Institute of Scientific Information for Social Sciences of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia, tatianakras@mail.ru
Analysis of Orwell’s early works – two documentary books and four novels – suggests that in the 1930-s he was «one of many» writers. But his participation in the Spanish Civil war in 1936–1937 took him out of periphery of the XX century History on her “main line» – to the central events of the epoch: Russian revolution and totalitarianism. The «alloy» of worldview, individual talent and literary tradition (Jonathan Swift) allowed him to create his great works – an allegorical tale «Animal farm» (1945) and a novel-dystopia «Nineteen Eighty-Four» (1949), which introduced him into the main canon of world literature. Orwell possessed a unique gift of historical and political foresight. At present, in the era of ‘digital civilization’, when the states’ ability to control the life of citizens has increased, the topicality of his late works amplifies more and more.
English literature of 1930s; Spanish Civil war; Soviet myth; totalitarianism; dystopia; democratic socialism
Download textFor citing: Krasavchenko T.N. (2021). A path into History: how George Orwell entered the canon of world literature. Human being: Image and essence. Humanitarian aspects. Moscow: INION RAN. Vol. 3(47): Literature and history – fact and fiction, pp. 30-47. DOI: 10.31249/chel/2021.03.02