Nineteen Eighty-Four mirrors the authoritarian
governments that emerged in the early twentieth century, notably Stalinist Russia and Nazi
Germany. Orwell’s portrayal of Oceania’s government, led by the Party and its omnipotent
figurehead Big Brother, exemplifies the extreme measures of political repression and control
seen in these regimes. The Party’s absolute power is maintained through constant surveillance,
propaganda, and brutal enforcement of loyalty, akin to the practices of secret police and political
purges in Stalinist Russia. Orwell captures this total control with the chilling declaration:

We know that no one ever seizes power with the intention of relinquishing it.(Orwell
1949: 332)
 In Nineteen Eighty-Four, the omnipresent telescreens symbolize the invasize
surveillance technology that totalitarian states used to monitor and control their citizens. This
reflects Orwell’s awareness of the growing capabilities of surveillance technology and its
potential for abuse. The concept of thoughtcrime in the novel, where mere unspoken dissent is
punishable, highlights the extent of the Party’s control over individual thought and expression.
This draws a parallel to the oppresive censorship and ideological conformity enforced by
totalitarian regimes, where dissent was often brutally suppressed, and public discourse was
tightly controlled. As Orwell succinctly puts it,

Thoughtcrime does not entail death: thoughtcrime is death.(Orwell 1949: 36)

Orwell’s novel also explores the manipulation of truth and the use of propaganda as
tools of control. The Party’s slogans, such as War is peace. Freedom is slavery. Ignorance is
strenght, epitomize the use of contradictory statements to suppress rational thought and critical
questioning. This reflects the techniques used by totalitarian states to distort reality and
manipulate public perception.
The Ministry of Truth, where the protagonist Winston Smith works, is responsible for
altering historical records to fit the Party’s current narrative. This manipulation of history serves
to erase inconvenient truths and ensure the infallibility of the Party. Orwell’s depiction of this
practice draws on the real-world example of Stalinist Russia, where historical revisionism and
the erasure of political opponents from public records were common practices. In Nazi
Germany, propaganda was similarly used to control public opinion and enforce the regime’s
ideology, further demonstrating the novel’s connection to twentieth-century political realities.
Orwell succinctly captures this manipulation with the line,

Who controls the past controls the future. Who controls the present controls the
past.(Orwell 1949: 44)

The perpetual state of war in Nineteen Eighty-Four serves as a means of maintaining

social control and justifying the Party’s authoritarian measures. The shifting alliances and
continuous conflict among Oceania, Eurasia, and Eastasia reflect the political volatility and
alliances of the twentieth century, particulary the shifting dynamics of World War II and the
early Cold War period. The notion that war can be used to control populations by uniting them
against a common enemy and diverting attention from domestic issues is a critical commentary
on the political use of war.
This perpetual war also serves to consume resources and perpetuate a state of
emergency, allowing the Party to maintain its grip on power. By keeping the populace in a
constant state of fear and deprivation, the Party ensures that citizens are too preoccupied with
survival to challenge its authority. This mirrors the use of wartime propaganda and emergency
powers in real-world totalitarian regimes to suppress dissent and maintain control. The slogan
 War is peace(Orwell 1949: 252)
encapsulates this paradoxical use of war as a tool of peace and control. Winston reflects on this
manipulative strategy, observing,

The war is waged by each ruling group against its own subjects and the object of the
war is not to make or prevent conquests of territory, but to keep the structure of society
intact.(Orwell 1949: 251)

Orwell’s invention of Newspeak, a language designed to eliminate the possibility of

rebellious thoughts, underscores the importance of language in shaping thought and reality. By
reducing the range of expression, Newspeak aims to make dissent impossible. This reflects
Orwell’s concerns about the corruption of language for political ends, as seen in the propaganda
of totalitarian regimes where language is manipulated to obscure truth and reinforce power.
The Party’s control over language is a powerful tool of oppression, as it limits the ability
of individuals to think critically and express dissent. By systematically reducing the complexity
of language, the Party aims to eliminate any possibility of rebellious thought. This manipulation
of language serves as a reminder of the importance of free expression and the dangers of
allowing language to be controlled by those in power. As Syme, a character in the novel,
explains,

It’s a beautiful thing, the destruction of words.(Orwell 1949: 65)

illustrating the Party’s goal to reduce the capacity for independent thought. Winston muses,

Don’t you see that the whole aim of Newspeak is to narrow the range of
thought?(Orwell 1949: 67)

1984 remains a powerful reflection of the social and political climate of the twentieth
century, capturing the essence of the fears and realities of Orwell’s time. The novel’s exploration
of totalitarianism, state surveillance, propaganda, perpetual war, and linguistic control offers a
chilling warning about the potential for political power to corrupt and dehumanize. Orwell’s
work continues to resonate as a cautionary tale about the dangers of unchecked authority and
the loss of individual freedoms, serving as a timeless reminder of the value of thruth and the
importance of safeguarding democratic principles.
Through its dystopian vision, Nineteen Eighty-Four not only reflects the historical
context of the twentieth century but also offers insights that remain relevant in contemporary
discussions about power, freedom, and the role of the state. As a literary and political
masterpiece, Orwell’s novel urges readers to remain vigilant against the encroachments of
tyranny and to cherish the fundamental rights that underpin democratic society. Orwell’s
chilling reminder that

BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU(Orwell 1949: 3)

continues to echo through the ages, emphasizing the ever-present threat of oppressive
governance.