Old Major quotes and speeches are some of the most memorable moments in Animal Farm.
Old Major was the wise old boar on Animal Farm. He represented Karl Marx, and his vision for a socialist utopia where all animals were equal became known as Animalism.
Although he died before the Rebellion, his words inspired the other animals to overthrow Farmer Jones and take over the farm.
Here are some of Old Major’s most memorable quotes from Animal Farm, with page numbers:
Animal Farm Quotes With Page Numbers
Old Major Animal Farm Characteristics
Old Major is one of the oldest animals on the farm who lived through the benevolence and brutality of Mr. Jones’ rule.
He’s a very philosophical and fatherly character who prophesizes a great rebellion deposing Jones. In his speech, he speaks against Jones, something no other animal is brave enough to do.
Here are some quotes from Old Major that highlight his characteristics:
“Man is the only real enemy we have. Remove Man from the scene, and the root cause of hunger and overwork is abolished for ever” (Chapter 1, page 7).
This quote shows Old Major’s wisdom and understanding of the root cause of the animals’ suffering.
“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…All men are enemies. All animals are comrades” (Chapter 1, page 10).
This quote shows Old Major’s conviction and determination to inspire the animals to rebel against their human oppressors.
“I have had a long life, I have had much time for thought as I lay alone in my stall, and I think I may say that I understand the nature of life on this earth as well as any animal now living” (Chapter 1, page 4).
This quote shows Old Major’s experience and knowledge as an elder animal on the farm.
“Let us face it: our lives are miserable, laborious, and short” (Chapter 1, page 5). This quote shows Old Major’s honesty about the animals’ living conditions and desire to improve their lives.
Overall, Old Major is a wise, determined, and honest character who inspires the animals to rebel against their human oppressors and establish Animal Farm.
His legacy lives on through the Seven Commandments of Animalism and the popular song “Beasts of England,” based on his liberal morality. Without Old Major’s inspiration and guidance, the animals would have remained subjugated for the rest of Jones’ life.
Old Major Quotes From Animal Farm
“Now, comrades, what is the nature of this life of ours? Let us face it: our lives are miserable, laborious, and short.”
~George Orwell, Animal Farm, about life (Character: Old Major), Chapter 1, Page 6
“Let us face it: our lives are miserable, laborious, and short.”
~George Orwell, Animal Farm, about life (Character: Old Major), Chapter 1, Page 6
“No animal in England is free. The life of an animal is misery and slavery: that is the plain truth.”
~George Orwell, Animal Farm, (Character: Old Major), Chapter 1, Page 6
”We are born, we are given just so much food as will keep the breath in our bodies, and those of us who are capable of it are 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.”
~George Orwell, Animal Farm, (Character: Old Major), Chapter 1, Pages 6, 7
Napoleon Animal Farm Quotes With Page Numbers
“As for the dogs, when they grow old and toothless, Jones ties a brick round their necks and drowns them in the nearest pond.”
~George Orwell, Animal Farm, (Character: Old Major), Chapter 1, Page 7
“There, comrades, is the answer to all our problems. It is summed up in a single word– Man”
~George Orwell, Animal Farm, (Character: Old Major), Chapter 1, Page 7
Snowball Animal Farm Quotes With Page Numbers
“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!”
~George Orwell, Animal Farm, (Character: Old Major), Chapter 1, Page 7
“Man is the only real enemy we have. Remove Man from the scene, and the root cause of hunger and overwork is abolished forever.”
~George Orwell, Animal Farm, (Character: Old Major), Chapter 1, Page 7
“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.”
~George Orwell, Animal Farm, (Character: Old Major), Chapter 1, Page 7
“And, above all, no animal must ever tyrannise over his own kind. Weak or strong, clever or simple, we are all brothers. No animal must ever kill any other animal. All animals are equal.”
~George Orwell, Animal Farm, (Character: Old Major), Chapter 1, Page 7
“Man is the only creature that consumes without producing”
~George Orwell, Animal Farm, (Character: Old Major), Chapter 1, Pages 7, 8
“Man is the only creature that consumes without producing. He does not give milk, he does not lay eggs, he is too weak to pull the plough, he cannot run fast enough to catch rabbits. Yet he is lord of all the animals. He sets them to work, he gives back to them the bare minimum that will prevent them from starving, and the rest he keeps for himself.”
~George Orwell, Animal Farm, (Character: Old Major), Chapter 1, Pages 7, 8
”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. In return for your four confinements and all your labour in the fields, what have you ever had except your bare rations and a stall?”
~George Orwell, Animal Farm, (Character: Old Major), Chapter 1, Page 8
”Is it not crystal clear, comrades, that all the evils of this life of ours spring from the tyranny of human beings?”
~George Orwell, Animal Farm, (Character: Old Major), Chapter 1, Page 9
“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, that the prosperity of the one is the prosperity of the others. It is all lies. Man serves the interests of no creature except himself. And among us animals let there be perfect unity, perfect comradeship in the struggle. All men are enemies. All animals are comrades.”
~George Orwell, Animal Farm, (Character: Old Major), Chapter 1, Page 10
“Man serves the interests of no creature except himself.”
~George Orwell, Animal Farm, (Character: Old Major), Chapter 1, Page 10
“All men are enemies. All animals are comrades.”
~George Orwell, Animal Farm, (Character: Old Major), Chapter 1, Page 10
“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. I propose this question to the meeting: Are rats comrades?”
The vote was taken at once, and it was agreed by an overwhelming majority that rats were comrades. There were only four dissentients, the three dogs and the cat, who was afterwards discovered to have voted on both sides.”
~George Orwell, Animal Farm, (Character: Old Major), Chapter 1, Page 10
“Weak or strong, clever or simple, we are all brothers.”
~George Orwell, Animal Farm, (Character: Old Major), Chapter 1, Page 11
“All the habits of Man are evil.”
~George Orwell, Animal Farm, (Character: Old Major), Chapter 1, Page 11
“Whatever goes upon two legs is an enemy. Whatever goes upon four legs, or has wings, is a friend.”
~George Orwell, Animal Farm, (Character: Old Major), Chapter 1, Page 11
“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.”
~George Orwell, Animal Farm, (Character: Old Major), Chapter 1, Page 11
Squealer Quotes From Animal Farm With Page Numbers
“Even when you have conquered him, do not adopt his vices. 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. All the habits of Man are evil.”
~George Orwell, Animal Farm, (Character: Old Major), Chapter 1, Page 11
“Beasts of England, beasts of Ireland,
Beasts of every land and clime,
Hearken to my joyful tidings
Of the golden future time.Soon or late the day is coming,
Tyrant Man shall be o’erthrown,
And the fruitful fields of England
Shall be trod by beasts alone.Rings shall vanish from our noses,
And the harness from our back,
Bit and spur shall rust forever,
Cruel whips shall no more crack.Riches more than mind can picture,
Wheat and barley, oats and hay,
Clover, beans, and mangel-wurzels,
Shall be ours upon that day.Bright will shine the fields of England,
Purer shall its water be,
Sweeter yet shall blow its breezes
On the day that sets us free.For that day we all must labour,
Though we die before it break;
Cows and horses, geese and turkeys,
All must toils for freedom’s sake.Beasts of England, beasts of Ireland,
Beasts of every land and clime,
Hearken well and spread my tidings
Of the golden future time. ”~George Orwell, Animal Farm, (Character: Old Major), Chapter 1, Pages 12, 13
Animal Farm Boxer Quotes With Page Numbers
Quotes About Old Major From Animal Farm
“THREE nights later old Major died peacefully in his sleep. His body was buried at the foot of the orchard.
This was early in March. During the next three months there was much secret activity. Major’s speech had given to the more intelligent animals on the farm a completely new outlook on life. They did not know when the Rebellion predicted by Major would take place, they had no reason for thinking that it would be within their own lifetime, but they saw clearly that it was their duty to prepare for it. ”
~George Orwell, Animal Farm, (Character: The narrator about Old Major), Chapter 2, Page 15
“These three had elaborated old Major’s teachings into a complete system of thought, to which they gave the name of Animalism. Several nights a week, after Mr. Jones was asleep, they held secret meetings in the barn and expounded the principles of Animalism to the others.”
~George Orwell, Animal Farm, (Character: The narrator about Old Major), Chapter 2, Page 16
“Every Sunday morning at ten o’clock the animals assembled in the big barn to receive their orders for the week. The skull of old Major, now clean of flesh, had been disinterred from the orchard and set up on a stump at the foot of the flagstaff, beside the gun. After the hoisting of the flag, the animals were required to file past the skull in a reverent manner before entering the barn.”
~George Orwell, Animal Farm, (Character: The narrator about Old Major), Chapter 5, Page 56
“These scenes of terror and slaughter were not what they had looked forward to on that night when old Major first stirred them to rebellion. If she herself had had any picture of the future, it had been of a society of animals set free from hunger and the whip, all equal, each working according to his capacity, the strong protecting the weak, as she had protected the lost brood of ducklings with her foreleg on the night of Major’s speech. Instead-she did not know why they had come to a time when no one dared speak his mind, when fierce, growling dogs roamed everywhere, and when you had to watch your comrades torn to pieces after confessing to shocking crimes. There was no thought of rebellion or disobedience in her mind.”
~George Orwell, Animal Farm, (Character: The narrator about Old Major), Chapter 7, Page 86
Old Major Speech
“Comrades, you have heard already about the strange dream that I had last night. But I will come to the dream later. I have something else to say first. I do not think, comrades, that I shall be with you for many months longer, and before I die, I feel it my duty to pass on to you such wisdom as I have acquired. I have had a long life, I have had much time for thought as I lay alone in my stall, and I think I may say that I understand the nature of life on this earth as well as any animal now living. It is about this that I wish to speak to you.
“Now, comrades, what is the nature of this life of ours? Let us face it: our lives are miserable, laborious, and short. We are born, we are given just so much food as will keep the breath in our bodies, and those of us who are capable of it are 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. No animal in England knows the meaning of happiness or leisure after he is a year old. No animal in England is free. The life of an animal is misery and slavery: that is the plain truth.
“But is this simply part of the order of nature? Is it because this land of ours is so poor that it cannot afford a decent life to those who dwell upon it? No, comrades, a thousand times no! The soil of England is fertile, its climate is good, it is capable of affording food in abundance to an enormously greater number of animals than now inhabit it. This single farm of ours would support a dozen horses, twenty cows, hundreds of sheep-and all of them living in a comfort and a dignity that are now almost beyond our imagining. 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. There, comrades, is the answer to all our problems. It is summed up in a single word-Man. Man is the only real enemy we have. Remove Man from the scene, and the root cause of hunger and overwork is abolished for ever.
“Man is the only creature that consumes without producing. He does not give milk, he does not lay eggs, he is too weak to pull the plough, he cannot run fast enough to catch rabbits. Yet he is lord of all the animals. He sets them to work, he gives back to them the bare minimum that will prevent them from starving, and the rest he keeps for himself. Our labour tills the soil, our dung fertilises it, and yet there is not one of us that owns more than his bare skin. You cows that I see before me, how many thousands of gallons of milk have you given during this last year? And what has happened to that milk which should have been breeding up sturdy calves? Every drop of it has gone down the throats of our enemies. And you hens, how many eggs have you laid in this last year, and how many of those eggs ever hatched into chickens? The rest have all gone to market to bring in money for Jones and his men. 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. In return for your four confinements and all your labour in the fields, what have you ever had except your bare rations and a stall?
“And even the miserable lives we lead are not allowed to reach their natural span. For myself I do not grumble, for I am one of the lucky ones. I am twelve years old and have had over four hundred children. Such is the natural life of a pig. But no animal escapes the cruel knife in the end. You young porkers who are sitting in front of me, every one of you will scream your lives out at the block within a year. To that horror we all must come-cows, pigs, hens, sheep, everyone. Even the horses and the dogs have no better fate. You, Boxer, the very day that those great muscles of yours lose their power, Jones will sell you to the knacker, who will cut your throat and boil you down for the foxhounds. As for the dogs, when they grow old and toothless, Jones ties a brick round their necks and drowns them in the nearest pond.
“Is it not crystal clear, then, comrades, that all the evils of this life of ours spring from the tyranny of human beings? Only get rid of Man, and the produce of our labour would be our own. A1most overnight we could become rich and free. 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! I do not know when that Rebellion will come, it might be in a week or in a hundred years, but I know, as surely as I see this straw beneath my feet, that sooner or later justice will be done. Fix your eyes on that, comrades, throughout the short remainder of your lives! And above all, pass on this message of mine to those who come after you, so that future generations shall carry on the struggle until it is victorious.
“And 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, that the prosperity of the one is the prosperity of the others. It is all lies. Man serves the interests of no creature except himself. And among us animals let there be perfect unity, perfect comradeship in the struggle. All men are enemies. All animals are comrades.”
…
“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. I propose this question to the meeting: Are rats comrades?”
…
“I have little more to say. I merely repeat, remember always your duty of enmity towards Man and all his ways. Whatever goes upon two legs is an enemy. Whatever goes upon four legs, or has wings, is a friend. 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. 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. All the habits of Man are evil. And, above all, no animal must ever tyrannise over his own kind. Weak or strong, clever or simple, we are all brothers. No animal must ever kill any other animal. All animals
are equal.“And now, comrades, I will tell you about my dream of last night. I cannot describe that dream to you. It was a dream of the earth as it will be when Man has vanished. But it reminded me of something that I had long forgotten. Many years ago, when I was a little pig, my mother and the other sows used to sing an old song of which they knew only the tune and the first three words. I had known that tune in my infancy, but it had long since passed out of my mind. Last night, however, it came back to me in my dream. And what is more, the words of the song also came back-words, I am certain, which were sung by the animals of long ago and have been lost to memory for generations. I will sing you that song now, comrades. I am old and my voice is hoarse, but when I have taught you the tune, you can sing it better for yourselves. It is called Beasts of England.”
Old Major cleared his throat and began to sing. As he had said, his voice was hoarse, but he sang well enough, and it was a stirring tune, something between Clementine and La Cucaracha. The words ran:
Beasts of England, beasts of Ireland,
Beasts of every land and clime,
Hearken to my joyful tidings
Of the golden future time.
Soon or late the day is coming,
Tyrant Man shall be o’erthrown,
And the fruitful fields of England
Shall be trod by beasts alone.
Rings shall vanish from our noses,
And the harness from our back,
Bit and spur shall rust forever,
Cruel whips no more shall crack.
Riches more than mind can picture,
Wheat and barley, oats and hay,
Clover, beans, and mangel-wurzels
Shall be ours upon that day.
Bright will shine the fields of England,
Purer shall its waters be,
Sweeter yet shall blow its breezes
On the day that sets us free.
For that day we all must labour,Though we die before it break;
Cows and horses, geese and turkeys,
All must toil for freedom’s sake.
Beasts of England, beasts of Ireland,
Beasts of every land and clime,
Hearken well and spread my tidings
Of the golden future time.
Old Major’s Speech Summary
Old Major, a wise and respected boar, gathers all the animals together to deliver a speech about the nature of their lives on the farm. He points out that their lives are miserable, laborious, and short.
They are born, given only enough food to survive, and forced to work until they are no longer useful. At this point, they are slaughtered.
Old Major asserts that humans are the root cause of their problems and that the animals could live in abundance and dignity if removed.
He emphasizes that man is the only creature that consumes without producing and sets them to work, giving them back only what is necessary to survive while keeping the rest for himself. Old Major calls for rebellion against humans and encourages the animals to work tirelessly toward it.
He also emphasizes the importance of unity and comradeship among the animals and warns against adopting the vices of humans, even after they are overthrown.
Old Major ends his speech with a dream about a world without humans, reminding him of a song he learned in his youth. He shares the song’s tune with the animals and encourages them to sing it to symbolize their rebellion. The speech concludes with Old Major’s assertion that all animals are equal.
What was Old Major’s motto?
Old Major’s motto was “All animals are equal.” He taught the animals this motto during his speech, and it became a fundamental principle of Animalism, the set of rules for animals to live by that the pigs created after Old Major’s death.
The motto emphasizes that all animals should be treated fairly and equally without discrimination or oppression.
What does Old Major say came to him in his dream?
Old Major recalls a dream he had the previous night of a world where animals live without men’s tyranny: they are free, happy, well-fed, and treated with dignity.
He urges the animals to do everything possible to make this dream a reality and urges them to overthrow the humans who purport to own them.
What Does Old Major Represent In The Allegory?
Old Major represents Karl Marx and Vladimir Lenin, the fathers of Communism. He is a wise and intelligent pig who inspires the rebellion and convinces the animals to take control of the farm. However, he died before the rebellion, just as Karl Marx died before the Russian Revolution.
What is ironic about Old Major’s speech?
Old Major’s speech is ironic because he preaches about the evils of humans and their oppression of animals. Still, the pigs supposed to lead the animal rebellion become just as oppressive as humans.
Additionally, despite Old Major’s emphasis on equality among animals, the pigs see themselves as superior and above the other animals.
What does Old Major say about Man?
Old Major believes that Man is the only real enemy of the animals. He says that Man consumes without producing, sets animals to work, gives back the bare minimum to prevent them from starving, and keeps the rest for himself.
Old Major also believes that if Man is removed from the scene, the root cause of hunger and overwork will be abolished forever.
What is the significance of Old Major’s death?
Old Major’s death is significant because it sets the stage for the rebellion to come. His speech inspires the other animals to rise against their oppressors and fight for their freedom.
Additionally, his death creates a power vacuum that allows the pigs to take control and ultimately abuse their power, paralleling the rise of Stalin after Lenin’s death.
Was Old Major a boy or a girl?
Based on the evidence from the text, there is no mention of Old Major’s gender. The text only describes Old Major as a well-respected, good speaker and intelligent character who prophesizes a great rebellion against humans.