The quote “The object of power is power” is heavily supported by George Orwell’s 1949 novel ‘1984’ and Fritz Lang’s 1927 film ‘Metropolis’ through their intertextual connections and shared perspectives. Both texts were composed around the context of pre and post World War 2 which is clearly evident through their settings, characterisation, themes and ideas. Through Orwell’s and Fritz’s use of dystopic societies, empowerment of women and detrimental dictatorship rule it is blatant that George Orwell’s quote “The object of power is power” is quite strongly supported by the intertextual connections and shared perspectives of Orwell’s ‘1984’ and Lang’s ‘Metropolis’.
Through the use of Orwell’s and Lang’s intertextual connections of
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The working class in this film are forced to endure agonising labour in extremely dangerous environments whilst the upper class, the ‘sons’ are free to live at their will. The dystopic setting of the ‘depths’ becomes evident through Lang’s use of symbolism when the dictator’s son, Freder, journeys to the depths and starts to see the workers being eaten up by the machines in the scene ‘Slaves of the Means of Production” (14.58-17.52). This symbolises the dystopic society in which workers do not have the right to be safe. This idea forms a contextual connection to the 1920’s Weimar Republic where there were two distinct classes, the conservative elite, who were free to live at their will, and the workers who were forced to endure labour with no guarantee for safety. Through the contextual connections of political reform and the shared perspectives of dystopian societies the quote “the object of power is power” is strongly supported by George Orwell’s ‘1984’ and Fritz Lang’s ‘Metropolis’.
Similarly, the quote “the object of power is power” is also supported by Orwell’s and Lang’s shared perspectives of the rebelling of women and the intertextual connections of the empowerment of women during the times these texts were created. This is made evident through the use of juxtaposition throughout the two texts. In Orwell’s ‘1984’ the dystopic totalitarianism
In George Orwell’s ‘1984’ he patronises the women he creates as we see an insight into the weaker sex who are often degraded with humiliating names and vulnerability. Orwell stereotypes the female characters, which reflects his somewhat limited view of women and their important role ion society. He creates a problem in the way that masculinity and femininity lose all value in the totalitarian state. As the misogynist Orwell is, it is not surprising he has portrayed women in such silent, sad and solitary ways.
George Orwell’s 1984 is more than just a novel, it is a warning to a potential dystopian society of the future. Written in 1949, Orwell envisioned a totalitarian government under the figurehead Big Brother. In this totalitarian society, every thought and action is carefully examined for any sign of rebellion against the ruling party. Emotion has been abolished and love is nonexistent; an entire new language is being drafted to reduce human thought to the bare minimum. In a society such as the one portrayed in 1984, one is hardly human. In George Orwell’s 1984, the party uses fear, oppression, and propaganda to strip the people of their humanity.
On the other hand ,the novel "1984" is described as a critique on the danger of capitalism, when the whole society lives under the control of big brother . The society is suffering because of its own consequences because of the capitalism in which society is ruled by bourgeoises. This reveals in the novel when Hinston describe about the infrastructure, rules ,telescreens – how people are always under surveillance , thought crime, face crime and the life of ordinary people who are living there. This explains the theme because the whole society was under the surveillance of Big Brother they all are treated as a slaves who are putted into jail in 24 hour surveillance. If the society members protest against it, they are get executed and being killed. They all are living in a darkness, for which they are responsible for themselves. This is how capitalism affects in 1984 in which society have to suffer.
1984 is a classic piece of British literature that serves as the most prominent example of the dystopia genre. In this nover George Orwell tells the precautionary tale of what might happen if the society goes totalitarian. In this essay I would like to talk about the role of women in the novel.
Through this activity, Winston introduces us to Doublethink, the ability to hold two contradictory ideas in your head while guiding yourself to believe the one that best fits the principles of Ingsoc, the party doctrine. To even doubt or question Ingsoc is dubbed ‘thoughtcrime’, and pursued ruthlessly by the thought police.
In a letter to Brenda Salkeld in 1933 Orwell considered a “fearful tribe” of feminists to be one of the threats to civilisation. He reflected on two directions toward which the world could move: a complete overthrow of the present order by means of a revolution or the continuing and consummate hegemony of business accompanied by the feminists’ coming into power (Csaszar).” Orwell had inflated his fear so much to where he believed that feminism will take over the world as if it was a dictatorship. Hegemony is the process of a woman coming into power at a business and that fact scared Orwell so much to where he felt that if they were given power in 1984 a revolution would start. “Winston finds himself cheated out of something that he feels he ought to have. Possibly even cheated out of a sense of masculinity that might come with having sex with a young woman like Julia (Meia).” Orwell wrote Winston as a man who would pursue younger women in hopes of seeming more masculine. In society a man is congratulated if he has sex with lots of girls, yet women are shamed for the same actions as men. When 1984 was written gender roles were very different from today’s time era and when we see women being written like this we are very astonished and want to know
“1984 expresses man’s fears of isolation and disintegration, cruelty and dehumanisation…Orwell’s repetition of obsessive ideas is an apocalyptic lamentation for the fate of modern man. His expression of the political experience of an entire generation gives 1984 a veritably mythic power
In the novel 1984, Orwell produced a social critique on totalitarianism and a future dystopia that made the world pause and think about our past, present and future. When reading this novel we all must take the time to think of the possibility that Orwell's world could come to pass. Orwell presents the concepts of power, marginalization, and resistance through physical, psychological, sexual and political control of the people of Oceania. The reader experiences the emotional ride through the eyes of Winston Smith, who was born into the oppressive life under the rule of Ingsoc. Readers are encouraged through Winston to adopt a negative opinion on the idea of communist rule and the inherent dangers of totalitarianism. The psychological
George Orwell’s 1984 is probably one of the most famous political novels in History. It´s strong criticism to authoritarianism, government abuses and sameness makes it one of the most analysed novels of the twentieth century. Hence, Orwell uses a lot of literary devices such as vivid imagery, symbolism of color and all sorts of allusions to convey the reader into his powerful criticism of authoritarian societies and how the promote the decay of free-thinking and individualism, which his the meaning of his narrative prose.
1984, Orwell’s last and perhaps greatest work, deals with drastically heavy themes that still terrify his audience after 65 years. George Orwell’s story exemplifies excessive power, repression, surveillance, and manipulation in his strange, troubling dystopia full of alarming secrets that point the finger at totalitarian governments and mankind as a whole. What is even more disquieting is that 1984, previously considered science fiction, has in so many ways become a recognizable reality.
Historically, literature has always echoed the key issues and themes present during that time. In the period which Orwell wrote this novel, totalitarian government was a popular concept seeing implementation around the world such as Nazi Germany, Soviet Russia, and Mussolini’s Italy. In the novel 1984. While Orwell’s world is a fictional one, it can be said that he uses it as a voice for social commentary, and he predictions as to what a world would be like if totalitarian governments would rule the world. This essay will aim to explore how Orwell goes about doing this.
George Orwell, the writer of many highly regarded literary works, is extremely interested in the power of language, mainly how it is abused. By analyzing two of his works, 1984 and Politics and The English Language, it is clear that Orwell is using his writing to bring awareness to the dangers of the manipulation, misuse, and decline of language. In 1984 he demonstrates how language can be used to control thought and manipulate the past. This is proven throughout the novel by examining the language of Newspeak and how it is key to controlling the totalitarian state, and how using language to alter and manipulate history can shape reality. In his essay Politics and the English Language Orwell
Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four reflects the principles of Stalinism and Nazism that were evident at the time of the composer and his text of 1930’s to 1940’s Europe. When Winston Smith witnesses a co-worker’s outbreak of “Swine! Swine! Swine!” the repetition is used to demonstrate loss of personal conviction in creating a dangerous orthodox for oppressive tyranny. This loss through the social and personal oppression of the Party and the absence of values of hope, love, loyalty, and dignity highlights values of fear, hatred and pain that are stipulated through tyranny. This technique is used by the composer to indicate the inability for the individual to accomplish change against a tyrannous government. Whilst Orwell perceives this world of chaotic power, Fritz Lang’s medium of film emphasizes the political and social chaos in his society. “Without the machines, you’re finished!” This high modality quote is used by Lang to signify how man and machine have become one in Metropolis. The loss of machines starts the chaos, spiraling out of control. The oppression of the proles by the Party and the workers class in the Depths begins the spiral of chaos that consumes all values to spit out what is left to the composer’s pessimistic view of the unwinding of
War Is Peace. Freedom Is Slavery. Ignorance Is Strength. The party slogan of Ingsoc illustrates the sense of contradiction which characterizes the novel 1984. That the book was taken by many as a condemnation of socialism would have troubled Orwell greatly, had he lived to see the aftermath of his work. 1984 was a warning against totalitarianism and state sponsored brutality driven by excess technology. Socialist idealism in 1984 had turned to a total loss of individual freedom in exchange for false security and obedience to a totalitarian government, a dysutopia. 1984 was more than a simple warning to the socialists of Orwell's time. There are many complex philosophical issues buried deep within
Set around the year 2000, Metropolis is a depiction of the future, yet it is viewed more intensely in the twenties style. In this view we can truly appreciate the work, without the cynicism of todays standards, for the marvel that it is.