Benjamin was the oldest animal on the farm, and the worst tempered. After the horses came Muriel, the white goat, and Benjamin, the donkey. A white stripe down his nose gave him a somewhat stupid appearance, and in fact he was not of first-rate intelligence, but he was universally respected for his steadiness of character and tremendous powers of work. Boxer was an enormous beast, nearly eighteen hands high, and as strong as any two ordinary horses put together. Clover was a stout motherly mare approaching middle life, who had never quite got her figure back after her fourth foal. The two cart-horses, Boxer and Clover, came in together, walking very slowly and setting down their vast hairy hoofs with great care lest there should be some small animal concealed in the straw. The hens perched themselves on the window-sills, the pigeons fluttered up to the rafters, the sheep and cows lay down behind the pigs and began to chew the cud. First came the three dogs, Bluebell, Jessie, and Pincher, and then the pigs, who settled down in the straw immediately in front of the platform. Before long the other animals began to arrive and make themselves comfortable after their different fashions. He was twelve years old and had lately grown rather stout, but he was still a majestic-looking pig, with a wise and benevolent appearance in spite of the fact that his tushes had never been cut. Old Major (so he was always called, though the name under which he had been exhibited was Willingdon Beauty) was so highly regarded on the farm that everyone was quite ready to lose an hour’s sleep in order to hear what he had to say.Īt one end of the big barn, on a sort of raised platform, Major was already ensconced on his bed of straw, under a lantern which hung from a beam. It had been agreed that they should all meet in the big barn as soon as Mr. Word had gone round during the day that old Major, the prize Middle White boar, had had a strange dream on the previous night and wished to communicate it to the other animals. Jones was already snoring.Īs soon as the light in the bedroom went out there was a stirring and a fluttering all through the farm buildings. With the ring of light from his lantern dancing from side to side, he lurched across the yard, kicked off his boots at the back door, drew himself a last glass of beer from the barrel in the scullery, and made his way up to bed, where Mrs. Jones, of the Manor Farm, had locked the hen-houses for the night, but was too drunk to remember to shut the pop-holes.
The animals are aware that they will have to be careful and unite if they want to make their dream a reality.
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They begin to dream of a world where they are free from the oppression of humans, and can enjoy and retain the fruits of their own labour – eggs, milk, their own children – without them being taken away and not offered anything of value in return. The other animals are initially sceptical, but they are won over by Old Major’s impassioned speech. He urges the others to rise up and overthrow their human masters. He reminds the animals that the land could sustain them all there is no reason for them to live in such terrible conditions – it is humans, and humans alone, who make their lives so. Old Major thinks humans simply use the animals for their labour and then dispose of them as they wish. Old Major believes that all animals are equal and should be free from the tyranny of humans – an idea known as Animalism in the book. As soon as he’s gone to bed, the animals convene in the barn to hear from Old Major, a wise and respected prize boar, who shares his vision for a better future with the other animals on the farm, since he feels that his own life is coming to an end. Jones, the owner of Manor Farm, having just drunkenly stumbled to bed after forgetting to secure his farm buildings properly.
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