“All animals are equal.” It began with a dream, a speech, and a wise old boar.
Old Major, the prize Middle White boar in George Orwell’s Animal Farm, catalyzes the revolution.
Representing the foundational ideas of Karl Marx and Vladimir Lenin, Old Major articulates the miserable existence under human rule, identifies Man as the sole enemy, and presents a vision of a utopian future defined by equality and freedom—Animalism.
Although he dies before the Rebellion, his powerful speech and the stirring anthem “Beasts of England” ignite the animals’ desire for change.
We’ve researched 24 essential quotes with page numbers detailing Old Major’s diagnosis of oppression, his call to rebellion, and the core principles he established.
Organized by the key elements of his influential speech, these lines reveal the ideological spark that sets the events of Animal Farm in motion.
Heads up! Page numbers reference the Signet edition noted below.
Diagnosing Misery & Exploitation
Old Major begins by exposing the animals’ current reality under Mr. Jones, emphasizing their suffering and lack of reward for their labor.
“Now, comrades, what is the nature of this life of ours? Let us face it: our lives are miserable, laborious, and short.”
(Speaker: Old Major, Chapter 1, Page 6)
Old Major opens his speech by defining the animals’ current condition, establishing the core problem—a life of suffering—that demands a revolutionary solution.
“No animal in England is free. The life of an animal is misery and slavery: that is the plain truth.”
(Speaker: Old Major, Chapter 1, Page 7)
He equates the animals’ existence directly with slavery, employing powerful rhetoric to awaken their sense of injustice and the absence of liberty.
”We are born, we are given just so much food as will keep the breath in our bodies… forced to work to the last atom of our strength; and the very instant that our usefulness has come to an end we are slaughtered with hideous cruelty.”
(Speaker: Old Major, Chapter 1, Pages 6-7)
Old Major details the grim lifecycle of exploitation, highlighting that their labor merely sustains them for further work before an inevitable, violent death.
“Why then do we continue in this miserable condition? Because nearly the whole of the produce of our labour is stolen from us by human beings.”
(Speaker: Old Major, Chapter 1, Page 7)
He directly attributes their suffering to economic exploitation—the theft of their labor’s produce by the human ruling class.
“Man is the only creature that consumes without producing… Yet he is lord of all the animals.”
(Speaker: Old Major, Chapter 1, Pages 7-8)
Old Major portrays Man as parasitic, contrasting the animals’ productive labor with human consumption to fuel resentment against their overlord.
”And you, Clover, where are those four foals you bore, who should have been the support and pleasure of your old age? Each was sold at a year old – you will never see one of them again.”
(Speaker: Old Major, Chapter 1, Page 8)
By addressing Clover directly, Old Major personalizes the abstract concept of exploitation, emphasizing the deep emotional cost—destruction of family bonds—inherent in their servitude.
”Is it not crystal clear, comrades, that all the evils of this life of ours spring from the tyranny of human beings?”
(Speaker: Old Major, Chapter 1, Page 9)
This rhetorical question guides the animals toward Old Major’s conclusion, simplifying their complex suffering into a single root cause: human tyranny.
By vividly portraying their collective suffering and identifying Man as the parasitic exploiter, Old Major lays the emotional and ideological foundation for revolt.
The Call to Rebellion & Unity
Having established the problem, Old Major issues a clear call to action: overthrow Man. He stresses the need for absolute unity among animals and complete opposition to humans.
“There, comrades, is the answer to all our problems. It is summed up in a single word– Man”
(Speaker: Old Major, Chapter 1, Page 7)
He identifies Man not merely as a problem, but as the singular source of all animal suffering, presenting his removal as the complete solution.
“Man is the only real enemy we have. Remove Man from the scene, and the root cause of hunger and overwork is abolished forever.”
(Speaker: Old Major, Chapter 1, Page 7)
Old Major offers a powerful, simple promise: eliminating the human presence will eradicate the fundamental causes of their hardship.
“What then must we do? Why, work night and day, body and soul, for the overthrow of the human race! That is my message to you, comrades: Rebellion!”
(Speaker: Old Major, Chapter 1, Page 9)
This is the speech’s core directive—framing Rebellion not just as desirable, but as an urgent, all-consuming duty for every animal. Explore the eventual outcome: analyze Animal Farm’s quotes about power.
“Remember, comrades, your resolution must never falter. No argument must lead you astray. Never listen when they tell you that Man and the animals have a common interest… It is all lies.”
(Speaker: Old Major, Chapter 1, Page 10)
He demands unwavering commitment to the revolutionary cause, warning against deceptive narratives of shared interests between oppressor and oppressed.
“Man serves the interests of no creature except himself.”
(Speaker: Old Major, Chapter 1, Page 10)
This assertion reinforces the belief in an inherent, irreconcilable conflict based on fundamental self-interest between humans and animals.
“All men are enemies. All animals are comrades.”
(Speaker: Old Major, Chapter 1, Page 10)
Old Major establishes the essential “us vs. them” mentality required for revolution, demanding absolute solidarity among animals against a unified human enemy.
“Comrades,” he said, “here is a point that must be settled. The wild creatures, such as rats and rabbits–are they our friends or our enemies? Let us put it to the vote… Are rats comrades?”
(Speaker: Old Major, Chapter 1, Page 10)
Introducing a vote even while preaching unity subtly foreshadows future complexities and potential divisions within the “comrades” category.
Old Major’s rhetoric identifies the enemy, demands unwavering unity, and explicitly calls for Rebellion as the only solution.
Principles of Animalism & Vision for the Future
Beyond the call to rebel, Old Major outlines the core principles for the future animal society—equality, rejection of human vices, and the utopian hope captured in “Beasts of England.”
“Weak or strong, clever or simple, we are all brothers.”
(Speaker: Old Major, Chapter 1, Page 11)
This statement lays down the foundational moral principle of Animalism: absolute equality and solidarity among all animals, regardless of their attributes.
“All the habits of Man are evil.”
(Speaker: Old Major, Chapter 1, Page 11)
He establishes a firm moral code demanding the complete rejection of human behaviors as inherently corrupting to maintain revolutionary purity.
“Whatever goes upon two legs is an enemy. Whatever goes upon four legs, or has wings, is a friend.”
(Speaker: Old Major, Chapter 1, Page 11)
This provides a simple, powerful binary for identifying allies and enemies, forming a core tenet of early Animalism. This foreshadows the pig’s hypocrisy, walking on two feet with the humans.
“And, above all, no animal must ever tyrannise over his own kind… No animal must ever kill any other animal. All animals are equal.”
(Speaker: Old Major, Chapter 1, Page 11)
He issues critical warnings against internal oppression and violence, re-emphasizing equality as the paramount, non-negotiable principle for their future society.
“And remember also that in fighting against man we must not come to resemble him. Even when you have conquered him, do not adopt his vices.”
(Speaker: Old Major, Chapter 1, Page 11)
This crucial piece of foresight warns directly against the corrupting influence of power, tragically predicting the pigs’ eventual transformation.
“No animal must ever live in a house, or sleep in a bed, or wear clothes, or drink alcohol, or smoke tobacco, or touch money, or engage in trade.”
(Speaker: Old Major, Chapter 1, Page 11)
Old Major provides concrete examples of human behaviors deemed “evil” and forbidden, setting specific rules that the pigs will later systematically break.
“Beasts of England, beasts of Ireland, Beasts of every land and clime, Hearken to my joyful tidings Of the golden future time.”
(Song introduced by Old Major, Chapter 1, Pages 11-12)
The song is the revolution’s emotional core, encapsulating the utopian vision of a liberated future and providing powerful inspiration.
“THREE nights later old Major died peacefully… Major’s speech had given to the more intelligent animals on the farm a completely new outlook on life.”
(Speaker: Narrator about Old Major, Chapter 2, Page 15)
Orwell emphasizes the profound immediate impact of Old Major’s speech, establishing it as the ideological catalyst that sets the revolution in motion.
“These three [Snowball, Napoleon, Squealer] had elaborated old Major’s teachings into a complete system of thought, to which they gave the name of Animalism.”
(Speaker: Narrator about Old Major, Chapter 2, Page 16)
This highlights Old Major’s foundational role; his ideas, however, later distorted, form the basis of the farm’s initial governing philosophy, Animalism.
“Every Sunday morning… The skull of old Major, now clean of flesh, had been disinterred… and set up on a stump… After the hoisting of the flag, the animals were required to file past the skull in a reverent manner…”
(Speaker: Narrator about Old Major, Chapter 5, Page 56)
The ritual reverence for Old Major’s skull demonstrates the pigs’ early use of his legacy as a legitimizing symbol for their regime, even as they begin to betray his principles.
Old Major’s speech provides the practical rules and the inspirational vision that initially guide the Animal Farm revolution.
Conclusion: The Visionary Ignored
Old Major serves as the philosophical architect of the Animal Farm rebellion. His stirring speech diagnoses the animals’ oppression, identifies Man as the sole enemy, issues a fervent call for revolt, and establishes the core tenets of Animalism: equality, solidarity, and rejection of human vices.
The anthem “Beasts of England” embodies the powerful utopian hope he ignites.
Yet, mirroring the fates of Marx and Lenin, Old Major’s vision is tragically short-lived after his death. His warnings against tyranny and adopting human ways are ignored by the pigs, particularly Napoleon, who distort his teachings to consolidate their own power.
While briefly revered as a symbol, Old Major’s core message of true equality becomes a forgotten blueprint for a future the animals are ultimately denied, underscoring the novella’s critique of how easily revolutionary ideals can be corrupted.
Explore All Animal Farm Analysis
A Note on Page Numbers & Edition:
Though Old Major dreamed of a future free from human constraints, page numbers remain tethered to specific editions of George Orwell’s Animal Farm! These 24 quotes reference the widely used Signet 50th Anniversary paperback edition (April 6, 2004), ISBN-13: 978-0451526342. Always double-check against your specific copy when citing for academic work—ensure Old Major’s vision is accurately represented.
Jeremy Mortis, founder of Ageless Investing, applies a rigorous analytical approach (the AAM framework) to distill timeless wisdom and contextualized quotes from classic literature, saving you time while deepening understanding. Learn more about Jeremy’s unique background and methodology on his author bio page.