Napoleon

Animal Farm (TNT, 1999)

Patrick Stewart (1999)

Father of All Animals

The Nine Dogs (guardians)

### Personalities

Ruthless, spoiled, corrupt, greedy, strict, cunning, selfish, fierce, serious, cowardly, reclusive, sharp, quiet, intelligent, threatening, manipulative, clumsy, ambitious, rebellious, secretive, cruel, deceitful, lustful, hypocritical, powerful, tyrannical, victorious, conniving, immoral

### Allies

Squealer
Boxer (formerly)
The Nine Dogs
Mr. Frederick

Mr. Whymper

### Enemies

Snowball

Mr. Jones

### Likes

Whisky, gambling, playing cards, brainwashing the animals, trading with other farmings, giving out orders

### Goal

To overthrow Mr. Jones and drive away Snowball to become the new leader, to brainwash the animals so they will look up to him as leader, to alter the Seven Commandments of Animalism in his own right (all succeeded)

### Fate

Becomes so corrupt and immoral that the animals can no longer tell if he is a pig or human

### Famous quotes

"Long Live Animal Farm!"

> "*And so the tales of confessions and executions went on, until there was a pile of corpses lying before Napoleon’s feet and the air was heavy with the smell of blood, which had been unknown there since the expulsion of Jones. When it was all over, the remaining animals, except for the pigs and dogs, crept away in a body.*"
> ― Chapter 7
>
>

Napoleon is the main antagonist in George Orwell's *Animal Farm*.

Napoleon is the leader of Animal Farm and governs his society with his dictatorship and power. He is based on Joseph Stalin (1878-1953) who was the leader of the Soviet Union from 1922 until his death in 1953.

## Description

Napoleon is a Berkshire boar who was one of the 3 pigs of Manor Farm who adapt Old Major’s ideas into Animalism. However, it is evident that he never desires into having a revolution and ends up turning Animal Farm into a totalitarian regime where he abuses his power to make the animals work hard for him and respect him. He could very well become a new embodiment of Mr. Jones, only his power is much more harsher than the way the former farmer treated his livestock.

His character and name is loosely based on several historical figures. He is mostly inspired by the infamous Russian dictator Joseph Stalin, who was one of the most ruthless and evil men in history, as his reign of terror costed the lives of 11-12 million people. Napoleon’s reign of terror is very similar to Stalin’s as he has the animals work hard labor and will execute them if they dare to revoke against him. His name is derived from French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte, who was infamous for leading campaign military wars across Europe. The name has a bunch of meanings, but in Animal Farm, the pig’s name stands for evil and darkness.

Much like how Stalin ruled the Soviet Union with an iron fist during his reign of terror, Napoleon would use his similar leadership to make Animal Farm the ideal place he imagined it to be; only his own animals were starving and overworked, and he gets to live a lavish lifestyle with everything he has.

## Storyline

### Old Major’s Speech

One night, the owner of Manor Farm, Mr. Jones, is too drunk to close the animal enclosures and goes to bed. As soon as the light inside Mr. Jones’ house goes out, all the animals head to the big barn. They have heard rumours that the old prized Middle White boar, Old Major, had a strange dream last night and wanted to share it with the animals, who decide to meet in the barn when Jones was out of their way.

Inside the barn, Old Major sits on a straw bed platform, and the animals, including the pigs, dogs, chickens, horses, sheep and cows, arrive and gather at the platform. Among the animals include the cart horses, Boxer and Clover, the old donkey Benjamin, and the dogs Bluebell, Jessie and Pincher. As soon as all the animals are comfortable, Old Major announces that he is old and he may die soon, and he now wants his final chance to describe his dream. He starts off by describing how they live miserable lives by being worked relentlessly as slaves and then slaughtered when they are no longer useful. He says that all animals in England have never experienced freedom or happiness. He views humans, or “Man”, as their enemy and they have always consumed all the animals’ products, such as the cows” milk and chickens’ eggs, and selling their young to other farms, such as all of Clover’s foals. He says that he’s one of the few lucky animals, as he has lived a long life and had over 400 children. He warns the animals that they will all be slaughtered, even the horses and dogs. He then urges the animals to rebel against their owner and all humans so they can be free from their tyranny. He doesn’t know when the rebellion will happen, but hopes it will happen soon and encourages the animals to pass on his message to their younger generation, so they will participate in the rebellion until they succeed. He considers all animals to be comrades, and humans the enemy.

There is an uproar in the barn, and some rats appear to listen to his speech, but quickly disappear in their holes when the dogs see them. Old Major asks for a vote if they consider other animals, such as rats, as comrades. The vote is made immediately, and they agree that the rats are considered allies. Old Major declares that anything that walks on four legs, or has wings, is an ally. But anything that walks on two legs is an enemy. He next makes a rule that the animals must not resemble being a human, such as sleeping in a bed, wearing clothes or drinking alcohol. Afterwards, he says the animals cannot kill one another, and that all animals are equal.

Old Major then describes his dream. He dreamt that he lived in a world where there were no humans. The dream also reminded him of a song his mother used to teach him when he was young. He had forgotten it then, but now remembers it. He calls the song “Beasts of England” and sings the lyrics, with all the animals singing along with him. The animals become excited and wild, already singing the song before Old Major finishes. However, the uproar awakens Mr. Jones, who shoots his gun at the barn from his bedroom window. The meeting abruptly breaks up and the animals return to sleep.

### Rise of Animal Farm

Old Major died in his sleep three days later and buried in the orchard.

## References

1. ↑ Chapter 1
2. ↑ Chapter 2