Women in Love Summary

The novel opens with the sisters Ursula and Gudrun Brangwen chatting about marriage one morning at their fathers house in
Beldover. Gudrun has recently returned home from art school in London. The two later decide to drop by a local wedding, where
they first see Gerald Crich and upert Bir!in, the two men with whom they will develop affairs that drive the action of the novel.
Bir!in is a school inspector with e"tremely unconventional attitudes about life, and Gerald is the heir to the local mining operation
that is the central industry of Beldover. Bir!in and Gerald hate each other passionately at the beginning of the novel, but after a
chance encounter on the way to London they begin to become friends.
upert is haunted by his lingering attachment to #ermione oddice, an aristocratic woman whom he loathes but finds difficult to
abandon. #ermione wants to marry Bir!in and have him dominate her completely. This situation complicates Bir!ins growing
fondness for Ursula, and #ermione and Ursula become enemies. $uring a wee!end gathering at #ermiones estate, Breadalby, she
becomes enraged and smashes a paperweight against the bac! of Bir!ins head with the intention of !illing him. #e escapes and
considers it the end of their relationship.
Bir!in decides to move into a mill house on %illey %ater La!e, and Ursula begins visiting him there. The two slowly start to fall
in love. &ne evening, the Crich family hosts their annual public party by the la!e, and the Brangwen sisters attend. They meet
Gerald and Bir!in there and romantic spar!s fly, but this is interrupted by the tragic drowning death of Geralds sister, $iana
Crich, and a young doctor who attempts to rescue her. 'fter the tragedy, Bir!in falls ill again and Gerald visits him. #e reali(es
that he loves Gerald, and as!s him to e"change a vow of lasting commitment between them. Gerald hesitates to do so although he
also loves Bir!in.
Geralds father Thomas Crich falls ill and is near death. #e and Gerald decide to hire Gudrun to tutor Geralds youngest sister,
%inifred, in art. Gudrun begins visiting their home, )hortlands, nearly every day to teach %inifred. *r. Crich builds an artists
studio for Gudrun to use, and she and Gerald grow closer. *eanwhile, Bir!in is frustrated with Ursula+s indecision and leaves for a
vacation in the south of ,rance. Ursula hears nothing for some time, and one evening during a wal! sees Bir!in in front of his
home. They tal! and e"change promises of love. The ne"t day Bir!in goes to Ursulas house, intending to propose. #e meets her
father Tom Brangwen instead, and as!s the man for his daughter+s hand. Ursula is enraged and refuses him. Bir!in stomps away
and goes to see Gerald at )hortlands, where the two engage in a violently erotici(ed wrestling match.
*eanwhile, after a few days Ursula decides she is deeply in love with Bir!in and must fight to transform his passion to match
hers. Time passes, and one afternoon Bir!in surprises Ursula at her school, offering to ta!e her on a car ride. )he agrees and he
gives her a gift of three rings. This leads to an argument, and Ursula abandons him on the side of the road. &nly moments later she
returns to ma!e peace, and the two decide to go into town to ta!e tea. Their bond is solidified that night when they sleep together
on the ground of )herwood ,orest. *eanwhile, Gerald struggles with his fathers illness, and *r. Crich finally succumbs to death.
)everal nights pass, and Gerald finds himself wandering alone night, and eventually ma!es his way to Gudruns house. #e snea!s
inside and upstairs, and wa!es Gudrun up in her bedroom. #e spends the night there, asleep while Gudrun watches him.
'fter a violent argument with her father, Ursula decides to move in with Bir!in. The two marry soon thereafter, and Gerald
proposes a winter holiday in -urope for the two couples. #e tal!s at length with Ursula and Bir!in about the trip, hoping it will be
an occasion to develop the romance between him and Gudrun. Gerald and Gudrun leave first, and stop for a night in London
where Gudrun meets Geralds former mistress*inette $arrington at the Caf. /ompadour. Ursula and Bir!in eventually 0oin
Gerald and Gudrun at 1nnsbruc!, a pictures2ue 'ustrian retreat town. Things are lovely at first, but soon sour. The group lodges in
a small hostel outside of 1nnsbruc! and friction develops between them, in part due to a German artist named #err Loer!e who
ta!es an interest in Gudrun. Ursula begins to loathe the cold and convinces Bir!in to leave.
Gerald and Gudrun remain, and Loer!e continues to pursue Gudrun. &ne afternoon she and Loer!e are on a picnic that Gerald
violently interrupts. Gerald !noc!s Loer!e to the ground and strangles Gudrun nearly to death. #e stomps away deeper into the
mountains as the sun falls. #e free(es to death and his body is brought bac! to the hostel the ne"t morning by a rescue team.
Gudrun sends a telegram to Bir!in and Ursula, who return immediately. Bir!in is devastated, and the novel ends with him insisting
to Ursula that he believes a lasting and intimate bond with Gerald was possible, even while remaining married to Ursula.
About Women in Love
$.#. Lawrence began writing his fifth novel, Women in Love, in 3435 but it was not completed until Lawrence was living in
Cornwall three years later. 1t was first published in 3467 after several delays and editorial changes, some of which were due to the
controversy surrounding the se"ual sub0ect matter of his earlier novels. Lawrence was deeply interested in the nature of desire, and
in the repressive, controlling aspects of human psychology and social institutions. #e was both influenced by and critical of
,reudian psychoanalysis, and his novels investigate ,reudian concepts of the unconscious, repression, transference, and the
psychose"ual development of the human. Women in Love also draws much thematic inspiration from the philosophy of ,reidrich
8iet(sche, and its critical perspective of modern -uropean morality, the valori(ation of wor! over art, and the suppression of
passionate and creative individual souls in the interest of collective productivity.
Lawrence tells us in his preface to the novel that Women In Love was written in the midst of %orld %ar 1, though it 9does not
concern the war itself.9 1t is a se2uel to Lawrence+s 343: novel, The Rainbow, which narrates the lives of several generations of
the Brangwen family, who live in *iddle -ngland. Women In Love is the story of sisters Ursula and Gudrun Brangwen, their
lovers, upert Bir!in andGerald Crich, and the erotic attraction between the two men. There is an implicit affiliation between the
character upert Bir!in and Lawrence himself, in their mutual estimation for art and their intense disdain for modern values and
institutions.
Though his initially censored wor! now seems tame, Lawrence opened up the door to representations of sensuality for countless
writers after him. $uring his career, he was deeply resentful of the censorship brought against his wor!, which he believed
amounted to denying pure artistic aspirations. 1n his foreword to Women in Love, he claims that the creative soul should be valued,
and that he owes no apologies to the critics and authorities that have accused him of writing pornography or degraded eroticism.
Major Themes
Marriage and Work
The four central characters of Lawrences novel test the e"pectations of their society, chiefly through their unconventional
attitudes toward the institutions of marriage and wor!. Gudrun and Ursula Brangwen are spirited and independent women,
although they are not from the upper class. *eanwhile, Gerald and Bir!in are their social superiors, but both men are drawn to the
Brangwens and pursue marriages that defy social norms. Bir!in views the hyper productivity of the modern era as a mista!e, and
thin!s that wor! cannot save humanity. Gerald meanwhile throws himself into his wor!, but believes in the advancement of
technology as a means of mastering the material of the earth.
The Triangle of Desire
Triangles of desire are everywhere in Lawrences novel, suggesting that human desire circulates in part by seeing and imitating the
desire that another person displays. Gerald loves Bir!in, but sees him desiring Ursula, which contributes to Geralds desire for
Bir!in, and also to his desire for Gudrun as a substitute. Bir!in sees Gerald desiring Gudrun, which heightens his attraction to
Gerald and ma!es him hesitant to marry Ursula for fear of separating the two men. 't the end of the novel, a triangle emerges
between Gudrun, Gerald, and Loer!e, which spar!s Geralds violent attac! against them, and leads to his death by e"posure.
Gudrun compares this situation ironically to the holy trinity, calling it a ;pretty little sample of the eternal triangle< and a ;trinity
of hate.<
Decay and Rebirth
Bir!in is constantly unwell throughout the novel, and his body+s physical decay and degradation symboli(e the spiritual decay that
he associates with -ngland, and more broadly with modern -uropean society. Bir!in philosophi(es throughout the novel about the
essential lin! between creative life and destruction, associating the goddess of love, 'phrodite, with a power of dar! and utter
destruction. Bir!in also compares leaving -ngland to the image of lice fleeing a dead corpse, as if the groups trip to 1nnsbruc!
promises an escape from the inevitable destruction of -nglish life. Bir!in views the universe as endless cycles of decay and rebirth
in forms that are organic and inorganic, natural and cultural. #e thin!s that society and its values must dissolve in order for
humans to be reborn and inhabit a new, stronger and more passionate form of e"istence.
Repression and Instincts
The difficult relationship between instinctual desire and repression is central to Women in Love. The main characters of
Lawrences novel = Ursula, Gudrun, Bir!in, and Gerald = all suffer in various ways from the conflict between their desires and the
dictates of social mores. Bir!in and Gerald desire one another, but repress and stifle their love in pursuit of marriages with the
Brangwen sisters. %hen Ursulas classroom receives an une"pected visit from Bir!in early in the novel, her desire is stirred but it
creates an"iety. )he suffers over the course of the novel from her conflicted emotions regarding Bir!in, whose demands are highly
unconventional and force Ursula to e"amine her willingness to give all of herself to the love between them. Li!ewise, Gudrun
finds Gerald compelling but fearsome in his brute physicality. )he wavers between being compulsively attracted to and repelled
by him. Gudruns situation is in turn mirrored by Geralds attitude towards her, since he finds her alluring and superior to him in
spirit, yet he often moves to attac! or destroy her when she triggers feelings in him. Throughout the novel, human instincts are
represented as unpredictable and intense passions that trigger forms of repression.
acred ensuality
$.#. Lawrence was both an iconoclast and a Christian, and Women in Love presents a uni2ue concept of sacred sensuality. Unli!e
forms of protestant Christianity that attempt to deny or rebu!e erotic passion, Lawrences ideal form of Christian life fully
embraces erotic passion as a holy e"pression of Gods creation. This idea is most clearly represented in the union of Ursula and
Bir!in, which the novel describes in terms that evo!e the biblical tale of 'dam and -ve. %hen Ursula and Bir!in visit the inn in
Beldover for afternoon tea, Ursula suddenly sees her lover as an original son of God, an allusion to the boo! of Genesis. %hen the
two leave the inn and decide to spend the night on the floor of )herwood ,orest, Lawrences imagery evo!es the Garden of -den
and suggests that Bir!in and Ursula have a sacred union that is e2ual parts of carnal and spiritual sensuality. Lawrences novel
ideali(es a holy form of sensuality that unites the earthly passions of the flesh with the soul of creation.
!ihilism and Modernity
Lawrences novel e"plores the connection between nihilism and modernity. 8ihilism is the philosophical view that the modern
world has completely severed itself from the once meaningful spheres of religious, moral, and political life. ,or nihilists, there can
be no meaningful e"istence in the wrec!age of modernity. Lawrences novel does not suggest that nihilism is an ideal position.
ather, the character of upert Bir!in represents an understanding of nihilism that strives against its aftermath.
Bir!in ac!nowledges the apocalyptic ruins of modern life, but he is also a spirited and creative soul, illustrated by his attempt to
stri!e a uni2ue contract of passionate partnership with Ursula, one that preserves their individuality while bringing them into a
cosmic con0unction, li!e two heavenly bodies perfectly aligned. Bir!in also values artistic e"pression and creativity, which is
illustrated through his many allusions to art and poetry, as well as his contemplative reactions to s!etches, paintings, and
sculptures over the course of the novel. 'll of these aspects of Bir!ins character show that Lawrences novel re0ects the nihilist
position in favor of attempting to transform the very terms of value that define human life in the modern age.
Animals and "umans
Lawrences novel consistently uses encounters with animals to symboli(e internal conflicts faced by individuals, passionate
struggles between lovers, and the urge to forsa!e society. Gudrun Brangwen invo!es the image of a wolf as Gerald Crichs totem
animal when she first sees him at his sisters wedding in the opening chapter. 1n chapter 4, Geralds forceful control of his horse at
the train crossing, which alarms both Ursula and Gudrun, symboli(es the violent human struggle over passion. Later, when the
Brangwen sisters attend the annual party at )hortlands, they decide to escape into the woods. They begin to dance li!e forest
nymphs among a group of cattle, suggesting a mystical connection to the natural world and their desire to abandon social
convention. 'nd both Gudrun and Gerald battle with %inifreds pet rabbit, Bismarc!, whose fren(ied resistance to their control
implies the dangerous status of the passion between them. Throughout the novel, Lawrences representations of animals show that
humans can never fully abandon their primal nature, and they constantly strive to channel its power successfully.
Industry and Technology
Lawrences novel e"plores the social implications of industry and technology through Geralds transformation of the Crich mining
operation. Geralds father operated the coal>mining business according to an older model of Christian moral beneficence. #e let
the wor!ers perform their duties as they had for several generations, and focused his efforts on ta!ing care of them much as a
father would care for his children. But Geralds vision is stri!ingly different from his fathers, and it represents the modern
valori(ation of productivity and wor! over all things. Gerald uses his willpower and education to transform the family industry
into a model of e"treme efficiency. By bringing in the most advanced technological machinery and practices, he also transforms
the wor! that the miners perform. They become hyper>productive and intently focused on their labor as a collective effort, which
brings increased productivity and wealth > to Crich+s poc!ets at least. Geralds desire to master the ;matter< of the earth
symboli(es the modern goal of sublimating and liberating humanity through wor!. Ultimately, Lawrences novel is critical of this
perspective, because it denies the centrality of creative life and those passionate, spirited e"pressions of the human soul that
cannot be reduced to labor.
Life and Art
Women in Love presents different perspectives on the relationship between life and art. Bir!in especially finds an essential
connection of truth between the two. 't ?ulius #allidays house, Gerald ponders an 'frican carving of a woman giving birth, and
as!s Bir!in what he thin!s of it. Bri!in tells Gerald it is real ;art,< and when Gerald as!s why Bir!in replies the piece 9conveys a
complete truth< and contains a pure sensual !nowledge passed down for generations. ,or Bir!in, art is best when it successfully
communicates a core aspect of human life without attempting to detach from its physical basis. Bir!in+s view of art contrasts
sharply with Gudruns. )he believes, li!e #err Loer!e, that art and life must be strictly separate. %hen she discusses art with
Loer!e, she claims ;life doesnt really matter = it is ones art which is central.< ,or Gudrun, art is a supreme reality, and life can
never be completely whole or true. )he believes that art elevates ones being above the muc! of life, ma!ing it the purest form of
human e"pression in its ideal state. Gudrun longs for forms of aesthetic e"perience and e"pression above all things = instances of
freedom and autonomy from the physical limitations of life itself.
#nvironment and $sychology
1n Women in Love, the environment or setting often communicates characters inner psychological attitudes. /erhaps the most
notable is the e"travagant water>party hosted by the Crich family, which presents a microcosm of the social world and its
hierarchical class structure. *ost who attend the party fit conventionally within this regimented ideal, as illustrated by their
pleasant behavior and mannerisms as they sport, go boating, and eat and drin! under the beneficence of *r. Crich. But upon
arriving at the party, the Brangwen sisters immediately want to escape this social fabrication, and their choice to go into the woods
reflects their own independent spirits. Li!ewise, when Gerald and Bir!in decide to wrestle, Gerald loc!s them up in a closed
room, and tells his servant not to disturb them for the rest of the evening. Their private 0iu>0itsu match is li!e their repressed erotic
struggle = they attempt to !eep it sealed off and loc!ed away from public view. 8ear the novels conclusion, the e"treme coldness
that develops between Gudrun and Gerald at 1nnsbruc! is constantly being aligned with the wintry and harsh environment. Ursula
even tells Bir!in that the snowy cold has fro(en her inner being, and so she wishes to escape and leave 1nnsbruc! behind. This
theme culminates in Geralds death by e"posure to the elements, and Bir!ins feelings of being fro(en to his core as he watches
over his beloved Geralds fro(en body.
uggested #ssay %uestions
&' At the beginning of the novel( the t)o *rang)en sisters discuss their vie)s on marriage' What is the key difference
bet)een +rsula and ,udrun( and )hy is it important for understanding the novel-
%hen they discuss marriage, Gudrun tells Ursula that having the ;e"perience< of marriage is probably a good enough reason
to marry. )he thin!s finding the right man is the only issue. Ursula, however, says that she thin!s marriage would be the ;end
of e"perience.< Gudruns perspective changes, however, after she meets Gerald Crich and becomes less certain of marriage,
even as she falls in love with him. #e is ultimately too bound to a society she does not want to be a part of. Ursula meanwhile
falls in love with Bir!in, and comes to decide that marrying him is her fate, and she is able to preserve her self in their
uncommon union. Lawrences novel develops by reversing the opinions toward marriage that each sister e"presses at the
beginning of the story, while still subverting the strictures of traditional marriage.
.' Why is Rupert *irkin deeply dissatisfied )ith the society in )hich he lives-
Bir!in believes that modern society is in a state of apocalyptic decay. 1ndustrial technology and the overvaluation of wor!
have ruined the human spirit and destroyed man+s connection with nature. Bir!in desires to live outside of social convention,
but also to see social convention itself destroyed. #e wants the world to be remade into something stronger, more creative
and truer to the passionate human soul. But he remains s!eptical that this transformation can ta!e place.
/' Describe ,erald 0rich and Rupert *irkin1s relationship' What does their struggle represent( and )hy is it so
central to the novel-
Gerald and Bir!in are mirror opposites of and are deeply in love with each other. Bir!in is physically wea! but strong and
destructive in spirit, whereas Gerald is a perfect physical specimen whose inner spirit has decayed and given way to his desire
to master the material earth through technology and wor!. They are drawn to each other but they repress their mutual desires
and attempt to find satisfaction in marriage, which drives the novel to its tragic conclusion.
2' Describe the novel1s use of horse symbolism' What does it imply about human nature and relationships-
Gerald Crichs harsh treatment of the mare at the train crossing shows his physical prowess and symboli(es the human
attempt to bring violent, unpredictable passions under the control of reason. Gudrun+s lust and Ursula+s repulsion are pi2ued >
Gudrun+s physical attraction stuns her, as Ursula is shoc!ed by the brute force of the display she deems unnecessary. Their
attitudes toward marriage and se"ual relationships are reflected in their reactions. Later, when Bir!in moves into the mill
house, he tells #ermione and Ursula that women are li!e horses, split between two wills = the will to be free of their rider,
and the will to remain under the riders control. 8ear the end of the novel #err Loer!es sculpture of a young girl seated on a
stallion symboli(es his desire to master life through art, by elevating the aesthetic world over the material. These images of
horses represent human passion and its struggle with elevated forms of rational thin!ing and activity that try to harness or
control its energy.
3' La)rence1s novel connects humans and animals in compelling )ays' Discusses some e4amples from the te4t and
e4plain their significance'
%hen the Brangwen sisters see Gerald Crich at the train crossing, he is astride a mare that symboli(es his attempt to control
or reign in the animalistic passions. Bir!in later compares female desire to the situation of a horse that wants both to escape
its rider and to stay under its control. %inifred Crichs rabbit, Bismarc!, becomes a conduit of the violent passion that
circulates between Gerald and Gudrun. *ino, Bir!ins cat, serves #ermione as a symbol of her lingering hold over Bir!ins
character, which she uses to spar! 0ealousy and feelings of inferiority in Ursula. 'll of these e"amples suggest that humans
remain fundamentally bound to animalistic desires and impulses, which they can never fully escape or successfully master.
5' The t)o central female characters in Women in Love are both lively and independent( yet struggle mightily in their
)orlds' Why- What do the *rang)en sisters tell us about La)rence1s society-
Both Ursula and Gudrun desire to be independent from social constraints. Ursula constantly says she loathes being ;bullied<
by men, especially her father and Bir!in. Gudrun says that she values freedom above all things, and she pursues art as an
attempt to reali(e e"periences of freedom that ta!e her away from the constraints of her society. 't the same time, both sisters
struggle with the possibility of marriage because they are drawn passionately to different men, who they thin! might,
parado"ically, help to free them from the limitations of class and social convention. Lawrence+s characters reflect his own
feelings of contemporary society, and the Brangwen women illustrate the tension women of his day would have e"perienced.
6' The t)o central male characters in Women in Love are spirited individuals )ho also struggle )ith their social
)orld( though in very different )ays' 0ompare and contrast *irkin and ,erald' Why are these differences significant-
Bir!in and Gerald are in many respects mirror opposites of each other. Gerald is physically commanding, strong and
deliberate in his attempt to control the family business, firmly grounded in his social class, and e"tremely reticent to e"press
his feeling. Bir!in is sic!ly and unwell through most of the novel although his spirit is fiercely independent and
unconventional. #e has no interest in pursuits of business or industry, and loathes society. These differences fuel the passion
between the two men, who come to love and depend upon each other as they repress their mutual se"ual attraction.
7' At various moments in the novel( ,erald 0rich is e4tremely impressed )ith ,udrun *rang)en1s spirited behavior'
Discuss some key e4amples( and e4plain )hy ,erald finds ,udrun appealing'
%hen Gerald and #ermione are boating, they come upon Gudrun s!etching water plants. #ermione as!s Gerald to ta!e the
boat closer to Gudrun, and Gerald feels a strong sense of his and #ermione+s social superiority. This evaporates, however,
when #ermione drops the s!etchboo! yet Gudrun remains proudly unfa(ed. #er response and refusal to bac! down to
#ermione ma!es Gerald second guess the basis of his class>driven arrogance. Li!ewise, when Gudrun confidently strides up
to ?ulius #allidays table at the /ompadour and ta!es bac! Bir!ins letter, she displays a uni2ue individuality that Gerald
desires yet cannot entirely comprehend. #e is enamored with Gudruns spirit in part because she overturns the social
standards that he so often relies upon as a source of his own power.
8' What is the significance of Rupert *irkin1s gift of three rings to +rsula *rang)en-
The ring is the traditional symbol of marriage and union, but Bir!ins gift to Ursula illustrates the very non>traditional
e"pectations and attitudes of both characters. Bir!in tells Ursula ;ings loo! wrong on my hands,< suggesting that he is not
fit for marriage. 'nd Ursula is afraid to try on the rings, because she thin!s her hands are too large. #er spirit and personality
may prove too independent and great to fit properly into the e"pected role of a woman in marriage. Ultimately, though Ursula
throws the rings at Bir!in in refusal, she comes to accept them > and Bir!in > as the gift and the man are unconventional
enough to suit her. 1n different ways, the ring gift episode shows the two characters straining against the conventions of
marriage, even as they desire it.
&9' Women in Love contains many thoughtful literary allusions( most of )hich are made by *irkin' 0hoose some key
e4amples and discuss the role they play during important scenes in the novel'
Bir!in refers to a poem by obert Browning when he travels by train to London. #is 2uotation calls up images of a lost,
mythic past while commenting on the ruin of the present moment. Bir!in uses Brownings poem to e"press his apocalyptic
perspective of modernity. %hen they visit the 0un! mar!et and decide to buy an anti2ue chair, Bir!in says it reminds him of
something from a ?ane 'usten novel. This reference loo!s bac! to a moment in -nglands past that Bir!in thin!s was more
vibrant and full of spirit, when the production of crafts was an art. 8ear the end of the novel, Bir!in refers to %illiam
)ha!espeare twice > first to Romeo and Juliet and then to Hamlet. #e and Ursula choose to travel to @erona to act as the star>
crossed pair, even though the young lovers of literature came to a tragic end. This allusion adds a foreshadowing of romance
tinged with despair. 's Bir!in watches over Gerald+s corpse, he thin!s of lines in #amletA 91mperial Caesar dead, and turned
to clay B%ould stop a hole to !eep the wind away.9 The passage comments on the decay of all physical life, imagining the
body of ?ulius Caesar being reduced to nothing more than dust or clay to stop up a hole. Gerald+s beauty is gone, and only his
body > and Bir!in+s memory of love > remains.
Chapters 1-4
Summary
0hapter &: isters
The novel opens with the sisters Ursula and Gudrun Brangwen chatting about marriage one morning, while they are sewing at
their fathers house in Beldover. Gudrun has recently returned home from art school in London. )he says she would consider
getting married if the right man suddenly materiali(ed, and claims that one should probably get married in order to have the
e"perience. Ursula seems less eager about the idea of marriage and its responsibilities, suggesting that marriage is rather the ;end<
of e"perience. The two decide to stop sewing and go outside to have a loo! at a local wedding.
's they are wal!ing through town, Gudrun is disturbed by the common fol!, and feels out of place. The two sisters stand and
watch the churchyard as the wedding guests begin to arrive. Gudrun sees Gerald Crich arrive and is immediately attracted to him,
comparing him to a smiling wolf. Ursula is meanwhile captivated by#ermione oddice, a rich and beautiful bridesmaid.
#ermione is the lover ofupert Bir!in, a county school>inspector and the best man at the wedding. #ermione wants to marry
Bir!in but he willfully refuses while !eeping her as his lover.
The brides carriage arrives but the groom and best man are both missing. Ursula suddenly notices their carriage approaching from
the road. The bridegroom 0umps out and begins to run into the church, while the bride playfully runs from him. %hen Ursula sees
upert Bir!in, she feels drawn to him but also finds him slightly cold. )he as!s her sister what she thin!s of him, and Gudrun tells
her he is very attractive, yet she is not a good 0udge of character. The wedding ends, and the Brangwen sisters watch upert,
#ermione, and Gerald Crich emerge from the church.
0hapter .: hortlands
The Brangwen sisters return home, and the wedding party moves to the Criches home near the la!e of %illey %ater. The women
bustle about and chat while the men stand calmly in groups, paying no attention to them. Gerald Crich plays host while his father
rests.
*rs. Crich approaches the group of men and stri!es up a conversation with upert Bir!in. )he e"presses discomfort at not
!nowing so many of the guests, and Bir!in suggests that people who are strangers dont really matter. #e mentions that Gerald is
the only one of her children that he !nows. Their conversation trails off and, after ma!ing an impromptu reference to the Biblical
story of Cain and 'bel, Bir!in suddenly recalls that Gerald accidentally !illed his brother when the two were boys.
The servants sound a gong for the luncheon to begin, but no one heeds it. Gerald then blows a loud horn and the party moves to
the table. #ermione and Gerald begin a heated conversation about race, nationality, patriotism, and political economy. Bir!in
0umps in, followed by Laura Crich, the bride. )he calls for a toast, the champagne is poured and Bir!in rudely downs his glass
before standing up to give a toast. The meal ends.
The men go outside. Bir!in and the groom, Lupton, begin spea!ing with *arshall, Luptons brother. Gerald Crich 0oins in. They
tal! about Lupton and Bir!ins tardiness, and Bir!in e"plains that Lupton was late because he was too busy tal!ing about
metaphysical issues. *arshall critici(es his brother and leaves after Gerald tells him to do so. Bir!in and Gerald get into a heated
discussion that ends with Bir!in saying that Gerald behaves as if he thin!s every man around him has a !nife up his sleeve,
waiting to cut his throat. The narrator describes the two men as outward enemies who in truth suppress a strong mutual desire for
each other.
0hapter /: 0lass;room
1n her classroom, Ursula is finishing up a lesson in botany. upert Bir!in une"pectedly enters and startles Ursula, who feels her
repressed fears and desires rising up when she sees him standing in the doorway. #e observes the students as they s!etch cat!ins.
Bir!in suggests that they use crayons to outline the female flowers with red, and the androgynous flowers with yellow.
#ermione oddice appears at the door. )he tells Bir!in she saw his car outside and decided to come watch him doing his duties as
school inspector. #ermione as!s Ursula if she minds her presence, and Ursula tells her she is welcome. Bir!in begins telling
#ermione about the fertili(ation process of the cat!ins, and #ermione becomes strangely enraptured by their beauty, referring to
them as ;little red flames.<
The class ends and the children depart. #ermione remains in a da(e for a moment, then gets up and approaches Ursula. #ermione
as!s if her sister Gudrun li!es being home in Beldover. Ursula says no, and #ermione invites the two sisters to visit her at her
home in Breadalby. #ermione then tells her that she is fond of Gudrun and li!es her artwor! = small carvings of animals that
#ermione says are full of passion.
#ermione, upert, and Ursula have a long discussion about education and animal instincts. #ermione believes cultivating
!nowledge destroys instinct and the ability to be spontaneous. upert viciously disagrees and says that the problem is not too
much mind, but too little. #e accuses her of not reali(ing that her desire to be li!e an animal is itself routed through her conscious
human mind. Ursula is frightened by the aggression that the two display toward each other.
upert continues his tirade, insisting that truly animalistic and spontaneous passion must rise up as a dar! and involuntary force
that topples the conscious, deliberate self. The women laugh at him, and #ermione ma!es him feel emasculated. )he then reminds
Ursula to come visit her at Breadalby. 't the same time, #ermione recogni(es that Ursula has become her new romantic rival.
Bir!in and #ermione depart together, and Ursula begins weeping but cannot tell if it is due to ;misery or 0oy.<
0hapter 2: Diver
&n the ne"t )aturday morning, Ursula and Gudrun decide to ta!e a wal!. They head for the local la!e, %illey %ater. %hen they
arrive at the la!e they see Gerald Crich emerge na!ed from a la!eside boathouse and dive into the water. Gudrun tells her sister
that she is envious of him, since his gender ma!es it acceptable for him to shed his clothing and swim in the la!e. Gerald waves at
them and the two sisters continue on their wal!.
's they wal! along the road they come to )hortlands, the Criches estate. They remar! upon its appeal, and Gudrun says that it has
the feel of the 3Cth century period, and reminds her of the novelist ?ane 'usten or the poet $orothy %ordsworth. Ursula replies
that she doesnt thin! the Criches fit that period, since Gerald is constantly bringing technological improvements and additions to
the house, such as a private electrical plant.
$uring this conversation Ursula also as!s her sister if she !nows that Gerald accidentally shot his brother one day when the boys
were playing with a gun. Gudrun was unaware of this fact, and Ursula e"plains that when they were very young, the two boys
found an old gun in their barn. They had no idea it was loaded, and Gerald blew his brothers head off. Gudrun is saddened by the
story and wonders at the traumatic effect the event must have had on Gerald. Ursula suggests that perhaps some unconscious,
primal will was behind the act, while Gudrun insists it must have been purely accidental.
Their conversation is interrupted when they hear a voice ahead. The sisters discover #ermione oddice and Laura Crich on the
opposite side of a hedge. Laura is struggling to lift open a gate, and Ursula helps her. #ermione bris!ly says hello and reminds the
Brangwen sisters of her invitation to Breadalby. They say goodbye, and Ursula tells Gudrun she finds #ermione to be impudent.
Gudrun agrees, but says it shouldnt bother Ursula because #ermione is simply an e"ample of a privileged aristocratic woman
who has decided to free herself from social constraints. Gudrun also tells Ursula that among such women, the truly ;chic< thing is
to be completely unremar!able, li!e an artistic wor! of ordinariness. Ursula says such behavior is 2uite dull, and that she much
prefers to act li!e a swan among geese. )he tells Gudrun that the only thing to do is to despise them all, and the two sisters return
home.
Analysis
Lawrence begins Women in Love with the discussion of marriage between Ursula and Gudrun in order to raise the essential theme
of marriage plots within the tradition of the -nglish novel > so that he may subvert it in his own novel. Lawrence+s narrative will
attempt to transform and reshape the traditional e"pectation that marriage should be the center of womans life through the events
that befall the two Brangwen sisters and their respective relationships with upert Bir!in and Gerald Crich. D$iBattistaE This idea
is foreshadowed by the two sisters different responses to the idea of marriage, neither of which seems completely favorable or
desirable. Gudrun suggests that marriage brings the ;e"perience< of se", while Ursula contends that marriage is more li!e the
;end< of e"perience, suggesting that it places an artificial limit on the possibilities of life.
Later, when Gudrun first sees Gerald Crich at his sisters wedding, she remar!s, ;his totem is the wolf.< #er symbolic association
of Gerald with this animal spirit establishes the role that animal passion and instincts will have in the novel, and it also connects
Gerald to Gudruns art = carvings that resemble little animal totems. Gudrun also wonders if cosmic fate connects them, and if
there is some ;pale gold, arctic light that envelops only us twoF< #er words unconsciously foreshadow Geralds demise, as he will
free(e to death in the )wiss 'lps. The novels continuing associations of Gerald with a wolf>li!e, arctic spirit construct him as a
figure of 8ordic myth, trapped in a modern post>industrial world that will ultimately crush his innermost being.
1n the second chapter, the scene shifts from the marriage ceremony to the wedding party at the Criches estate. This move in
perspective and setting allows Lawrence to continue to develop a series of familiar novelistic themes focused on the private,
domestic sphere such as gender relations, paternal authority, familial manners, and inheritance. The conversations that ta!e place
among most of the guests are predictably boring and reflect conventional views of these matters. But when Gerald Crich is as!ed
to stand in as host for the party because his father is feeling unwell, Lawrence shows that Gerald is ill at ease with this tas!. This
characteri(ation adds to the tension that defines Gerald, who is split between the demands of familial or social duty and the primal
vitality that drives him.
Lawrence further develops this theme when he describes Geralds ;passion< for discussion, which leads him to debate heatedly
with #ermione oddice. Their dialogue brings upert Bir!in into the conversation, and they debate the roles of race, nationality,
class and private property in determining the rights and liberties of individuals. The tal! at the dinner table thus becomes an
e"tended metaphor for class politics in -ngland, and the disagreements between upert and Gerald set the stage for their heated
e"change at the end of the chapter. $uring that episode, Lawrence reveals the passionate and wild nature of the attraction between
the two men, which is a primordial mi"ture of love and hatred that both men actively repress. #e thus enfolds two ,reudian
categories of desire = -ros, or erotic attraction, and aggression, or the death>drive = in the spirited competition between the two
men.
1n chapter three, when upert Bir!in une"pectedly appears in Ursulas classroom, Lawrence describes her reaction as a sudden
springing up of repressed and subconscious fear. &n the one hand this brings immediate anguish, but on the other hand it suggests
the compulsory nature of desire, and further develops Lawrences theme of the battle between primordial instincts and social
repression. The red of uperts face and the red flames of the cat!ins symboli(e passion differently. The first image suggests that
passion is a sudden, unconscious eruption and the second connotes a measured aesthetic appreciation, which involves study and
contemplation. The classroom scene implies that Lawrence, whose perspective is often represented by upert Bir!in, values the
vital and unpredictably creative power of passion. #is defense of the dar! passion of a ;woman wailing for her demon lover<
ma!es a literary allusion to )amuel Taylor Coleridges poem, ;Gublai Ghan,< and further aligns his characters perspective with
Lawrences own literary>philosophical views. 't the same time, the scene ac!nowledges the social dangers of such primordial
impulses, when Ursula and #ermione condescendingly dismiss Bir!ins aggressive and spirited defense of such dar! and sensual
forms of being.
%hen Ursula and Gudrun decide to ta!e a wal! to %illey %ater, Lawrence repeats the trope of a conversational stroll that
becomes an opportunity for the Brangwen sisters to reflect upon the nature of love and its relationship to societys institutions. The
novel first employs this techni2ue in the scene of the sisters wal! through the town of Beldover and their observation of the Crich
wedding. This time, however, the setting emphasi(es the power and freedom of the natural world that eludes the forms of wor!,
discipline, and morality valued by modern culture. This is represented in an allegorical manner by the character of Gerald Crich,
whose na!edness and unrestricted swimming in the la!e connect him to a radically autonomous nature. Gudrun envies this form of
freedom that is socially unavailable to women, and Ursulas comparison of Gerald with a ;8ibelung< further develops Lawrences
characteri(ation of Gerald as a mythical 8ordic figure. ;8ibelung< is the familial name of a powerful royal house in 8ordic and
Germanic mythology. Ursulas reference li!ely alludes to the ichard %agner opera, ;The ing of the 8ibelung,< which is an epic
wor! combining elements of ancient Gree! tragedy with 8ordic myth.
These associations contrast sharply with the setting of the second half of the chapter, where the Brangwen sisters leave the
la!eside and stroll further up the road to )hortlands. Gudruns association of the house with the 3Cth century writers ?ane 'usten
and $orothy %ordsworth tie the Crich family and their estate to social conventions of marriage and family. But when Ursula
observes that Gerald does not fit this model of convention because of his interest in advancing technologies and improvements,
Lawrence suggests that Geralds character cannot fit into the framewor! of familial duty and responsibility e"pected of him = both
because of the mythic, spirited part of his being as well as his compulsion toward modernity. *eanwhile, when the sisters
une"pectedly meet #ermione oddice and Laura Crich, Lawrence associates Gudrun and Ursula with a desire to re0ect the
conventional forms of marriage, wor!, and society implied by their view of the Criches home. Ursulas spirit is compared to a
young shoot growing in the ground that has not yet emerged to flourish in the sunlight. This metaphor aligns her lifes potential
with the vitality and passion of the natural world, but also implies that she may never succeed in brea!ing through the surface to
achieve a life fully lived.
0hapters 3;7
ummary
0hapter 3: In the Train
The chapter opens with upert Bir!in une"pectedly meeting Gerald Crich on the railway platform as both are on their way to
London. Gerald approaches Bir!in and suggests that the two travel together. They sit in the restaurant car and discuss a newspaper
editorial that calls for a new leader with new values to rema!e society. 's they reflect upon this idea, Bir!in constantly critici(es
the societys emphasis on material wealth and production. Gerald suggests that people wor! because producing things is an
essential part of life.
'fter perceiving a moc!ing tone in Geralds voice, Bir!in candidly tells him he hates him. Gerald says he !nows this is true, but
as!s Bir!in why he hates him, and Bir!in does not offer a clear reason. Bir!in instead as!s Gerald what he lives for, and Gerald
replies that he lives simply to live = to find things out, to have e"periences and to productively ma!e things go. Bir!in replies that
he thin!s life should be centered on one single and pure activity, and he uses love as a !ey e"ample.
Bir!in then says he wants to be deeply in love with and married to a woman, and to have it define his lifes center. *eanwhile
Gerald says that he thin!s life has no real center and is simply held together artificially by the ;social mechanism.< The narrator
describes Geralds unac!nowledged desire to be near Bir!in and en0oy the warmth and vitality of their interactions. *eanwhile,
Bir!in !nows that Gerald wants to li!e him and be near him, but not ta!e him seriously, which only ma!es Bir!in feel colder and
harder.
The conversation turns to London, and Gerald as!s Bir!in where he plans to stay. Bir!in tells him he rents a room from a man in
)oho, but that he tires of the people who hang around there. #e describes them as Bohemian artists, musicians, and models, which
intrigues Gerald. Gerald then tells Bir!in hell be in London for several days, and suggests that the two may see each other. Bir!in
agrees and invites him to go with him and his crowd of Bohemian Londoners to the /ompadour at /iccadilly Circus that night.
's the train approaches London, Bir!in feels a disdain for man!ind growing in him, and 2uotes a few lines of obert Brownings
poem, ;Love 'mong the uins.< #e tells Gerald that arriving in London always fills him with despair and doom, as if it were the
end of the world. Gerald as!s if the idea of the world ending frightens Bir!in, who simply shrugs and says he doesnt !now = he
0ust thin!s that people ma!e him feel badly. The two e"it the train and get into a ta"i together, where Bir!in as!s Gerald if he feels
li!e one of the damned upon entering London. Gerald laughs and tells him no, and the chapter ends with Bir!in saying, ;1t is real
death.<
0hapter 5: 0reme de Menthe
Gerald and Bir!in meet in the Caf. /ompadour a few hours after they arrive in London. Gerald enters and sees Bir!in seated at a
table with a stylish, artistic blond girl. Bir!in introduces her as *iss *inette $arrington Da!a the /ussumE, and their conversation
reveals that she is an artists model. Gerald feels a strong attraction to her, which is based on his sense of power over her and his
recognition that she is both a victim and capable of being easily destroyed by his cruelty. ?ulius #alliday, the owner of the house
in )oho where Bir!in rents a room, enters the caf. and comes to their table. #e begins arguing with *inette, and Bir!in calms
him, suggesting that he 0oin their table.
%hile Bir!in and ?ulius spea! with others, Gerald and *inette begin a 2uiet conversation during which she reveals that she has
been romantically entangled with ?ulius and is pregnant. )he resents the fact that ?ulius as!ed her to live with him, but now wants
to !eep her away from London in a country home. ' young ussian, *a"im, 0oins their entourage. Bir!in orders oysters and
champagne for *inette.
%hile they are tal!ing another young man comes to the table and begins ma!ing fun of *inette. )he 0abs a !nife into his hand and
he starts bleeding. ?ulius grows faint at the sight, and *a"im ta!es him away from the table. Gerald and *inette continue to flirt,
and Gerald compares her to a young female panther. ?ulius returns to the table and complains about *inettes behavior. #e
suggests that they all leave the caf. and go to his house.
The group of five crowd into a ta"i, where Gerald and *inette s2uee(e in together. )he holds his hand, stirring Geralds passion.
They arrive at #allidays house and are greeted by his servant. Upon entering the sitting>room, Gerald notices a sculpture of a
;savage< woman giving birth, which he finds compelling. *inette sits on a sofa and ponders her situation, wondering how to go
about seducing Gerald in the house of ?ulius, her former lover. Gerald li!ewise wonders how he and *inette might manage to
come together under the circumstances. Bir!in rises to go to bed and says good night to Gerald. ?ulius then invites Gerald to stay
the evening, and Gerald agrees. *inette mentions that there are only two rooms open for four people, implying that ?ulius is
playing a game to call out her intentions to sleep with Gerald. *a"im says that he and ?ulius will share a room, and *inette leaves
to go to her bedroom. *a"im then tells Gerald ;youre all right< > an implication of consent for Gerard to sleep with *inette.
0hapter 6: <etish
The chapter opens the ne"t morning with Gerald wa!ing ne"t to a sleeping *inette in their post>coital bed. Gerald watches her
sleep and feels a mi"ture of attraction and pity, which arouses his lust. #e decides to let her sleep, however, and leaves the
bedroom.
Gerald enters the sitting>room where he finds #alliday and *a"im, both na!ed and seated by the fire. Gerald finds *a"ims na!ed
body animalistic and humiliating, whereas he compares ?ulius to the image of Christ in a /ieta. ?ulius tells Gerald he longs to live
day to day without the need for clothing, and to be able to ;feel things instead of merely loo!ing at them.< Gerald loo!s again at
*a"ims body and wonders why its healthy and well>made appearance nonetheless repels him.
Bir!in appears at the doorway, freshly bathed, ;aloof and white, and somehow evanescent.< Gerald as!s him to come in and give
his opinion of the wooden sculpture of the woman giving birth. Bir!in says it is ;art< because it ;conveys a complete truth< about
the e"perience of giving birth. Gerald protests that it cannot be called ;high art,< and Bir!in responds that it shows a pureness of
sensation and physicality that ma!es it supreme.
Gerald returns to the bedroom and finds *inette awa!e. )he recoils from him and he decides to leave her alone. The four men,
now dressed, eat brea!fast together. *inette 0oins them at the end. Gerald leaves after they ma!e plans to meet again that night
and attend a party, minus Bir!in. The narrator then describes the following two nights of increasing tension among the company,
which culminates on the fourth evening of Geralds visit. #alliday and Gerald nearly get into a physical altercation at the caf.,
until Gerald decides to leave.
Gerald is frustrated about leaving, because he did not give *inette any money. #e muses that *inette used him to ma!e #alliday
0ealous, which led him eventually to ta!e her bac! under his protection. Gerald believes that this is because #alliday, *a"im, and
other such characters are not ;real< men, and therefore are easily manipulated by *inette. Gerald, meanwhile, is too manly for
*inette to handle. But *inette has Geralds address, and he believes she may very well see! him out for money one day.
0hapter 7: *readalby
Chapter C opens at Breadalby, #ermione oddices estate. Gudrun and Ursula are 0ust arriving for their second visit with
#ermione. The sisters are embarrassed because #ermione comes outside to meet them on the path to the house, rather than
waiting to greet them formally inside. The sisters 0oin other guests, including upert Bir!in, and )ir ?oshua, a famous sociologist,
for lunch outside. The Brangwen sisters find the conversation tedious, and #ermione consistently degrades Bir!in. Lunch ends
and #ermiones brother, 'le"ander oddice, arrives with Gerald Crich. 'le"ander has 0ust been in London and he directs the
conversation immediately to politics and education. #ermione says she highly values education, and )ir ?oshua remar!s
;!nowledge is, of course, liberty.< Bir!in sneers at them both and states that all !nowledge is only !nowledge of the past. Tea is
served, and the group is surprised at how 2uic!ly the day has passed.
#ermione proposes a wal!, and everyone in the group agrees with the e"ception of Bir!in. %hen she as!s why, he tells her he
doesnt li!e ;trooping off in a gang.< $uring the wal!, the Brangwen sisters resentment toward #ermione grows, for her rude
behavior toward Bir!in. %hen the group returns to the house, #ermione immediately see!s out Bir!in, who is in his room alone.
#ermione as!s what he was doing, and sees that he was copying a Chinese drawing of a gaggle of geese. %hen she as!s why,
Bir!in responds cryptically, saying that by copying the drawing he is able to perceive and feel the ;curious stinging bitter heat of a
gooses blood.< #ermione is at a loss for words. )he feels that he has ;destroyed her with some insidious occult potency.<
The time for dinner comes, and the guests reassemble for an e"travagant night, with everyone dressed in evening wear e"cept for
Bir!in and )ir ?oshua. 'fter dinner the guests go to the drawing>room, where they tal! heatedly and mentally e"haust the
Brangwen sisters. #ermione proposes a dance or a song, and it is decided that Ursula, Gudrun, and the 1talian Contessa will
perform a ussian style ballet based on the biblical characters 8aomi, &prah, and uth. $uring the dance, Gerald and Bir!in are
drawn powerfully to Gudrun and Ursula, respectively. 'fter the performance the guests begin a lively dance, in which Gerald and
Bir!in show spirit. #ermione resents Bir!ins sudden eagerness, and the Contessa compares him to chameleon for his rapid
change in attitude.
The group brea!s up to go to bed. #ermione calls Ursula to her room briefly to tal!, but Ursula feels uncomfortable and leaves
when #ermiones maid enters. *eanwhile, Gerald and Bir!in begin a conversation in Bir!ins bedroom about the Brangwen
sisters. Gerald learns that they are both teachers, that their father is a handicraft instructor, and that #ermione is upsetting
traditional class distinctions by inviting them to her home. Bir!in also tells Gerald that Gudrun ma!es compelling models, but he
thin!s she is too flighty ever to become a serious artist. Gerald informs Bir!in of his near altercation with ?ulius, and his desire to
give money to *inette. Bir!in tells him not to bother, and to go to bed. Gerald lingers, and both men feel a faint sense of longing
for each other. Bir!in sends Gerald off to bed.
,irst thing ne"t morning, Gerald revisits the 2uestion of paying *inette, and Bir!in insists that he should simply forget about it.
The two discuss the idea of marriage, and Gerald suggests that in the end it will not ma!e Bir!in completely happy. The men go
down to the dining room for brea!fast, and are the last guests to arrive. #ermione is rude to Bir!in, and after assessing the room
he decides to leave. #ermione suggests that the rest of the group go swimming. They all agree, e"cept for Ursula and Gudrun,
who watch the others swim in #ermiones pond. Gudrun admires Gerald as he swims. Later, when Gerald as!s Gudrun why she
chose not to swim, she tells him that she ;didnt li!e the crowd.< Gerald decides he wants to please Gudrun, and ;fulfill her idea
of a man.<
't lunch, the group begins to discuss the social conditions of humanity. Gerald argues that society is a mechanism, and people
should wor! to fit their public roles while doing as they please in their private lives. #ermione says that all humans are e2ual in
spirit and the struggle for power and domination should end. The guests fall silent, and most of the group leaves the table. Bir!in
tells #ermione that in fact people are 2ualitatively different in spirit. #e argues that one man is no better than another because they
are irreducibly and uni2uely different, not because they are e2ual. #ermione feels a ;dynamic hatred and loathing< for him. Bir!in
leaves, but soon after decides to visit #ermione in her room and try to ma!e up with her. %hile he is standing with his bac!
turned, #ermione is overta!en by an intense aggression, grabs a paperweight and smashes it against Bir!ins head with the
intention of !illing him. The first blow stuns him severely, but he turns around and protects himself from #ermiones second
stri!e. #e manages to escape and goes outside, heading for the nearest train station. #e writes a note to #ermione, saying that she
need not worry about attac!ing him but that things are over between them, and he is heading into town.
Analysis
1n Gerald and Bir!ins conversation on the train, Lawrence ma!es fre2uent allusions to the philosophy of ,reidrich 8iet(sche, of
whom the author was an avid reader. The newspaper columns editorial piece calls for a new leader to establish a modern set of
political and social values. This was a common call in Lawrences -urope, where *ar"ist socialism and ,reudian psychoanalysis,
among other sciences of political economy and psychology, were being championed as new paradigms that could lead to a
liberated humanity. But Bir!ins character is s!eptical of such claims, and his position strongly resembles 8iet(sches concept of a
;transvaluation of all values.< Li!e 8iet(sche, Bir!in suggests that the desire to replace social values = religious, political
economic, moral, etc. = with a new set of values cannot result in meaningful liberation. This is because such desire retains faith in
the false concepts of good and evil, which 8iet(sche argues are products of a wea!ened and dispirited form of morality, which
-urope inherited from Christianity. Bir!in reflects this 8iet(schean position when he says that in order to truly ;go for something
better< we must completely ;smash the old< and avoid ma!ing proposals that only amount to repetition of the same, tireless game.
This is why Bir!in appeals to the idea of ;one really pure single activity< to occupy the center of life, driving the individual to his
or her own truth.
's the train approaches London, Bir!in 2uotes a few lines from obert Brownings poem, ;Love 'mong the uins.< The poem is
a melancholic memorial to a time long past, when heroic values and epic struggles defined human endeavors. Bir!ins citation of
the poem implies a fallen, ruined condition of modernity = his contemporary -uropean culture lac!s the vital spirit that once
determined societal values. 1t also reinforces the association of Bir!ins character with an apocalyptic view of humanitys future.
This feeling sets the stage for their entry to London, where Bir!in and Gerald hobnob with a Bohemian, artistic group whose
nihilistic, decadent behavior lac!s meaning and vitality.
't Caf. /ompadour, Gerald becomes infatuated with *inette, and is especially impressed when she grabs a !nife and stabs the
hand of the man who insults her. Gerald then tells her that she is ;a young, female panther.< This metaphor recalls Gudruns early
association of Gerald with a totem of the wolfA at this moment, Geralds animalistic and instinctual urges rise up. ' savage
eroticism connects him with *inette, further developing Lawrences theme of the conflict between primal desires and social
conventions, through a miniature drama of aggression played out at a civili(ed caf. table. This theme continues when the two
arrive at the home of ?ulius #alliday, and Gerald observes the totem>li!e sculpture of a woman giving birth, which also
symboli(es *inettes imminent labor. The raw and unadulterated nature of the passion that Gerald and *inette feel is in star!
opposition to the highly styli(ed artistry of #allidays home, and to the social decorum displayed when ?ulius invites Gerald to
stay. The night ends with an elaborate game of conversation that ends with *a"im indirectly informing Gerald that he may sleep
with *inette.
*a"ims role as a ;go>between< who sanctions Geralds erotic consummation with *inette also encodes a homoerotic suggestion
of *a"ims attachment to ?ulius. %hen *a"im announces that he and ?ulius will ;share a room< and the narrator mentions that
*a"im and ?ulius ;were friends since -ton,< Lawrence suggests that the two men share an intimate and erotic connection, which
was established when they were schoolboys. This implication is more fully developed in chapter H, when Gerald emerges the ne"t
morning from *inettes bedroom to find ?ulius and *a"im sitting by the fire, na!ed. 1n this chapter, Gerald both erotically
aesthetici(es and loathes male bodies. #e compares ?ulius to a scene of the Christian pieta, while he finds *a"ims na!ed figure
simultaneously well made and disgusting. These mi"ed reactions develop another angle on Lawrences theme of repressed desire,
in an e"clusively male setting at a time when homose"uality was e"tremely taboo in -nglish society.
1n chapter C, #ermiones attac! on Bir!in can be read in light of their conversation regarding the nature of e2uality and the power
of the spirit. 1t also resembles *inettes attac! on ?ulius in the previous chapter, although the social setting now is an upper>class
estate rather than a seedy London nightclub. ?ust before she attac!s him, Bir!in rightly accuses #ermione of paying lip service to
an empty and abstract principle of e2uality when she states that humans are ;all e2ual in the spirit.< #ermione claims that the
recognition of this fact should put an end to the struggles for power and domination in society. But Bir!in forces #ermione to
recogni(e that her position is facetious, and that a vital spirit of difference must drive human endeavors if they are to have true
meaning. Bir!ins defense of a singular, uni2ue spirit understands humans to be radically different from each other, and this
8iet(schean position suggests that only through combative striving can individuals lift themselves and their worlds to new heights
of achievement.
#ermiones attac! against Bir!in represents her attempt to live up to this e"treme concept of spirited individuality, since she is
described as being overta!en by a ;delirium of pleasure< and ;ecstasy< when she smashes the paperweight against his head. But
Lawrence also implies that #ermiones response in this situation is a failed attempt, or a misunderstanding of this idea, because it
is based upon her resentment for Bir!in rather than a genuine act of creative, striving passion. #ermiones failure is illustrated by
the chapters concluding description of her e"treme feelings of ;e"clusive righteousness< and ;self>esteem< after attac!ing Bir!in,
which only lead her into a state of self>assured indulgence.
0hapters 8;&.
Analysis
0hapter 8:0oal;dust
%al!ing home one day after school, Ursula and Gudrun stop at the railway crossing.Gerald Crich rides up to the crossing on a
stately mare, and Gudrun admires him. 's the train approaches, however, the horse spoo!s. Gerald and the mare begin a battle
bac! and forth as the horse attempts to flee from the noise and presence of the oncoming train, and Gerald attempts to control the
horse and force it to stay put under his command.
's the Brangwen sisters watch the struggle unfold between Gerald and the mare, Gudrun first feels a compulsive attraction toward
Gerald, and feels herself falling under the grasp of his will. Ursula has the opposite reaction, and calls out that Gerald should ride
away until the train passes. Gerald becomes even more violent with the horse, driving his spurs into her side until she bleeds.
Gudrun grows faint at the sight. The train eventually passes, and the sisters hurry to open the gate and cross. Gerald rides away
2uic!ly while the train gate!eeper comments on Geralds masterful 0oc!eying. Ursula protests that it was a display of unnecessary
brutality. The gate!eeper responds that a show of dominance is a necessary part of the horses training, in order to ma!e her
capable of withstanding anything.
's the sisters !eep wal!ing home, they encounter a pair of unsavory wor!ing>class men on the road, who ma!e crude 0o!es about
what price they would pay to prostitute the girls. The sisters continue, wal!ing through a neighborhood of miners houses. Gudrun
watches a miner bathe himself, and feels overwhelmed by the dar! physicality of the atmosphere surrounding the wor!ers. )he
finds it ;potent and half>repulsive,< and the narrator begins to describe Gudruns fre2uent, nostalgic wanderings among the
miners section of town during evenings and wee!end mar!ets. %hile on these strolls, Gudrun often meets /almer, a young
electrician and scientist wor!ing for the Criches mining operation, who en0oys sociology. /almer is in love with Ursula and
!nows her as a friend, but he spends time with Gudrun.
0hapter &9: ketch;book
Ursula and Gudrun sit beside %illey %ater one morning, s!etching. Gudrun is seated on a shoal, drawing water plants that shoot
up from the mud. Ursula watches butterflies flit near the water. Both sisters are absorbed in their views of nature.
Gudrun is brought out of her trance by the sound of oars clan!ing. )he loo!s to the water and sees #ermione and Gerald in a boat.
#ermione notices Gudrun, and tells Gerald they should go say hello. Gerald directs the boat to Gudruns spot on the shoal.
#ermione as!s Gudrun what she is doing, and then as!s to see her s!etches.
Gudrun reluctantly hands over the s!etchboo! to Gerald, and they share a loo! of intense feeling. #ermione loo!s through
Gudruns s!etches and blithely points out the plants that Gudrun has drawn. Gerald as!s to loo! at the boo!, but #ermione ignores
him. %hen he reaches for the boo!, #ermione releases it before he can grasp it, and it falls into the water. #ermione ma!es a
rushed apology and sneeringly as!s Gerald to retrieve the boo! from the water.
'fter Gerald fetches the dripping wet boo!, he hands it bac! to Gudrun. #ermione continues to apologi(e, offering to buy Gudrun
a new boo!. Gudrun insists that the event is ;entirely trivial< and that if anyone bears blame for dropping the boo!, it is Gerald.
#e is meanwhile enamored of Gudruns cold yet calm handling of #ermione. %hen Gudrun tells #ermione that ;it doesnt matter
in the least,< she loo!s at Gerald and reali(es that she has subtly gained a secret power over him, and that ;a sort of diabolic
freemasonry subsisted between them.< ,rom now on she !nows that he will be helpless under her control. #ermione and Gerald
say farewell and row away, as Geralds mind and attention remain focused in good humor on Gudrun, which infuriates #ermione.
0hapter &&: An Island
's the previous chapters events unfold between Gudrun, Gerald, and #ermione, Ursula leaves %illey %ater and tre!s alongside a
stream, arriving at a nearby mill>house with a pond. 's she nears the pond she notices a man on the ban!, wor!ing on a small boat.
1t turns out to be upert Bir!in. #e as!s Ursula if she can help him determine if his repairs to the punt, or boat, are sufficient. #e
0o!es that she will !now since she is her fathers daughter, and her father is an instructor in handicrafts. Ursula ta!es a loo! but
admits she !nows nothing about carpentry, despite the fact that her father is an e"pert. )he tells upert the craft loo!s fine, and he
decides to test it by sailing onto a small island. #e comes bac! to pic! Ursula up and the two go on to the island.
They land under a willow tree and 0o!e about the idyllic scene. Ursula notices that Bir!in loo!s unwell, and as!s if he has been ill.
#e says yes, but he doesnt e"plain that he has been recovering from #ermiones attac! on him with the paperweight. Ursula as!s
if Bir!in was frightened to be ill, and Bir!in tells her he thin!s that real illness is a conse2uence of not living properly, and that the
failure to live is more humiliating than illness itself. This statement disturbs Ursula because she senses its truth, and she falsely
tells Bir!in that she is happy and finds life 0olly.
's they continue tal!ing, Bir!in tells Ursula that ;man!ind is a dead tree< and that peoples insides are ;full of bitter, corrupt ash.<
#uman beings pay lip service to love, when in fact all they do is cultivate hatred. Bir!in claims he loathers humanity, and argues
that the natural world would be better off without the e"istence of humans. Creation, Bir!in observes, in no way depends upon
human beings. 't first Ursula protests against his ideas, but as she stops to consider a fantasy of the world without humans, she
finds it appealing.
Ursula as!s Bir!in if he believes in love, and he replies that he thin!s it is simply one of many emotions that are part of any
human relationship. Ursula finds Bir!in to be detestably ;priggish< yet chiseled and attractive. The duality of feeling goes deep
inside her, and ma!es Ursula feel a strong hatred for Bir!in. They continue to debate what love is and whether it retains any real
value for their world. Ursula tosses daisies into the water and they decide to return to shore.
The two fall into an uncomfortable silence, and in a brief moment of feeling Bir!in tells Ursula that he is now lodging at the mill
house, and suggests that they can spend some time together. Ursula ignores the implication, and Bir!in becomes distant again. #e
goes on to say that he detests his 0ob and thin!s he will 2uit, instead simply live on his I77 pound a year inheritance. Ursula as!s
him about #ermione, and Bir!in e"plains that their relationship is completely over. The two hear dogs bar!ing, which Bir!in
!nows to be Gerald and #ermione arriving to inspect his new rooms. #e invites Ursula to 0oin them, which she does hesitantly.
0hapter &.: 0arpeting
Ursula and Bir!in enter the mill house, where they find #ermione and Gerald spea!ing with *rs. )almon, the wife of the mill
house laborer and careta!er. ' cage full of canaries chirps loudly. The group watches as *rs. )almon drapes a blan!et over the
cage, fooling the birds into thin!ing the evening has come so they will go to sleep. #ermione and Ursula marvel at how simply the
canaries have been fooled, and #ermione compares one of the sleeping birds to a ;stupid husband.<
The group decides to inspect Bir!ins new lodgings and measure the si(e of the rooms. *rs. )almon prepares tea for them, which
they decide to ta!e outside on the ban! of the pond. #ermione bossily ta!es over the 0ob of measuring the rooms, beginning with
the dining room and moving into the study, telling Bir!in she plans to give him an e"pensive rug for his study. The finish
measuring the bedroom and go outside for tea.
&utside, Ursula tells Gerald that she was upset with him the other day at the train crossing, for treating his horse so badly. Gerald
responds that he simply has to train the mare not to be frightened of loud noises, and to stand strong. This begins a discussion
among the four friends concerning whether humans should naturally use their will to dominate the will of animals. Bir!in suggests
that horses are li!e women, insofar as both have two wills acting in opposition = a will to toss her rider and run free, and a will to
be ruled by her rider through the power of love.
#ermione and Ursula detach from the men and stroll together, feeling a sense a deep affection. *eanwhile, Gerald is drawn to
Bir!in and to his statements about the dual will of horses. #ermione tells Ursula that she is tired of criticism and analysis of life,
and instead wants to appreciate the holiness and beauty of things. Ursula agrees, saying some things must be ;left to the Lord.<
They agree that Bir!in tears everything apart, and his over analysis of life doesnt ;allow any possibility of flowering.< But this
sudden agreement mutates sharply into an e"treme mistrust and competitive revulsion. They re0oin the men, and Ursula decides to
go home. &n her way, she senses an internal conflict in her feelings about both #ermione and Bir!in, finding herself attracted but
hostile toward both.
Analysis
%hen the Brangwen sisters encounter Gerald Crich at the train crossing, the setting recalls Geralds une"pected meeting with
Bir!in at the train station, on their way to London, in chapter :. #ere, however, the setting connotes Lawrences theme of the
conflict between mythic naturalism and modern technological society, manifested through the character of Gerald Crich. 's he sits
astride his mare, he attempts to control her fear and primal urge to flee from the oncoming train. The horse is a metaphor for both
the human passions and the natural world that technology attempts to master, while the train represents the 2uic!>paced onslaught
of technological advancement, which threatens to run out of control. The Brangwen sisters observe the struggle between Gerald
and the horse with fear and distaste, finding Geralds forceful discipline to be unnecessarily cruel. Ursulas reaction in particular
represents the idea that human attempts to master and control our natural instincts are a form of unwarranted violence against the
primal self. #er response is to cry out to Gerald to let the horse flee. But Gudrun finds this display of Geralds will enticing, and
she feels that she cannot get out of his grasp. The sisters different reactions to the scene foreshadow upert Bir!ins claim in
chapter 36 that women are split between the will to run free and the will to be dominated in love.
's Gudrun and Ursula wal! through Beldover afterwards, Lawrences descriptions of the miners and their residences emphasi(es
a dar! physicality to wor!ing class life. -ven the dialect in which the miners spea! conveys an atmospheric thic!ness that Gudrun
feels enveloping her in a ;labourers caress.< The tone and setting evo!e a nostalgic attraction for wor!ing class life, of which
Gudrun is somewhat ashamed. This is her heritage, since her father is a handicraft laborer and she is a schoolteacher. But she also
longs to leave it behind, since she has studied art in London and now finds herself among the social elite. This conflict sets the
stage for her view of Gerald on the boat in chapter 37, where she thin!s that Gerald can be the vehicle of her escape from the
;heavy slough of the pale, underworld, automatic colliers.<
The s!etchboo! scene in chapter 37 indicates that a powerful emotional transference is ta!ing place between Gerald and Gudrun.
%hen Gudrun first sees Gerald she imagines he can help her escape her wor!ing class history, while Gerald thin!s that Gudrun is
;still nobody< to him, and he will simply observe as #ermione goes about dissolving the class differences that ought to !eep her
and Gerald from bothering to spea! to Gudrun. But the dynamic of power suddenly and radically shifts in Gudruns favor, as her
cold yet strong demeanor captivates him. Gudrun manages to overturn Geralds confidence in his class standing, by sub0ecting his
desire to a woman whose class status is below his own. This situation contrasts sharply with Geralds earlier estimation of *inette
and his power over her, which he found to be securely grounded in his superior class position and wealth.
1n chapter 33, when Bir!in and Ursula arrive on the tiny island, they ma!e some significant allusions to wor!s of literature and art.
Bir!in first mentions /aul et @irginie, a ,rench novel in which two lovers live a utopian e"istence on the island of *auritius.
Ursula then 0o!es that one could have ;%atteau picnics< on the little island they have, a reference to the baro2ue naturalism of
,rench painter 'ntoine %atteau. %atteau painted scenes of idyllic life and leisure in the natural world. But Bir!in and Ursulas
allusions to these ,rench wor!s are ironic. They serve as symbols of decadence and empty values, which Bir!in goes on to
chastise in his discussion with Ursula about love and human!ind. To live a truly vigorous, passionate life re2uires moving through
periods of destruction, according to Bir!in. ' life of ease and simplistic pleasures leads to an empty concept of ;love,< which he
believes has poisoned humanity.
%hen Ursula and Bir!in 0oin #ermione and Gerald at the mill house in chapter 36, their conversation returns to the metaphor of
the rider astride his horse that Lawrence introduced in chapter 4. Bir!in claims that horses are divided between the will to re0ect
their rider and flee, and the will to remain under the riders control. #e e"tends this analogy to the situation of women, arguing
that the desire to fall in love is a desire to ;resign your will to the higher being.< But Bir!in does not advocate this fate, and
instead tells the group that it is dangerous and unwise to ;domesticate even horses, let alone women.< This statement implies his
re0ection of conventional models of love and marriage, which he understands to stifle the passionate soul and become an obstacle
to deeper, truer love. But his outlandish perspective disturbs #ermione and Ursula, who remain bound to their more traditional
views of marital union, love, and beauty.
0hapters &/;&5
ummary
0hapter &/: Mino
Ursula waits impatiently, and finally receives an invitation to tea from upert Bir!in. #e invites both Ursula and Gudrun, but
Ursula decides not to tell her sister so that she may go alone. 's she arrives, she begins to feel ta!en outside of herself. )he meets
Bir!in and sees that he too feels uneasy. #e as!s about Gudrun, and when Ursula tells him she could not attend, he instantly
guesses the truth behind Ursulas words. They begin to tal! in earnest.
Bir!in tells Ursula that if they are going to be friends, she must commit to a ;final and irrevocable< sort of pledge > but not one of
love. Ursula as!s if he means that he doesnt love her, and Bir!in tells her no. #e wants their connection to be founded on
something ;beyond JloveK, where there is no speech, and no terms of agreement.< #e tells Ursula he wants this truer aspect of
their individual selves, this impulsive and ;inhuman< part, to fully ta!e place and define their relationship. Ursula finds Bir!ins
comments to be wearisome. )he presses him, as!ing if he doesnt find her attractive or have some feelings of love for her, why did
he invite her to teaF )he believes he loves her, but will not admit it. Bir!in responds by saying 2uite earnestly that he wants a
;strange con0unction< with Ursula, a ;pure balance of two single beings.< Ursula tells him this all seems a bit sudden, and he
laughingly replies that it is best to read the terms of the contract before one signs.
The two watch as Bir!ins male cat *ino rises from the couch and darts outside. They follow it to the garden, where they see a
wild female cat that *ino is after. The two cats begin a game of wild flirtation, and *ino pounces on the stray, hitting her with his
paws in a display of dominance. Ursula protests at *inos behavior, as Bir!in laughs and says it is naturally appropriate. Ursula
argues that it is a presumption of male superiority, and 0ust li!e Gerald Crichs bullying of the horse, very ;base and petty.< Bir!in
says without the *ino, the female cat is merely a stray, and compares the situation to a star !eeping a planet in its orbit. Ursula
0umps critically onto his metaphor, saying that it gives away his true feeling about the terms of their relationship > that he would be
the star and she the satellite, !ept in his orbit. Bir!in protests, and they are interrupted when the landlady calls them for tea.
's they sit for tea, Bir!in argues that he meant he and Ursula should be as ;two single e2ual stars balanced in con0unction,< rather
than one orbiting the other. Ursula changes the sub0ect by commenting on Bir!ins fine china tea set, but Bir!in brings it bac! to
his theory on the relation between a man and a woman. #e says that love must be a commitment to remain in a balanced
con0unction. Ursula tells him she doesnt believe that he actually wants to be in love, however, because he tal!s too much about it
and doesnt simply allow himself to love. #e retorts that her idea of love is to subordinate all aspects of the self to it, and to be
subservient. They haggle until they grow weary.
Bir!in shifts the conversation by as!ing Ursula to tell him about her family, the Brangwens. )he relates her family history as well
as an account of her first love, )!rebens!y, while Bir!in listens attentively and finds her beauty compelling. #e 0o!es that all of us
;have suffered too much,< and Ursula agrees with laughter. )he moves closer to Bir!in and as!s him to tell he loves her, putting
her arms around his nec!. #e !isses her and tells her in a half>moc!ing tone of submission that he loves her, and that he is ;bored
by the rest.<
0hapter &2: Water;party
The Criches annual party on %illey %ater la!e arrives, and the Brangwen sisters decide to attend along with their parents.
Gudrun and Ursula dress stylishly and with flamboyance, and on the way to the party laugh at their parents more traditional attire.
The Brangwens arrive and upert Bir!in greets Ursulas parents. #ermione oddice comes to them and escorts the Brangwen
parents to meet Laura Crich, who is acting as host, and Gerald Crich. Gerald helps to launch a boat full of party guests onto the
water, and as!s the sisters if they would li!e to go on the ne"t turn. They tell him no, and Gudrun e"plains that she finds such boat
rides to be overly crowded with banal, wor!ing>class types.
The sisters as! instead if there is a small boat they can ta!e onto the water. Gerald offers to let them use his light rowboat, and to
give them a picnic bas!et to ta!e along. The sisters happily agree, and Gerald calls after Bir!in to help him load the boat. Gudrun
notices that Geralds hand is inured and bandaged, and e"presses concern. #e tells her he crushed his fingers in some machinery,
but that the hand is now healing. The sisters enter the water on the boat, and row over to a removed !noll where a small stream
enters the la!e. emoved from the public eye, they decide to undress and swim. 'fter they swim, the two sisters dance in the
sunshine. They ta!e tea, and begin to sing. ' group of cattle watch them.
)uddenly they hear a voice call out and reali(e that Gerald and Bir!in have come loo!ing for the sisters. Gudrun e"presses some
anger at them for invading the sisters tea party, and marches away. Gerald follows her, while Bir!in goes to tal! to Ursula. #e
playfully dances for her. *eanwhile, Gudrun begins to frighten the group of cattle, and Gerald warns her against it. This ma!es
her all the more lively, and she ends up bac!handing Gerald across the face. ;Lou have struc! the first blow,< he tells her, and
Gudrun replies that she ;shall stri!e the last.< Gudrun turns away and goes bac! to the la!e. Gerald follows, and when he arrives
Gudrun softly tells him not to be angry with her. #e responds that he isnt angry, but he is in love with Gudrun. #e ta!es her hand,
and they re0oin Bir!in and Ursula.
Bir!in has been teasing Ursula about the nearby marsh, telling her that it ;seethes and seethes< li!e a ;river of dar!ness.< #e goes
on to describe a vision of the cosmos in which life is intermi"ed with death. The power of 'phrodite, Gree! goddess of love, is
combined with ;universal dissolution,< and the beginning is mingled with the end. Ursula tells Bir!in he only ;wants us to !now
death< and Gerald suddenly emerges from the dus!, saying, ;Loure 2uite right.<
8ight falls, and the group begins to smo!e cigarettes while Bir!in lights lanterns. They decide to split up into two boats and return
to the party = Gudrun with Gerald, and Ursula with Bir!in. Gerald and Gudrun share a romantic e"change while on the boat, and
both want to stay away from the party. )uddenly they hear a childs voice cry out ;$i>$i>&h>$i< and Gerald recogni(es that it
must be someone calling out for his sister, $iana. They come to the large party boat and its captain informs Gerald that his sister
$iana went into the water and is missing, along with the younger $r. Brindall, who went after her. Gerald goes into the water,
trying to find them. 'fter several tries upert Bir!in pic!s him up and ta!es him to shore, despite Geralds protestations.
&n shore, Gerald and his father meet, and they decide that there is no longer any hope of finding the two alive. *r. Crich says that
the sluice should be let out to drain the la!e. Gerald says goodbye to Gudrun and Bir!in escorts him to the house. The sisters wait,
and when Bir!in returns Gudrun goes home. Bir!in as!s Ursula to 0oin him in at the sluice. The two tal! about death and love, and
embrace passionately on the road above the la!e. Bir!in is overwhelmed and wanders bac! home, where he finds a group of men
dragging the la!e bottom for $iana and the doctor. Gerald is among them, and Bir!in tries to ma!e him leave and accompany
Bir!in home. Gerald insists that he must stay and see the tas! to the end. The two e"change an intense feeling of concern, and
Bir!in leaves. 8ear dawn, the bodies of the dead are found. $iana is grasping the nec! of $r. Brindall, leading Gerald to proclaim
that she !illed him by accidentally cho!ing him as he tried to rescue her.
0hapter &3: unday #vening
Ursula is passionately in love with Bir!in, and waits for him to visit her at home the day after the drowning accident. 's the hours
pass, she feels her life>blood wea!ening and despair set in. )he mulls over her dar! desire for death, deciding that death is better,
more true to the spirit than a life of mechanical process and production. )he finds a strange gladness in loo!ing forward to ;the
pure inhuman otherness of death.< )he feels as if she has gone deeply into the powerful and ;ultimate dar!ness of her own soul.<
The bell rings, and it is Bir!in. 1t is a rainy evening outside, as Bir!in stands at her door and tells Ursula he is glad to find her at
home. Ursula tells him that her parents, Gudrun, and the older siblings are at church. )he is watching her two younger siblings,
and tells them to get ready for bed. Bir!in and Ursula go into the drawing room.
Bir!in as!s Ursula what she has been doing all day, and she tells him she has only been sitting about. #e senses a shift in her but is
unsure of its meaning. The two children, Billy and $ora, call out to her and she opens the door to find them waiting to be put to
bed. The children reflect an angelic appearance, and Ursula as!s them to say good night to Bir!in. Billy gives Bir!in a tender good
night !iss, but $ora is afraid. Ursula ta!es them upstairs to hear their prayers and tuc! them in.
%hen she returns she tells Bir!in that he loo!s 2uite ill. #e says he hadnt thought about his health, and Ursula chastises him for
not ta!ing better care of himself. )he says it is terrible that he is so out of touch with his own body he does not even recogni(e
when he is sic!. #er parents return from church along with Gudrun and the older siblings.
*r. Brangwen greets Bir!in, and *rs. Brangwen as!s him about things at )hortlands, the Crich home. Bir!in says it is an
;overe"cited and unwholesome< scene there, and it would be better if the family grieved in private rather than having so many
people present. Gudrun agrees with him, but *rs. Brangwen says that bearing such events are e"tremely difficult. Bir!in leaves.
Ursula finds herself full of a pure and intense hatred for Bir!in, but is utterly unsure of its source or reason. 1t continues for days,
even when she hears that he has fallen ill again. )he feels she cannot escape this sudden ;transfiguration of hatred that had come
upon her.<
0hapter &5: Man to Man
Bir!in sits at home, feeling e"tremely ill and near to death. #e reflects on Ursulas offer of love to him, but feels that he cannot
accept it because it is based on the ;old way of love< that he views as a form of bondage or conscription. #e associates Ursula
with a female tendency to be overly maternal. #e also imagines se"ual difference between men and women to be the result of a
process of increasing purification from a state of mi"ed being.
Gerald comes to visit Bir!in while he is laid up. #e feels love for Bir!in, but continues to thin! a union with his friend is unreal
and impractical. The two discuss Bir!ins poor health and Geralds continued focus on wor! and the company. Bir!in as!s Gerald
about Gudrun, and Gerald tells him that the last time they saw each other she struc! him across the face. Bir!in 0o!es that perhaps
;the 'ma(on suddenly came up in her.< Gerald tells him that his mother has been strangely unaffected by $ianas drowning, and
that Gerald has not been able to grieve.
The two continue to tal! about Geralds father, and his younger sister %innie, whom Gerald thin!s should be sent off to boarding
school. Bir!in says she is of a special nature and ought not to be sent away. #e says that people with special natures, such as
%innies and Gerald, ought to ma!e their own special world. #e suggests that he and Gerald together can also ma!e a special
world. Gerald feels drawn to Bir!in, and Bir!in suddenly reali(es that he loves Gerald, and has loved him for some time.
Bir!in suggests that the two men swear an oath of love to each other > the 9Bruderschaft9, a brotherhood symboli(ed by the
e"change of blood. Gerald hesitates, even though inside he is pleased by Bir!ins proposal. Gerald tells him he must wait until he
understands it better. Bir!in is hurt and disappointed, but does not say so. Bir!in changes the topic by as!ing if Gerald can perhaps
get a governess to educate %innie. Gerald says #ermione has suggested they hire Gudrun to teach art to %inifred, as the girl has
displayed an artistic sensibility. Bir!in endorses the idea. Gerald decides he must leave and return to wor!, though he tells Bir!in
he will visit again soon. The men e"change a heartfelt goodbye.
Analysis
1n Chapter 35, upert Bir!in attempts to draft a new model of a social contract, and proposes it to Ursula. This foreshadows his
eventual marriage proposal, but it also reveals that Bir!in does not want a conventional marriage, which would be founded on the
norms of society. 1nstead, he longs for a mystical and cosmic e2uilibrium between two individuals. Bir!in imagines a relationship
that would abandon the terms of society and e"plore a more radical form of connection between he and Ursula. Bir!ins image of
this uni2ue relationship is a balanced con0unction between two heavenly bodies. -ach body retains its own complete independence
of spirit, but e"ists in harmony alongside the other. This cosmic imagery and its radical implications for a contract between Ursula
and Bir!in further aligns his character with the 8iet(schean call for a ;transvaluation of all values,< and continues to develop
Lawrences theme of the conflict between the desire for a conventional marriage and a more uni2ue union, often felt by
passionate, creative souls.
%hen the Brangwen sisters are wal!ing with their parents to the Criches water>party in chapter 3I, their flamboyant style
suggests their uni2ueness and standing outside of the accepted social order. Their parents more traditional and frumpy attire
contrasts with the sisters brightly colored and whimsical dress. The girls ma!e fun of their parents appearance, which puts *r.
Brangwen in a foul mood and leads him to critici(e the girls+ ostentatious public display. 's soon as they arrive the sisters decide
to escape from the party, which reinforces the theme that they are liminal, outsider figures. The sisters dont fit into the wor!ing
class strictures handed down to them by their parents and position, but they also arent upper class aristocrats.
The sisters lac! of a clear class fit is symboli(ed when they flee to the !noll, which is a pastoral escape from the confines of the
party. The Criches party serves as an allegory for the social world of established class values, practices, and entertainment that the
sisters detest. Lawrence compares them to nymphs, or seductive spirits of the natural world that defy the laws and standards of
civili(ation. They dance among a group of cattle, a sacred and mystical animal in #indu culture, which associates cattle with the
gift of life. These associations with the Brangwen sisters in turn fuel Bir!in and Geralds desire, as the two men leave the party
and decide to follow the ladies to their secret shade. These are lively e"periences in the forest setting, which contrast sharply with
the scene of $ianas drowning later that night at the party.
1n chapter 3:, Ursula sits alone at home and contemplates death. )he connects death with sleep, and thus with a cycle of rebirth of
which she is part. #er intense reflections recall the imagery of death and love that shaped Bir!ins strange cosmic rant in the
previous chapter. %hen Bir!in arrives to see Ursula, he notices a change in her. 1t seems that she has begun to shift her demeanor,
becoming part of the aligned con0unction of stars that Bir!in as!s for in their contract of ;friendship.< But this apparent
connection with Bir!in is suddenly transfigured into a sharp and intense hatred at the end of the chapter. )he finds his remar!s
about the Criches response to $ianas death to be callous and unfeeling. 't the end of the chapter, Bir!in leaves Ursula in a state
of irrational yet transcendently pure emotion. )he e"periences a hatred that burns li!e a white flame and ties her to Bir!in even
more intensely.
Geralds visit to Bir!in in chapter 3M solidifies the passionate bond between them. Gerald seems unsure of why he is so attracted
to Bir!in, which suggests a repressed erotic desires at wor!. Gerald sees in Bir!ins eyes an ;ama(ing attractive goodliness< but he
also fears the fact that Bir!in is so fiercely independent. This prevents Gerald from giving in to his strong feelings for Bir!in.
*eanwhile, as the two men visit, Bir!in finds himself suddenly ;confronted with the problem of love and eternal con0unction
between two men.< #e reali(es that he is in love with Gerald, but remains uncertain of the implications of that love. 's with
Gudrun, Bir!in wants to establish a contractual bond or promise with Gerald, and so he proposes the ;Bruderschaft.< But his idea
frightens Gerald even more, because the idea ma!es him more attracted to Bir!in. #is only response is to suspend the possibility,
and to repress his emotion even further. The scene of passionate love and attraction between the two men develops the novels
theme of the nature of desire and social repression.
0hapters &6;.9
ummary
0hapter &6: The Industrial Magnate
Ursula and Gudrun turn away from Bir!in and Gerald and begin pursuing other endeavors. Gudrun plans to travel, and writes to
friends in -urope to in2uire about lodging. &ne day the sisters stop at a cottage in %illey Green to buy honey from *rs. Gir!. )he
tells them that *r. Crich is 2uite ill, having ta!en a turn for the worse after $ianas drowning. )he also tells Gudrun that she once
served as a nurse for Gerald, whom she describes as a young ;demon.<
The narrator turns to discuss the case of *r. Crich, who is dying. #is life has been one of struggle with his wife, Christiana, who
resents *r. Crichs philanthropy. *r. Crich is described as a devout Christian who believes his miners hold the !ey to salvation, so
he tries to care for them as best he can. Christiana loathes the poor and her husbands desire to help them, but *r. Crich loves her
passionately all the same. *rs. Crich has slowly lost interest in her life and in her children, including Gerald, who was once the
center of her life. )ince Gerald has returned home to run the family business, however, his father has become much closer to him
and now trusts him completely with the familys estate and interests.
*r. Crichs most beloved child is his youngest daughter, %inifred. #e feels a deep an"iety about her welfare and future, since he
!nows he will die soon. *r. Crich believes that %inifred is an ;odd, sensitive, inflammable child< who is also deeply intelligent.
)he is also described as a ;pure anarchist, JandK a pure aristocrat at once.< *r. Crich feels that his fate depends upon ma!ing sure
%inifred will be happy. %hen he hears that Gudrun might be hired to teach %inifred, he thin!s he may have found a solution.
's *r. Crich wastes away, Gerald is overwhelmed. #e feels that his world is being torn apart because *r. Crich was the anchor of
the family and the figurehead of the colliery. Gerald recalls how he hated the drudgery of the family business as a child, and
instead imagined himself a #omeric hero. #e attended universities in Germany to get away from -ngland, but eventually Gerald
came bac! to his family and to the mines. But his motivation to begin wor!ing in the mines and improving the companys business
was ;his will to sub0ugate *atter to his own ends,< rather than the accumulation of wealth. Gerald remembers the miners stri!es
that too! place when he was a boy, which upset the delicate balance of power that *r. Crich held over his wor!ers.
's Gerald came into adulthood, he began to decide that he must reform the mining operation from the inside, and develop a more
efficient, advanced, and powerful approach. #e grew determined to master the materials of the earth through the combined powers
of his own will and the productive capacity of labor organi(ed into processes of mechanical repetition. )lowly, Gerald too! over
more and more of the companys activities, bringing engineers and new machinery into the mines to improve the operation
through science and technology. These reforms forced the miners to wor! harder than ever before. 't first they hated Gerald and
his new system, but they slowly have come to see and appreciate this new power, and they begin to throw themselves actively into
the increased productivity and superior functioning. Geralds system therefore succeeds. But it has also brought fear to Gerald,
who worries that his will now lac!s a meaningful purpose.
0hapter &7: Rabbit
Gudrun feels that she must go to )hortlands and accept the position as %inifreds teacher, but she also thin!s that this will lead her
inevitably to become Geralds lover. )he decides to go at least for a brief time, before she leaves for -urope. )he meets with *r.
Crich in his library, where he brings in %inifred. %hen Gudrun and %inifred meet the child is underwhelmed, and their first few
interactions are aw!ward. But they soon develop a rapport. %inifred is both ;playful and slightly moc!ing,< and she and Gudrun
begin to construct a ;ma!e>belief world< in which they meet and conduct lessons in art. %inifred does a drawing of her dog,
Looloo, of which she is e"tremely proud.
Gerald is away during Gudruns initial visit, but when he returns he watches for her one morning in the garden. )he arrives, and
%inifred and her maidservant approach. They begin to converse and 0o!e in ,rench and German about %inifreds plan to draw a
portrait of Bismarc!, %inifreds rabbit. Gerald interrupts them. #e as!s Gudrun how she li!es being at )hortlands. Gudrun says
she li!es it very much, and the group strolls about the garden. Gerald and Gudrun e"change passionate loo!s, as *ademoiselle the
maid 2uietly observes.
Gudrun ta!es %inifred away to the stables, and to the rabbit Bismarc!s cage. Gudrun suggests they remove him from his cage,
although %inifred warns that he is strong and a ;fearful !ic!er.< Gudrun unloc!s the cage door, thrusts her arm inside, and grabs
the rabbit by its ears. 's she drags the rabbit from its cage and into the open it !ic!s wildly, and Gudrun nearly loses control. )he
becomes enraged as Bismarc! scratches her wrists. Gerald enters. #e grabs the rabbit, smac!s it heavily and tuc!s it under his
arm.
Gerald ta!es the rabbit out into a small courtyard. #e as!s Gudrun if she was hurt by Bismarc!, and Gudrun tells him no. %hen
Gerald tosses the rabbit onto the ground, it doesnt move. Gerald says that the rabbit must be ;s!ul!ing,< Gudrun and Gerald
compare the scratches on their arms, and Gerald imagines that the long, red wound on Gudruns arm is a deep gash across his own
brain, ;tearing the surface of his ultimate consciousness.< )uddenly the rabbit begins frantically running around the courtyard, and
0ust as immediately it stops and begins to calmly chew the grass. Gudrun laughs, saying the rabbit is mad and that than!fully ;we
arent rabbits.< Gerald slyly as!s, ;8ot rabbitsF< and Gudrun recogni(es the se"ual implication of his 2uestion. )he replies ;'h,
GeraldN'll that, and more,< and her fran!ness feels to Gerald li!e another smac! across his face or a tear across his breast. The
chapter ends with %inifred calling to the rabbit to let her stro!e its fur, because it is ;so mysterious.<
0hapter &8: Moony
Bir!in goes to the south of ,rance after his sic!ness, and no one hears from him for some time. Ursula detaches from society,
spending time alone or with animals. &ne evening she decides to wal! toward %illey %ater, to the mill. %hen she arrives at the
pond, she notices that Bir!in is standing there in the dar!ness, throwing stones onto the water. #e doesnt see Ursula, and she
watches him toss larger and larger stones into the water to disturb the reflection of the moon on its surface. ,inally she wal!s over
to him and as!s him to stop.
Bir!in tells Ursula he 0ust returned that day from ,rance, and didnt write her because he ;could find nothing to say.< They begin a
difficult conversation about their relationship, with Bir!in telling Ursula that he loves her but he also wants something more from
her. #e wants them to be together in a natural way, li!e a pure phenomenon that does not depend upon their own effort. Ursula
tells him he doesnt love her, and he only wants her as his ;mere thing< and for her never to spea! critically of him. #e denies this,
and tells Ursula he simply wants her to drop her pretentious will. They fall silent for few a moments, and Ursula reaches her hand
out to Bir!in. )he tells him she must !now if he does love her, and Bir!in says he does. They !iss and nestle close to each other,
then Ursula tells him she must go home.
The ne"t day Bir!in feels odd about opening up to Ursula. #e muses over his desire, thin!ing that he does not want to develop the
dar! sensuality he feels is part of his soul. #e recalls an 'frican carving from #allidays house, and its powerful awa!ening of this
sensibility inside him. #e then considers that the sensuous, creative life of the old 'fricans is gone, and wonders if life must
simply be different for the ;blond and blue>eyed from the northF< This reminds him of Gerald, and Bir!in wonders about his
friends fate, thin!ing of him as one of the ;strange white wonderful demons from the north, fulfilled in the destructive frost
mystery.< This frightens Bir!in, who releases his thin!ing from these mysteries and suddenly reali(es that he must pursue his
connection with Ursula. #e decides he must as! her to marry him, and sets off immediately for Beldover.
%hen he arrives at the Brangwen home, Ursulas father sits down with Bir!in. They feel nothing in common, and ma!e small tal!.
Bir!in as!s if Ursula is home, and *r. Brangwen tells him she will arrive shortly. Bir!in tells Brangwen that he intends to as!
Ursula to marry him, which surprises the man. Ursulas father tells Bir!in that he has tried to do his best to raise her properly, in a
good Christian home, and that if she is to marry he hopes she will not go bac! on these principles. Bir!in is annoyed by this, and
as!s why. Brangwen tells him he doesnt approve of Bir!ins ;new>fangled ideas.< 'fter more verbal sparring, *r. Brangwen says
that Ursula shall do what she li!es, regardless of his desires.
Ursula returns home and meets the two men. Bir!in says he has come to as! if Ursula will marry him, and Ursula hardly responds.
)he appears to be detached from the situation and the 2uestion, which perturbs her father. %hen he as!s for her answer, she as!s
him why she should have to respond. )he goes on to accuse both her father and Bir!in of wanting to ;bully< her and force her into
marriage. Bir!in protests, saying that they can ;leave it for the time being.< #e abruptly wal!s out of the house. *eanwhile *r.
Brangwen yells at Ursula and calls her a fool. ,or several days, Ursula becomes hardened and radiant in her defiance of Bir!ins
proposal and her fathers will. Gudrun becomes her ally, but when the two discuss Bir!in one day Ursulas mind and spirit begin
to shift. )he finds herself drawn to an ;absolute surrender in love,< and decides that she must fight to transform Bir!in. )he will
ma!e him abandon his individuality and become utterly Ursulas man, so that he gives himself up entirely to the love between
them.
0hapter .9: ,laditorial
Bir!in leaves Ursulas home frustrated, and decides to go see Gerald at )hortlands. Gerald is thoroughly bored for the first time in
his life, thin!ing that his only options are to drin! or smo!e hash, to see! out women, or to have Bir!in soothe him. %hen Bir!in
une"pectedly arrives, Gerald is e"tremely happy to see him. #e tells him he is deeply bored and thin!s that only wor! or love
could change his mood. Bir!in says that fighting is a third option, and mentions that he used to do 0iu>0itsu, a ?apanese style of
wrestling. #e offers to show Gerald, who agrees. Gerald calls the servant to bring food and supplies then tells him not to disturb
the men for the remainder of the evening. Gerald closes the door and they clear away furniture to ma!e room. Both men strip
na!ed, and Bir!in begins showing Gerald various wrestling moves. 's they struggle, their bodies seem to course with a potent,
;sublimated energy.< They wrestle until both men are e"hausted and collapse. The two remain in a state of semi>conscious
abandon, with their na!ed bodies interlaced on the floor.
'fter resting for a bit, they get up and pour drin!s. Bir!in tells Gerald that they are spiritually and mentally intimate, so they ought
also to be physically intimate. Gerald agrees, saying that the idea is ;rather wonderful to me.< Bir!in then tells him that he finds
Gerald beautiful, ;li!e light refracted from snow.< Gerald as!s him if this is the ;Bruderschaft< or pledge that Bir!in had
proposed, and Bir!in says perhaps. The two sit by the fire to eat and drin!, and Gerald leaves to go dress. Bir!in begins to thin! of
Ursula.
Gerald returns wearing a stately and e"otic robe, which Bir!in admires. But his mind again turns to Ursula, and he tells Gerald
that he proposed to her earlier that night. Gerald appears surprised, and Bir!in goes on to tell him that he happened to meet her
father first, and as!ed for his permission before spea!ing about it with Ursula. Gerald as!s about Ursulas response, and Bir!in
tells him that she said she ;didnt want to be bullied into answering,< and Bir!in simply left her house and came straight to
Geralds. #e says hell li!ely as! Ursula again, and tells Gerald that he thin!s he loves her.
Gerald then tells Bir!in that while he always believed in true love, he has never felt it despite all the women he has gone after. #e
then says that hes never felt as much love for a woman as he feels for Bir!in. Gerald has begun to doubt that he will ever feel true
love for any woman, but this worries him. Bir!in replies there ;isnt only one road< in life. Gerald agrees, but also insists that he
wants to feel that he has truly lived life, and Bir!in suggests that Gerald means he wants to be fulfilled.
Analysis
1n chapter 3H, Lawrence presents a series of differences between Gerald and his father that symboli(e old and new perspectives of
the place of wor! in -uropean society. Geralds father adheres to an old model of Christian charity and care for the poor through
industry and wor!. 's the head of the mining operation, he has understood his responsibility to care for his wor!ers as a religious
duty, which is why he associates his employees with the path to salvation. Gerald, meanwhile, suggests an atheistic, contemporary
model of society that valori(es wor! and labor. #e views the path to human liberation as an overcoming and mastery of the
material earth, valuing efficient and technologically advanced production on a massive scale. But Geralds desire to find liberation
in the mastery of matter conflicts drastically with his inner spirit, which Lawrence has described throughout the novel in mythic
and animalistic terms. Geralds childhood longing to become a #omeric hero is posited as an abandoned memory that continues to
haunt him.
The scene involving Bismarc! the rabbit develops Lawrences theme of animalistic passion and human conflict. Bismarc!s
fren(ied clawing physically wounds both Gudrun and Gerald, and the rabbit only stops when Gerald smac!s it and brings it under
his arm, symboli(ing a moment of violent mastery and domination that recalls his treatment of the mare at the train crossing. But
here, the shared wounds between Gerald and Gudrun can be seen as metonymic signs for the erotic, bodily desire that they share
for each other. %hen Gerald sees Gudruns wounded arm, he feels that the wound is in fact being torn across his own brain, which
suggests a moment of symbolic displacement from Gudruns body to Geralds consciousness. ' gash has been opened in his
psychic being, and it unleashes the ;unthin!able red ether of the beyond, the obscene beyond.< This ;obscene beyond< suggests
the erotic nature of the desire circulating between Gerald and Gudrun, which Gerald pic!s up on when Gudrun says ;than! God
we arent rabbits< and Gerald 0o!ingly as!s ;8ot rabbitsF< Gudrun recogni(es this obscenity, but rather than be put off, she ups
Geralds move by telling him they are ;'ll that, and more.< #er fran!ness in this se"uali(ed humor is une"pected, and so Gerald
immediately feels as if Gudrun has once again slapped him across the face. Gerald is a man of both lust and denial, and the
e"pression of the former arouses both his desire and his urge to suppress it.
Before deciding to go to Beldover and propose to Ursula, Bir!in finds himself contemplating a dar! yet essential part of his spirit.
#e is reminded of the 'frican carvings or ;fetishes< at ?ulius #allidays house, and a tall female statuette that he remembers as
;one of his souls intimates.< The figure symboli(es a primordial and mythic past, and Bir!ins attraction to it is a result of his
attraction toward dar! sensuality and desire. But he also wonders if this past is forever closed to men such as he, who have the
;'rctic north behind them< and whose spirits must fulfill ;a mystery of ice>destructive !nowledge.< This leads him to thin! of
Gerald, and Bir!ins associations foreshadow Geralds eventual death by free(ing in the 'lps. But the turn to Gerald also implies
that Bir!ins desire is split between the totemic dar!ness, and the cold, arctic purity of his love for Gerald. 8either of these
mysteries seem feasible to him. 1t is at this moment that Bir!in reali(es he must pursue his desire for Ursula, leave behind his utter
isolation and attempt to ;enter into a definite communion.<
Gerald and Bir!ins wrestling scene is a study in erotic sublimation, a psychic process that )igmund ,reud identifies as the
transformation or displacement of one desire into another. Lawrence describes the physicality of the struggle and the intense
interweaving of Gerald and Bir!ins bodies as being driven by a ;sublimated energy< that refers to the passionate attraction
between the two men, which is being transformed into the brute struggle and e"ertion of their battle. Their na!ed bodies are
intertwined in a ;closer oneness of struggle< that e"hausts the men, as they pour all of the energy behind their frustrated and
repressed desires into physical e"ertion. Their collapse on the floor is li!e a moment of erotic consummation or symbolic death,
by which the passion between them has been sublimated and temporarily alleviated.
&nce the wrestling match has ended, however, the two men begin to tal! about Bir!ins proposal to Ursula. %hen Bir!in describes
the scene of his proposal, Gerald is 2uite surprised that Bir!in did not discuss the matter with Ursula before telling her father of
his intentions to propose. But what truly ama(es him is the fact that Bir!in immediately came to see Gerald at )hortlands after
Ursula+s refusal to answer. Bir!ins decision shows the strong attraction he feels toward Gerald, and his desire to be comforted by
him. Geralds love for Bir!in only grows as a conse2uence of this gesture, which encourages him to admit to Bir!in that he doubts
he could ever feel love for a woman as much as he feels love for Bir!in. The conversation ends on a highly ambiguous note, since
it is unclear if this means Geralds fate is to remain deeply bound to his love for Bir!in, despite his apparent love for Gudrun.
Chapters 63>6I
)ummary
Chapter 63A Threshold
Gudrun goes away to London to present some of her artwor! and to escape Beldover. %inifred writes her, imploring her to return
soon, and Gudrun recogni(es that both %inifreds father and Gerald are using the girl to suggest to Gudrun how much both desire
her to remain at )hortlands. Gudrun is amenable to this situation, and the Criches eagerly loo! forward to the day she returns to
their home. %inifred prepares an elaborate bou2uet for her teacher, and when Gudrun arrives she, Gerald, and her father are lined
up to welcome her home. Gudrun is flattered and feels ;aglow< upon coming bac! to )hortlands.
*r. Crich sits down with Gudrun in his library. #e is 2uite ill, and his sun!en face betrays the signs of his impending death. #is
fondness for Gudrun helps to alleviate his stress, which Gudrun recogni(es, so she indulges him in conversation and allows him to
feel pleased at providing for Gudruns entertainment and provenance. #e tells Gudrun that he plans to construct a studio over the
stables so that she and %inifred may use it for their lessons. #e goes on to say that Gudrun may also use the studio for her own
wor!, if she doesnt mind spending her days at )hortlands. Gudrun agrees to this plan happily, and *r. Crich tells her he will also
provide monetary compensation.
Gudrun and %inifred begin using the studio, and spend all their time in it. The house becomes more and more dreadful, as *r.
Crichs health worsens and two nurses are called in to attend to him. #e and %inifred share time together, but Gerald feels
sic!ened by his fathers slow decay and cannot be near him. *r. Crich as!s to see Gudrun when he is on the verge of death. The
two discuss %inifreds future, and Gudrun assures him that she is talented and her life shall not be wasted.
&ne day soon thereafter, %inifred, Gerald, Bir!in and Gudrun prepare to drive to town in the car. 's they prepare to leave,
%inifred as!s Gudrun if she thin!s her father will die. 't first Gudrun says that she doesnt !now, but as %inifred insists Gudrun
admits that she does thin! he will die, as he is very ill. %inifred still asserts that her father won+t die. Gerald overhears them and
suggests that it may be better for %inifred to live in her willful refusal.
Bir!in brings the car around and %inifred 0umps e"citedly into the front seat. Gudrun and Gerald sit in the bac!, and Gerald
playfully as!s Bir!in if he has any news, and whether he should congratulate him about a possible engagement to Ursula. Gudrun
is aggravated and says coldly that she doesnt ;thin! theres any engagement.< Gerald turns to as! her 2uietly why not, and
eventually Gudrun tells him she thin!s upert only ;wants his ideas fulfilled< rather than actually wanting a woman for who she
is. )he moc!s Bir!ins idea that one can find ;an eternal e2uilibrium in marriage,< and Gerald agrees. 1nstead, he insists that he
believes in love as a form of ;real abandon,< and Gudrun tells him that she does as well.
Chapter 66A %oman to %oman
The group ta!es Gerald to the train station, while Bir!in, %inifred, and Gudrun go to Bir!ins for tea. Ursula is also e"pected, but
#ermione shows up before her, while Bir!in is out. Ursula arrives to find #ermione in Bir!ins drawing room, and is unpleasantly
surprised. #ermione as!s about Bir!in and Ursulas newly developed friendship, and Ursula tells her that he is constantly
;somewhere in the bac!ground.< #ermione as!s if the two shall marry, and Ursula tells her that Bir!in wants to but she is unsure.
The two discuss what e"actly it is that Bir!in wants. Ursula tells #ermione she is unsure because he seems to change his mind, but
it appears that he wants Ursula to submit to him and to his inner self. Let Bir!in is also unwilling to reveal or to give any intimate
part of himself to Ursula. #e appears to hate his own feelings, and he wants Ursula to give up on her feelings as well.
#ermione suggests he seems to want an ;odalis!< or a harem slave to suit his whims, but this is untrue, as both Ursula and
#ermione !now. #ermione had been willing to enslave herself to Bir!in, and he refused her. #ermione tells Ursula she thin!s
marrying Bir!in would be a mista!e, because Ursula needs a ;soldierly, strong>willed< man. Bir!in, she says, is ;frail in health
and body,< lives an intensely spiritual life that ma!es him uncertain and changeable, and would re2uire his wife to endure great
suffering. The two fall silent, and both women imagine the other to have a completely misguided view of Bir!in and of what it
would ta!e to love him.
Bir!in appears and sense the hostility between the two women, but ignores it. #e ma!es small tal!, and Ursula and #ermione both
resent his attempt to placate them. #ermione tells Bir!in she plans to go to ,lorence for the winter, to attend some lectures on
1talian national policy. Bir!in scoffs, and is thereby lured into #ermiones power. Ursula interrupts, as!ing #ermione if she !nows
1taly well. #ermione tells her yes, and that her mother died in ,lorence. Ursula and Bir!in both feel uncomfortably strained in the
battle of wills. Ursula further feels li!e an intruder upon #ermione and Bir!ins shared bac!ground, and is dispirited. #ermione
calls out to Bir!ins cat, and she tells Gudrun that *ino was in fact born in 1taly and that she gave it to Bir!in. Ursulas frustration
mounts as #ermione continues spea!ing to the cat in 1talian, and eventually Ursula stands and announces that she will leave. 'fter
her hasty departure from the house, she feels outraged by #ermione and Bir!in.
Chapter 65A -"curse
The day after the tea party, Bir!in see!s out Ursula at her school. #e invites her to go on a drive, and she agrees but shows no
emotion. %hile driving along, Bir!in hands her a pac!et containing three rings. #e tells Ursula that ;ings loo! wrong on my
hands< and so he bought them for her. )he responds that he ought to give them to #ermione, since he belongs to her. Ursula
decides to try on the rings, but only one fits her properly = an opal ring = and she puts the other two on her little finger. )he !nows
that accepting Bir!ins gift of rings means she is accepting a pledge to him, but she feels that a fate larger than her own will is
acting upon them.
Ursula is happy as the two tal!, and she proposes that they return home in the dar! to ta!e a late tea. Bir!in says he cant because
he has plans for dinner at )hortlands, along with #ermione who is preparing to leave for -urope. Bir!in says he should go because
he ;shall never see her again.< Ursula draws away, and Bir!in as!s if she minds. )he tells him no, but her tone suggests otherwise.
The two begin a heated argument about #ermione, with Ursula accusing Bir!in of being ta!en in by #ermiones ;dead show.<
Bir!in tells Ursula that #ermione means nothing to him. #e pulls the car over and their fight continues.
Bir!in accuses Ursula of being foolish = he admits that he wasted years carrying on with #ermione. #e now sees it was wrong and
yet Ursula seems to want to tear out his soul with 0ealousy when he mentions #ermiones name. Ursula tells him she isnt 0ealous,
but simply detests #ermiones falseness. )he thin!s #ermiones empty spirituality has tric!ed Bir!in, and that #ermione is utterly
base and petty, simply feeding into Bir!ins own ghastly desire for death, destruction, and foulness. The argument intensifies until
Ursula removes the rings to throw them at Bir!in, and stomps away, heading up the road alone.
Bir!in sits alone in the dar!ness, and comes to believe that many of Ursulas accusations are true. #e is attracted to and finds
stimulation in self>destruction. #e imagines Ursula and #ermione as opposite e"tremes = #ermione as the ;perfect 1dea< and
Ursula as the ;perfect %omb< = to which men are compellingly drawn. Bir!in wants neither, and does not understand why the two
women seem unable to remain individuals. )uddenly Ursula returns, offering a flower to Bir!in. The two embrace and feel peace
in each others arms. Ursula as!s if she abused him, and he smilingly tells her not to mind. They !iss, and Ursula as!s about the
rings. Bir!in produces them from his poc!et and returns them to Ursula. They go bac! to the car and drive by a cathedral called
)outhwell *inster, and decide to have high tea at the )aracens #ead inn.
't the inn they sit in a parlor by a fire. They are overwhelmed with mutual love, and Ursula finds Bir!in to be transformed. #e
reminds her of an image from the Boo! of Genesis, as if he is one of the original sons of God at the beginning of the world. They
ta!e tea, and Bir!in proposes that both must 2uit their 0obs, so the two can travel. #e calls for pen and paper and they begin to
write their resignation letters. They return to the car and Ursula as!s if he still plans to dine at )hortlands. Bir!in says no, and they
decide to stay out in the dar!ness, and sleep inside the car. Bir!in stops in town to send a telegram to Ursulas father saying she
wont be home that night. #e pic!s up some supplies and drives the car into )herwood ,orest to par!. They e"it the car and sit on
a blan!et among the trees. They remove their clothes and ma!e love, both feeling their desires fulfilled in each others ;mystic,
palpable, real otherness.<
Chapter 6IA $eath and Love
Thomas Crich remains alive, though 0ust barely, and the slow advance of his death is terrible. #is will to remain alive is strong,
though his body is utterly wasted. Gerald meanwhile wishes that his father would simply let go, because he feels deeply bound to
his suffering and wants a release for them both. &ne evening Gerald as!s Gudrun to stay for dinner, and they tal! abut the strain of
his fathers illness. Gerald as!s her for sympathy, saying it is the only thing that can help him since he simply must face up to the
fact that his father is dying. Geralds mother comes downstairs while they are tal!ing, and tells Gerald that she thin!s he isnt
strong enough to see through the event of his fathers death. )he encourages him to ta!e off and protect himself, but Gerald
assures her he is fine and that he must stay on.
Gudrun tells Gerald she must leave, and he offers to give her the coach. )he prefers to wal!, so Gerald accompanies her. 's they
wal! to Beldover, Gerald puts his arm around her and Gudrun as!s him how much he cares for her. Gerald says ;everything,< and
Gudrun finds it difficult to understand why his feelings for her are so strong. The two stop as the road passes under a railway.
Gerald embraces Gudrun and they !iss. )he imagines herself falling into his arms 0ust as numerous lovers of colliers have done,
under the same arch, over many years. )he is thrilled to be with Gerald, and imagines he is an apple on the forbidden tree of
!nowledge, and she is -ve, pluc!ing the fruit. They continue on into town and arrive at the gate of the drive to Gudruns house.
)he tells him not to come inside, and they say goodnight.
The ne"t day, Gudrun writes Gerald to say she has a cold and cannot come to )hortlands. The following day, Gerald is sitting with
his father at the moment *r. Crich dies. The nurse enters as Gerald stands loo!ing at his fathers body, and she confirms that he is
dead. #e goes to tell his mother, who comes downstairs to see her husband. )urrounded by her children, she says that *r. Crich
loo!s beautiful in death, and that she can see his teenage face. )he tells her children not to allow themselves to loo! li!e this when
they die, and that they should pray.
Gudrun hears of *r. Crichs death and feels bad for not being with Gerald to comfort him. The ne"t day she returns to )hortlands
to wor! with %inifred, and the two remain in the studio all day. They ta!e dinner in the studio and Gerald comes to see them, but
Gudrun finds the situation aw!ward. )he goes home. The funeral ta!es place the ne"t day, after which the family leaves town.
Gerald remains at home alone, passing the nights in agony. &n the third evening he decides to ta!e a wal!, and finds himself
eventually heading toward Beldover. 1n town, he as!s a drun!en miner for directions to )omerset $rive, where the Brangwens
live.
's Gerald comes to the house, he hears Ursula and Bir!ins voices. They come to the road and Gerald remains in the dar! as they
pass. Gerald wal!s into the house, creeping through the hallways until he thin!s he finds Gudruns room. #e enters, goes to the
bed and reali(es the sleeper is Gudruns younger brother. #e leaves 2uic!ly and hears Ursula and her father tal!ing downstairs. #e
goes up another floor to find another bedroom door, and he !nows Gudrun will be inside. #e enters the room, and Gudrun stirs
and as!s if it is Ursula. Gerald tells her it is he. )he finds a light and as!s him why he has come. #e tells her simply that he had to
come to her, and that if she were not in the world he could not be in the world either.
Gerald removes his boots and 0ac!et, and embraces Gudrun. 's he holds her, he feels a strong warmth and sense of comfort, as if
his spirit draws life from her. #e falls asleep in her arms, while Gudrun remains awa!e and alert, ;suspended in perfect
consciousness.< )he watches Gerald sleep peacefully through the night, while she feels ;tormented with violent wa!efulness< and
waits until she can wa!e him. 't five in the morning, she wa!es Gerald and tells him he must leave. #e wants to stay but Gudrun
insists, so Gerald rises and dresses himself. The two go downstairs 2uietly, and wal! out to the gate. They !iss goodbye, and
Gudrun returns to her bed and falls into a deep sleep while Gerald wal!s home.
'nalysis
Chapter 63 deals with a transitional moment of death and the human response to its inevitability. Gerald struggles with his
feathers impending death, not because he fears death itself but because he is disgusted by the slow and painsta!ing process that
his father is e"periencing. Gerald desires a 2uic! and valiant death, a heroic end a!in to the #omeric warriors of old. #e believes
that ;one should be master of ones fate in dying as in living.< Geralds perspective toward death is revealing. 1t further develops
his characters association with an anti2uated heroic spirit, and Lawrence ma!es an allusion to the myth of Laocoon, a Tro0an
priest who was sentenced to death and strangled, along with his sons, by a mighty serpent. Lawrences imagery conveys Geralds
feeling of being wrapped up and dragged against his will into sharing deaths slow embrace of his father.
#ermione surprises Ursula one afternoon, when Gudrun and Ursula are scheduled to have tea with Bir!in. %hile Bir!in is out,
Ursula arrives to find #ermione waiting, and the two begin an intensely heated discussion about Bir!in and the possibility of
marrying him. 't first, Ursula uses Bir!ins proposal to ma!e #ermione 0ealous, and to increase her own power. The two women
verbali(e their shared frustrations with Bir!ins intense individualism, his tendency to critici(e and his desire for destruction.
Ursula even ac!nowledges that #ermione ;must have suffered< as a conse2uence of Bir!ins difficult personality, which
#ermione seems to ac!nowledge when her hand involuntary clenches ;li!e one inspired.< But #ermione was always willing to
become Bir!ins slave, and Ursula !nows this fact. 1t leads her to dismiss any mutual feeling between them, while #ermione
resentfully believes that the antagonism between Bir!ins ;animalism and spiritual truth< will eventually tear him apart, and
Ursula will be helpless as she watches it unfold.
The gift of three rings in chapter 65 symboli(es the conflict between Ursula and Bir!in concerning their potential marriage. Bir!in
tells Ursula ;ings loo! wrong on my hands< which implies his unsuitability for marriage, even though he is giving a gift to
Ursula that simultaneously suggests his desire to marry her. *eanwhile, Ursula is afraid to try on the rings because she thin!s her
hands are too largeO these images suggest the characters different perspectives toward marriage and toward each other. Ursula
wants to try on the rings, but 0ust as her hands seem too large to fit into them, her individual temperament as a uni2ue woman
might not fit properly into the role that marriage e"pects of her. 1n different ways, the ring gift episode shows the two characters
straining against the e"pectations and conventions of the marital union, even as they desire it.
Unsurprisingly, Ursula and Bir!in find themselves in an argument that begins with Ursulas 0ealousy over #ermiones relationship
with Bir!in. Ursula flees despite Bir!ins insistence that #ermione now means nothing to him. But Ursulas eventual return
signals a !ind of rebirth and potential for their union. ' typical marriage between them may be impossible, as suggested by
Bir!ins initial gift of the rings and the resulting confrontation. Let when she comes bac! to him, Ursula brings him a flower that
Bir!in finds beautiful, and Ursula e"presses sorrow at having hurt him. The potential for their union is later developed as they
travel up the road and pass by the )outhwell *inster. This new setting evo!es a paradisal and holy feeling between them. 't the
inn, Bir!in suddenly appears to Ursula as an original son of God, who has metamorphosed into a sacred yet sensual presence. The
se"uality between them now appears to be blessed, and they consummate their relationship under the trees. Lawrences setting
implies that Ursula and Bir!ins union aims to build a new paradise that recalls the original union of 'dam and -ve in the Garden
of -den.
Lawrence repeats this imagery but gives it new meaning in his description of Gudruns feeling for Gerald at the beginning of
chapter 6I. Gudrun fancies Gerald to be the forbidden tree of !nowledge, and she imagines herself as -ve, pluc!ing the trees
fruit. This image suggests that 0ust as 'dam and -ve fell from Gods favor and were e"iled from paradise, Gudrun and Geralds
union represents a fallen version of the promise of sacred sensuality shared earlier by Ursula and Bir!in. This idea is further
developed when Gerald une"pectedly visits Gudrun one night soon after his father dies. #e creeps into her house under dar!ness
while she sleeps, which recalls )atans creeping into the garden to tempt -ve to disobey Gods will. %hen Gerald embraces
Gudrun, he is overcome with e"haustion and falls deeply asleep, and Gudrun watches through the night. #e draws a warm and
maternal strength from Gudrun, and their bodily connection symboli(es a primordial return to the womb. Gudrun provides Gerald
with a moment of healing and restoration after the death of Geralds father, which Lawrence describes as a ;great bath of life< that
ma!es him whole again.
0hapters .3;.7
ummary
0hapter .3: Marriage or !ot
The Brangwen family decides to move from Beldover because *r. Brangwen has a change in his wor! situation re2uiring him to
be in town. %inter approaches, and Bir!in ta!es out a marriage license in his eagerness to marry Ursula. )he wavers, however, not
wanting to fi" any definite time. 1t has only been three wee!s since she filed her one>month notice to leave the grammar school.
Gerald awaits Bir!in and Ursulas marriage, speculating that it may help to hasten his possible marriage to Gudrun.
&ne afternoon while tal!ing to Bir!in, Gerald proposes the possibility of a double marriage, and Bir!in as!s between whom.
%hen Gerald replies ;Gudrun and me,< Bir!in is ta!en abac! and as!s if Gerald is 0o!ing. Gerald says no, and Bir!in responds
that he didnt reali(e things were so serious between them. Gerald goes on to say he truly wants to !now Bir!ins opinion on the
matter, but Bir!in simply tells him that marriages are li!e noses = there are all sorts, ;snub and otherwise.<
Gerald continues to press him on the 2uestion, and Bir!in says that if he were Gerald he would not marry, but he should as!
Gudrun what she thin!s. Gerald responds that he thin!s marriage is a ;pis aller< > a last resort. But he then wonders what direction
one ta!es, if not toward marriage. Bir!in tells him that he thin!s marriage in the old sense is repulsive, but Gerald again as!s what
else there is to be done with ones life.
Bir!in then says that a new possibility must be found for a man and a woman to share a life in a broader way, which would be
;additional to marriage< but e2ually sacred and significant. Gerald, meanwhile, feels only a sense of doom and despair about such
prospects. #e feels himself divided between the prospect of loving Bir!in and entering into an agreement with him, or of marrying
Gudrun. Let neither option seems possible to him, despite feeling ;strangely elated< at the idea of Bir!ins alliance.
0hapter .5: A 0hair
&ne *onday afternoon Bir!in and Ursula visit a wee!ly 0un! mar!et in town, browsing for furniture. Ursula is fascinated by the
wor!ing>class, ;common< people and watches them while Bir!in focuses on the goods. )he notices a young pregnant woman
loo!ing at a used mattress along with a young man. Bir!in meanwhile finds a pretty wooden chair and points it out to Ursula.
They both admire its craftsmanship, although a new wooden seat has been nailed into it, which detracts from the chairs original
beauty. They decide to buy it.
Bir!in says the chair reminds him of -nglands more glorious past, when production was more of an art and less mechanical.
Ursula laments the fact that Bir!in always seems to ;praise the past at the e"pense of the present.< They bic!er. Ursula says she is
sic! of Bir!ins e"alted idea of the past, while Bir!in says he is sic! of the ;accursed present.< The two decide against ta!ing the
chair, because it represents for them the accumulation of unnecessary material things to ma!e a socially conventionally home.
They retrace their steps to tell the peddler that they in fact dont want the chair, and Ursula again notices the young couple. )he
tells Bir!in to give them the chair. 't first he protests, but then agrees and tells Ursula to give it to them. Ursula approaches them
and as!s if they will have the chair, saying it would please her and Bir!in. The young couple is confused, and the young womans
body language becomes defensive. Bir!in comes into the conversation to assure them that he and Ursula simply want to give them
the chair, no strings attached, and not to worry if they dont want it. Ursula then e"plains that they chose not to ta!e it because
they decided to go abroad after they marry.
The couple rela"es, and the young man begins to 0o!e about marriage. #e tells Bir!in that they plan to be married on )aturday,
and as!s when he and Ursula shall marry. Bir!in tells him whenever Ursula decides to do so, and the young man 0o!es that theres
;8o Purry.< They accept the chair, and the young man decides to carry it away himself. They than! Ursula and Bir!in, wishing
them luc!, and the two couples part ways.
's they wal! away, Ursula loo!s bac! at the couple and says they are ;strange< to her. Bir!in tells her they remind him of ?esus
and his pronouncement that ;the mee! shall inherit the earth.< The two climb onto a tram, and imagine their married future being
2uite different, wanting not to inherit anything at all and simply to live in their own separate world. Bir!in adds that ;perhaps
theres Gerald = and Gudrun =; but the two agree that they cannot attempt to force Gerald and Gudrun to marry, even if they want
to bring them into their world. Bir!in insists that he wants a fellowship that e"tends beyond the two of them, and Ursula tells him
that such things must simply happen. )he suggests that he willfully attempts to force people to love him, and then re0ects their
love, and cites #ermione and Gerald as e"amples. The chapter ends with Bir!in wondering aloud to Ursula whether in fact he
wants a ;final, e"tra>human relationship< with Gerald, in addition to the pursuit of his ;perfect and complete relationship< with
Ursula.
0hapter .6: <litting
't home later that evening, Ursula une"pectedly announces to her family that she and Bir!in are going to be married the ne"t day.
#er father reacts with e"treme surprise and frustration at not having been informed of this plan. Ursula tells him that he already
!new the two were planning to be married, and that what really matters is that she is ready. #er father is outraged, and accuses her
of only thin!ing of herself. )he responds that he has only ever cared to bully her, and her marriage indeed only affects her. *r.
Brangwen loses control and slaps Ursula across the face, sending her flying across the room. )he continues to defy him and he
advances toward her, but she flees to her room. )oon thereafter she emerges with a small valise, and announces that she is leaving.
Ursula flees to the train station but finds there are no more trains and is forced to wal!. )he arrives at Bir!ins home disheveled
and saddened, and meets him in his study. )he relates the story of her fight with her father. Bir!in tells her that perhaps her father
does in fact care about her, but Ursula insists he only ever wanted to bully her into following his will. Bir!in tells her that she
shouldnt worry, and a bit of time will resolve the conflict. *eanwhile, he tells Ursula she may stay with him, since they are as
good as married.
Bir!in feels e"tremely happy that Ursula has arrived, and thin!s that her ;undimmed< soul is re0uvenating his spirit. #e considers
his marriage to Ursula to be a promise of resurrection from his descent down the ;slope of mechanical death.< The ne"t day, the
two are married. Ursula writes to her parents at Bir!ins re2uest, but only her mother responds.
Ursula remains at the mill house with Bir!in, having no contact with her parents for some time. Gerald visits one afternoon. #e
tells her she loo!s 2uite happy, and she agrees with him. )he as!s if he thin!s Bir!in is also happy, and Gerald says yes but averts
his eyes. Ursula then suggests that he too could be happy, should he choose to as! Gudrun to marry him. Gerald as!s if she thin!s
Gudrun would agree. Ursula says yes, and that she thin!s Gerald is ;the right man for her.< But she suddenly reconsiders, saying
that Gudrun is a bit unpredictable. Gerald proposes that he should ta!e Gudrun on a trip, and suggests that Bir!in and Ursula
might 0oin. Ursula finds the idea appealing, and that it could be a !ind of test to see if Gudrun would be favorable to a marriage
with Gerald.
Two days later Ursula and Gudrun return to their parents now empty home. They find it desolate and depressing, since the
furnishings have been removed and the air is heavy. The sisters also agree that the conventional lives their parents lived would
ma!e each of them miserable. Gudrun tells Ursula that above all else, she thin!s one must remain free and only marry a
companion who acts as a fellow traveler. Bir!in arrives, and also finds the home to be a ;ghostly situation.< They tal! a bit about
Gudruns fear of marriage, without announcing the implication that she is considering a partnership with Gerald. -ventually the
group pac!s up Ursulas things and leave in Bir!ins car.
$uring the ride home Gudrun e"periences some pangs of 0ealousy for the ease with which Ursula and Bir!in seem to inhabit their
marriage. )he wonders if she could in fact have the same situation with Gerald, since she does feel a ;strong and violent love< for
him. But she also thin!s of herself as a wandering outcast, poorly suited for marriage. Bir!in and Ursula invite her to tea, and
though she wants to 0oin them she feels an odd compulsion to go to her cottage at %illey Green, alone. They drop her off, and she
feels bitter.
Gudrun sits at home and wants to go to the mill, but decides against it until the following morning. )he visits Ursula there and
as!s her if she !nows that Gerald had as!ed Bir!in about a group trip at Christmas. Ursula tells her yes, and that Bir!in li!es the
idea. Gudrun also li!es the idea, but finds the proposition a bit aw!ward and socially improper on Geralds part, since it suggests
that he is treating Gudrun as if she were his mistress. Ursula continues to play up Geralds straightforwardness as a positive
2uality, and encourages Gudrun to accept the invitation. Gudrun sours when she finds out that Ursula already !nows where Gerald
plans to ta!e them = Tyrol, a small German town with e"cellent winter sports. Gudrun worries about the appearance of
impropriety, and reveals to Ursula that she !nows of Geralds liaisons with a ;model in Chelsea,< meaning*inette
$arrington DThe /ussumE. Ursula attempts to laugh it off with a 0o!e, but Gudrun remains glum.
0hapter .7: ,udrun in the $ompadour
Christmas approaches and Gudrun has decided to go on the trip with Gerald, Bir!in and Ursula. Gerald and Gudrun plan to go to
London for a night, then to /aris and on to 1nnsbruc!, where they will meet Bir!in and Ursula. $uring their night in London, they
decide to go to the music>hall and then to the /ompadour Caf.. Gudrun detests the petty vices and social ills of the caf.. Gerald
and Gudrun sit at a table and watch the crowd, which Gudrun finds foul. ?ulius #alliday and his crew are seated at a nearby table,
and e"change loo!s with Gerald. )uddenly, *inette stands up and approaches Gerald and Gudruns table.
*inette greets Gerald and sha!es his hand, though he remains seated. )he as!s about Bir!in and if it is true that he is now married.
Gerald confirms it. *inette as!s how long he is staying in town, and if he will come say hello to #alliday. Gerald says no. *inette
then tells him he is ;loo!ing awflly fit,< and as!s if he is ;having a good time< which is ta!en by Gudrun as a bac!handed insult.
*inette leaves and Gudrun as!s Gerald if shes a friend. #e tells her he met her while staying with Bir!in at #allidays house, and
Gudrun !nows that *inette is one of his mistresses.
#allidays table is loud and drun!, and they begin ma!ing fun of Bir!in while Gerald and Gudrun listen. #alliday and *a"im
recall Bir!ins intense letters, and his outlandish philosophical notions of desire, life, and destruction. #alliday pulls one of
Bir!ins letters from his coat poc!et, and begins reading passages. The table roars with laughter and *inette says she thin!s it is
e"tremely ;chee!y< to write in such a way.
#allidays crew enrages Gudrun, and she tells Gerald she wants to leave. %hile he pays the bill, Gudrun rises and wal!s over to
the other table. )he as!s #alliday if the letter he has is genuine, and he assures her it is. )he as!s to see it, and when he hands it
over she wal!s out of the caf. with it. The crowd boos Gudrun, as Gerald follows her outside and into a ta"i. #e as!s her what
happened, and when she tells him she too! Bir!ins letter he is e"tremely pleased, saying the table was a ;bunch of 0ac!asses.<
Gudrun calls them ;dogs< and says that she never wants to return to London again.
Analysis
$.#. Lawrence further e"plores the pitfalls of marriage in chapters 6: and 6M, through two different aspects of Bir!ins desire. The
first is the male bond between Bir!in and Gerald, which marriage potentially threatens. Bir!in wants to preserve this bond with
Gerald by treating it as an ;addition< to his relationship with Ursula. %hen Gerald suggests that he and Gudrun might 0oin with
Bir!in and Ursula in a double marriage, his idea implies that Gerald also feels at least as strong, if not stronger, a connection with
Bir!in. But Gerald hesitates to enter into a marriage that might divide them, while he also considers the possibility that marrying
Gudrun, Ursulas sister, could be a way of parado"ically bringing the men closer together.
1n chapter 6M Bir!in and Ursula visit a 0un! mar!et, and their discussion of the future of the young couple they meet there
becomes a discussion of their own future, and of the form of marriage that they want. Bir!in continues to illustrate his strong
desire to remain close to Gerald. #e and Ursula agree that they want to care only about their own relationship, and imagine
wandering the earth together as a way of creating their own world apart. But then Bir!in tells her that ;perhaps theres Gerald =
and Gudrun< which suggests that li!e Gerald he cannot bear the thought of his marriage dividing the bond between the two men.
Ursula finds Bir!ins position confusing, and tells him that he must learn not to try and bully other people into loving him = he has
Ursula, and that should be enough. But Bir!ins insistence illustrates the novels theme of the strong connection between desire
and repression, since he cannot abandon his love for Gerald.
Chapter 6H further develops the theme of repressed desire between the two men. 'fter Ursula flees her parents home, she lives
with Bir!in at the mill house and Gerald visits her one afternoon. Geralds averted ga(e during his tal! with Ursula is telling. #is
desire to marry Gudrun is e2ually tied to his desire to preserve his close bond with Bir!in. This is clear when Ursula as!s Gerald if
he thin!s that Bir!in seems happier now that the two are living together, and Gerald says yes but averts his face from Ursulas
ga(e. #e finds it difficult to admit that Bir!in is happy being with Ursula, but he !nows it to be true, even while he cannot let go
of his love for Bir!in. This is why Gerald suggests that Ursula and Bir!in might 0oin him and Gudrun on their trip. ,rom Ursulas
perspective, this seems to be a good idea because she worries that Gudrun may not be entirely open to the idea of marrying
Gerald, but also since she !nows Bir!in is happy being near Gerald. The trip appears to promise an opportunity to resolve the
competing desires and frustrations that are circulating among the group.
The novels focus turns to the two sisters and their views of love later in chapter 6H, as they sit in the empty Brangwen home and
reflect upon their parents lives and marriage. The desolate setting and emptiness of the house reflects the feelings of alienation
and uncertainty that the sisters share. They find themselves in marriages or potential marriages with men they love, but both want
to hold strong to their independent spirits and resist the conventional lifestyle that their parents have lived. Gudrun passionately
defends the need for freedom, but soon after her tal! with Ursula reali(es that part of her also wants to be his wife and to have a
home at )hortlands. #er inability to resolve this tension causes emotional turmoil, and she find herself refusing Ursula and
Bir!ins invitation to tea, even though she desperately wants to accept it.
The ne"t chapter ma!es a dramatic shift in setting, from Beldover to the Caf. /ompadour in London. This change also illustrates
an aspect of Gudruns character that is sharply distinct from the previous chapters emphasis on her frustrated desires. 't the caf.,
Gudrun is horrified and enraged when she overhears #alliday and his table reading aloud and moc!ing one of Bir!ins letters. )he
displays creative ingenuity and strength of will when she approaches the table, tric!s ?ulius into giving her the letter and calmly
strides out of the caf. with it. -arlier in the novel, the setting at Caf. /ompadour illustrated Geralds uncertainty in the Bohemian
atmosphere, and his reliance on wealth and social status to seduce *inette. But during this episode, the novel shows that Gudrun
has a powerful ability to master the environment of the Bohemians, with which she is familiar from her time in London as an
artist. #er spirited and 2uic!>witted actions account for Geralds compulsive attraction to Gudrun, as illustrated by his admiration
at the chapters close and the couples decision to leave London immediately.
0hapters .8;/&
ummary
0hapter .8: 0ontinental
Ursula and Bir!in depart from -ngland, and travel on a boat from $over to &stend. Ursula senses a ;paradise un!nown and
unreali(ed< in the world ahead of them. They arrive at &stend, and ta!e a long train ride to Basle. They spend one night in a hotel
there, where Ursula feels restless and detached. The ne"t day they ta!e a train to 1nnsbruc!, and arrive to find it wonderful and
;deep in snow.< 1n the hotel lobby, Ursula sees Gudrun and calls out to her. The sisters are e"cited and happy to see each other.
They wash and change, and send Bir!in to smo!e with Gerald while they catch up in Gudruns bedroom. Gudrun tells Ursula
about the letter incident in London, as well as her and Geralds time in /aris with a group of artists, with whom Gerald was a great
hit. The group goes to dinner and begins to tal! about how refreshing it is to ta!e leave of -ngland. Bir!in suggests that -ngland is
dying, and must transform itself. Gudrun and Gerald respond sarcastically, and Bir!in feels that Gudrun is suc!ing the life out of
Gerald.
The ne"t day they decide to go deeper into the mountainous countryside. 'fter tre!!ing through a snow>filled valley and up into
higher elevations, they arrive at a barebones hostel and ta!e rooms. Gudrun and Gerald go to their bedroom and loo! out at the
panoramic view. Gudrun is filled with pleasure and absorbed by the scene, but Gerald feels that she is suddenly detached from
him, and an ;icy vapour< covers his heart. #e notices Gudrun is crying as she loo!s out the window, and a passion rises in him. #e
pulls her to him and tells her he loves her, but she does not respond. They go downstairs to meet Ursula and Bir!in, and the friends
enter the dining room to have coffee. They decide to go into the common room and meet the other guests. They are introduced to
;#err /rofessor,< a German professor who then introduces the two couples to a group composed of the professor+s two daughters,
three students, #err Loer!e and his companion = a large and fair young man. They begin to observe a comedic lecture given in
German by #err Loer!e, which the sisters cannot understand. 't its conclusion the German guests welcome the -nglish group into
their company. Ursula sings and they are impressed by her voice. The four companions decide to ta!e a short wal! outside, and the
two couples brea! off, with Ursula and Bir!in loo!ing out into the night s!y while Gudrun leads Gerald on a wal!. They all
eventually return to the hostel, to dance and party with the Germans. Ursula senses a strange licentiousness in Bir!in as they
dance.
Upon returning to their bedroom, Ursula continues to feel an oddly brutish desire coming from Bir!in, which is both attractive and
repulsive to her. *eanwhile, Gudrun and Gerald return to their room and feel increasingly alienated. Gudrun is 2uite nervous and
uncomfortable with Gerald, who is e2ually uncertain of how to respond to Gudrun. -ventually they sleep, and Gudrun wa!es up
the ne"t morning before Gerald. 's she watches him sleep, she thin!s about his efforts to reform his familys mining company,
and reali(es that he is a ;perfect instrument< and nearly superhuman in his abilities. )he wonders if there is in fact room for her in
his world, as it is so defined by the interests of industry, politics, and high society. )he imagines that Geralds greatness is wasted
on such games, and wants him to wa!e up and convince her that the two can create a life of more ;perfect moments.< #e awa!ens,
and his smiling face fills Gudrun with 0oy. )he tells him that he has convinced her, and he !nows that she means he has convinced
her to marry him. 1t is a beautiful day, and they decide to go out into the countryside on a toboggan, leaving Ursula and Bir!in
behind. )everal fun days pass with the two couples s!iing, sledding, and tobogganing to the point of physical e"haustion.
' day arrives when the snow falls relentlessly and the group must stay indoors. Ursula goes into the common room and begins a
conversation with Loer!e. 1t has become apparent to her and the others that Loer!e and Leitner are together, but they are fighting
and loathe each others company. Gudrun enters and sits with Ursula and Loer!e, and the group tal!s about a large sculpture he is
wor!ing on for a granite factory in Cologne. Loer!e spea!s 2uic!ly in German, and Ursula translates for Gudrun. )lowly, Loer!e
and Gudrun begin to find a common interest in one another, through their discussion of art, industry, and wor!. Loer!e reveals that
he once suffered great poverty, which Gudrun finds alluring. Ursula also li!es Loer!e, but both Gerald and Bir!in find him
disgusting. Bir!in compares him to a ;rat in the river of corruption< and says that women for some strange reason are drawn to
such dar! and repulsive 2ualities.
The sisters continue to develop their ac2uaintance with Loer!e, which the men resent. &ne afternoon Ursula, Gudrun, and Loer!e
discuss a photograph of an old sculpture by Loer!e. The figure is of a young, na!ed girl sitting on a powerfully upright stallion.
Ursula and Gudrun as! Loer!e penetrating 2uestions, leading to a disagreement between the two sisters about arts connection to
reality. Ursula finds the statute repulsive because it implies that Loer!e is the stallion and the young girl was someone he ;loved
and tortured and then ignored.< Gerald enters and 0oins the conversation, as Ursula leaves. )he finds Bir!in and tells him that she
wants to depart from the snow and the cold, perhaps visiting @erona where the two can pretend to be omeo and ?uliet. The two
ma!e preparations, and that evening go to Gudrun and Geralds room to tell them. Gudrun and Gerald are sad to hear the news,
and it is clear that Bir!in and Gerald are cross with each other. The ne"t day, Gudrun visits Ursula and they share a bittersweet
goodbye. *eanwhile Gerald and Bir!in spea! briefly while waiting for the sledge, and Bir!in tells Gerald that he has loved him
;as well as Gudrun, dont forget.< Gerald responds s!eptically, as!ing him ;#ave youN&r do you thin! you haveF< Bir!in feels
his heart free(e as the sledge ta!es off.
0hapter /9: no)ed +p
'fter Bir!in and Ursula leave, Gudrun finds that Gerald pushes on her more and more, leaving her no room for freedom or
privacy. &ne night he comes to her when she is sitting alone in the dar!, and she tells him she thin!s that he has never loved her.
%hen she as!s him if he ever could truly love her, he coldly tells her no. Gerald briefly fantasi(es about !illing Gudrun, and then
as!s her why she tortures him. This causes her to pity and comfort him, and she coa"es him to say he loves her and will love her
forever. #e does so, and she tells him ;Try to love me a little more, and to want me a little less.< They have se" and Gudrun feels
that Gerald is destroying her. The ne"t day they both imagine leaving each other. But Gerald reali(es that if he leaves Gudrun he
must face the prospect of being utterly alone, and he is unprepared for it. Both Gudrun and Gerald continue to feel tortured by
their vulnerability. 's they watch the sunset one evening, Gerald tells Gudrun that some day he will destroy her because she is
;such a liar.<
Gudrun and Loer!e continue to meet to tal! about art and life. They grow closer as Gerald watches with animosity. &ne afternoon
Gerald and Loer!e are in a heated conversation that becomes ;a conflict of spirit between the two men.< Loer!e loo!s to Gudrun
and addresses her as *rs. Crich, and she e"plains that she is not married to Gerald even though they had been putting on that
appearance during their travels. Gerald ta!es this as a direct insult and attac! against him. #e withdraws, which only heightens
Gudruns attraction to him. 't the same time, she slowly comes to reali(e that Geralds lingering attachment to the social world
prevents him from truly connecting with the deepest part of Gudruns soul. )he thin!s that Loer!e is capable of this connection,
because he does not care for the world. Gerald confronts her about Loer!e, as!ing why she finds him appealing. Gudrun tells him
it is because that Loer!e isnt stupid and ;has some understanding of a woman.<
Loer!e continues to pursue Gudrun. &ne afternoon while Gerald is off s!iing, he tells her he desires her because they share an
intelligent understanding, which surpasses physical beauty. Later that evening Gerald returns to the hostel, and when he sees
Gudrun tal!ing with the Germans in the common room, he feels an overwhelming desire to !ill her. )he comes to his room that
night and tells him she wants to return to -ngland, and that their attempt at being lovers has failed. Gerald is enraged and feels
ready to attac! Gudrun, but she perceives his madness and flees to safety in her room. )he contemplates the men in her life =
Gerald, Bir!in, Loer!e = and finds them all frustratingly mechanical and cruel. Gerald meanwhile passes the night reading, and
sleeps only a couple of hours.
The following morning Gudrun tells Gerald that she plans to leave the ne"t day. #e ma!es arrangements for their departure,
as!ing if she will at least go with him as far as 1nnsbruc!. )he says perhaps, but finds pleasure in leaving open the 2uestion of
where she will go ne"t. )he considers returning to -ngland with Gerald, going to $resden with Loer!e, or on her own to visit a
girlfriend in *unich. )he goes to see Loer!e, and the two tre! into the snow with a toboggan and picnic. They discuss Gudruns
plans to travel, and she tells him she doesnt !now where she will go. )uddenly Gerald appears. Loer!e offers Gudrun some
schnapps, and Gerald smac!s the bottle out of his hand. Loer!e begins to 0o!e about it, and Gerald attac!s him, hitting him
violently upside the head. Gudrun intervenes, and Gerald clutches her throat and begins to strangle her. Loer!e calls out and
Geralds madness brea!s. #e releases Gudrun, saying that he has had enough and ;1 want to go to sleep.<
Gerald leaves Gudrun and Loer!e and marches off into the mountains. #e !eeps wal!ing as the sun goes down, deeper and deeper
into the wild. #e comes upon a crucifi" half>buried in the snow and believes that death is near. 's he wanders into a deep, hollow
basin of snow he slips and falls, feeling something brea! ;in his soul.< #e sleeps.
0hapter /&: #4eunt
The ne"t morning, Gudrun is shut up in her room when they return with Geralds body. )he feels no emotion, only coldness, and
writes a telegraph to Bir!in and Ursula telling them what has happened. )he finds Loer!e, who is 0ust as ;emotionless and barren<
as Gudrun. )he goes bac! to her room and waits for her sister and Bir!in to arrive the following day.
%hen Ursula and Bir!in return, Gudrun remains cold and detached. Bir!in as!s her to tell him e"actly what was said when Gerald
confronted her and Loer!e. )he tells him that Gerald said nothing, he only !noc!ed Loer!e down and ;half strangled me, then he
went away.< 1n her mind, she says it is ;' pretty little sample of the eternal triangleQ< Bir!in leaves, and returns to Geralds body.
's Bir!in loo!s at Geralds fro(en body he feels disgust and horror, even though he loved him. Touching Geralds icy cold hair
and face, Bir!in feels himself free(ing on the inside. #e goes out to the slopes to see where Gerald fro(e to death, and finds
himself consoled to thin! that it is best not to care at all about the universe, since the ;eternal creative mystery could dispose of
man< so easily and create a newer, finer being.
Bir!in returns to the hostel and again goes to loo! at Geralds body, continuing to thin! it best to remain 2uiet, patient, and
emotionless. #e alludes to a passage in Hamlet that mentions the death of ?ulius Caesar. But when he and Ursula go in to see
Geralds corpse once again that evening, he brea!s out in tears of anguish, which repulses Ursula. Bir!in laments that ;#e should
have loved meN1 offered him.< Ursula tells him it would have made no difference, and he disagrees.
Bir!in wants to leave Geralds body in the 'lps, but they bring it home to -ngland at the insistence of the Crich family. Gudrun
goes to $resden and writes ;no particulars of herself.< Ursula returns to the mill with Bir!in. &ne evening she as!s Bir!in if he
needed Gerald, and Bir!in replies affirmatively. Ursula as!s, ;'rent 1 enough for youF<, and he tells her that she is enough as any
woman could be, but that he wanted ;a man friend, as eternal as you and 1 are eternal.< Ursula tells him he is being obstinate and
perverse, and that he cannot have ;two !inds of love< because such a thing is ;false, impossible.< The novel ends with Bir!in
insisting ;1 dont believe that.<
Analysis
%hen Bir!in, Gerald, Ursula and Gudrun decide to travel to 1nnsbruc! for a winter trip, they are happy to have escaped -ngland,
and loo! forward to their time abroad. Bir!in in particular is pleased because he so detests the social standards and modern values
that define -ngland. ,or Bir!in, the -nglish political body is dead and spiritless, in part because of the modern rule of industrial
production and the overvaluation of wor!. #e believes that this is suc!ing the vital and creative spirit out of -ngland and its
inhabitants. But his comparison is also shrewdly self>deprecating, since he imagines himself to be nothing more than a ;lice<
crawling off the corpse of -ngland. The image reinforces Bir!ins view of life as a cycle of decay and death.
Bir!ins comparison of -ngland to a dead body also recalls the demise of *r. Crich, whose decaying body can be identified as a
metonymic image for -ngland. *r. Crichs death represents the passing away of older Christian values and moral beneficence,
and the emergence of Gerald Crichs attempt to master the natural world through the labors of mechanical reproduction. 's the
end of the novel suggests, however, Gerald in fact remains bound to the tumultuous energy of his desire for Bir!in, as well as his
strangely compulsive attraction to Gudrun, because both of these individuals represent antitheses or direct foils to Geralds faith in
the power of industry and advanced technology.
Later, when Ursula and Gudrun converse with Loer!e about his artwor!, he brings out a photograph of an old sculpture. Titled
;Lady Godiva,< it is the figure of a proud, erect stallion and a young girl, cast in green bron(e. The sub0ect matter immediately
recalls the novels many images of horses, which symboli(e the contradictory nature of human desire and the difficult attempt to
master the passions. 1n this instance, however, the sculpture serves as an occasion for the Brangwen sisters and Loer!e to discuss
their different perspectives on art and life. Ursula finds the image repulsive, because she connects art and life deeply, as does
Bir!in, and believes that the wor! implies Loer!e is the proud stallion and the young girl is someone he once loved and discarded
without second thought. But Gudrun believes, li!e #err Loer!e, that art and life must be strictly separate. 1n a later conversation
with Loer!e, she claims that ;life doesnt really matter = it is ones art which is central.< ,or Gudrun, art is a supreme reality, and
life is a form of unreality. This is because she believes that art elevates ones being above the muc! of life, ma!ing it the purest
form of human e"pression in its ideal state.
8ear the end of the novel, Ursula feels a coldness overta!ing her and she tells Bir!in that she wants desperately to leave the wintry
environment of 1nnsbruc!. Bir!in suggests that they can leave the ne"t day, and perhaps go to @erona = which is the setting of
)ha!espeares Romeo and Juliet. Bir!in alludes directly to the play when he tells Ursula that they can go to @erona and ;sit in the
ampitheatre.< Ursula is greatly relieved by this prospect, and tells Bir!in that she would love to. #er enthusiasm is odd, however,
since omeo and ?uliet both die at the end of the play. The pair is also famously described as ;star>crossed lovers<, which
connects Bir!ins )ha!espearean allusion to his own idea of wanting to be held in a stellar ;con0unction< with Ursula. The
comparison to omeo and ?uliet is therefore ominous, although on the surface it appears to be romantic.
Later, Bir!in ma!es another )ha!espearean allusion, to Hamlet, as he watches Geralds corpse and says ;1mperial Caesar dead,
and turned to clay B %ould stop a hole to !eep the wind away.< The line Bir!in 2uotes is spo!en by /rince #amlet to #oratio at the
end of the play. #amlet contemplates the fact that all mortal bodies must eventually be reduced to nothing more than dust, no
matter how powerful or regal they were in life. -ven great rulers such as ?ulius Caesar end up as inert, lifeless matter turned to the
most base of uses. Li!e the mighty Caesar, Bir!in feels that Gerald was a magnificent entity in life, and Bir!in loved him deeply.
But now Geralds lifeless corpse is cold and spiritless, nothing more than its purely physical material. Bir!ins final two allusions
to )ha!espeare present tragic images of failed romanceA one for the star>crossed lovers, Ursula and Bir!in, and another for the two
men, Gerald and Bir!in. 'lthough the novel ends with Ursula and Bir!in together, Bir!ins insistence on his deep bond with
Gerald implies that his marriage to Ursula will never be entirely fulfilling.
0haracter List
+rsula *rang)en
The older Brangwen sister, Ursula is a schoolteacher. )he is somewhat less worldly than her sister, Gudrun. )he falls in love with
upert Bir!in after seeing him at the Crich wedding at the beginning of the novel. Though at first she believes marriage is a trap
for women li!e her, she finds a way to navigate what is e"pected of women of her time, and what she desires.
,udrun *rang)en
The younger Brangwen sister, she has recently returned from a life in the arts in London, where she spent time among the social
elite. )he falls for Gerald Crich upon seeing him at his sisters wedding at the beginning of the novel. Gudrun is uni2ue and
temperamental, yearning for an artist+s way of life as an escape from the drudgery of reality. But she struggles to reconcile her
animalistic passion with her convictions.
,erald 0rich
The oldest son of Thomas Crich, he falls in love with Gudrun Brangwen. Geralds character is divided between a heroic, mythical
soul of the past, and a !een modern intellect for pushing technological advancement in his family+s mining company.
Rupert *irkin
' country school inspector who falls in love with Ursula Brangwen. Bir!ins character can be loosely associated with $.#.
Lawrence himself. #e is a spirited character with passionate ideas about developing creative souls, but he also suffers many
physical ailments and sic!ness.
"ermione Roddice
' friend of the Crich family, she is also upert Bir!ins sometime lover. )he is in love with Bir!in, and wants to sub0ugate herself
to him completely.
Mr' Thomas 0rich
The chief owner of mines in the region around Beldover. #is character represents a bygone era of -nglish industry, and a Christian
morality based on beneficence toward the poor and the wor!ing class.
Mrs' 0hristiana 0rich
Thomas Crichs wife and mother to Gerald. )he is portrayed as a cold and distant women largely uninterested in her children+s
lives.
Laura 0rich
&ne of the Crich daughters, her wedding ta!es place at the beginning of the novel
Lupton
Laura Crichs husband.
Minette Darrington
'lso referred to as the /ussum, a young Bohemian Londoner whom Bir!in !nows and introduces to Gerald Crich. Gerald and
*inette have a brief affair.
=ulius "alliday
' roguish Bohemian of London, who owns the house in )oho where upert rents a room.
Ma4im Libidnikov
' young ussian living in London, who is friends with ?ulius #alliday.
Miss *radley
' guest at #ermione oddices estate.
$alestra( the Italian 0ontessa
' guest at #ermione oddice+s estate.
<raulein Mar>
' guest at #ermione oddice+s estate.
ir =oshua Mattheson
'n -nglish Baronet and famous sociologist, a guest at #ermione oddices estate.
Ale4ander Roddice
#ermiones brother and a member of the British /arliament.
Mrs' almon
The laborers wife at the mill house, where upert Bir!in rents rooms.
Mrs' Daykin
upert Bir!ins landlady and servant at the mill house.
Dr' *rindall the younger
' guest at the Crich party who drowns in an attempt to save $iana Crich.
Tom *rang)en
Ursula and Gudruns father, he is a handicraft teacher with very conventional moral standards and beliefs. #e resents Ursula and
Gudruns independence.
Anna *rang)en
Ursula and Gudruns mother, she is fairly 2uite and reserved, but compassionate.
*illy *rang)en
Ursula and Gudruns young brother.
Dora *rang)en
Ursula and Gudruns young sister.
Mrs' ?irk
' Beldover resident. The Brangwen sisters stop at her cottage to buy honey.
Winifred 0rich
Geralds youngest sibling and the apple of *r. Crichs eye, %inifred is artistically inclined and becomes Gudruns pupil.
"err $rofessor
' German professor that Ursula, Gudrun, Gerald and Bir!in meet in a hostel near 1nnsbruc!.
"err Loerke
' sculptor who is one of the hostel guests. #e is a tiny and odd>loo!ing man, who develops an affinity with Gudrun based on their
mutual estimation of art.
Leitner
Loer!es companion, he is young and athletic and stands out against Loer!e+s creaturely appearance.
Diana 0rich
Gerald+s younger sister. )he drowns during the Crich family water>party.
Doctor *rindell
The young doctor who dies while trying to save $iana Crich. Their bodies are found together the ne"t morning, the girl+s hands
around the man+s throat.
The Remains of the Day Summary
The emains of the $ay, the third novel by Ga(uo 1shiguro, was published in 34C4 to great acclaim, winning the *an Boo!er /ri(e for
Literature. The boo! tells the story of)tevens, an -nglish butler wor!ing at $arlington #all. 't the start of the novel, he is encouraged to ta!e a
vacation by his employer, *r. ,arraday, an 'merican gentleman who believes )tevens needs a brea! from his duties. )tevens believes the
suggestion dovetails nicely with his desire to visit a former colleague at $arlington #all > *iss Genton, now *rs. Benn, residing in %est
-ngland. Twenty years ago, *iss Genton and he wor!ed at $arlington #all together, he as butler, she as maid, but she left upon her marriage,
and now twenty years later, she is divorced, and )tevens loo!s forward to bringing her bac! to $arlington #all to help with his increasing staff
problems. )pecifically, )tevens has had trouble since the end of the second %orld %ar finding a large enough staff to handle the wor! at the
estate. 'n act of /arliament in -ngland severely limited the power of the aristocracy and ultimately began to brea! up these huge estates >
$arlington #all is one of the last few.
The boo! spans his one wee! trip to visit *iss Genton and involves a mainly stream>of>consciousness +moral inventory+ of )tevens+ life. 1t+s as
if he+s creating a mental diary of his life over this trip, aiming to come to terms with his life choices and his ultimate direction. #e first reflects
upon what ma!es a butler a +great+ one, something he clearly has aspirations to achieve. 1n his eyes, a great butler is what the #ayes )ociety
describes as a man of a distinguished household and a man of dignity. 1t is this definition of dignity that most concerns )tevens > and he
believes it reflects a man who maintains his professionalism no matter what the circumstances. *uch of the boo!, then, is dedicated to
providing accounts of )tevens+ e"hibiting this professionalism at the e"pense of his human feelings.
,or instance, during a great convention at Lord $arlington+s house in 3465, )tevens had to handle his dying father in an upstairs room all the
while managing the guests of the convention. Ultimately he forgoes his father to focus on the guests, and ultimately misses his father+s passing.
)tevens loo!s bac! on this moment with pride. 't the same time, he loo!s bac! on the fact that he resisted his attraction to *iss Genton and
stayed faithful to $arlington #all, even after she left. 1n his eyes, there is triumph in sacrifice for the sa!e of one+s own employer. -ven small
anecdotes reveal this > li!e when )tevens fires two ?ewish maids at the behest of Lord $arlington even though he doesn+t agree with his
employer+s politics.
But the ma0ority of the novel is dedicated to )tevens and his relationship with *iss Genton over the course of their 67 years at $arlington #all.
*iss Genton arrived at a time when )tevens and his father both wor!ed at the estate. 1t is *iss Genton who informs )tevens that his father no
longer can do the wor! re2uired and must be stripped of his ma0or duties. 'nd indeed, though )tevens is offended, it is *iss Genton who
ultimately stays with )tevens+ father as he lays dying. Upon )tevens+ father+s death, *iss Genton becomes almost a substitute for him in
)tevens+ life > the only person who seems li!e family, the only person who can provide him love. %hen the novel begins, then, she+s been gone
nearly twenty years, but )tevens sei(es upon the fact that her marriage might be crumbling as a reason to visit her. Twenty years before,
however, *iss Genton had given )tevens an opportunity to stop her marriage and ta!e her for himself > an opportunity he let go.
)tevens finds his car runs aground in *oscombe and spends the night with the Taylors. They have a dinner there, where )tevens spea!s of his
past meetings with dignitaries, never once revealing that he is, in fact, a butler. %hen $r. Carlisle drives him bac! to his car the ne"t day, the
doctor po!es a hole in the facade and )tevens finally admits that he is, in fact, the butler at $arlington #all. %ith this revelation, )tevens finally
ma!es the last part of his 0ourney to meet *iss Genton.
But when )tevens finally does meet her, with full plans to bring her bac! to $arlington #all and perhaps confess his love, he finds that the
spirit has gone out of her. )he reveals that she is going bac! to her husband. -ven though she may not love him, he has always been there for
her. )tevens reali(es he+s too late and sends her off with well>wishes and returns to $arlington #all to fulfill the +remains of his day.+
About The Remains of the Day
emains of the $ay, published in 34C4 is the third novel by Ga(uo 1shiguro after ' /ale @iew of #ills and 'n 'rtist of the
,loating %orld. emains of the $ay has since become a modern classic after it won not only the *an Boo!er /ri(e in 34C4, but
also was turned into an 3445 film by ?ames 1vory and 1smail *erchant, starring 'nthony #op!ins and -mma Thompson, which
went on to win a slew of ma0or international awards.
1shiguro had already developed a penchant for first>person narration, which emains of the $ay epitomi(es through its stream>of>
conscious writing. 1ndeed, emains of the $ay seems similar to epistolary novels, comprised of letters, in that it renders clearly
the thoughts of a hero with no ob0ective reporting from the outside world to verify or disprove given assumptions. Though
emains of the $ay was faithful to this first>person trend in 1shiguro+s wor!, it departed in that it was not based in ?apan or
involved a ?apanese main character.
#istorical conte"t is a !ey aspect of emains of the $ay, and in this case, the novel ta!es place during the years leading up to
%orld %ar 11. 1ndeed, ma0or sections of the novel consider Lord $arlington+s response to various clima"es of the war > specifically
the Treaty of @ersailles, which he felt unfairly punished Germany and set out to ruin the country economically. The purpose of this
historical conte"t is to suggest that the main character had a front seat to ma0or goings>on during this crisis in international affairs,
while also symboli(ing the deterioration of +old Britain.+ *ost crucially, it is important to note that )tevens+ employer > Lord
$arlington > seems to be a sympathi(er of #itler, adding more burdens to )tevens as an employee who must cast off his boss+
political allegiances. 't the same time, the novel+s title > The emains of the $ay > serves to highlight the decline of British
aristocracy, lin!ed specifically to an act of parliament in the early 67th century which levied large inheritance ta"es to brea! up the
manorial estates which had become a ma0or source of accumulated wealth.
Ultimately, emains of the $ay doesn+t necessarily reflect 1shiguro casting negative aspersions or nostalgia upon a time in
Britain+s history when the aristocracy ruled so dominantly. That said, )tevens+ deep e"amination of the aristocracy+s place in
-ngland suggests that the novel is less a criti2ue of imperialism and more a struggle to evaluate its legacy.
0haracter List
tevens
)tevens is one of the most beloved characters in modern literature because his emotional arc is so clear. 't the beginning of the
novel, he is hopeful and anticipatory of a new adventure > one that he hopes will bring him personal fulfillment. By the end, he
finds his dream 2uashed, and limps bac! to his old life to bear out the +remains of his day.+ )tevens very much owns every cell of
1shiguro+s creation. #e is the sole narrator and has full domain over every assumption, assertion, and thought. 't no point can we
2uestion )tevens+ veracity or retelling of events because there is no arbiter of truth in the novel, aside from his own recollections
and comprehension of his own memories. 1ndeed, )tevens is so self>aware and clear about his own shortcomings and mista!es that
we fully trust his rendition of events. 't the same time, we+re also clearly aware of )tevens+ shortcomings in self>analysis. #e is
terribly blind to his own repression and inability to let go of wor! and pursue his own human desire. 's the novel progresses,
)tevens becomes a prisoner of his own fear, ultimately destroying his chance for true love. By the time he finally comes to terms
with his own wea!nesses, it is, in fact, far too late.
Miss ?enton
*iss Genton is )tevens+ ob0ect of desire, despite his inability to truly confess it. *iss Genton, when the novel opens, has long left
$arlington #all. 1ndeed, the boo! begins nearly twenty years after her departure, which came before the start of %orld %ar 11. The
boo!, then, is )tevens+ recollection of his time wor!ing alongside her as he begins his 0ourney to go meet her. *iss Genton clearly
harbored her own affections for )tevens and tried deeply to get him to admit his affections for her. 'nd yet, )tevens never could.
's a result, *iss Genton ends up marrying a man that she does not even love, it seems. The pivotal moment of her own personal
0ourney comes when she tells )tevens of her engagement, hoping it seems that he might stop her. #e doesn+t, and as a result,
twenty years later, when he arrives at her door, it+s too late. )he+s already committed to a loveless marriage > one that she+s grown
accustomed to and settled for.
Lord Darlington
Lord $arlington is )tevens+ and *iss Genton+s employer in the years leading up to %&rld %ar 11. $arlington, himself, appears to
be a German>sympathi(er > specifically a #itler sympathi(er, as he see!s to !eep Germany from falling apart in the wa!e of the
Treaty of @ersailles. That said, $arlington is a gentle man and treats )tevens and his staff delicately > e"cept for one moment when
he does fire two ?ewish maids because of his German sympathies. Ultimately, $arlington is considered honorable by )tevens and
a man worthy of deep respect.
tevens@ <ather AWilliam tevensB
)tevens+ father wor!s at $arlington #all with )tevens and *iss Genton up until his death. )tevens+ father is even more dutiful and
devoted to his profession than )tevens. 1ndeed, )tevens refers to him as a great butler because of his prodigious s!ill and
commitment. But his relationship with his son suffers greatly because of this devout dedication to wor!.
Mr' <arraday
*r. ,arraday is an 'merican aristocrat who ta!es over from Lord $arlington upon his death, and thus becomes )teves+ employer.
Compared to Lord $arlington, *r. ,arraday is nowhere near as formal >> and teases )tevens at his inability to be more casual and
rela"ed.
ir David 0ardinal
)ir $avid Cardinal is a friend of Lord $arlington+s who shares his pro>German sympathies. )/ecifically, $avid Cardinal believes
that Germany should not have to pay reparations or suffer tremendously as a result of the Treaty of @ersailles. #e also as!s Lord
$arlington, who in turn as!s )tevens, to teach his son eginald about the birds and the bees.
ir Reginald 0ardinald
eginald Cardinal is 2uite different from his father in that he is anti>fascist and anti>8a(i. 1ndeed, )ir Cardinal tells )tevens that
Lord $arlington is being unduly influenced by his father to ta!e pro>German action and ultimately help prop up the 8a(is.
"err Ribbentrop
#err ibbentrop becomes a close friend to Lord $arlington while serving as the German 'mbassador during %orld %ar 11. #e
becomes a chief source of propagating Lord $arlington+s pro>German sentiments.
Mr' Le)is
*r. Lewis is an 'merican senator who visits Lord $arlington+s convention that aims to lift German penalties for supporting the
%orld %ar 1 '"is. 1n the end, he denounces Lord $arlington as an amateur politician.
Mr' Dupont
*r. $upont is a friend of Lord $arlington who attends his seminal 3465 conference to help alleviate the penalties on the Germans
post %%3. #e arrives with sores on his feet and ma!es it a point of constantly harassing )tevens for medicine, ultimately leading
)tevens to spend more time with him than his dying father.
"err *reman
#err Breman is another German friend of Lord $arlington+s who ultimately !ills himself. Lord $arlington uses him as an e"ample
of the terrible conditions in post %%3 Germany.
Mr' =ohn ilver
*r. )ilver is )tevens+ father+s employer before Lord $arlington.
Rosemary and Agnes
)tevens+ current staff at $arlington #all includes osemary and 'gnes, two young girls.
Mrs' 0lements and Mrs' Mortimer
*rs. Clements is the current coo! at $arlington #all while *rs. *ortimer wor!ed there during the time of Lord $arlington, *iss
Genton, and )tevens+ father.
Lord "alifa4
Lord #alifa" is the correspondent to Germany during %orld %ar 11 from Britain, who is also the ,oreign )ecretary of the country.
Lady Astor
Lady 'stor convinces Lord $arlington to fire his two ?ewish maids because she is pro>8a(i and pro>fascist Dand a member of a
British fascist sympathi(er group.E
Mr' Taylor
*r. Taylor lives in *oscombe with his wife and ta!es )tevens in when his car runs aground.
"arry mith
#arry is a friend of the Taylors who has dinner with them the night )tevens arrives. #e tells )tevens he is a politician and that it is
man+s moral duty to spea! up when it comes to his opinions.
Ruth and arah
uth and )arah are the two ?ewish girls that Lord $arlington fires upon the suggestion of Lady 'stor. *iss Genton tells )tevens
she will 2uit if they are indeed fired, but later reneges on her vow.
Lloyd ,eorge
Lloyd George is the prime minister of -ngland in the years following %% 3, and thus Lord $arlington+s efforts on behalf of
Germany are meant mainly to convince *r. George to change -ngland+s harsh policies in the wa!e of the Treaty of @ersailles.
Dr' 0arlisle
$r. Carlisle meets )tevens at the Taylors and offers to give him a ride bac! to his car after hearing of )tevens+ problems. #e also
says that he !nows )tevens was a servant, and not a dignitary.
Dr' Meredith
$r. *eredith attends to )tevens+ dying father on the pivotal night of Lord $arlington+s convention in 3465.
Major Themes
Duty vs' Desire
/erhaps the deepest theme of 1shiguro+s novel involves the conflict between )tevens+ duties and his personal desires which in his
mind are in profound conflict. )tevens always believed that a dignified butler never let his facade go > never let go of the
professionalism no matter the circumstances. Thus, though he is deeply in love with *iss Genton, )tevens cannot e"press it > both
because he believes it improper to fall in love with one who serves below him in the staff hierarchy, but moreso because he
believes that such love would be a distraction. The other thing to note is that )tevens is so determined to hold onto his dignity that
he creates a straight0ac!et for himself that prevents him from feeling emotions or even recogni(ing them. 1ndeed, )tevens ta!es
pleasure in his own asceticism > in his ability to ignore his dying father and focus on the sore foot of a visiting ,rench ambassador,
or in his ability to accept his employer+s pro>8a(i sympathi(ers. %hat+s created, then, is an inverse relationship between duty and
authenticity, leaving )tevens emotionally ban!rupt by the end of the novel. 't the end, he has nothing but duty and must finally
sacrifice his desires entirely.
Dignity vs' Authenticity
&ne of the more compelling aspects of )tevens+ philosophy involves his definition of dignity. 'ccording to )tevens, a butler has
dignity if he is able to maintain his professionalism no matter what the circumstances. 'ccording to )tevens, dignity is holding on
to one+s duty no matter what+s happening around you. But he finds others with competing definitions. 't the Taylor+s house in
*oscombe, he meets a man who believes that dignity comprises 2uite the opposite > namely the ability to e"press oneself fully,
authentically. 1n this man+s definition, a person who represses his own feelings and opinions in the name of professionalism would
be considered 9undignified9. Thus part of the point of 1shiguro+s story is to lay out the basis for two different understandings of
what dignity means and offer a character stranded between them. Ultimately, of course, )tevens follows his own definition, but
suffers the conse2uences of finding his deep feelings sublimated, crying out for ac!nowledgment. 1n the end, he loses his dignity
by recogni(ing his feelings and discovering that he indeed had followed the wrong definition all along.
<ormal vs' Informal Relationships
1n the course of the novel, we+re e"posed to a slew of different social interactions > many of which demand formal interaction and
others which can subsist on more casual engagement. 'll are dictated by class hierarchy, specifically associated with the British
aristocracy in the time the novel ta!es place > namely the early twentieth>century. )tevens is e"tremely fastidious about the
formality of his interactions. %e sense that he learned this from his father, who treats his son with the utmost formality. -ven close
to death, )tevens+ father is concerned with his duties > only able to ac!nowledge his relationship with his son as he ta!es his last
breaths. )tevens, meanwhile, is so tied to his own formal nature that he is unable to +banter+ or 0o!e with his new employer, *r.
,arraday, without having to practice incessantly. )tevens even goes so far as to try out his new bantering s!ills when he visits
*oscombe, but finds that in his new conte"t as an individual, not a servant, his bantering is ta!en differently. )tevens, upon
leaving $arilngton #all, suddenly reali(es that there is a world outside rigid formality.
Aspiring vs' ettling
By the end of the novel, we find ourselves with characters that much choose between see!ing to fulfill their dreams or settling for
what+s most readily available. 1n the case of *iss Genton, for instance, she always loved )tevens and fully gave him the chance to
intervene in her marriage before she accepted her husband+s proposal. %hen he doesn+t, however, *iss Genton ma!es the choice
to marry a man she doesn+t necessarily love. But at the end of a twenty>year 0ourney, when )tevens finally does find her again, we
discover that *iss Genton never did come to terms with her settling > but only recently has accepted that she will never find the
passionate love to which she aspired. )tevens ultimately ma!es the same decision when faced with *iss Genton+s story of the last
twenty years. 1nstead of confessing his love for *iss Genton at this pivotal moment, then, he agrees with her and tells her to go
bac! to her husband. #e heads bac! to $arlington #all, settling for his duty and renouncing love.
+pstairs vs' Do)nstairs
)tevens inhabits two worlds. There is the +upstairs+ world which involves serving Lord $arlington and *r. ,arraday and all their
guests >> a world in which he must maintain rigid formality and attentiveness at all times. )tevens sees himself fully as an
e"tension of Lord $arlington at this point > without his own desires or identity. 1n the +downstairs+ world, however, )tevens is not
subservient, and instead fully in charge of his own staff. 1n one world then, he is ac2uiescent, while in the other he ta!es the reins.
These two worlds come into conflict precisely because they re2uire different conceptions of identity. Upstairs, )tevens must learn
to let go of his own ego, feelings, and desires in order to do his 0ob as professionally as he can. $ownstairs, however, )tevens
finds his feelings constantly stirred by human events > the death of his father, falling in love with *iss Genton, the firing of two
maids because of their religious faiths. Upstairs, then, he wears a mas!, while downstairs he ta!es it off. The 2uestion is whether
)tevens can reconcile these two worlds > a feat which he ultimately fails to achieve.
#go vs' ubservience
/erhaps one of the more compelling moments in The emains of the $ay comes when )tevens has dinner at the Taylors+ house in
*oscombe and details the stories of his time at $arlington #all without revealing that he was a butler during the time. 't this
precise moment, then, we see the conflict between a man who still preserves his own sense of ego and integrity and a man who+s
given his life over to another. &utside of $arlington #all, )tevens finds power in appropriating the power of an aristocrat, if even
fleetingly. To be his own man, even for this brief moment, is enough to give him an into"icating feeling of freedom. %hen he+s
discovered, however, he feels relieved > as if finding his place as a butler again reminds him of the truth and ma!es him feel less
ashamed. 1ndeed, there is a deep part of )tevens that is afraid to come into his own as a man and ma!e his own decisions. Ta!ing
orders and e"ecuting them to the best of his ability is what gives him his self>esteem.
e4ual Desire vs' e4ual Repression
*iss Genton has managed to find a balance between her duties and her own human 2ualities > specifically her ability to temper
human se"ual desire with her ability to remain a professional. &n her vacation days, she visits with a man, and sees a future as a
servant not in conflict with that as a wife. )tevens, however, cannot spea! in terms of love or human desire. -very time he wants
to compliment *iss Genton or reach out to her romantically, he can only do it in the conte"t of their wor!. *iss Genton grows
increasingly frustrated by his limitations and subtly begs him to 0ust confess his love for her so they might both live their lives to
fulfillment. But )tevens cannot separate his human desire from wor! > and cannot find any other way of framing his own identity
or se"uality without conte"tuali(ing it in wor!. Ultimately, this enables *iss Genton to leave $arlington #all and find life as her
own person > as a wife and mother > while )tevens is condemned to spend the rest of his life alone at $arlington #all, as if he+s a
prisoner.
$rologue ; Darlington "all A=uly &835B
)ummaryA
)tevens, the narrator of 1shiguro+s novel, is the head butler to *r. ,arraday, the Lord of $arlington #all. The story opens with
)tevens prepared to ta!e an +e"pedition,+ for which he has full permission of *r. ,arraday > including the use of his ,ord car > and
for which he has been planning 2uite some time. *r. ,arraday is on his way to the United )tates for five wee!s in 'ugust and
)eptember and has encouraged him to ta!e a brea!, and drive off somewhere in the country.
't first, )tevens is a bit incredulous, assuming there is little behind *r. ,arraday+s suggestion. But his employer presses him,
saying he should ta!e a brea! from the big house > and he+d even foot the bill for gas. )till, )tevens does not ta!e the prospect of a
+vacation+ seriously > until a letter arrives for him. The letter is from *iss Genton, a former house!eeper at $arlington #all, who
he has not heard from in seven years. 1n the letter, )tevens believes he pic!s up subtle cues from *iss Genton that she would li!e
to return to her wor! at $arlington #all. 'nd it is for this reason that )tevens plans to underta!e the e"pedition to fully convince
her that such a return would be fully welcome.
1ndeed, )tevens has been troubled by his own performance of late. #e considers his recent wor! patchy > riddled with the smallest
of errors that suggest that he is overwor!ed, and may soon ma!e an even bigger error. 't present, there are only four staff
members in the house > *rs. Clements, the new house!eeper, and osemary and 'gnes, the two girls that help her. But he
believes they are woefully understaffed and that he has given himself far too much to do. The return of *iss Genton would save
them and the house from inevitable catastrophe.
)tevens ta!es up the mundane details of planning the trip with e"treme care. #e fusses about the cost of gas, hotels, snac!s and
mealsO what to wear, since most of his outfits are formal suitsO and a course of itinerary, carefully divined from an encyclopedic
boo! called The %onder of -ngland. 1t is in reviewing the latter > a seven>part photographic epic about the country > that )tevens
sees great possibilities in not only meeting *iss Genton, but also e"ploring the -ngland he hasn+t seen. #e also has 2uite a bit of
curiosity to see where *iss Genton ultimately moved in order to get married and live as a wife.
)tevens decides to bring the matter up again with *r. ,arraday. #e worries that when his employer brought up the idea earlier, it
was 0ust a momentary impulse, but settles upon broaching the sub0ect during afternoon tea. %hen he e"plains the purpose of his
trip, )tevens mentions the plan to visit *iss Genton, but suddenly loses his conviction, reali(ing he hadn+t cleared with his
employer his plot to add to the staff once more nor made any advances to *iss Genton to ensure that she did desire to return to
$arlington #all. #is aw!wardness produces a single response in *r. ,arradayA +*y, my )tevens. ' lady>friend. 'nd at your ageF+
)tevens is aghast and embarrassed but secures the necessary permission to go on his trip.
)tevens ma!es note of his employer+s 2uic! wit with words and his ability to banter and ma!e 0o!es. )tevens himself wishes he
had such facility. #e regularly finds himself before *r. ,arraday, the butt of a 0o!e, unable to come up with an appropriate
response. #e is sure that bantering is 0ust a sign of friendliness > and there+s never any harmful or mean>spirited ribbing involved.
But it re2uires a sense of casualness which he is not used to, nor has practiced.
)tevens himself, believes that only through practice can he appropriately be up to standards with re0oinders to ,arraday+s
bantering. #e notes that he is 2uite sure that ,arraday is not satisfied with his responses, and even notes that his employer ma!es
even more stinging barbs these days in an effort to provo!e a response. )imply put, )tevens notes that he cannot thin! of
witticisms 2uic!ly enough. #e vows to wor! on his bantering. 'nd with that, he sets out on his trip to meet *iss Genton in %est
-ngland.
'nalysisA
emains of the $ay is a remar!able novel for its sheer force of point of view. This is a story told entirely through the protagonist
)tevens+ eyes, and is thus one of the most in>depth character studies that classic literature claims > and one the reasons for its
vaunted status. The prologue, then, besides establishing the basic narrative devices that will drive the story forward, does more to
introduce us to the vagaries and idiosyncrasies of the butler of $arlington #all. )tevens is, to put it mildly, 2uite detail>oriented,
and certainly obsessive about his duties. But what we first notice about him is a remar!able lac! of shame or resentment about his
position. This is not the story of a butler who wants to ascend ran!s or secretly despises his master > or ever sees himself e2ual to
his Lord. ather, )tevens has one goal and one goal only > to serve the wishes of *r. ,arraday and to do his 0ob as best he can.
But immediately, we begin to see crac!s in the facade that suggest that )tevens cares about nothing else but his 0ob. ,or one thing,
*r. ,arraday is 2uite adamant that )tevens ta!e a vacation from $arlington #all, perhaps implying that one might be necessary
for )teven+s mental health. *oreover, )tevens seems preoccupied with a letter that+s arrived from *iss Genton > so much so that
when *r. ,arraday alludes to his potential crush on the former $arlington #all house!eeper, he+s simply stating the obvious
subte"t of )tevens ruminations on *iss Genton. )tevens seems particularly regretful of a number of small errors that he+s made in
the house, of late, but underneath it is the feeling that he+s incredibly lonely > that the absence of *iss Genton has left him in a
giant manor with no one to tal! to. The replacements > *rs. Clements and the two assisting girls > are simply his employees and
he manages them and thin!s of them as nothing more. The idea that )tevens regrets his treatment of *iss Genton, then, offers the
reader foreshadowing for what will most li!ely be the clima" of the novel > a meeting between the two of them to address the
unfinished business of the past.
's a reader, it+s crucial to view )tevens+ surface narrative as highly unreliable. -verything he says is weighted with the utmost
subte"t. #e may e"tol the The %onders of -ngland as his inspiration for his trip to the west country, but then a small blip reveals
the truth > that he+s curious where *iss Genton has ta!en up her married life. #e might pontificate about his aw!wardness when
bantering with his master, and then offer the 2uic! commitment to becoming better at witticisms > revealing a profound insecurity,
and an even deeper fear of being abandoned or unloved. *iss Genton has left $arlington #all to start a new life, to become
married, but )tevens, perhaps out of desperation, perhaps out of desolation, resolves to bring her bac! and sets out with hope and
fervency. The tone, then, of this opening section is one feverish with hope, buoyed by a sense of renewal and possibility for
)tevens.
The prologue also has a melancholy undertone to it because we reali(e that )tevens is 2uite advanced in his years > and perhaps
has reached the twilight of life Dor at least the beginning of sunsetE. )omehow, despite his relentless pursuit of perfection, his
commitment to serving his master, his 2uest to become a great butler and a great man... it+s all not enough. There is an emptiness
in him, a void that he must fill > and one that ta!es him away from the house and on what may li!ely be a futile 0ourney. But in the
end, it is for the cause of something he has never had > love.
Besides the rigorous control over point of view, 1shiguro also employs a subtle use of time 0umps that suggest a deep +stream of
consciousness+ feel to )tevens+ recollections. 's the novel continues, pay close attention to how often )tevens ta!es detours in his
memory, to beef up an assertion or to 2uestion one of his own conclusions. %hat 1shiguro seems to be after is the sense that this
man has come to live his entire life in his mind >> to have lost the desire to engage people, to find true love >> and rather embraced
the narratives of his own head. &nly after these narratives have failed to satisfy him does he reali(e that he is unfulfilled. 'nd so
with that, the 0ourney begins.
Day Cne A#veningB ; alisbury
)ummaryA
)tevens sits in a guesthouse in )alisbury and loo!s bac! over the first day of his trip. 'll in all, he says he is 2uite satisfied. #e left
$arlington #all with an odd feeling, since without him and *r. ,arraday there, it would stand empty for the first time since
perhaps the estate was built. #e chec!s the house again and again to ma!e sure things are in order before he goes. &nce he leaves,
he finds himself overta!en with e"citement > and alarm > for having 0ourneyed far beyond where he ever had before.
#e steps out to stretch his legs and meets a stranger who urges him to wal! all the way to the top of the hill, where )tevens will
find a beautiful vista > 9Lou won+t get a better view anywhere in the whole of -ngland,9 says the stranger. )tevens ta!es up the
man on his challenge and wal!s to the top of the hill where he finds a magnificent view of the countryside. #e is buoyed by the
sight and proceeds with firm resolve to find*iss Genton and bring her bac! to solve his current staffing problems.
That afternoon, )tevens arrives at a )alisbury guest house, where he ma!es up his room, and then ventures out into the streets. #e
marvels at the wide, airy nature of the city, at the looming cathedral, but says everything he+s seen pales in comparison to the
remar!able view of the countryside he had in the morning. The view reminds him of why the country is called 9Great9 Britain, and
)tevens begins to consider what it is about a country or a person that ma!es them great. 1n particular, he thin!s, what is it that
ma!es a 9great butler9F
1n the 3467s and 57s, there e"isted an organi(ation !nown as the #ayes )ociety, which held considerable influence over London
and other Counties. The #ayes )ociety only admitted butlers +of the very first ran!,+ and had several criteria for membership.
These included that an applicant be attached to a distinguished household, and that the applicant be possessed of a dignity in
!eeping with his position. This word +dignity+ preoccupies )tevens > and he reali(es that it is in fact true that all the butlers he
considers great did, in fact, possess true +dignity.+
)tevens points to his father as one of the +great+ butlers precisely because he maintained such a remar!able sense of dignity. #e
recalls one story his father told over the years about a butler he had heard of in 1ndia. &ne afternoon, the butler entered the dining
room and noticed a tiger under the dining table. #e then proceeded to the drawing room, where his employer was having tea with
a number of visitors. #e calmly attracted his master+s attention, whispered to him of the tiger+s presence, as!ed for permission to
shoot it, which he duly received. #e then shot the tiger, calmly disposed of the carcass, and when he returned, informed the men
that dinner would be served at the usual time with no discernible traces of the recent occurrence.
)tevens recounts another story that *r. Charles, an industrialist, tells him about his father+s service at $arlington #all. &ne
evening, two drun! guests of his Lord as!ed )tevens to ta!e them on a drive around the local villages. They persuaded *r.
Charles to accompany them as well. The men were so unruly and loud and vulgar, but still )tevens+ father said nothing. Then the
men began to insult )tevens+ employer > *r. ?ohn )ilver. )tevens+ father stopped the car, got out, opened their car door and loo!ed
at them with such authority that the two drun!en men +seemed to cower bac! li!e small boys caught by the farmer in the act of
stealing apples.+ Under his glare, finally the men apologi(ed, and )tevens+ father resumed the 0ourney.
'nother story involved )tevens+ father and a General who he deeply loathed. )pecifically, )tevens+ father hated the general
because the General+s policies in the )outhern 'frican %ar had led to the death of his second son > )tevens+ older brother. The
General came to )tevens+ fathers employer+s house, and *r. )ilver offered )tevens+ father the option of not wor!ing those days.
But )tevens+ father refused and waited on the General for several days, despite his terrible manners > and did so well, in fact, that
the General left him a substantial tip that )tevens+ father donated to charity in disgust.
+$ignity,+ then, says )tevens has to do crucially with a butler+s ability not to abandon the professional being he inhabits. 1n other
words, a butler must be a tremendous actor > never to react to provocation and drop their facade. They can inhabit their role,
maintain it, and not be sha!en out, no matter what the circumstances.
'nalysisA
1f the first chapter of emains of the $ay set up the narrative frame for the novel > namely )tevens+ trip to %est -ngland, then this
second chapter sets up the figurative and thematic frames. #ere, )tevens ruminates on what it is that ma!es a great butler > what
separates one from the masses that populate the history of the profession. #e settles upon the word +dignity+ as that which
distinguishes the cream of the crop and even comes to establish a definition. )tevens is e"tremely ordered in his thin!ing. ,or even
though emains of the $ay is a stream>of>consciousness character study > a pee! inside )tevens+ head > he thin!s in paragraphs
that often begin with a hypothetical 2uestion, and end with a conclusion. The parado" of )tevens is that no matter how terse or
concise he is with his actual spea!ing, he is a lo2uacious thin!er > prone to diversion, e"position, and long stretches of
contemplation.
The definition of +dignity+ that )tevens establishes seems at once honorable and disturbing. $ignity, in his eyes, is the ability to
inhabit the professionalism of the butler and never drop the facade. 1n other words, to lose ones natural instincts and become
unflappable in the name of service is the highest aim of one who underta!es the profession. 1t is no wonder, then, that )tevens is
so uncomfortable in moments of silence, solitude, purposelessness. #e has, 2uite simply, abdicated his own soul in order to be a
better butler.
*ost defining characters of classic literature have a crucial +want+ that defines their life. )ome, for instance, want to find their
identiy, others to prove their manhood, others to find love. But for )tevens, here we see that his defining 2uest is to prove his
worth as his father+s son > to become a great butler in order to honor his father. But )tevens doesn+t seem to consider himself a
great butler. There is a sense of melancholy in his inability to completely relin2uish feelings in the same way that his father did >
able to even stomach his son+s de facto !iller in the name of serving his employer.
%hat )tevens, of course, wants deep down is love. 1t is perhaps obvious that he didn+t receive it from his father, has yet to receive
it from a woman, and he has now began to face that chasm of unfulfillment that comes once one reaches the twilight of life. #e
had never left $arlington #all before, and now sets out with the purpose of bringing a woman bac! > for staffing needs, perhaps,
but more to find a way to have his professional and personal desires coalesce. ,or bringing bac! *iss Genton will not only enable
)tevens to improve the household > and thus his chances of greatness as a butler > but to also fulfill a profound emptiness that has
begun to impede his professional wor!. The irony of )tevens is that without *iss Genton at the house, he should be able to focus
even more clearly on his wor!. But without her there, he+s become increasingly distracted and careless.
*r. ,arraday is a bit of a nebulous character, but we should not necessarily attribute this to *r. ,arraday himself. 1t is )tevens,
after all, who defines him > and )tevens seems only to remar! about the instances where he+s frustrated by his employer+s sense of
ease and banter. Because what ,arraday has that ma!es )tevens respect him so much is that delicious sense of ease within himself
that )tevens envies, perhaps fears. %here some masters are intimidating, ,arraday is 2uite the opposite > casual, loose > and this
terrifies )tevens. )o much so that he resolves to practice being casual in order to be more at ease in front of his employer > one of
the remar!able ironies of )tevens+ characters that will develop even more as we proceed.
Day Cne A#veningB ; alisbury
)ummaryA
)tevens sits in a guesthouse in )alisbury and loo!s bac! over the first day of his trip. 'll in all, he says he is 2uite satisfied. #e left
$arlington #all with an odd feeling, since without him and *r. ,arraday there, it would stand empty for the first time since
perhaps the estate was built. #e chec!s the house again and again to ma!e sure things are in order before he goes. &nce he leaves,
he finds himself overta!en with e"citement > and alarm > for having 0ourneyed far beyond where he ever had before.
#e steps out to stretch his legs and meets a stranger who urges him to wal! all the way to the top of the hill, where )tevens will
find a beautiful vista > 9Lou won+t get a better view anywhere in the whole of -ngland,9 says the stranger. )tevens ta!es up the
man on his challenge and wal!s to the top of the hill where he finds a magnificent view of the countryside. #e is buoyed by the
sight and proceeds with firm resolve to find*iss Genton and bring her bac! to solve his current staffing problems.
That afternoon, )tevens arrives at a )alisbury guest house, where he ma!es up his room, and then ventures out into the streets. #e
marvels at the wide, airy nature of the city, at the looming cathedral, but says everything he+s seen pales in comparison to the
remar!able view of the countryside he had in the morning. The view reminds him of why the country is called 9Great9 Britain, and
)tevens begins to consider what it is about a country or a person that ma!es them great. 1n particular, he thin!s, what is it that
ma!es a 9great butler9F
1n the 3467s and 57s, there e"isted an organi(ation !nown as the #ayes )ociety, which held considerable influence over London
and other Counties. The #ayes )ociety only admitted butlers +of the very first ran!,+ and had several criteria for membership.
These included that an applicant be attached to a distinguished household, and that the applicant be possessed of a dignity in
!eeping with his position. This word +dignity+ preoccupies )tevens > and he reali(es that it is in fact true that all the butlers he
considers great did, in fact, possess true +dignity.+
)tevens points to his father as one of the +great+ butlers precisely because he maintained such a remar!able sense of dignity. #e
recalls one story his father told over the years about a butler he had heard of in 1ndia. &ne afternoon, the butler entered the dining
room and noticed a tiger under the dining table. #e then proceeded to the drawing room, where his employer was having tea with
a number of visitors. #e calmly attracted his master+s attention, whispered to him of the tiger+s presence, as!ed for permission to
shoot it, which he duly received. #e then shot the tiger, calmly disposed of the carcass, and when he returned, informed the men
that dinner would be served at the usual time with no discernible traces of the recent occurrence.
)tevens recounts another story that *r. Charles, an industrialist, tells him about his father+s service at $arlington #all. &ne
evening, two drun! guests of his Lord as!ed )tevens to ta!e them on a drive around the local villages. They persuaded *r.
Charles to accompany them as well. The men were so unruly and loud and vulgar, but still )tevens+ father said nothing. Then the
men began to insult )tevens+ employer > *r. ?ohn )ilver. )tevens+ father stopped the car, got out, opened their car door and loo!ed
at them with such authority that the two drun!en men +seemed to cower bac! li!e small boys caught by the farmer in the act of
stealing apples.+ Under his glare, finally the men apologi(ed, and )tevens+ father resumed the 0ourney.
'nother story involved )tevens+ father and a General who he deeply loathed. )pecifically, )tevens+ father hated the general
because the General+s policies in the )outhern 'frican %ar had led to the death of his second son > )tevens+ older brother. The
General came to )tevens+ fathers employer+s house, and *r. )ilver offered )tevens+ father the option of not wor!ing those days.
But )tevens+ father refused and waited on the General for several days, despite his terrible manners > and did so well, in fact, that
the General left him a substantial tip that )tevens+ father donated to charity in disgust.
+$ignity,+ then, says )tevens has to do crucially with a butler+s ability not to abandon the professional being he inhabits. 1n other
words, a butler must be a tremendous actor > never to react to provocation and drop their facade. They can inhabit their role,
maintain it, and not be sha!en out, no matter what the circumstances.
'nalysisA
1f the first chapter of emains of the $ay set up the narrative frame for the novel > namely )tevens+ trip to %est -ngland, then this
second chapter sets up the figurative and thematic frames. #ere, )tevens ruminates on what it is that ma!es a great butler > what
separates one from the masses that populate the history of the profession. #e settles upon the word +dignity+ as that which
distinguishes the cream of the crop and even comes to establish a definition. )tevens is e"tremely ordered in his thin!ing. ,or even
though emains of the $ay is a stream>of>consciousness character study > a pee! inside )tevens+ head > he thin!s in paragraphs
that often begin with a hypothetical 2uestion, and end with a conclusion. The parado" of )tevens is that no matter how terse or
concise he is with his actual spea!ing, he is a lo2uacious thin!er > prone to diversion, e"position, and long stretches of
contemplation.
The definition of +dignity+ that )tevens establishes seems at once honorable and disturbing. $ignity, in his eyes, is the ability to
inhabit the professionalism of the butler and never drop the facade. 1n other words, to lose ones natural instincts and become
unflappable in the name of service is the highest aim of one who underta!es the profession. 1t is no wonder, then, that )tevens is
so uncomfortable in moments of silence, solitude, purposelessness. #e has, 2uite simply, abdicated his own soul in order to be a
better butler.
*ost defining characters of classic literature have a crucial +want+ that defines their life. )ome, for instance, want to find their
identiy, others to prove their manhood, others to find love. But for )tevens, here we see that his defining 2uest is to prove his
worth as his father+s son > to become a great butler in order to honor his father. But )tevens doesn+t seem to consider himself a
great butler. There is a sense of melancholy in his inability to completely relin2uish feelings in the same way that his father did >
able to even stomach his son+s de facto !iller in the name of serving his employer.
%hat )tevens, of course, wants deep down is love. 1t is perhaps obvious that he didn+t receive it from his father, has yet to receive
it from a woman, and he has now began to face that chasm of unfulfillment that comes once one reaches the twilight of life. #e
had never left $arlington #all before, and now sets out with the purpose of bringing a woman bac! > for staffing needs, perhaps,
but more to find a way to have his professional and personal desires coalesce. ,or bringing bac! *iss Genton will not only enable
)tevens to improve the household > and thus his chances of greatness as a butler > but to also fulfill a profound emptiness that has
begun to impede his professional wor!. The irony of )tevens is that without *iss Genton at the house, he should be able to focus
even more clearly on his wor!. But without her there, he+s become increasingly distracted and careless.
*r. ,arraday is a bit of a nebulous character, but we should not necessarily attribute this to *r. ,arraday himself. 1t is )tevens,
after all, who defines him > and )tevens seems only to remar! about the instances where he+s frustrated by his employer+s sense of
ease and banter. Because what ,arraday has that ma!es )tevens respect him so much is that delicious sense of ease within himself
that )tevens envies, perhaps fears. %here some masters are intimidating, ,arraday is 2uite the opposite > casual, loose > and this
terrifies )tevens. )o much so that he resolves to practice being casual in order to be more at ease in front of his employer > one of
the remar!able ironies of )tevens+ characters that will develop even more as we proceed.
Day T)o AMorningB ; alisbury
)ummaryA
)tevens has a rough time sleeping and awa!es in the dar!. 1n these 2uiet moments, he finds himself going over passages
from *iss Genton+s letter. #e says that *iss Genton should be called *rs. Benn, since she has now been married for twenty years.
But because he !new her only during her maiden years, he continues calling her *iss Genton. )tevens now reveals that *iss
Genton+s marriage has come to an end. )he has moved out of *r. Benn+s house and is living with an ac2uaintance in a nearby
village. )tevens says that it is tragic that her marriage is ended, but he wonders whether coming bac! to $arlington #all might
relieve her of her loneliness. )tevens has read her letter closely, and believes he has found a running subte"t of despair. #e sees
emptiness, unfulfillment in *iss Genton+s tone, and the change in her ma!es him reminisce bac! to her days wor!ing alongside
him and her father at $arlington #all.
*iss Genton and )tevens+ father both arrived at $arlington #all in the )pring of 3466. )tevens says they came at the same time
because an underbutler and house!eeper had a secret affair and then left the house to marry. )tevens ma!es it clear he finds such
liaisons a threat to the order of the house, and is especially disdainful of those who 0ump from house to house loo!ing for romance
with little sense of responsibility to their profession. DBut he does not include *iss Genton in this description for he always found
her wor! of the highest 2uality.E
)tevens+ father had come to the house of the death of his previous employer and was suffering from arthritis. %1th )tevens+s father
in the house, )tevens and *iss Genton often found themselves at odds over him. The first battle comes when *iss Genton address
his father as +%illiam,+ prompting )tevens to as! her to call him +*r. )tevens senior,+ despite *iss Genton+s higher ran!. )tevens
implies that his father is superior at his 0ob, which *iss Genton begins to ta!e issue with when )tevens+ father ma!es a number of
errors. ,irst, he leaves a dust>pan in the hall, in plain view of those who might visit the house. Then he leaves traces of polish on
the silver, and then manages to reverse two sculptures. The last error leads to a blowup where *iss Genton tells )tevens that his
father has been entrusted with far more than he can handle. )teven retorts that she is foolish.
Things come to a head, however, when )tevens+ father suffers a terrible fall while carrying a tray out to guests on the lawn. The
doctor arrives and lets Lord $arlington!now that )tevens+ father is overwor!ed. )tevens spea!s to his father privately, and 2uic!ly
we see that their relationship is stilted and dominated by wor!. )tevens tells his father that his wor!load will be reduced, and his
father is at once embarrassed and 2uic! to blame the fall on the croo!edness of the lawn steps. Later that evening, *iss Genton
and )tevens see )tevens+ father on those same steps, wal!ing up and down them 9as though he hoped to find some precious 0ewel
he had dropped there.9
)tevens reali(es he may have treated his father brus2uely, and proceeds to tell a story that he considers the +turning point of his
life,+ one that might further e"plicate his relationship with his father. The story involves a conference held at $arlington #all in
*arch 3465, convened partly because of Lord $arlington+s friendship with #err Bremann, an officer in the German army during
%orld %ar 1. #err Bremann returned to $arlington #all in the years after the war, and loo!ed increasingly gaunt and disheveled
each time. )eeing his friend deteriorate, Lord $arlington had become preoccupied with how the treaty that ended %orld %ar 1 had
left Germany to fend for itself > and -ngland had disgraced its own values by neglecting a defeated foe so obviously.
)oon after, #err Bremann shoots himself, which Lord $arlington harbors deep guilt and resentment over. 1n his eyes, -ngland was
responsible for the officer+s death for not helping the Germans after the signing of the Treaty of @ersailles. 's a result, then, this
convention at $arlington #all will assemble Britons, Germans, Belgians, ,rench, 1talians, and )wiss in all ran!s > clergymen,
military gentlemen, writers and thin!ers > in order to determine how to correct the Treaty of @ersailles to that Germany and its
inhabitants were not punished so severely and forced into economic chaos. 1ndeed, Lord $arlington believed that if the economic
spiral of Germany were not stopped, it could spread with alarming rapidity to the world at large.
)tevens notes that the preparations for the conference are increasingly hectic and stressful. #e ta!es an enormous amount of
responsibility on his shoulders, believing that if the conference does not go perfectly > and any guests find their stay
uncomfortable > it would have terrible repercussions. )tevens notices that *iss Genton is particularly pi2ued. %hen he points out
to her that the bed linens upstairs have to be changed, she retorts that she not only has it under control, but that if she were had as
much time as he apparently does, she would go around the house reminding him of tas!s that he had +perfectly well in hand.+
)tevens offers his own re0oinder attesting to *iss Genton+s lac! of e"perience, which seems to be the last straw. )he insists that
)tevens not spea! to her directly ever again and use a messenger or go>between instead. )he leaves him and goes bac! to his
wor!. )tevens has no time to consider this incident for the guests have 0ust begun to arrive.
'nalysisA
Time is always fluid in Remains of the $ayR, so often we lose trac! of whether we are in the present or the past, and the status of
the relationships. 1t is a novel of stream>of>consciousness reminiscence, and it is only because )tevens+ mind is so ordered that we
end up having a picares2ue view of events > in other words, one that is episodic and anecdotal. 1n this particular section, we see
the convergence of a few streams in the narrative. ,irst off, we begin to understand the fraught, frigid relationship between
)tevens and his father. )econd, we begin to see that se"ual tension appears to overwhelm the relationship between )tevens and
*iss Genton. 'nd finally, we+re poised for a !ey event at the end of the se2uence that will li!ely bring all these matters to a head >
namely the conference at Lord $arlington #all to suggest revisions to the Treaty of @ersailles. The political machinations of the
conference provide conte"t as well as parallelism to the more domestic dramas between )tevens and the rest of the staff that
unfold during the conference.
To begin with )tevens and his father, it+s 2uite clear that )tevens is truly awed by his father+s devotion to service and his father+s
+dignity+ in maintaining his professionalism at all times. Thus when )tevens+ father begins to lose his step a bit > ma!ing errors that
)tevens is not used to seeing from him > he reacts with denial at first. $eep down, )tevens !nows two things > that his father is a
+great+ butler, and that for him to give up his profession would most certainly lead to his death. #e finds that *iss Genton will
conspire on neither count > that she calls his father +%illiam+ because he is of 0unior ran!, and she agrees that he should be relieved
of some of his duties. 1t is the first seed of tension between )tevens and *iss Genton.
)tevens, himself, is completely uncomfortable tal!ing to his father. 1t is clearly apparent that )tevens+ father commitment to his
duties has become his primary relationship and overwhelmed any sense of responsibility to his son. #is son is merely a wor!er in
the same house, it seems > and they maintain a relationship that is burdened with formalism, decorum, and impersonal
communication. 1t is perhaps clear, then, that )tevens can only communicate his emotions in terms of wor!. %hen he is frustrated,
he lashes out at another+s wor! habitsO when he is amorous, he compliments one+s wor! > everything must be conveyed through
professionalism.
This tendency to sublimate emotions into wor! is what brings )tevens and *iss Genton+s relationship to a head. By now, it is 2uite
apparent that )tevens has ta!en a li!ing to *iss Genton. 'nd indeed, when he wants to engage her, he says simply that she should
clean the upstairs. *iss Genton, for her part, wants no part of such wor!>related flirtation, and in fact, ta!es his comments 2uite
literally. %hen )tevens labels *iss Genton +ine"perienced,+ it seems to be done with the utmost affection, but she is enraged by it.
)omething about )tevens+ tendency to operate in subte"t consistently sets her off and ultimately leads to her severing
communication altogether. emember, )tevens is most definitely the protagonist of the novel, while there seems to be an absent
antagonist. -very episode seems to have its own > *iss Genton at times, perhaps Lord $arlington > but overall, the antagonist
seems to be )tevens himself.
The conference that Lord $arlington organi(es is one with an e"plicitly political purpose > namely to revise the Treaty of
@ersailles. %hat we must remember in all the political machinations that follow is that )tevens ultimately has no power to affect
the dealings of his master. 1t is a classic upstairs>downstairs narrative where )tevens has full power to comment on the goings>on
and ma!e his observation, but cannot actually interfere in them. The irony, however, is that )tevens ultimately feels more
responsibility for his employer+s life, then for his own. %e get e"position, often as a result, as opposed to introspection. 's a
result, then, he is not a classical hero > and is forced into a passivity unusual to protagonists of character novels.
Day T)o AMorningB ; alisbury A$ART .B
)ummaryA
's the preparation for the convention continues, Lord $arlington calls )tevens in to give him an unusual and confidential tas!. )ir
$avid Cardinal, instrumental in organi(ing the convention, has brought his son *r. eginald, who is twenty>three and engaged to
be married. Lord $arlington is the young man+s godfather and has been entrusted by )ir $avid with the responsibility of teaching
his son +the facts of life+ before his wedding day. Lord $arlington tells )tevens that he+s terribly busy and simply can+t find the time
to do it > and as!s that )tevens does it instead. )tevens obliges but fails on two occasions and finally gives up, since *r. Lewis, the
'merican senator arrives two days early.
The ma0or guests at the conference include *r. Lewis and *. $upont from ,rance. Before the ,renchman arrives, Lord
$arlington tells *r. Lewis that he+s aghast by the ,rench attitude towards the Germans. 1t is unbecoming to hate an enemy once
they are defeated > and he is insistent that the British do not adopt this same bullying mentality. The ne"t morning two countesses
around from Germany, as well as an 1talian, and soon enough the rest of the guests begin to arrive. )tevens tries one last time to
tal! to *r. Cardinal about the birds and the bees, but has to abort the plan when he finds out that *. $upont has arrived > and in a
most foul temper.
*r $upont is a tall, elegant gentleman who arrives upset because some sores on his feet are growing septic. But ironically on the
first day of the conference, it+s not *. $upont that re2uires severe medical attention > but rather )tevens+ father. )tevens runs up to
his room to find his father ashen, feverish, and *iss Genton duly informs him that she will ta!e over monitoring him > and that
)tevens should return to wor!. That evening, )tevens overhears a conversation between $upont and *r. Lewis where *r. Lewis
tells the ,renchman of his conversation with Lord $arlington earlier > the one in which he called the ,rench +despicable+ and
+barbarous+.
This seems to cause the ne"t day+s conference discussions to be heated and intense. )tevens tries to !eep trac! of what+s
happening, but he also must attend to his father. )tevens finally spea!s to his sic! father, and his father says that he+s +proud+ of
him > he+s been a +good son+ and he hopes he+s been a +good father,+ ending only with +1 suppose 1 haven+t.+ )tevens replies that the
can tal! in the morning as they+re e"tremely busy.
&n the last night of the conference, $upont gives a speech where he says that he+s been eminently impressed by Lord $arlington+s
efforts and the attempts to ensure German 2uality of life after the Treaty of @ersailles. #e says he is determined to lessen the
scornful attitude of the ,rench towards the Germans, and here stops to moc! *r. Lewis, who he said secretly spo!e behind
everyone+s bac!. *r. Lewis is humiliated, and the rest of the table goes on to toast Lord $arlington. Lewis stands up to ma!e his
own speech, and declares that they are all intensely naive and that $arlington is an amateur. $arlington closes by saying simply
that he believes in honesty and truth > and his amateurism should actually be called +honour.+
*iss Genton comes immediately to tell )tevens that his father has become very ill. )tevens runs upstairs, but then has to come
bac! down to chec! on the guests. $arlington as!s him whether anything+s wrong, but )tevens says its merely been the strain of a
hard day. *iss Genton comes down and informs him that his father has passed away. *iss Genton as!s if he will come up and see
his father now, but )tevens says he is 2uite busy and his father would have preferred that he +carry on.+ )tevens ta!es care of
$upont, whose feet are giving him trouble, and then finally attends to $r. *eredith, who informs )tevens that his father died as
the result of a massive stro!e. )tevens as!s the doctor to attend to *r. $upont.
%e return to the present day, then, where )tevens recalls all these events. #e loo!s bac! and says that that night he displayed the
level of +dignity+ that would ma!e him a great butler. #e remembers that day not for its sense of sadness, but for the triumph of
maintaining his professionalism even in the harshest of circumstances.
'nalysisA
1n perhaps one of the most heartbrea!ing moments of the novel, )tevens cannot attend to his own father on his deathbed because
of his piety to his professional duties. /erhaps even more heartbrea!ing is that loo!ing bac! at this confluence of events, )tevens
views it as a triumph, rather than a tragedy. #e does not loo! bac! with sadness on his father+s death, rather pride that he was able
to maintain his dignity and professionalism in the face of such chaos and pain. This single moment, it seems, ma!es him believe
that he was worthy of being called a +great+ butler. The parado" of this moment, of course, is that what ma!es )tevens a great
butler also ma!es him an unfulfilled human.
The idea of +confidence+ seems to permeate the novel at every level of the term > confidence in terms of trust, confidence in terms
of secrecy, even confidence in terms of self>belief. 1n the case of )tevens, he is entrusted by Lord $arlington with the most
delicate and seemingly inappropriate matters > for instance, informing *r. Cardinal about se". 't the same time, though, )tevens
does not trust Lord $arlington enough to let him !now the goings>on in his own life. Truly he would see this as a disruption of his
professionalism, but there is also the implicit sense that )tevens is afraid of being seen as wea!. The situation with the young *r.
Cardinal is a larger metaphor for )tevens+ own reluctance to find comfort in his own se"uality.
1n the earlier chapter, *iss Genton noted that she no longer wished to spea! to *r. )tevens directly and it would have to be done
through a messenger from now on. 1ronically that messenger turns out to be )tevens+ father. 1ndeed, it is )tevens+ father in his
illness that brings them bac! together, as *iss Genton vows to stay by his side even though )tevens must press on with his wor!.
1n many way,s *iss Genton comes to symboli(e )tevens+ severed heart. )he understands the tenor of a man who would relin2uish
his own father in order to preserve the semblance of his duties. )uddenly she does not ta!e )tevens+ slights so personally.
)tevens, even more than his father though, does actually have emotions that overta!e him. %here )tevens+ father learned to 2uell
his emotions entirely > hence leading to )tevens+ belief that he pales in comparison to his father+s greatness > )tevens occasionally
must surrender. 1ndeed, when he+s running upstairs and downstairs, between 0olly guests and his dying father, he can+t help but
shed tears. But when confronted with this by Lord $arlington, )teven wipes his tears as if they+re sweat, and attests only to the
hard wor! of a long day.
/erhaps one of the odder moments in the novel comes when )tevens is as!ed by Lord $arlington to inform *r. Cardinal about the
+facts of life.+ )uddenly reading these passages, we+re terribly concerned as to whether )tevens himself has ever e"perienced carnal
love. The discomfort of having to e"plain biological processes to a young man engaged to be married can only be more
humiliating to one who never managed to find his own love. 'gain, )tevens finds a way to be distracted by his duties. But slowly
we see that all the aspects of life he should have en0oyed > family, love, marriage, children > have never been broached, merely
swept away in the name of wor!.
Day T)o AAfternoonB ; Mortimer@s $ond( Dorset
)ummaryA
)tevens returns to the definition of a +great+ butler as determined by the #ayes )ociety > namely the butler must be a member of a
+distinguished+ household. )tevens says his generation has a much more idealistic view of this definition of the word
+distinguished.+ #is generation believes that a distinguished man furthers the progress of humanity and aspires to noble causes. 1n
his generation, other butlers are willing to leave not 0ust over wages, but also over the moral worth of one+s employers.
Butlers of )tevens+ father+s generation tended to see the world in terms of a ladder > and thus a distinguished household often
represented the houses of royalty or the houses of lords. 'ny butler in his father+s generation, then, simply climbed the ladder as
high as possible > and the higher he went, the more professional prestige he accumulated. The #ayes )ociety endorsed this view as
well. But later, the new generation viewed the world not as a ladder, but more as a +wheel+ > meaning that they cared about who
they served, and they wanted to serve those to whom civili(ation was entrusted.
)tevens is ta!ing a drive through $orset, and suddenly reali(es that his employer+s ,ord is emanating a weird smell. he par!s the
car, and finds a @ictorian house a ways away. 't the house, he meets a man who puts water in the ,ord+s radiator, which promptly
gets it going again. )tevens as!s him how many people are employed at the house, but the man tells him that his employer, the
Colonel, is trying to get rid of the house. The man as!s )tevens whether he wor!ed for Lord $arlington, but )tevens says no. They
part with the man telling )tevens to visit a local pond so he can meet his employer, the Colonel.
't *ortimer+s /ond, )tevens begins to thin! about why he denied wor!ing for Lord $arlington. #e did this once before, when *r.
and *rs. %a!efield, an 'merican couple that moved to -ngland, came to visit $arlington #all. )tevens reali(es that he isn+t
necessarily ashamed of wor!ing for *r. $arlington, but there are 0ust too many foolish things said about Lord $arlington for him
to ta!e responsibility for correcting. #e says Lord $arlington was a man of great moral stature, no matter what people say, and he
is proud and grateful to have been given the privilege to wor! for him.
)tevens lodges at the Couch and #orses outside of Taunton, )omerset, a cottage by the roadside. #e ventures down to the bar,
where one of the men tells him he won+t get much sleep because of the master and mistress+ arguing. )tevens uses the opportunity
to ma!e a 0o!e bac!A +' local variation on the coc! crow, no doubt.+ But clearly they don+t get it. )tevens is upset that his 0o!e
didn+t wor!, especially since he+s been listening to a broadcast humor show on the ratio regularly and studying the programme.
Later, he considers all the reasons his 0o!e didn+t wor!.
)tevens sits and has tea in Taunton close to the *ar!et )2uare. #e muses about the nearby village of *ursden, where a famous
firm named Giffen and Co. used to manufacture a silver polish that put the town on the map. #e believes that silver polish came to
be one of the !ey shifts in his profession > the emphasis on silver>polishing as one of the !ey duties of a butler. #e loo!s bac! on
one butler named *r. *arshall, who achieved greatness because of his famous silver polishing s!ills.
)tevens recalls that polishing silver at $arlington #all often had a pleasing impact on observers. #e remembers Lady 'stor and
George Bernard )haw both ta!ing note of the beauty of his polishing wor!. -ven Lord #alifa" told Lord $arlington that the silver
in the house was a delight. )tevens continues his stream of consciousness reminiscing and remembers #err ibbentrop, a man
who people believed was determined to deceive -ngland about #itler and Germany+s true intentions in 345M>345H. )tevens,
however, believed #err ibbentrop was an honorable gentleman, and Lord $arlington fre2uently stayed with 8a(i sympathi(ers
because at the time, they were considered significant people in the German administration and e"tremely hospitable.
)tevens says that his wor! as a butler often influenced the mood of important political guests and led to them admiring his
employer, Lord $arlington. #e was particularly proud of his silver polishing s!ills bac! then and found that even the most
demanding guests were impressed by it. But now his wor! has slipped. &nly recently, he saw *r. ,arradayscrutini(ing a dirty for!
>> which )tevens had to promptly replace. )tevens again blames the mista!e on the staff shortage and loo!s forward to correcting
the error once *iss Genton arrives.
'nalysisA
The last moments of the chapter bring what is a rather aimless section to a dramatic close. ,or a good portion of this section,
)tevens wa"es rather oddly upon the importance of silver polishing. The subte"t of all this is how deeply he believed in the
significance of the details of his wor!. 1ndeed, in )tevens+ mind, the 2uality of his wor! had an undue influence on the attitude of
his guests towards his employer. 1f he did good wor! with the silver, then inevitably, even the most e"acting guests would
compliment the silver to Lord $arlington, leading to )tevens essentially changing the mood of the household. 1f a guest entered
the house in a foul mood, then he might leave much more content upon seeing the care with which $arlington too! care of his
house.
But now, it seems, there+s a crac! in )tevens+ facade. #e no longer seems to have the same attention to detail as he used to > and in
fact, Lord ,arraday has noticed the lapse in his wor!. )tevens blames it on his staff shortage, but it+s clear that he+s lost a little bit
of his own motivation and self>belief. #e+s loo!ing for something bigger it seems than 0ust clean silver. 'nd indeed, what he+s
loo!ing for seems to be layered in with his search for *iss Genton > she will at once provide him the staff necessary to bring the
silver bac! to its previous 2uality and to also fulfill the emptiness that has begun to distract him and which is slowly creeping over
and dominating his life.
)tevens is an interesting character in that he is not completely of the old guard, but rather a transitional generation. 1ndeed, most of
this section concerns itself with what his peers loo! for when choosing an employer. 1n his father+s day, )tevens believed that a
person+s worth as a butler was tied entirely to that of his employer. 1n other words, one simply absorbed the ran! and reputation of
his boss. But in )tevens+ generation, the principles changed slightly > so that butlers now cared deeply about the moral reputation
of their employers rather than 0ust their actual ran! in society. The butlers, then, have to be e"tremely conscious of their
employer+s politics, which e"plains )tevens+ deep !nowledge about $arlington+s inner consciousness. *oreover, it e"plains the
constant need for )tevens to e"plain his employer+s friendships and relationships.
)tevens puts such deep emphasis on practicing and training and wor! ethic that we can+t be surprised by t relentless effort he puts
into becoming better at bantering. 1n this particular instance, he listens to a radio program with an emphasis on humor, in order to
develop his comic witticisms. %hen he arrives at the lodge in )omerset, he sees an opportunity to put his learnings to use, but his
0o!e falls flat. %e can feel the disappointment. $eep down, we get the sense that )tevens wants to be as normal as the commoners
he meets > at ease in his own s!in. But he is so deeply ensconced in the idea of being a +great+ butler that he cannot let go of his
armor. #e has lost touch with his own soul.
$eep down, )tevens seems deeply repressed about his own desires. 1n many ways, he is attempting to construct a narrative of
consciousness and introspection in order to find the #oly Grail > happiness. ,or so many years, he found distraction, fulfillment in
his wor!, but we sense that the moment *iss Genton left, he began a slow decline, even though his desire for her was probably
subconscious. 't the same time, there wasn+t much )tevens could do > so tied to propriety, he had to wait until *iss Genton+s
marriage had ended. The moment it does, he sei(es upon her latest letter as evidence that she is waiting for him to come and
rescue her > and bring her bac! to his castle, li!e a prince in a fairy tale.
Day Three A#veningB ; Moscombe !ear Tavistock( Devon
)ummaryA
)tevens feels he has to 2ualify some of his statements from earlier, and returns to the idea of Lord $arlington+s purported anti>
)emitism. 'ccording to )tevens, there was the rumor that people of ?ewish faith were not allowed on the staff of $arlington #all.
)tevens says he can refute this with authority. There was one incident, however, when *rs. Barnet, a member of a local
+blac!shirts+ organi(ation and friend of Lord $arlington, spent a good deal of time visiting one summer. )oon after, Lord
$arlington barred ?ews from the staff of the #all and )tevens was forced to fire two maids.
Later that night, )tevens informs *iss Genton that they will have to fire the two ?ewish maids. )tevens is himself clearly
concerned by Lord $arlington+s re2uest but he says they must fulfill Lord $arlington+s orders, since he is their employer. *iss
Genton, on the other hand, is completely aghast. )he says that if )tevens agrees that the girls are good wor!ers, then he+s wrong to
let them be fired 0ust because they are ?ewish. 1t is his responsibility, she says to ta!e a stand. 1f the girls are fired, says *iss
Genton, then she will 2uit as well.
)tevens fires the girls, but *iss Genton doesn+t leave. )he tells )tevens repeatedly that she has every intention of handing in her
notice, but simply hasn+t had the time. -ventually, though, *iss Genton stays. ' year later, $arlington comes to )tevens and as!s
him to trace the whereabouts of the maids > as he is terribly sorry for firing them. )tevens goes to *iss Genton and tells him of
Lord $arlington+s aboutface on the maids, and *iss Genton is surprised to see that )tevens felt the same way she did. 1n her eyes,
she thought he didn+t care at all about the girls > that he, in fact, agreed with Lord $arlington. )he as!s )tevens why he always has
to pretend, and he avoids the 2uestion.
'fter the firing of the maids, a new house!eeper arrives named Lisa. )tevens is not a terrible fan of the girl, but *iss Genton does
a good 0ob training her and )tevens is forced to admit she+s doing a good 0ob. *iss Genton departs from her usual decorum and
says she is surprised )tevens can admit that Lisa is competent because he always had such a strong aversion to having pretty girls
on the staff of $arlington #all. )tevens is embarrassed by such tal!, but *iss Genton reiterates that perhaps )tevens is flesh and
blood after all and can+t trust himself in the presence of pretty women. -ventually, however, )tevens is proved right in his
suspicions when Lisa runs off with the footman. *iss Genton agrees that )tevens was right to suspect her, and )tevens tries to say
that *iss Genton did her best with her. They both come to the agreement that giving up one+s profession for romance is not only
naive but also improper.
)tevens reali(es that his relationship with miss Genton changed 2uite dramatically around 345: or 345M after they maintained a
proper and professional dynamic for so many years. )tevens thin!s of an incident in the pantry as perhaps the biggest turning
point. *iss Genton had a habit of coming into the pantry with flowers to brighten it up, and one night she comes in while )tevens
is reading. )he as!s him what it is he is reading, but )tevens refuses to tell her, saying it+s private. miss Genton says she suspects
it+s something +racy,+ and manages to pry it out of his hands. 1t+s a sentimental love story. #e shows her out of the pantry firmly.
)tevens 2ualifies the incident heavily, saying he was reading the boo! only to improve his command of the language, and though
he certainly en0oyed the romance, he thin!s the nature of the boo! is irrelevant. 1nstead, he was embarrassed that he was seen +off
duty+ in the presence of others. ' butler must never be seen off>duty. #e resolves to ma!e sure he reestablishes the professionalism
of his relationship with *iss Genton.
*iss Genton had two days off every si" wee!s. Usually on her days off, she might stay in $arlington #all and 0ust rest, but all of a
sudden, )tevens notices that she is ta!ing full advantage of her time off > disappearing for the full two days. )he finds out that she
has been visiting an +ac2uaintance,+ who used to be a butler with her at Granchester Lodge. *iss Genton tells )tevens he seems
li!e a well>contented man, for he is at the top of his profession, with every aspect of $arlington #all under his control. )tevens
replies that he will not be fulfilled until he can do all he can to fulfill Lord $arlington+s wishes for the house. 'nother day, )tevens
comes to *iss Genton for their cocoa chat, but *iss Genton says she is very tired. #urt, )tevens says they should stop meeting for
cocoa and despite *iss Genton+s protests, ends the meetings entirely and says she can leave him written messages.
)tevens returns to the present day, where he has par!ed his ,ord on a dar! road after brea!ing down. #e wal!s down to the village
where is hosted by *r. and *rs. Taylor. )tevens has dinner with the Taylors+ friends, and they are deeply impressed by him as a
gentlemen and believe that he is of a high ran!. )tevens, for his part, says it is +dignity+ which ma!es a gentlemen. They as! him if
he has met Churchill and #alifa", and )tevens says he has indeed, since he was involved in international affairs before war. $r.
Carlisle, a friend of the Taylors, arrives, and finds all the fuss over )tevens+ celebrity connections a bit odd. )tevens says he felt
terribly embarrassed over all the guests+ misimpression of him.
'nalysisA
)tevens usually seems to ramble a bit in his reminiscences, aimlessly e"ploring his memory before settling on a telling anecdote to
end each section. 1n this particular instance, he ends on the story of attending the Taylor dinner, where he seems to have totally
morphed into a man aspiring to gentlemanly status. 'lready we can see the difference between )tevens and a man li!e his father.
%here )tevens+ father would have never pretended to be of higher ran! in order to curry favor, )tevens can+t resist. #e e"cuses
away the entire episode as a misunderstanding, but deep down, he deeply wants the approval and ran! of others to fulfill the void
he feels inside.
*iss Genton alludes to this tendency of )tevens when she as!s him why he always has to pretend > why he can+t simply rela" and
tell the truth. )tevens says he does not !now what she+s tal!ing about, but at the end, we see this literal instance of pretending, and
reali(e that *iss Genton saw all along that he is shielded in a thic! coat of armor through which most people cannot penetrate. By
now, however, )tevens has clearly fallen in love with *iss Genton. )o deeply that he cannot seem to bear her ta!ing her full
vacation days to visit another ac2uaintance. 1ndeed, he seems passive aggressive in stating that his only need for contentment
comes in service > and he has no other desires. 1t+s as if he wants to ma!e *iss Genton feel guilty for her own human instincts.
/erhaps one of the less effective devices in the novel involves the constant returns to Lord $arlington+s political views. )tevens
has to reveal how he became enmeshed in his master+s own politics, but we never seem to get a full grasp of what $arlington is
actually li!e. %e do sense, however, that he is fallible, and as he comes to admit this fallibility, )tevens begins to lose his complete
filial devotion to him, and discovers his own self>esteem. The incidents of the maids, meanwhile, is less crucial for illuminating
$arlington+s politics and more of )tevens. )tevens is willing to subordinate his personal views in order to maintain his +dignity.+
,or *iss Genton, however, dignity comes in casting off the views of one+s employer if they do not agree with one+s own. 1n the
end, however, she is practical enough to stay with $arlington even though she disagrees with his politics.
)tevens himself is e"tremely passive>agressive in his romantic strategies. The most illuminating moment of the opening section
comes, of course, when he is caught reading a romantic novel. 1mmediately we see the veneer fall away and his true sentimental
instincts emerge > his true fragility. But he cannot admit them to *iss Genton and upon discovery of the novel, ushers her out with
the resolve to reinforce their domestic relationship. Later, instead of confessing his love to her over their cocoa chats, he
obfuscates his intentions, frustrates her, and ends up cancelling their chats to punish her for not putting up with his steel facade.
%hat we begin to see, then, is *iss Genton losing interest with )tevens as he fails in his ability to engage her on a deeper level.
The more he comes to reali(e his love for her, the more he resists it.
$eep down, )tevens now seems at a crossroads. The reminiscing on his trip has seemingly made him reali(e the freedom of being
a man. #e has the time to see himself outside of his duties, outside of his comfort (one and we sense that he has renewed in
confidence and vitality. 's he nears *iss Genton+s house, we begin to sense his dramatic momentum > that he now has the
opportunity to fully achieve self>fulfillment by embracing his love for her and declaring it.
Day <our AAfternoonB ; Little 0ompton( 0orn)all ; Day i4 A#veningB ; Weymouth
)ummaryA
)tevens sits in the dining hall of the ose Garden #otel in Little Compton after finishing lunch. #e will meet *iss Genton in forty
minutes at her current residence. #e notes now that he never received a reply from *iss Genton confirming that she wanted to
meet, but he says !nowing her, a lac! of letter means she is more than happy to meet. )tevens returns to his night with the Taylors
in his memory and says that when $r. Carlisle drove him to his car, he as!ed )tevens simply if he was a +manservant.+ )tevens was
relieved and said that he was in fact the butler at $arlington #all. Carlisle said he suspected as much and here in a small town,
people would li!ely view )tevens as some form of royalty.
)tevens returns to one memory in particular > an evening a few months after the death of *iss Genton+s aunt, when the young *r.
Cardinal turns up at $arlington #all. )ir eginald Cardinal+s father, $avid Cardinal, had been !illed in a riding accident a few
years earlier. The young *r. Cardinal had been building a name for himself in international affairs. The young *r. Cardinal says
he is in a 0am at the moment and wonders if *r. $arlington could put him up for the night. )tevens goes to tell *iss Genton of
*r. Cardinal+s arrival and is a bit spoo!ed, because earlier he had stood outside her door, contemplating whether to go in and
comfort her over the loss of her aunt. *iss Genton had been e"tremely close to her relative and )tevens !new he should assuage
her over her loss > but yet didn+t !now how to do it. )tevens goes in to find *iss Genton 2uiet and contemplative. #e tells her that
*r. Cardinal has arrived > and she reminds him it is her day off. )he then tells )tevens that her a2uaintance has as!ed her to marry
him. )tevens can only say that it is +interesting,+ and *iss Genton says she is thin!ing it over. Tension hangs in the air, as if she
e"pects him to do something.
*iss Genton returns from her day off and tells )tevens she has accepted her ac2uaintance+s marriage proposal. )tevens can+t seem
to formulate his thoughts, and *iss Genton is a bit surprised by his lac! of response. )he wonders why he doesn+t have more to
say, but )tevens says there are events of +global significance+ unfolding upstairs. *iss Genton seems frustrated and says that she
and her fiancee pass their time with her recounting amusing anecdotes about )tevens+ fastidity. )tevens leaves, obviously hurt.
)tevens attends to the guests upstairs and they as! for a bottle of port. #e runs downstairs to get it and finds *iss Genton in the
doorway.
*iss Genton apologi(es for her comments about )tevens earlier. #e pretends to not recall what she said and says he+s too busy for
them to tal! right now. %hen he comes bac! up after fetching the port, however, he hears *iss Genton crying in her room. #e
stands outside her room for some time, debating what to do. But then he continues on his way up to the drawing room to serve the
port. #e remembers that subse2uent hour so vividly >> torn between his duties, his +dignity+, and his deeper desires. #e was so
proud of his ability to serve the highest ran!ing gentlemen and not let his feelings get in the way. 'nd indeed, even though *iss
Genton is crying in her room at that precise moment, )tevens feels a sense triumph at having maintained his professionalism.
)tevens ne"t writes from %eymouth, where he recalls his meeting with *iss Genton two days earlier in the tea lounge of the ose
Garden #otel. #e says *iss Genton arrived loo!ing 2uite similar to the person he remembered from twenty years earlier, only
with a few more wrin!les. ,or the first twenty minutes or so, they e"change pleasantries, small tal!, about )tevens+ 0ourney thus
far. &nce the aw!wardness dissipates, they reminisce about people from the past, and slowly )tevens begins to glean some facts
about her present circumstances. ,or one thing, *iss Genton+s marriage is not so far gone as she made it seem >> she returned
home to find *r. Benn pleased to have her bac!. )he says it+s best to be sensible about these things, as if she+s resigned to
reconciliation.
*iss Genton goes on to tal! more generally about her husband, who will retire soon, and as!s )tevens to visit their daughter in
$orset on his way bac!. )tevens says it+s unli!ely he+ll pass by $orset, but *iss Genton insists, saying that Catherine+s heard all
about you. )tevens tries to tell *iss Genton of the current state of $arlington #all, and e"plains how Lord $arlington became an
invalid and eventually lost his reputation. )tevens wonders aloud why *iss Genton seemed so dire in her letter, even mentioning
that her life seemed empty. *iss Genton seems surprised that she wrote such a thing, and bac!s off from it > saying that her life
does not seem empty now, and they are even loo!ing forward to grandchildren now.
)tevens finally as!s her directly > in her letters, she made it seem li!e she was unhappy, and he 0ust wanted to ma!e sure she
wasn+t. *iss Genton says that she is absolutely fine > her husband is not cruel or ill>tempered. )he says that she never loved her
husband at first > and was surprised she was marrying him at all. but she grew to love him. There are times, where she wonders
what she did with her life > whether she could have had a better one with )tevens. But she doesn+t loo! bac! any more, and thin!s
her life has been good enough, if not ideal. )tevens tells *iss Genton that it+s time she en0oy her life now > and ma!e her years
happy for herself and her husband. #e says they may never meet again. The bus arrives, and *iss Genton leaves. )tevens sees that
she is crying as she leaves.
)tevens sits on a pier bench, and is 0oined by a stranger who )tevens confesses virtually his whole life to > even the fact that he+s
been ma!ing too many mista!es as the butler of $arlington #all. The stranger offers )tevens a hand!erchief when he sees he+s
been crying. )tevens reali(es that perhaps he has wasted his life because he never made his own mista!es > and lived simply as the
vehicle of another. #e confesses that perhaps there is no dignity in not being able to say he made his own mista!es. But he
resolves not to loo! bac! and to continue to move forward with the remains of his day. #e vows first to return to $arlington #all
and surprise *r. ,arraday with his new bantering s!ills.
'nalysisA
The last section of emains of the $ay is at once the anticipated clima" because of )tevens+ meeting with *iss Genton and a bit
of a false tease, since we do not see it unfold in real time. 1nstead, the narrative 0umps, and we hear about )tevens+ recollection of
it two days later. &ne of the interesting things that+s easy to forget in 1shiguro+s novel is that )tevens is recounting events that
happened twenty years ago. That gap in time is difficult to convey through the te"t since so little of it unfolds in real time. 1nstead,
we must ma!e con0ectures as to how *iss Genton might react to )tevens+ suggestion that she return to $arlington #all, even after
setting up her new life for more than two decades. %e reali(e the answer to this when we discover that she had many moments
when she may have returned, but now it is too late > she already had a number of doubting moments, when she wondered about
the cosmic path of her life, but )tevens has come when she has already become complacent, and already let go of her need for a
better life.
)tevens, for himself, seems to reach his brea!ing point here. #e is so deeply in love with *iss Genton and has built up such fierce
e"pectations and a desperation for her love > but when the moment comes, he cannot confess it. 1n a moment of perhaps supreme
self>sacrifice > or perhaps cowardice > he caves, and says simply that he wishes she remains happy with her husband and that she
en0oy the rest of her life. ?ust as *iss Genton ac!nowledges thatt the time for regrets is gone, )tevens does too, and they part way
with no possibility of reconciling for it is simply too late. 1nertia has ta!en them too far.
)tevens does finally brea!, however, to a stranger, to whom he confesses that he never did have his own life. #e was so concerned
with dignity, with being a great butler to someone else, that he never followed his own dreams. 's a servant, )tevens was so
terrified of ma!ing mista!es, so terrified of having his own identity. 1n his eyes, it was his duty to renounce his own soul in order
to be the best employee possible. 1t+s ta!en his whole life for him to reali(e what a mista!e it is. 1n other chapters, )tevens
recounted stoies with similar themes but in the end, always confessed that he felt triumph upon remembering that he preserved his
professionalism at all costs. But for the first time, he says here that it has afforded him nothing. but it is too late. #e will go on
with the remains of his day > the remains of his life > trying to hold on to his dignity.
1shiguro+s novel, first and foremost, is a portrait of a man bro!en by his own life choices. &ver and over, he loo!s bac! and sees
the opportunities in his life he should have ta!en but cannot admit defeat. 1f he can get *iss Genton to come bac! to $arlington
#all, if he can get her to wipe the slate clean, then he+ll have another chance. %hat )tevens wants then is a do>over > a chance to
relive his own life. #e does this through his memory, but he comes to the reali(ation that to find fulfillment, he will have to
actually ta!e action in real life. But at the crucial moment, he can+t do it >> because it+s too late. *iss Genton has already steered
onto the course of least resistance. 'nd now )tevens will have to also.
1shiguro+s novel achieves such masterclass status because of its intense subte"t. )o rarely do novels manage to create such a fluid
sense of consciousness and then use memory to achieve an apotheosis or epiphany. ,or all its lac! of a narrative, The emains of
the $ay has the power of a thriller precisely because we want )tevens to find happiness. %e want him to find peace once and for
all. But in perhaps the cruelest twist of all, when it comes time for him to ta!e action and stri!e out in search of fulfillment... it+s
too late.
uggested #ssay %uestions
3. %hat does )tevens see as the paramount virtue in a butlerF
'nswerA )tevens believes that a butler first and foremost should e"hibit dignity, or rather the ability to remain professional no
matter what the situation. -ven in the most dire of circumstances, a butler is responsible for maintaining his facade.
6. %hy does )tevens choose not to reveal his position as a butler during his dinner with *r. and *rs. Taylor in *oscombeF
'nswerA $eep down, )tevens is see!ing to finally build his own identity, and he finds tremendous freedom in pretending as if he
had met all the British luminaries as a result of his own professional prowess. But when it is finally revealed that he is a butler by
$r. Carlisle, he feels tremendous relief.
5. %hat is )tevens+ only regret as the novel comes to an endF
'nswerA 't the end of The emains of the $ay, )tevens has one overhwleming regret > that he never got to be his own man, ma!e
his own decisions, and stand up for himself. #e reali(es that he has been merely an e"tension for his various employers and never
truly had the chance to follow his own desires or ma!e his own life.
I. %hy does )tevens not confess his love to *iss Genton at the end of the novelF
%hen )tevens meets *rs. Benn at the end of the boo!, she has already come to terms with her own loveless marraige and given
up on the dream of love. )tevens sees that she+s agoni(ed with the decision and thus does not pursue her, !nowing the cause is lost.
:. %hat is meant by the title The emains of the $ayF 'nswerA )tevens invo!es the title to mean what is left of his life. 't
the end of his story, he returns to $arlington #all to live out what remains, unsure whether he+s lived a life he can be
proud of. &ne can also ta!e the novel+s title to refer to the last days of the British aristocracy.
M. %hy does )tevens not protest Lord $arlington+s anti>)emitismF 'nswerA 1n )tevens+ view, a butler must always be an
e"tension of his master+s wishes. 1t is not his place, therefore, to contradict Lord $arlington+s orders, even if he finds them
morally repugnant. *iss Genton on the other hand vows to 2uit if Lord $arlington goes through with his plan to fire the
maids.
H. %hy does )tevens initially set out on his 0ourney to *rs. BennF 'nswerA )tevens has clearly been devastated by *rs.
Benn+s departure from $arlington #all > an event that happened twenty years ago. But in recent days, she has announced
the end of her marriage and also sent him a letter suggesting that she may wish to return to her duties at $arlington.
)tevens ventures to convince her to return.
C. 't the Taylor+s dinner, what is the alternative definition of dignity that )tevens hears presentedF 'nswerA *r. #arris tells
)tevens that dignity is in no way a simple ac2uiescence to professionalism, but rather 2uite the opposite > the ability of a
man to spea! his opinions and truth no matter the circumstances. #e believes freedom of e"pression is what ma!es a man
ultimately dignified and honorable.
4. #ow would you best describe )tevens+ relationship with his fatherF 'nswerA Though )tevens loves his father, there is
clearly a thic! wall between them precisely because his father is so deeply mired in wor!. 1ndeed, even on )tevens+ father
deathbed, he can only muster one last thought > that he li!ely wasn+t a good father.
37. %hy can+t )tevens tell *iss Genton he loves herF 'nswerA )tevens isn+t necessarily +repressed+ as much as he is torn
between his duties and his desire. 1n his eyes, a butler cannot embrace human emotion and thus human frailties without
li!ely being disassembled completely. 'nd thus, whenever he wants to show his love for *iss Genton, he does so in the
conte"t of her wor! > something she inevitably re0ects.
K
Animal <arm ummary
'nimal ,arm is a satirical fable set on *anor ,arm, a typical -nglish farm. &rwell employs a third>person narrator, who reports
events without commenting on them directly. The narrator describes things as the animals perceive them.
&ld *a0or calls a meeting of all the animals in the big barn. #e announces that he may die soon and relates to them the insights he
has gathered in his life. &ld *a0or tells the animals that human beings are the sole reason that ;8o animal in -ngland is free< and
that ;The life of an animal is misery and slavery.< Therefore the animals must ta!e charge of their destiny by overthrowing *an in
a great ebellion. #e relates his dream of rebellion.
&ld *a0or dies soon after the meeting and the other animals prepare for the ebellion under )nowball, 8apoleon, and )2uealers
leadership. &ne night, *r. ?ones passes out drun!, creating the perfect opportunity for the animals to rebel. They are so hungry
that they brea! into the store>shed. %hen ?ones and his men try to whip them into submission, the animals run them off the farm.
The animals burn all reminders of their former bondage but agree to preserve the farmhouse ;as a museum.< )nowball changes the
name of the farm to ;'nimal ,arm< and comes up with )even Commandments, which are to form the basis of 'nimalism. They
areA
1. Whatever goes upon two legs is an enemy.
2. Whatever goes upon four legs or has wings is a friend.
!. "o animal shall wear #lothes.
$. "o animal shall sleep in a bed.
%. "o animals shall drin& al#ohol.
'. "o animal shall &ill any other animal.
(. )ll animals are e*ual.
The pigs mil! the cows, and then the animals go out to begin the harvest. %hen they return, the mil! has disappeared
mysteriously. The first harvest is a great success. The animals adhere to the tenets of 'nimalism happily, and with good result.
-ach animal wor!s according to his ability and gets a fair share of food.
-very )unday, )nowball and 8apoleon lead a meeting of all the animals in the big barn. The pigs are the most intelligent animals,
so they thin! up resolutions for the other animals to debate. )oon after, the pigs set up a study>center for themselves in the
harness>room. )nowball embar!s on various campaigns for social and economic improvement. 8apoleon opposes whatever
)nowball does. Because most of the animals lac! the intelligence to memori(e the )even Commandments, )nowball reduces them
to the single ma"im, ;,our legs good, two legs bad.< The sheep ta!e to chanting this at meetings.
's time goes by, the pigs increase their control over the animals and award themselves increasing privileges. They 2uell the
animals 2uestions and protests by threatening *r. ?oness return. $uring this time, 8apoleon also confiscates nine newborn
puppies and secludes them in a loft in order to ;educate< them.
By late summer, )nowballs and 8apoleons pigeon>messengers have spread news of the ebellion across half of -ngland.
'nimals on other farms have begun lashing out against their human masters and singing the revolutionary song ;Beasts of
-ngland.< ?ones and other farmers try to recapture 'nimal ,arm but fail. The animals celebrate their victory in what they call
;The Battle of the Cowshed.<
The animals agree to let the pigs ma!e all the resolutions. )nowball and 8apoleon continue to be at odds and eventually clash over
the windmill. )nowball wants to build a windmill in order to shorten the wor! wee! and provide the farm electricity, but 8apoleon
opposes it. 8apoleon summons nine fierce dogs Dthe puppies he trainedE to run )nowball off the farm. 8apoleon announces that
)unday meetings will cease and that the pigs will ma!e all the decisions in the animals best interest. 't this point, Bo"er ta!es on
his own personal ma"ims, ;1 will wor! harder< and ;8apoleon is always right.< 1n the spring, 8apoleon announces plans to build
the windmill, claiming that it was his idea all alongSrewriting history.
Building the windmill forces the animals to wor! harder and on )undays. )hortages begin to occur, so 8apoleon opens up trade
with the human world. Through )2uealer, he lies that no resolutions against interaction with humans or the use of money had ever
been passed. 8apoleon enlists %hymper to be his intermediary, and the pigs move into the farmhouse. )2uealer assures the
animals that there is no resolution against this, butClover and *uriel discovers that one of the resolutions has been changed toA
;8o animal shall sleep in a bed with sheets.< )2uealer convinces her that there was never a resolution against beds at all.
&ne night, strong winds sha!e the farm and the animals awa!e to discover the windmill destroyed. 8apoleon blames )nowball
and sentences the e"pelled pig to death.
1n the winter, as conditions become worse on 'nimal ,arm, 8apoleon deceives the human world into thin!ing 'nimal ,arm is
prospering. #e signs a contract for a 2uota of four hundred eggs per wee!, inciting a hen rebellion that results in several deaths.
'round the same time, 8apoleon begins negotiating with ,rederic! and /il!ington to sell 'nimal ,arms store of timber. #e also
spreads propaganda against )nowball, claiming that )nowball was always a spy and a collaborator while 8apoleon was the true
hero of the Battle of the Cowshed, and )2uealer warns against )nowballs secret agents.
,our days later, 8apoleon holds an assembly in which he ma!es several animals confess to treachery and then has the dogs
e"ecute them. The dogs try to get Bo"er to confess but leave him alone when they cannot overpower him. 'fterwards, Clover and
some other animals huddle together on a hill overloo!ing the farm. They reminisce about 'nimalisms ideals and consider how
much they differ from the violence and terror of 8apoleons reign. They sing ;Beasts of -ngland,< but )2uealer informs them that
the song is useless now that the ebellion is completed and that it is now forbidden. The new anthem begins with the lyricsA
;'nimal ,arm, 'nimal ,arm, B 8ever through me shalt thou come to harmQ<
'nother commandment is changed to readA ;8o animal shall !ill any other animal without #ause.< Clover and *uriel convince
themselves that the commandment has always been this way. )2uealer begins reading the animals statistics regularly to convince
them that production is increasing. 8apoleon seldom appears in public. The animals now call him ;our Leader, Comrade
8apoleon.< They attribute all misfortunes to )nowball and all success and luc! to 8apoleon.
8apoleon continues to negotiate with the farmers and eventually decides to sell the timber to *r. /il!ington. 't last, the windmill
is finished and named ;8apoleon *ill.< )oon after, 8apoleon announces that he will sell the timber to ,rederic!, 2uic!ly
changing his allegiance and disavowing his earlier vilification of ,rederic!. 8apoleon says that /il!ington and )nowball have
been collaborating. ,rederic! pays for the timber in fa!e cash, and the ne"t morning, ,rederic! and his men invade the farm and
blow up the windmill. The animals manage to chase the humans off, though many die or are in0ured in what they call ;The Battle
of the %indmill.<
'fter the battle, the pigs discover a case of whis!y in the farmhouse. They drin! to e"cess and soon, )2uealer reports that
8apoleon is dying and, as his last action, has made the consumption of alcohol punishable by death. But 8apoleon recovers
2uic!ly and then sends %hymper to procure manuals on brewing alcohol. )2uealer changes another commandment to ;8o animal
shall drin! alcohol to e+#ess.<
8apoleon plans to build a schoolhouse for the thirty>one young pigs he has parented. Towards the end of the winter, 8apoleon
begins increasing propaganda to distract the animals from ine2uality and hardship. #e creates special ;)pontaneous
$emonstrations< in which the animals march around and celebrate their triumphs.
1n 'pril, 8apoleon declares the farm a epublic and is elected unanimously as /resident. The animals continue to wor! feverishly,
most of all Bo"er. &ne day, Bo"er collapses while overe"erting himself. 8apoleon promises to send him to the veterinarian in
%illingdon. ' few days later, a horse>slaughterer ta!es Bo"er away in his van. The animals are none the wiser
until Ben0amin reads the lettering on the side of the van. ' few days later, )2uealer reports that Bo"er died in the hospital despite
receiving the best possible care. #e claims that Bo"ers last words glorified 'nimal ,arm and 8apoleon. #e also claims that the
van belongs to the veterinarian, who recently bought it from the horse slaughterer and had not yet managed to paint over the
lettering. 8apoleon promises to honor Bo"er with a special ban2uet. But the pigs use the money from his slaughter to buy a case
of whis!y, which they drin! on the day appointed for the ban2uet.
Lears go by, and though 'nimal ,arms population has increased, only a few animals that remember the ebellion remain.
Conditions are still harsh despite technological improvements. The pigs and dogs continue to do no manual labor, instead devoting
themselves to organi(ational wor!. &ne day, )2uealer ta!es the sheep out to a deserted pasture where, he says, he is teaching them
a song. &n the day the sheep return, the pigs wal! around the yard on their hind legs as the sheep chant, ;,our legs good, two
legs better.< The other animals are horrified. Clover consults the barn wall again. This time Ben0amin reads to her. The )even
Commandments have been replaced with a single ma"imA ;'ll animals are e2ual B But some animals are more e2ual than others.<
The pigs continue the longstanding pattern of awarding themselves more and more privileges. They buy a telephone and subscribe
to maga(ines. They even wear ?oness clothing. &ne night, 8apoleon holds a conciliatory ban2uet for the farmers. /il!ington
ma!es a speech in which he says he wants to emulate 'nimal ,arms long wor! hours and low rations. 8apoleon announces that
the farm will be called ;*anor ,arm< again, the animals will call each other ;Comrade< no longer, and they no longer will march
ceremoniously past &ld *a0ors s!ull Da practice he denies understandingE. #e also declares that the farms flag will be plain
green, devoid of the symbols of the ebellion. 's the animals peer through the windows to watch the humans and pigs play po!er,
they cannot distinguish between them.
About Animal <arm
'nimal ,arm was published on the heels of %orld %ar 11, in -ngland in 34I: and in the United )tates in 34IM. George
&rwell wrote the boo! during the war as a cautionary fable in order to e"pose the seriousness of the dangers posed by )talinism
and totalitarian government. &rwell faced several obstacles in getting the novel published. ,irst, he was putting forward an anti>
)talin boo! during a time when %estern support for the )oviet Union was still high due to its support in 'llied victories against
Germany. )econd, &rwell was not yet the literary star he would 2uic!ly become. ,or those reasons, 'nimal ,arm appeared only at
the wars end, during the same month that the United )tates dropped atomic bombs on #iroshima and 8agasa!i. The tragically
violent events of the war set the stage well for &rwells fictional manifesto against totalitarianism.
'nimal ,arm was &rwells first highly successful novel Dthe second being 34CIE, and it helped launch him out of the minor fame
of an essayist into the stratosphere of acclaimed fiction. $espite publishers initial hesitance toward the boo!, the public in both
Britain and the United )tates met it with enthusiasm. 1n the United )tates alone, it sold M77,777 copies in four years. 'nimal ,arm
was translated into many languages, proving its universal reach.
'nimal ,arm is an allegory or fable, a fairy tale for adults. &rwell uses animal characters in order to draw the reader away from
the world of current events into a fantasy space where the reader can grasp ideas and principles more crisply. 't the same time,
&rwell personifies the animals in the tradition of allegory so that they symboli(e real historical figures. 1n their own universe,
people can become desensiti(ed even to terrible things li!e deception, mistreatment, and violence. By demonstrating how these
things occur in an allegorical world, &rwell ma!es them more clearly understood in the real world. ,or instance, in 'nimal ,arms
public e"ecution, &rwell lays bare the matter of e"ecution by having the dogs rip out the supposed traitors throats. 1n this scene,
the reader is led to focus not as much on the means of e"ecution as on the animalistic, atrocious reality of e"ecution itself.
'nimal ,arm is also a powerful satire. &rwell uses irony to undermine the tenets of totalitarianism, specifically that of )talinism.
'lmost instantly after the novels publication, it became the sub0ect of revisionism. 1n one instance, the C1' made an animated
film version of the boo! in which they eliminated the final scene and replaced it with a new revolution in which the animals
overthrow the pigs Dsee the 3444 #allmar! film version for another change in endingE. They distributed the film as anti>
communist propaganda, which is ironic when one considers the novels own censure of the propagandist rewriting of history. This
revision and others over the years Dwhether in changing the story or interpreting itE contributed to the publics general
misunderstanding of &rwell. Though he was staunchly anti>)talinist, he was certainly not a capitalist. 1n fact, he was a
revolutionary socialist. $uring his lifetime, &rwell did little to detract from his s!ewed public image. #e was a man of
contradictions>>Louis *enand calls him ;a middle>class intellectual who despised the middle class and was contemptuous of
intellectuals, a )ocialist whose abuse of )ocialists ... was as vicious as any Torys.<
'nimal ,arm is universally appealing for both the obvious and the subtle messages of the fable. %hile the allegorys characters
and events are deeply or specifically symbolic, &rwells narrator softens some of the punches by including a gentle and un>
opinionated narrator. The third>person narrator is outside the animals world, so he does not relate any of the lies, hardships, or
atrocities firsthand. ather, he is a 2uiet observer.
*oreover, the narrator relates the tale from the perspective of the animals other than the dogs and pigs. 1n this way, the narrators
approach to the story resembles &rwells approach to life. That is, 0ust as &rwell developed empathy for the wor!ing class by
e"periencing wor!ing>class life firsthand, the narrators tale is based on the e"perience of someone who is not 2uite an insider but
no longer 0ust an outsider. The narrators animal perspective, as well as his reluctance to opine, fits well with the naivete of the
animal characters.
&ne e"ample of the narrators indifferent approach to the tale is evident when the pigs use the money from Bo"ers slaughter to
buy a case of whis!y. ather than relating this event in star! terms, the narrator states impartially that on the day appointed for
Bo"ers memorial ban2uet, a carton arrives at the farmhouse followed by loud singing and ;the word went round that from
somewhere or other the pigs had ac2uired the money to buy themselves another case of whis!y< D36ME. The scene also e"emplifies
how the narrators naTve perspective produces an drily ironic effect.
#ere are two other e"amples of ironic humor in the novel. 1n Chapter 1, the narrator describes ;Beasts of -ngland< as ;a stirring
tune, something between PClementine and PLa Cucaracha< D56E. 'nyone familiar with those two songs !nows that they are
childish ditties. 1n Chapter 1U, the narrator reports that the pigs find ;a large bottle of pin! medicine< in the farmhouses medicine
cabinet. They send it out to Bo"er, who is deathly ill. %e can assume that the medicine, being pin!, is the antacid /epto>Bismol,
hardly useful to someone on his deathbed. By lightening his allegory with ironic humor, &rwell ma!es the story more palatable
without ta!ing away from his message.
0haracter List
*enjamin
The don!ey. #e is the oldest animal on the farm and stereotypically stubborn and crotchety. #e is also intelligent, being the only
animal Daside from the pigsE that can read fluently. #e never laughs, preferring to ma!e cynical comments, especially the cryptic
line, ;don!eys live a long time.< $espite Ben0amins unfriendly nature, he has a special affinity for Bo"er. The ebellion does not
change Ben0amins personality, although he eventually helps the animals read the lettering on the side of the van and the ma"im
that replaces the )even Commandments. Ben0amin represents the human Dand also stereotypically ussianE tendency towards
apathyO he holds fast to the idea that life is inherently hard and that efforts for change are futile. Ben0amin bears a similarity to
&rwell himself. &ver the course of his career, &rwell became politically pessimistic and predicted the overta!e of the %est by
totalitarian governments.
*luebell( =essie( and $incher
The dogs. %hen Bluebell and ?essie give birth to puppies, 8apoleon confiscates them and secludes them in a loft, where he
transforms them into fierce, elitist guard dogs.
*o4er
The male of the two horses on the farm. #e is ;an enormous beast, nearly eighteen hands high, and as strong as any two ordinary
horses put together. ' 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 wor!< D6ME. Bo"er has a
special affinity for Ben0amin. %ith his determination to be a good public servant and his penchant for hard wor!, Bo"er becomes
8apoleons greatest supporter. #e wor!s tirelessly for the cause of 'nimal ,arm, operating under his personal ma"ims, ;1 will
wor! harder< and ;8apoleon is always right.< The only time Bo"er doubts propaganda is when )2uealer tries to rewrite the story
of )nowballs valor at the Battle of the Cowshed, a ;treachery< for which he is nearly e"ecuted. But Bo"er recants his doubts
when he learns that the altered story of the battle is directly from 8apoleon. 'fter Bo"er is in0ured while defending the farm in the
Battle of the %indmill, 8apoleon sends him to be slaughtered for profit. The pigs use the money from the slaughter to buy
themselves a case of whis!y. Bo"er is not pugnacious despite his name, but he is as strong as his name implies. 1n this way, Bo"er
is a painfully ironic character. #e is strong enough to !ill another animal, even a human, with a single blow from his hoof, and the
dogs cannot manage to overpower him in Chapter @11. )till, Bo"er lac!s the intelligence and the nerve to sense that he is being
used. Bo"er represents the peasant or wor!ing class, a faction of humanity with a great combined strength>>enough to overthrow a
manipulative government>>but which is uneducated enough to ta!e propaganda to heart and believe unconditionally in the
governments cause.
the 0at
The only cat on *anor ,arm. )he is la(y and indifferent, but she does participate in the Battle of the Cowshed.
0lover
The female of the two horses on the farm. )he is ;a stout motherly mare approaching middle life, who had never 2uite got her
figure bac! after her fourth foal.< Clover is Bo"ers faithful companion as well as a motherly figure to the other animals. Li!e
Bo"er, Clover is not intelligent enough to read, so she enlists *uriel to read the altered )even Commandments to her. )he sees the
incongruities in the governments policies and actions, but she is not smart or defiant enough to fight for the restoration of 0ustice.
Clover represents those people who remember a time before the evolution and therefore half>reali(e that the government is lying
about its success and adherence to its principles, but are helpless to change anything.
the Dogs
8ine puppies, which 8apoleon confiscates and secludes in a loft. 8apoleon rears them into fierce, elitist dogs that act as his
security guards. The dogs are the only animals other than the pigs that are given special privileges. They also act as e"ecutioners,
tearing out the throats of animals that confess to treachery. The dogs represent the 8G@$ and more specifically the GGB,
agencies ?oseph )talin fostered and used to terrori(e and commit atrocities upon the )oviet Unions populace.
<rederick
The owner of /inchfield, the small farm ad0acent to *anor ,arm. #e is a hard>nosed individual who is !nown for his fre2uent
legal troubles and demanding business style. #e cheats the animals out of their timber by paying for it with fa!e ban!notes.
,rederic! represents 'dolf #itler. umors of the e"otic and cruel animal tortures ,rederic! enacts on his farm are meant to echo
the horror stories emerging from 8a(i Germany. ,rederic!s agreement to buy the timber represents the 8a(i>)oviet non>
aggression treaty, and his subse2uent betrayal of the pact and invasion of 'nimal ,arm represents the 8a(i invasion of the )oviet
Union.
=ones
The owner of *anor ,arm and a drun!ard. #is animals overthrow him in the ebellion. %hen he tries to recapture his property,
they defeat him, steal his gun, and drive him off again. *r. ?ones dies in a home for alcoholics in another part of the country. #e
represents the !ind of corrupt and fatally flawed government that results in discontent and revolution among the populace. *ore
specifically, ?ones represents the latter days of imperial ussia and its last leader, the wealthy but ineffective C(ar 8icholas 11.
Minimus
' pig with ;a remar!able gift for composing songs and poems.< Under 8apoleons rule, *inimus sits with him and )2uealer on
the barn platform during meetings. *inimus composes propaganda songs and poems under 8apoleons rule. Though we never
hear *inimus complain about his duties as propaganda writer, he represents the )oviet Unions artists, who were forced to use
their talents to glorify communism rather than e"press their personal feelings or beliefs.
Mollie
The white mare that draws *r. ?oness trap. #er personality is superficial and adolescent. ,or e"ample, when she arrives at the big
meeting in Chapter 3, &rwell writes, ;*ollie N Came mincing daintily in, chewing a lump of sugar. )he too! a place near the
front and began flirting her white mane, hoping to draw attention to the red ribbons it was plaited with< D6HE. *ollie is the only
animal not to fight in the Battle of the Cowshed, instead hiding in her stall. )he eventually flees the farm and is last seen,
bedec!ed in ribbons, eating sugar and letting her new owner stro!e her nose. *ollie represents the class of nobles who, unwilling
to conform to the new regime, fled ussia after the evolution.
Moses
' tame raven that is *r. ?oness ;especial pet.< #e is a spy, a gossip, and a ;clever tal!er< D5HE. #e is also the only animal not
present for &ld *a0ors meeting. *oses gets in the way of the pigs efforts to spread 'nimalism by inventing a story about an
animal heaven called )ugarcandy *ountain. *oses disappears for several years during 8apoleons rule. %hen he returns, he still
insists on the e"istence of )ugarcandy *ountain. *oses represents religion, which gives people hope of a better life in heaven.
#is name connects him to the ?udeo>Christian religions specifically, but he can be said to represent the spiritual alternative in
general. The pigs disli!e *osess stories of )ugarcandy *ountain, 0ust as the )oviet government opposed religion, not wanting its
people to subscribe to a system of belief outside of communism. Though the )oviet government suppressed religion aggressively,
the pigs on 'nimal ,arm let *oses come and go as he pleases and even give him a ration of beer when he returns from his long
absence.
Muriel
The white goat. *uriel can read fairly well and helps Clover decipher the alterations to the )even Commandments. *uriel is not
opinionated, but she represents a subtle, revelatory influence because of her willingness to help bring things to light Das opposed to
Ben0aminE.
!apoleon
&ne of the leaders among the pigs, 8apoleon is a ;large, rather fierce>loo!ing Ber!shire boar< that is up for sale. #e is the only
Ber!shire boar on the farm. #e is ;not much of a tal!er< and has ;a reputation for getting his own way< D5:E. 8apoleon e"pels
)nowball from the farm and ta!es over. #e modifies his opinions and policies and rewrites history continually to benefit the pigs.
8apoleon awards special privileges to the pigs and especially to himself. ,or e"ample, he dines on *r. ?oness fine china, wears
*r. ?oness dress clothes, and smo!es a pipe. 's time goes on, 8apoleon becomes a figure in the shadows, increasingly secluding
himself and ma!ing few public appearances. -ventually, 8apoleon holds a conciliatory meeting with the neighboring human
farmers and effectively ta!es over *r. ?oness position as dictator. 8apoleon represents the type of dictator or tyrant who shir!s
the common good, instead see!ing more and more power in order to create his own regime. &rwell reflects 8apoleons greed for
power with a name that invo!es 8apoleon Bonaparte, the very successful ,rench leader who became ;-mperor< and brashly
invaded ussia before being defeated by ussia. But 8apoleon the pig more directly represents )talin in his constantly changing
policies and actions, his secret activities, his intentional deception and manipulation of the populace, and his use of fear tactics and
atrocities.
Cld Major
' pri(e *iddle %hite boar that the ?oneses e"hibited under the name ;%illingdon Beauty.< #e is, ;stout N But still a ma0estic>
loo!ing pig, with a wise and benevolent appearance< D6ME. 1n addition to his laurels in the e"hibition world, *a0or is highly
respected among his fellow farm animals. #is age is twelve years, which ma!es him a senior among them, and he also claims to
have had over four hundred children. #e is the one who calls the meeting in the first chapter to discuss his strange dream. *a0or
claims to ;understand the nature of life on this earth as well as any animal now living< D6CE. *onths after his death, the pigs
disinter his s!ull and place it at the base of the flagpole beside the gun. *a0or symboli(es two historical figures. ,irst, he
represents Garl *ar", the father of *ar"ism. *ar"s political hypotheses about wor!ing>class consciousness and division of labor
wor!ed infinitely better in theory than in practice, especially when corrupt leaders twisted them for their personal gain. )econd,
*a0or represents @ladimir Lenin, the foremost of the three authors of the ussian evolution and the formation of the )oviet
Union. Lenin died during the )oviet Unions early years, leaving Trots!y D)nowballE and )talin D8apoleonE to vie for his
leadership position.
$ilkington
The owner of ,o"wood, the large, un!empt farm ad0acent to *anor ,arm. #e is an easy>going man who prefers pursuing his
hobbies to maintaining his land. 't the boo!s end, *r. /il!ington offers a toast to the future cooperation between human farms
and 'nimal ,arm. #e also says he plans to emulate 'nimal ,arms low rations and long wor! hours. /il!ington can be seen to
represent the 'llies. 'llied countries e"plored the possibility of trade with the )oviet Union in the years leading up to %orld %ar
11 but !ept a watchful distance. &minously, as ,riedrich #aye! points out in The oad to )erfdom D34IIE, communist principles
had strong proponents among many 'llied nations as well. /il!ingtons unwillingness to save 'nimal ,arm from ,rederic! and his
men parodies the 'llies initial hesitance to enter the %ar. 8apoleons and /il!ingtons po!er game at the end of the boo! suggests
the beginnings of a power struggle that would later become the Cold %ar.
$inkeye
' pig that 8apoleon enlists as his taster, lest someone try to poison him.
the heep
The sheep are loyal to the tenets of 'nimal ,arm, often brea!ing into a chorus of ;,our legs good, two legs bad< and later, ;,our
legs good, two legs betterQ< The )heep>>true to the typical symbolic meaning of ;sheep<>>represent those people who have little
understanding of their situation and thus are willing to follow their government blindly.
no)ball
&ne of the leaders among the pigs, )nowball is a young pig that is up for sale. #e is more intelligent than 8apoleon but lac!s
8apoleons depth of character. #e is also a brilliant orator. )nowball, who represents Leon Trots!y, is a progressive politician and
aims to improve 'nimal ,arm with a windmill and other technological advances, but 8apoleon e"pels him before he can do so. 1n
his absence, )nowball comes to represent an abstract idea of evil. The animals blame misfortunes on him, including the windmills
destruction, and entertain the idea that he is lur!ing on one of the neighboring farms, plotting revenge. 8apoleon uses the animals
fear of )nowball to create new propaganda and changes history to ma!e it seem as though )nowball was always a spy and a
traitor. )nowballs name is symbolic in this way. 8apoleon encourages the animals fear of him to grow or snowball so that it
becomes so great it is almost palpable. )nowballs name may also refer to Trots!ys call Dfollowing *ar"E to encourage a
revolution outside the )oviet Union that would ;snowball< into an international proletariat revolution. )nowball can more
generally be said to represent systems of belief outside of communism, which the government demoni(es in order to lioni(e its
own system.
Duealer
The best !nown of the por!er pigs, )2uealer has ;very round chee!s, twin!ling eyes, nimble movements, and a shrill voice.< #e is
also ;a brilliant tal!er< who is talented in the art of argument. The other pigs say )2uealer ;could turn blac! into white< D5:E.
Under 8apoleons rule, )2uealer acts as the liaison to the other animals. #e lies to them, rewriting history and reading them
encouraging, but false, statistics. )2uealer is especially good at playing on the animals ignorance and gullibility. #e represents the
propaganda machine of a totalitarian government.
Whymper
' solicitor in %illingdon who acts as 'nimal ,arms intermediary to the human world. #e is ;a sly>loo!ing little man with side
whis!ers.< #e visits the farm every *onday to get his orders and is paid in commissions. *r. %hympers business>minded
attitude towards 'nimal ,arm, which allows him to ignore the in0ustices and atrocities committed there, ma!e him a parody of
nations that conducted business with the )oviet Union while turning a blind eye to its internal affairs.
Major Themes
The oviet +nion under talinism
)nimal ,arm is a satire of totalitarian governments in their many guises. But &rwell composed the boo! for a more specific
purposeA to serve as a cautionary tale about )talinism. 1t was for this reason that he faced such difficulty in getting the boo!
publishedO by the time )nimal ,arm was ready to meet its readers, the 'llies were cooperating with the )oviet Union. The
allegorical characters of the novel represent specific historical figures and different factions of 1mperial ussian and )oviet
society. These include Garl *ar" D*a0orE, @ladimir Lenin D*a0orE, Leon Trots!y D)nowballE, ?oseph )talin D8apoleonE, 'dolf
#itler D,rederic!E, the 'llies D/il!ingtonE, the peasants DBo"erE, the elite D*ollieE, and the church D*osesE.
The resemblance of some of the novels events to events in )oviet history is indubitable. ,or e"ample, )nowballs and 8apoleons
power struggle is a direct allegory of Trots!ys and )talins. ,rederic!s trade agreement with 8apoleon, and his subse2uent
brea!ing of the agreement, represents the 8a(i>)oviet non>aggression pact that preceded %orld %ar 11. The following Battle of the
%indmill represents %orld %ar 11 itself.
$espite his fairy>tale clarity in satiri(ing some historical events, &rwell is less specific about others. ,or e"ample, the e"ecutions
in Chapter @11 conflate the ed Terror with the Great /urge. The e"ecutions themselves bear resemblance to both events, although
their details connect them more to the *oscow Trials than to the ed Terror. )2uealers subse2uent announcement that the
e"ecutions have ended the ebellion connects them to the period of the ed Terror, however. &rwell leaves some ambiguity in the
identities of the ebellion and the Battle of the Cowshed. These ambiguities help the reader focus on the overall satire of
)talinism and the broader warning about the evils of totalitarian government.
The Inevitability of Totalitarianism
&rwell held the pessimistic belief that totalitarianism was inevitable, even in the %est. 'ccording to ussell Ba!er, who wrote the
preface to )nimal ,arms 344M )ignet Classics version, &rwells pessimism stemmed from his having grown up in an age of
dictatorship. %itnessing #itlers and )talins movements from afar, as well as fighting totalitarianism in the )panish Civil %ar,
&rwell came to believe in the rise of a new species of autocrat, worse even than the tyrants of old. This cynicism is reflected in
both of his highly successful novels, )nimal ,arm and 1-.$. &rwell emphasi(es the insidiousness of totalitarianism early in the
novel, when the pigs ta!e the fresh mil! and apples. The pigs 0ustify their actions on the basis of their superiorityO they are smart
and need more nutrition than the other animals to fuel their brainpower. There is no scientific basis for the pigs claimSin fact, if
anyone needs more food to fuel their labor, it is the manual laborersSbut they can count on the animals being too ignorant to
reali(e that. 1n this way, &rwell ma!es the point that totalitarianism need not be blatant in order to be operating. 1t can hide under
the guise of the ;greater good< as it did in the )oviet Union before the totalitarianism became obvious.
&rwell uses a cyclical structure in )nimal ,arm, which helps advance the idea of totalitarianisms predictability. The novel begins
with ?ones as autocratic tyrant and ends with 8apoleon not only in ?oness position, but in his clothes as well. &ver the course of
the novel, 8apoleon essentially becomes ?ones 0ust as )talin becomes an autocrat after pretending to espouse e2uality and
freedom. &rwell cements this idea in the boo!s final scene, where he writes, ;Twelve voices were shouting in anger, and they
were all ali!e. 8o 2uestion, now, what had happened to the faces of the pigs. The creatures outside loo!ed from pig to man, and
from man to pig, and from pig to man againO but already it was impossible to say which was which< D354E. The circularity of
&rwells story prevents the reader from imagining a better future for 'nimal ,arm. 'fter all, even if another ebellion were to
ta!e place, its leaders would eventually come to emulate 8apoleon.
'ccording to Ba!er, technology turned out to be the force freeing people from &rwells age of dictators. But ;technology< can be
0ust another banner under which to rally the people. %hile &rwell does portray technology as a source of progress in )nimal
,arm, he points out that it is useless unless it is in the peoples hands. *ost notably, even when the windmill is finished it is used
for milling corn instead of its original purpose of supplying the animals with electricity in their stalls.
Intelligence and #ducation as Tools of Cppression
,rom the very beginning of the novel, we become aware of educations role in stratifying 'nimal ,arms population. ,ollowing
*a0ors death, the pigs are the ones that ta!e on the tas! of organi(ing and mobili(ing the other animals because they are
;generally recogni(ed as being the cleverest of the animals< D5:E. 't first, the pigs are loyal to their fellow animals and to the
revolutionary cause. They translate *a0ors vision of the future faithfully into the )even Commandments of 'nimalism. #owever,
it is not long before the pigs intelligence and education turn from tools of enlightenment to implements of oppression. The
moment the pigs are faced with something material that they wantSthe fresh mil!Sthey abandon their morals and use their
superior intellect and !nowledge to deceive the other animals.
The pigs also limit the other animals opportunities to gain intelligence and education early on. They teach themselves to read and
write from a childrens boo! but destroy it before the other animals can have the same chance. 1ndeed, most of the animals never
learn more than a few letters of the alphabet. &nce the pigs cement their status as the educated elite, they use their mental
advantage to manipulate the other animals. ,or e"ample, !nowing that the other animals cannot read the )even Commandments,
they revise them whenever they li!e. The pigs also use their literacy to learn trades from manuals, giving them an opportunity for
economic speciali(ation and advancement. Content in the role of the intelligentsia, the pigs forgo manual labor in favor of
boo!!eeping and organi(ing. This shows that the pigs have not only the advantage of opportunity, but also the opportunity to
re0ect whatever opportunities they li!e. The pigs intelligence and education allow them to bring the other animals into submission
through the use of propaganda and revisionism. 't the boo!s end, we witness 8apoleons preparations to educate a new
generation of pigs and indoctrinate them into the code of oppression.
$ropaganda and Duplicity
%or!ing as a propagandist during %orld %ar 11, &rwell e"perienced firsthand both the immense power and the dishonesty of
propaganda. *any types of governments ma!e use of propaganda, not only totalitarian ones. Consider, for instance, the arguments
that led many United )tates citi(ens to go along with the idea of invading 1ra2 after the )eptember 33, 6773, terror attac!s.
/ropaganda serves the positive tas! of uniting the people, sometimes at the cost of misleading them. &rwell ta!es a firm stance on
the harmfulness of propaganda in )nimal ,armwhile ac!nowledging its value for rallying a mistreated and disillusioned populace.
1n Chapter 1U, &rwell demonstrates the positive value of propaganda. By this point, the animals are so downtrodden that they are
desperate for something in which to believe. D8ote the irony, thoughA it is 8apoleon who has robbed them of their belief in the
original version of 'nimalism.E The falsely optimistic statistics, the songs, and especially the )pontaneous $emonstrations give
the animals something to live for. This chapter is an e"ception in terms of portraying propaganda in a positive light. ,or the
ma0ority of)nimal ,arm, &rwell s!ewers propaganda and e"poses its nature as deception.
)2uealer represents a totalitarian governments propaganda machine. -lo2uent to a fault, he can ma!e the animals believe almost
anything. This fact is especially clear in )2uealers interactions with Clover and *uriel. -ach time Clover suspects that the )even
Commandments have been changed, )2uealer manages to convince her that she is wrong. 'fter the e"ecutions, 8apoleon
abolishes the singing of ;Beasts of -ngland< in favor of a new anthem, the lyrics of which contain a promise never to harm
'nimal ,arm. 1n this propagandist maneuver, 8apoleon replaces the revolutionary spirit of ;Beasts of -ngland< with the e"act
opposite, a promise not to rebel. 1n addition to being a source of manipulation, propaganda is an agent of fear and terror. &rwell
demonstrates this 2uite clearly with 8apoleons vilification of )nowball and his assurances that )nowball could attac! the animals
at any minute. #e uses similar fear tactics regarding ,rederic! and /il!ington. The most egregious e"ample of propaganda in the
novel is the ma"im that replaces the )even CommandmentsA ;'ll animals are e2ual B But some animals are more e2ual than
others.< The idea of ;more e2ual< is mathematically improbable and a nonsensical manipulation of language, but by this time, the
animals are too brainwashed to notice.
Eiolence and Terror as Means of 0ontrol
1n )nimal ,arm, &rwell critici(es the ways that dictators use violence and terror to frighten their populaces into submission.
@iolence is one of the yo!es from which the animals wish to free themselves when they prepare for the ebellion. 8ot only does
?ones overwor! the animals and steal the products of their labor, but he can whip or slaughter them at his discretion. &nce the pigs
gain control of the animals, they, li!e ?ones, discover how useful violence and terror can be. They use this !nowledge to their full
advantage. The foremost e"ample of violence and terror in the novel is the pattern of public e"ecutions. The e"ecutions can be
said to represent both the ed Terror and the Great /urge, but they stand more broadly for the abuse of power. ,or e"ample, they
are also similar to the Talibans public e"ecutions in Gabuls soccer stadium in modern 'fghanistan.
Capital punishment for criminals is a hotly debated issue. Gilling suspe#ted criminals, as 8apoleon does, is 2uite another issue.
The e"ecutions perhaps best symboli(e the *oscow Trials, which were show trials that )talin arranged to instill fear in the )oviet
people. To witnesses at the time, the accused traitors confessions seemed to be given freely. 1n fact, they were coerced. 8apoleon
li!ely coerces confessions from many of the animals that he e"ecutes. &rwells use of the allegory genre serves him well in the
e"ecution scene. -"ecution with weapons is a violent and horrifying act, but many people have become desensiti(ed to it. &rwells
allegorical e"ecutioners, the dogs that !ill cruelly, portray the bloody and inescapably animalistic side of e"ecution.
Terror comes also in threats and propaganda. -ach time the animals dare to 2uestion an aspect of 8apoleons regime, )2uealer
threatens them with ?oness return. This is doubly threatening to the animals because it would mean another battle that, if lost,
would result in a return to their former lifestyle of submission. ?oness return is such a serious threat that it 2uashes the animals
curiosity without fail. The other ma0or e"ample of fear tactics in the novel is the threat of )nowball and his collaborators.
8apoleon is able to vilify )nowball in the latters absence and to ma!e the animals believe that his return, li!e ?oness, is
imminent. )nowball is a worse threat than ?ones, because ?ones is at least safely out of 'nimal ,arm. )nowball is ;proved< to be
not only lur!ing along 'nimal ,arms borders but infiltrating the farm. 8apoleons public investigation of )nowballs whereabouts
cements the animals fear of )nowballs influence. 1n modern language, )nowball is pegged as the terrorist responsible for the
infringements on the rights and liberties instigated by the pigs.
#4ploitation and the !eed for "uman Rights
-"ploitation is the issue around which the animals unite. 1nitially, the animals do not reali(e ?ones is e"ploiting them. ,or this
reason, &ld *a0ors speech is a revelation of momentous proportions. *a0or e"plains to the animals that they are enslaved and
e"ploited and that *an is to blame. #e teaches them not only what e"ploitation means, but also the fact that it is not inevitable.
&rwell suggests that e"ploitation is, in fact, bound to happen when one class of society has an advantage over another. The
opposite of e"ploitation, according to *a0or, is the state of being ;rich and free.< *a0ors ideas about animal rights symboli(e the
importanceSand scarcitySof human rights in an oppressive regime. Gaining freedom does not necessarily lead people also to
become rich, but it is better to be poor and free than poor and e"ploited.
'll the animals on 'nimal ,arm are e"ploited under 8apoleons control, save the pigs. -ven the dogs, which wor! closely with
the pigs, are e"ploited. The dogs face perhaps even a worse form of e"ploitation than the other animals, because they are made
into agents of intimidation and death. %hereas 8apoleon e"ploits the other animals physical strength and their ignorance, he
e"ploits the dogs viciousness and turns them into villains against their parents wishes.
Bo"ers life is a particularly sad e"ample of e"ploitation because he e"ploits himself, believing wholeheartedly in 8apoleons
goodness. 1n the end, 8apoleon turns the tables and e"ploits Bo"er, having him slaughtered for profit. By the end of the novel, we
see clearly how the animals participate in their own e"ploitation. They are beginning to build a schoolhouse for the thirty>one
young pigs 8apoleon has fathered Dperhaps an obli2ue reference to the ;Thirty Tyrants< of ancient GreeceE. That schoolhouse will
never benefit the animals that build itO rather, it will be used to educate the pigs and indoctrinate them into the cycle of e"ploiting
others. Throughout the novel, &rwell shows us how the lac! of human rights results in total helplessness. #owever, though it
underscores the need for human rights, the novel does not suggest how to achieve them. 'fter all, once the animals e"pel ?ones
and gain rights for themselves, the pigs ta!e those rights away and the cycle of e"ploitation continues with new players.
Apathy and Acceptance
1n the beginning of )nimal ,arm, the idea of freedom rouses the animals as if from a long slumber. 1mmediately following
*a0ors death, the animals begin preparing themselves for the ebellionO 0ust the idea of revolution is enough to motivate them,
since they do not e"pect it to happen in their lifetimes. By the boo!s end, the animals have become as apathetic as Ben0amin
always was. $espite the many hardships and in0ustices they face, the animals pride as well as 8apoleons propaganda !eep them
invested in the ;greater good< and the illusion of freedom. 1f Ben0amin is the harbinger of apathy, Bo"er is its antithesis. )trong
not only in body but also in spirit, Bo"er will ma!e any sacrifice for the benefit of 'nimal ,arm. %ith Bo"ers eventual betrayal
by the leaders he served so unconditionally, &rwell lays bare another type of apathyStheirs. ,ar from truly considering Bo"er a
loyal comrade, the pigs treat him as apathetically as they would a mere ob0ect. )ymbolically, they even ma!e a profit by having
him turned into literal ob0ectsSglue and bone meal.
Bo"ers enthusiasm does not give him an advantage, but the other animals eventual apathy gives them a defense mechanism
against the painful reality of their lives. 1t is no coincidence that 'nimal ,arms most apathetic and cynical animal, Ben0amin, is
one of those that survives the longest. Ben0amins emotional detachment from situations, whether they are good or bad, !eeps him
from being disappointed. 1n his apathy and cynicism, Ben0amin represents the stereotypical ;gloomy< ussian and also the
perennially pessimistic &rwell himself.
0hapter I
*r. ?ones, the owner of *anor ,arm, stumbles drun!enly up to bed as the farm animals wait in still silence. The moment he is out
of sight, they begin to bustle around, preparing themselves for the big meeting that is to ta!e place that night. &ld *a0or has called
the meeting to discuss a strange dream he had the previous night. #e is waiting for his fellow animals in the big barn.
The first animals to arrive are the three dogs, Bluebell, ?essie, and /incher, followed by the pigs. #ens, pigeons, sheep, and cows
arrive, as well as the horses, Bo"er and Clover. *uriel, the white goat, and the don!ey Ben0aminfollow. ' group of motherless
duc!lings wanders in and Clover, being the motherly type, forms a safe place for them to sit with her leg. *ollie, the young mare,
arrives 0ust before the cat, who settles in between Bo"er and Clover. The only animal missing is *oses, the raven, who is sleeping
on his perch behind the barn door.
&ld *a0or addresses the animals, calling them, ;Comrades.< #e e"plains that, because he is getting old and may die soon, he
wishes to impart his wisdom. &ver his lifetime, he has come to the conclusions that ;8o animal in -ngland is free< and ;The life
of an animal is misery and slavery< D6CE.
&ld *a0or states that animals domination by *an is the sole reason they cannot be free, happy, and fulfilled. *an is ;the only
creature that consumes without producing.< #is only 0ob is to be ;lord of all the animals,< which ma!es him ;the only real enemy<
animals have. *an overwor!s animals only to rob them of the fruits of their labor, and treats them only well enough to survive
and provide more labor. %hen *an is done with an animal, he slaughters it cruelly.
'ccording to &ld *a0or, ebellion is the path to freedom. &verthrowing the human race would ma!e animals ;rich and free<
almost instantly. &ld *a0or begs the other animals to devote the rest of their lives to the cause of ebellion and to re0ect the idea
that they have co>dependence with *an. ,urthermore, the animals must be united in order to overthrow manA ;'ll men are
enemies. 'll animals are comrades< D53E. $espite this saying, he is not sure whether wild animals count.
&ld *a0or holds a vote to decide whether domesticated animals should unite with wild animals. &nly the dogs and the cat vote no,
although the cat is not paying attention and votes twice. 'fter the vote, &ld *a0or crystalli(es his point, statingA ;%hatever goes
upon two legs is an enemy. %hatever goes upon four legs, or has wings, is a friend.< #e adds the additional point that, once they
have achieved victory, animals must not emulate *an. They must not wear clothing, live in houses, or copy any of *ans other
;evil< habits.
,inally, &ld *a0or relates his dream to the animals. #is dream was about the state of happiness that will e"ist once *an is
eliminated. 1n the dream, a tune his mother and the other sows sang to him in his childhood returned to him, and new words
accompanied the tune. &ld *a0or is sure that he has, in his dream life, uncovered an old animal anthem that has lain dormant for
generations. 1t is called ;Beasts of -ngland,< and he sings it to the other animals. &rwell describes the song as ;a stirring tune,
something between Clementine and La Cucaracha< D56E. The song glorifies the freedom and 0oy that will follow ;Tyrant *ans<
overthrow, and he urges all animals to ;toil for freedoms sa!e,< even if they die before the cause is won.
The song rouses the animals, even the dullest of whom learn it in minutes. 1n fact, the animals are so ta!en with the song that they
sing it five times in unison. The ruc!us awa!es *r. ?ones, who fires several bullets from his shotgun into the barn wall. The
animals rush to their sleeping places, and the farm is silent once again.
'nalysis
Chapter 1 introduces us to the idealism upon which 'nimal ,arm and 'nimalism will later be built. 1n e"plicating 'nimal ,arm,
some critics stress &rwells broad focus on totalitarianism over his specific criticism of )talinism. 'fter all, &rwell saw the threat
of totalitarianism Dand elitismE manifested not only in )oviet ussia but also in places such as )pain and colonial Britain.
#owever, despite 'nimal ,arms far political reach, &rwell did write it as a cautionary tale about )talinism specifically and, as we
shall see, matched its plot 2uite closely with ussian history. %e can read the novel as both a specific and a general allegory.
&ld *a0or assumes the role of philosopher, creating a detailed model for a utopian society. #is role is also that of visionary or
prophet because, smart as he is, part of *a0ors vision of the future came to him in a dream. 1n his roles of philosopher and
visionary, *a0or represents the political theorist Garl *ar". &ld *a0or is older and wiser than the other animals, a fact that
mirrors history. *ar" and his theories predated Dand therefore influencedE the ideas of Lenin, Trots!y, and )talin. 'll three men
were still children at the time of *ar"s death.
*a0ors vision of man!inds problems and his plan for a utopian society closely match the tenets of *ar"ism as e"pressed
in The Communist *anifesto. *a0ors ideas of the animal and *an correspond with *ar"s views of the common man and the
elite. %e should bear this symbolism in mind as we e"amine *a0ors speech. ,irst, &ld *a0or focuses on the e"ploitation of the
animal by *an, who is concerned only with ma!ing a profit. 'lthough the animal does all the wor!, it gets no sta!e in what it
produces because man controls not only the means of production but also the means of distribution. *ar"ism argues that the
common man becomes confused by the elites self>serving ideology and becomes separated from its true nature. 1n the same way,
*a0or says that *an !eeps animals in submission only because he is the one creating the ideology and the rules. 1n order to claim
their destiny of being ;rich and free,< the animals must overthrow *an.
*a0or also represents @ladimir Lenin, the foremost author of the ussian evolution and of the formation of the )oviet Union. 1f
historically *ar" played the role of grandfather theorist, then Lenin played that of young interpreter and motivator. &ld *a0or not
only bestows his theory upon the animals, he awa!ens them from the dreamtime of *ans ideology and rouses them to action. #e
does so with the help of ;Beasts of -ngland,< a revolutionary song that helps the animals envision the ;golden future time< when
they will live free of mans Dliteral and metaphoricalE yo!e. &rwell also connects *a0or to Lenin by his use of the word
;comrade,< which is associated with communism.
1f *a0or represents *ar" and Lenin, two revolutionary forces, then ?ones represents the e"isting totalitarian regime. #e
symboli(es imperial ussia and the ineffective C(ar 8icholas 11. ?ones stands for an ideology and methodology that have been in
practice for a very long time. 1n all the history of *anor ,arm, the animals have never risen up against him nor thought of doing
so. Though they are superior in numbers and strength, they cannot match his intellectual capabilities Dor at least thin! they cannotE.
%e should also note that *oses the raven is ?oness ;especial pet.< *oses represents the religion that, in the ussian -mpire, was
connected closely with the throne. ?ones feeds *oses bread soa!ed in beer to !eep him tame, 0ust as the ussian throne
cooperated with the Church but !ept it on a tight leash. Under *ar"ism>Leninism, religion is one of the things that appeases the
common man and ma!es him easier to sub0ugateO as *ar" famously stated, ;religion is the opiate of the masses.< 1t has no value
in a truly utopian society, such theorists believe, because people are satisfied in reality and no longer feel the need to rely on faith
or the promise of heaven. 1t follows that *oses is conspicuously absent from *a0ors big meeting.
0hapter II
&ld *a0or dies three nights after the meeting that united the animals. &ver the ne"t three months, the more intelligent animals
begin to approach life differently. They now anticipate the ebellion, for which they assume the tas! of preparing. The pigs ta!e
on the tas! of organi(ing and teaching the other animals because they are ;generally recogni(ed as being the cleverest of the
animals< D5:E.
)nowball, 8apoleon, and )2uealer have ta!en charge especially, and they have e"panded &ld *a0ors concept into a ;complete
system of thought< called 'nimalism. They hold fre2uent meetings in the big barn to espouse the views of 'nimalism to the other
farm animals. 't first, the animals are not convinced that they should follow 'nimalism. )ome feel loyalty to *r. ?ones, some
worry that they cannot be self>sufficient, and others, such as *ollie, worry about losing treats such as sugar and ribbons. )nowball
contradicts *ollie, saying that the ribbons are ;the badge of slavery< and that ;liberty is worth more than ribbons< D5HE.
*oses causes trouble for the pigs by inventing an animal heaven called )ugarcandy *ountain., a utopia for another time. 1n
contrast, Clover and Bo"er are some of the pigs strongest collaborators. 8ot being very intelligent themselves, Clover and Bo"er
memori(e simple pro>'nimalism arguments that they pass on to the others.
*onetary troubles plague *r. ?ones, leading him to drin! e"cessively. The farmhands are la(y and fail to tend the farm well, yet
hard times for *r. ?ones mean a leg up for the animals. 1n fact, *r. ?oness misfortune ma!es the ebellion come earlier than
e"pected. &n *idsummers -ve in ?une, *r. ?ones gets so drun! that he passes out and neglects to feed the animals. #aving gone
unfed for hours, the animals brea! into the store>shed and eat. *r. ?ones and the farmhands rush in and begin whipping the
animals indiscriminately, and the animals respond by attac!ing them in unison. The men are frightened and forced to flee the farm.
'fter a disbelieving calm, the animals barge into the harness>room and drown or burn all the implements of their former bondage.
)nowball ma!es sure to burn the ribbons, which he calls tantamount to clothing, and states, ;'ll animals should go na!ed< DI7E.
The animals then help themselves to double servings of food and sleep better than they ever have. %hen they awa!e the ne"t
morning, they survey the farm with new eyes, absorbing the fact that it is now their own. ,inally, they tour the farmhouse, seeing
in disbelief the ;unbelievable lu"ury< in which the ?oneses had lived. Then the animals agree to leave the farmhouse intact as a
museum. They confiscate a few hams for burial and leave.
The pigs reveal that they have taught themselves to read and write from an old childrens boo!, which they burned in the bonfire
of human belongings. )nowball uses paint to replace the title ;*anor ,arm< with ;'nimal ,arm< on the farm gate. Bac! in the
big barn, they reveal that they have reduced 'nimalism to )even Commandments. The animals must live by these commandments
;for ever after.< The commandments, which )nowball writes on the wall with some typographical errors, areA
3. %hatever goes upon two legs is an enemy.
6. %hatever goes upon four legs, or has wings, is a friend.
5. 8o animal shall wear clothes.
I. 8o animal shall sleep in a bed.
:. 8o animal shall drin! alcohol.
M. 8o animal shall !ill any other animal.
H. 'll animals are e2ual.
'fter reading the )even Commandments out loud, )nowball declares that the animals must begin the hay harvest. Three cows
interrupt his thought by lowing in pain, since their udders are full to bursting. )ome pigs mil! the cows, producing ;five buc!ets
of frothing creamy mil!< DIIE. The animals wonder what to do with the mil!, but 8apoleon puts off that decision for a later time.
The animals begin the harvest in the fields, and when they return the mil! is gone.
'nalysis
&ld *a0ors death represents Lenins death in 346I, which left )talin D8apoleonE and Trots!y D)nowballE to vie for the leadership
position. *a0ors meeting changes the animals outloo! on life, but &rwell is careful to mention that not all the animals 2uite
grasp *a0ors idea of a utopian society. 'll the animals can learn 9Beasts of -ngland,9 but only those smart enough can truly
assume the revolutionary spirit and the tas! of preparing for the ebellion. The pigs become the organi(ers very 2uic!ly. 1t is
important to note two things about their rise to power. ,irst, the pigs have not always been in charge of the other animals, though
later in the boo! when the pigs are so thoroughly demoni(ed, &rwell ma!es it hard for the animalsSand the readerSto remember
that. But they are superior by natureSor at least by traditionSwhen it comes to intelligence. )econd, the pigs intentions are not
necessarily bad at first. They ta!e on the tas! of organi(ation because of their reputed superiority rather than a desire to ta!e
control for themselves. ?ust as Bo"er is best suited for hard manual labor, the pigs ta!e their place for organi(ational wor! in the
animals division of labor.
)nowball, 8apoleon, and )2uealer organi(e *a0ors ideas into the theory of 'nimalism, which can stand for any ;complete
system of thought< but is meant to evo!e )oviet Communism. 1f )nowball and 8apoleon represent the organi(ers of Communism,
then the other pigs represent those of the ussian intelligentsia who became involved in the revolutionary cause. The )even
Commandments represent Communism in its theoretical, ideali(ed form. 1n writing, the )even Commandments loo! fair and hold
true to *a0ors stipulation that the animals not emulate humans. Though the animals intend to live by the )even Commandments
;for ever after,< we will learn 2uic!ly that the tenets of 'nimalism do not translate perfectly into reality, especially not with the
seeds of elitism already planted among the pigs.
Li!e any new theory, 'nimalism is met with doubt and opposition. The most notable ob0ection comes from *ollie, the fic!le mare
that represents ussias elite. 'lthough the common animals also doubt 'nimalism, *ollie is spoiled by the special treatment she
received under ?oness rule Dmirroring the c(ars ruleE. )he also, despite being superficial and fic!le, has the intelligence and the
resources to get herself out of 'nimal ,arm, which the ;peasant< animals lac!. #istorically, many of the ussian elite were
unwilling to give up their privileges, 0ust as *ollie is loath to give up ribbons, sugar, or being petted. Li!e *ollie, they became
e"patriates in capitalist societies where they could retain their advantages Dthis was a particularly wise move, considering what had
happened to the nobility during the ,rench evolutionE. *oses also presents a challenge to 'nimalism, 0ust as religion presented a
challenge to Communism. #istorically, )talin used intimidation and force to crush religion and promote atheism in the )oviet
Union. #owever, despite their efforts to promote their ideas over those of *oses, the leadership of 'nimal ,arm allows *oses to
come and go as he pleases. The struggles and inconsistencies of 'nimalism as practiced can be made softer by belief in an animal
heaven to be en0oyed later.
*r. ?oness monetary troubles mirror the ussian thrones ineffectiveness and dwindling power on the eve of the evolution. The
air is ripe for revolution, and the animals sei(e the opportunity to run ?ones off his own land. The animals are !inder to ?ones than
the revolutionaries were to C(ar 8icholas 11, who was e"ecuted on Lenins orders along with his family.
%ith ?ones gone, the animals begin to reali(e *a0ors vision of a utopian, animal>run society that operates under its own ideology.
The ebellion could represent the ,ebruary evolution Dthough it happens on *idsummer+s -veE or the ussian evolution as a
whole. The ,ebruary evolution did result in C(ar 8icholas 11+s abdication, which ?ones+s e"pulsion mirrors neatly. The story,
however, does not need a one>to>one correspondence with history, and &rwell can ma!e his points more crisply by adapting the
history to his carefully crafted allegory.
'lthough the animals live happily for a while, it is important to note that the pigs have begun their clandestine and elitist activities
already. ,or e"ample, they order that all artifacts of the animals oppression be burned. The pigs thus burn a childrens boo! they
used to teach themselves to read and write, but the resource is no longer available after the boo!>burning. Throughout the novel,
&rwell emphasi(es the other animals lac! of intelligence, but we can never be sure that the animals ignorance and illiteracy is
due to lac! of intelligence rather than an oppressive environment, generation after generation, that has made their lower status and
ability seem natural. %hen the pigs ta!e the mil! for themselves, the reader !nows that this is the beginning of a new round of
sub0ugation and oppression by an elite.
0hapter III
The harvest is more of a success than *r. ?ones and his men ever accomplished, despite the fact that the tools are not well suited
for animals to use, especially without the animals rearing up on their hind legs. The pigs supervise the others but do not participate
in the manual labor. %ith the ;parasitical human beings< out of the way, the animals en0oy a feeling of abundance for the first
time. They have more leisure, and their food tastes all the better for their having gathered and portioned it out themselves.
&n 'nimal ,arm, everyone wor!s ;according to his capacity.< Bo"er is invigorated and pushes himself to wor! harder than everO
because he is strong and big, he contributes to the most strenuous labor. 1n contrast, the hens and duc!s wor! at gathering small
bits of corn that the bigger animals would not be able to gather. The system of 'nimalism is wor!ing wellA every animal is
satisfied with his share of the labor and its fruits. 8o one steals or argues, and very few shir! their responsibilities, with the
e"ception of the cat and frivolous *ollie.
-very )unday is a day of rest and devotion to 'nimalism on 'nimal ,arm. The animals hold an hour>long ceremony at which they
raise their new flag. The flag is green to represent -nglands pastures and features a hoof and horn that ;represent the future
epublic of the 'nimals< that will e"ist ;when the human race JhasK finally been overthrown< DICE. ' gathering called *eeting
follows the flag raising, in which the animals plan the coming wee! and the pigs present resolutions for debate Dnone of the other
animals are intelligent enough to thin! up resolutionsE. )nowball and 8apoleon tend to debate the most and ta!e opposite sides.
The animals end each meeting by singing ;Beasts of -ngland.<
The pigs set up a study center for themselves in the harness>room, where they study trades using *r. ?oness boo!s. )nowball
begins organi(ing the animals into 'nimal Committees, including the -gg /roduction Committee, the Clean Tails League, the
%ild Comrades e>education Committee Dto tame rats and rabbitsE, and the %hiter %ool *ovement. These committees generally
fail to produce results or remain cohesive. )nowball does succeed in teaching some of the animals to read, although most of them
lac! the intelligence needed for literacy. 1n fact, many of the animals lac! the intelligence needed to memori(e the )even
Commandments, so )nowball reduces 'nimalisms tenets to one simple sayingA ;,our legs good, two legs bad< D:7E.
's time goes by, the pigs begin to increase their control over the other animals. ,or e"ample, when ?essie and Bluebell give birth
to puppies, 8apoleon ta!es them to an isolated loft where he can teach them. 8apoleon believes that educating young,
impressionable animals is more important than trying to re>educate older ones. 1t turns out that the pigs are mi"ing the cows mil!
with their food. %hen the wind !noc!s ripe apples out of the orchard trees, the pigs claim the right to ta!e them all, as well as the
bul! of the coming apple harvest. The pigs claim that they need mil! and apples in order to power their
;brainwor!.< )2uealer says that, were the pigs to stop eating mil! and apples, they could lose their powers of organi(ation and *r.
?ones could come bac!. The threat of *r. ?oness return is enough to 2uell the other animals doubts and 2uestions.
'nalysis
't first, the animals seem to be living in the utopia *a0or had imagined for them. 8ow that they have their own ideology and own
the means of production, they feel ;rich and free,< 0ust as *a0or predicted. They en0oy a temporary calm as well as a sense of
invigoration after years of discontent, now assume *ans position of control over themselves and nature. 1n doing organi(ational
wor!, the pigs are wor!ing in accordance with their capacity. But at the same time, the pigs are fairly large and strong animals that
could surely contribute to the farms manual labor force. They are slowly assuming *ans competitive advantage and becoming
;the only creature that consumes without producing.<
,rom the very beginning of the 'nimal ,arm era, Bo"er assumes the ma0ority of the burden of labor. 8ow that he is wor!ing for
the animals benefit and not ?oness, he feels enlivened and adopts the first of his two personal ma"ims, ;1 will wor! harder.< 1n
his heartiness, usefulness, and relative dullness, Bo"er represents the faithful peasant. )ome critics have pointed out the similarity
of this motto to that of the main character in Upton )inclairs The ?ungle. 1ndeed, &rwell was certainly familiar with )inclairs
writings. %hile )inclairs novel critici(ed capitalism, &rwells focuses on Communism. -ither way, the point e"pands the readers
consciousness to see how elitism can result in willing sub0ugation in very different regimes. Bo"er is not pugnacious despite his
name, but he is as strong as his name implies. 1n this way, Bo"er is painfully ironic. #e is strong enough to !ill another animal,
even a human, with a single blow from his hoof, and the dogs will not be able to overpower him in Chapter @11. )till, Bo"er lac!s
the intelligence and the nerve to sense that he is being misled and mistreated. #e !nows how to use his brawn only in submission
to his leaders and not against them.
Chapter 111 mar!s the beginning of the dispute between )nowball and 8apoleon, which evo!es the power struggle between
Trots!y and )talin. 'fter Trots!ys fashion, )nowball is a progressive, elo2uent, and public politician. #e not only creates
countless plans for reform, but he also dominates the )unday meetings with his s!illful and rabble>rousing orations. )nowball has
the capacity to inspire the animals 0ust as *a0or did in his big meeting. 'fter )talins fashion, 8apoleon conducts his politics
clandestinely. #is public statements are generally limited to rebuttals of )nowballs ideasO he !eeps his own plans to himself. ,or
e"ample, 8apoleon secrets the puppies away to a loft and, by !eeping out of the public eye, manages to rear them into fierce,
blood>hungry, creatures submissive to him. 8apoleons collaboration with and control of the dogs evo!es )talins focus on 2uietly
gaining support from powerful allies.
Chapter 111 also introduces the idea of propaganda. ;)tirring< as it may be, ;Beasts of -ngland< is more of a revolutionary anthem
than a piece of propaganda. 1t is meant to unite the animals in the cause of the ebellion and help them to envision the utopia for
which they must strive. But most of the animals are not intelligent enough to let the song do more than vaguely inspire their hopes.
%ithout even being able to remember the )even Commandments, most of the animals rely merely on the propagandist refrain,
;,our legs good, two legs bad.< )nowball reduces the )even Commandments into this single ma"im, vastly oversimplifying the
full system of 'nimalism into a catchphrase. 's the animals adopt the phrase, they begin to forget the )even Commandments,
which gives the pigs the opportunity to change them. 1n fact, the pigs manage to brea! every one of the other commandments
without arousing much suspicion. Clover and *uriel, who periodically thin! about the )even Commandments, are easily duped in
this regard. #aving memori(ed the simple ma"im in their place, they are easily convinced that their doubts about the original
content of the commandments are unfounded.
)2uealer, who represents the propaganda machine, introduces fear tactics in this chapter. 'fter convincing the animals that the
pigs have a right to mil! and apples, he threatens the animals with ?oness return for the first time. The pigs have created an
environment where their rules must be followed out of fear of the return of the old older. 1t is an easy, winning response to animals
that see only the two alternatives and cannot see a way bac! to the utopian principles that inspired their rebellion.
0hapter IE
1t is late summer. 8ews of the ebellion has spread to many other farms, than!s to)nowballs and 8apoleons pigeon messengers.
*eanwhile, in the human world, *r. ?onestells other farmers about the ebellion. The fear of similar revolutions unites the
owners of the farms ad0acent to 'nimal ,arm, even though they disli!e one another. -asy>going *r. /il!ington Dof large,
neglected ,o"woodE and hard>nosed *r. ,rederic! Dof small, better>!ept /inchfieldE spread rumors to discourage their animals
from turning against them. They say that the animals on *anor ,arm are starving. %hen this claim turns out to be clearly untrue,
they claim that the animals are cannibals who practice all !inds of wic!edness.
$espite the farmers efforts to subdue ideas of rebellion, their animals begin lashing out against them. The animals resist the
farmers orders. They also adopt the infuriating habit of singing ;Beasts of -ngland.<
1n &ctober, accompanied by several other farmers, *r. ?ones tries to recapture 'nimal ,arm. )nowball has already trained the
animals for war, however, and they ta!e their defensive positions. The smaller animals attac! the men and then pretend to retreat
into the yard in defeat. &nce the men follow, the larger animals ambush them. *r. ?ones !ills one sheep and wounds )nowball
several times with his gun, but the animals manage to overpower the humans. Bo"er is thought to have !illed a stable>lad, which
upsets the stalwart horse. But it turns out that the boy is only in0ured, and he flees with the other men. The only animal who does
not fight is *ollie, whom the animals discover cowering in her stall.
'fter the battle, the animals sing ;Beasts of -ngland< yet again. They invent a military honor called ;'nimal #ero, ,irst Class,<
which they bestow upon )nowball and Bo"er. Then they bury the fallen sheep and confer upon him posthumously the title of
;'nimal #ero, )econd Class.< The animals decide to call this conflict the Battle of the Cowshed. The agree to fire *r. ?oness gun
into the air twice a year, on the anniversaries of the battle D&ctober 36E and of the ebellion D*idsummers -veE.
'nalysis
The first part of Chapter 1@ mirrors the international reaction to the young )oviet Union. ,or centuries, other nations had been
able to write off ussia as a bac!wards and disorgani(ed country, despite the si(e of its territory and population. There had been
socialist uprisings elsewhere, and efforts li!e the ,rench evolution had not brought the wor!ers utopia that had been dreamed of.
But after the ussian evolution, and armed with a new ideology and power structure, the )oviet Union began to garner
international interest due to its prospects for success. Communism thus re>entered the realm of international politics as a possibly
viable alternative to fascism and capitalism, and wor!ers around the world were hopeful that the promises of the )oviets would
come to fruition everywhere. %e see this history reflected in the farmers growing awareness of the happenings on 'nimal ,arm
and in the animals rebelliousness on their own farms.
/art of Trots!ys politics Dcalled Trots!yismE was the belief that the evolution should be encouraged in other countries, leading to
an international revolution of the proletariat. &rwell mirrors this view in )nowballs pigeon>messenger missionsO he enlists the
birds to spread news of the ebellion to farms across -ngland. Thus, 'nimal ,arm is not 0ust an e"ample of change but an agent
of the new solidarity of the animals.
)nowballs efforts wor! to an e"tent, since animals on other farms not only start disobeying their owners but also agitate the
owners>>as Trots!ys ideas agitated foreign nations. 't once fascinated and threatened by the )oviets increasing power, some
foreign leaders found the need to suppress the seeds of revolution in their own countries. Thus, when /il!ington and ,rederic!
spread lies about 'nimal ,arm, they represent the %estern vilification of Communism. 'lthough the farmers and capitalists to
some degree were 0ust protecting their own investments, it turns out that the villains really are the pigs and the )talinists after all.
?oness attempt to recapture 'nimal ,arm strengthens the bonds between the animals. The animals, small and large, wor! together
to successfully overthrow the humans once more. &f course, the animals do not li!e the war. 't the same time, it strengthens their
determination to maintain their freedom and wor! for the greater good.
The Battle of the Cowshed also creates a legend about )nowballs heroism that will become sub0ect to revisionism throughout the
boo!. 1n truth, )nowball leads the charge against ?ones and his men, being shot several times in the process. &ver time, memories
will fade and the battle will be reinterpreted by those in power.
'ccording to some critics, the Battle of the Cowshed represents the &ctober evolution, in which the Bolshevi!s replaced the
provisional government. This idea is supported by the battle+s date D&ctober 36E and the animals post>battle resolution to fire the
gun on the anniversaries of the ebellion and the Battle of the CowshedO in that resolution, &rwell seems to li!en the two events
to two main turns in the ussian evolution. But &rwell does not give us a neat parallel with history. ussia was disorgani(ed and
dissatisfied under the provisional government, whereas 'nimal ,arm is already prospering in Chapter 1@. 'lso, the animals are
already living by the )even Commandments, which symboli(e the )oviet decrees passed after the &ctober evolution. 's we will
see in the refiguring of the ed Terror, &rwell does not adhere tightly to historical progression in the novel, letting his own
message ta!e precedence.
0hapter E
's winter approaches, *ollies behavior becomes increasingly perturbed. )he is late for wor! and feigns in0ury in order to shir!
her duties. *ore seriously, Clover has spotted *ollie at the border of ,o"wood, allowing *r. /il!ington to stro!e her nose and
tal! to her. *ollie denies the accusation, but her embarrassment confirms that she is lying. &n a hunch, Clover goes to *ollies
stall and finds a hidden stash of sugar and ribbons. *ollie disappears soon after. )he is seen in a painted cart, gussied up and
ta!ing sugar from a man who appears to be some !ind of manager. The other animals never mention her again.
?anuary brings bitterly cold weather. )ince conditions are too harsh for farming, the animals hold many meetings. They have
agreed that the pigs should ma!e all policy decisions, which the other animals are to ratify. )nowball and8apoleon are in constant
disagreement, and the other animals begin to ta!e sides. The sheep support 8apoleon and interrupt )nowballs speeches by
bleating, ;,our legs good, two legs bad.< )nowball is the more progressive politician, promoting innovations to ma!e the farm run
more efficiently. 8apoleon ma!es sure to oppose all of )nowballs ideas.
'fter some time, )nowball and 8apoleon come into bitter conflict over a windmill. )nowball designates a piece of land for a
windmill, which will provide electricity for the heretofore>primitive farm. #e uses *r.?oness boo!s to draft a detailed chal!
blueprint, which fascinates the other animals. &ne day, 8apoleon urinates on the blueprint to show his disdain.
)nowball estimates that the animals can complete the windmill with a year of hard labor, after which the time saving machine will
shorten their wor!wee! to three days. 8apoleon counters with the idea that they will all starve to death in that time, and that the
farms primary concern should be increasing food production. The animals split into two groups, one called ;@ote for )nowball
and the three>day wee!,< the other called ;@ote for 8apoleon and the full manger< DM:E. The only animal not to ta!e a side
is Ben0amin, who is pessimistic about both plans.
)nowball and 8apoleon engage in another ma0or debate about how best to prepare for another human attac!. 8apoleon advocates
the procurement of firearms as well as firearms training. )nowball advocates sending pigeons to rally the other animalsO if
rebellions occur everywhere, then the humans will stay at bay. The other animals do not divide over this issue because they cannot
decide who is right.
,inally, )nowball completes his blueprint for the windmill. The animals hold a meeting at which )nowball wins over the ma0ority
with his descriptions of the leisurely life that the windmill will allow. )uddenly, 8apoleon signals ;nine enormous dogs wearing
brass>studded collars,< which barge into the barn and chase )nowball out. )nowball manages to escape through a hedge. The
frightened animals gather once more in the barn. 's it turns out, the nine dogs are ?essies and Bluebells puppies. They seem to
consider 8apoleon their master. 8apoleon ta!es the stage and announces that )unday meetings with all their accompanying
debates will cease, and he will lead a small committee of pigs in ma!ing decisions. This mandate disturbs the other animals, but
most of them are too dull to argue and too afraid of the dogs to show their disapproval. ,our pigs protest briefly.
'fter the meeting, )2uealer e"plains the new arrangement to the other animals. ?ust as in the case of the mil! and apples, )2uealer
claims that ta!ing on leadership responsibilities is a burden for 8apoleon and his committeeO they do it only for the general
welfare. 1f left to ma!e their own decisions, he e"plains, the animals might ma!e a wrong decision. #e also calls )nowball a
criminalO even if he was brave in the Battle of the Cowshed Dan idea that )2uealer also 2uestionsE, ;loyalty and obedience are
more important.< )2uealer tells the animals, ;$iscipline, comrades, iron disciplineQ That is the watchword for today.< 'gain as in
the case of the mil! and apples, )2uealer ensures the animals compliance by threatening *r. ?oness return. &f all the
animals, Bo"er ta!es obedience to the pigs to heart most. #e now has two personal ma"imsA ;8apoleon is always right< and ;1
will wor! harder< DH7E.
%inter turns into spring. The pigs disinter &ld *a0ors s!ull and place it at the base of the flagpole beside the gun. %hen they
meet to receive their orders for the wee!, the animals no longer sit all together. ather, the dogs and other pigs gather around
8apoleon, )2uealer, and another pig named *inimus. &nly three days after )nowballs removal, 8apoleon announces plans to
build the windmill and ma!e similar improvements to the farm. )2uealer e"plains to the animals that 8apoleon had never really
opposed the windmillSin fact, it was ;his own creation,< which )nowball had copied. %ith evident pride, )2uealer e"plains that
8apoleons feigned opposition to the windmill was simply a ;maneuver< in his plan to e"pel )nowball for disobedienceO it was a
brilliant e"ample of ;tactics< DH6E.
'nalysis
1n Chapter 1@, we saw conflicting evidence concerning the relationship between the Battle of the Cowshed and the historical
&ctober evolution. *ollies desertion in the beginning of Chapter @ ma!es a case for the Battle of the Cowsheds representing
the &ctober evolution. &nce both parts of the ussian evolution were completed Dinsofar as these were two touchstones of the
revolutionE, Lenin could begin ma!ing ma0or social and economic changes. 'gain, many improvements have already been instated
on 'nimal ,arm by the time of the Battle of the Cowshed, which would be too early for consistency with historySbut not
necessarily out of order for *ar"ist theory. 1f the trend toward collectivi(ation after the ebellion ruffled *ollie, the second
revolutionary struggle, the Battle of the Cowshed, incites her to action. ?ust as many of ussias former elite emigrated after the
ussian evolution because they refused to live under Communism, *ollie ;emigrates< in order to avoid living under 'nimalism.
The fact that *ollie leaves only after the Battle of the Cowshed supports its representing the &ctober evolution.
'fter the Battle of the Cowshed, the pigs award themselves the tas! or ;burden< of ma!ing all policy decisions. This fact also
supports the idea that the Battle of the Cowshed represents the &ctober evolution because, although the )even Commandments
are already in place, the pigs tighten their control over the populace 0ust as the Bolshevi!s did once the evolution was complete.
1n general, Chapter @ corresponds to the mid>to>late 3467s, when Trots!y and )talins power struggle came to a head. #istorically,
Trots!y was a brilliant orator, so he was good at inspiring the public on a large scale. &rwell mirrors this in the faction called
;@ote for 8apoleon and the three>day wee!.< #owever, )talin easily outdid Trots!y in his ability to garner not 0ust a wash of
support, but deep>seated and influential support. )nowball may dominate the stage at meetings, but 8apoleon gets the sheep to
hec!le )nowball by interrupting his speeches by chanting, ;,our legs good, two legs badQ< 1n their hec!ling, the sheep represent
those of )talins supporters who too! to disrupting Trots!ys speeches at /arty meetings.
&rwell does not have a literary reason to follow the details of history and character because he is doing much more than retell a
story in his own wayO he chooses his details and his symbols in order to ma!e his own points. The windmill is at the center of
)nowballs and 8apoleons fiercest debate. ather than representing a specific point of debate between Trots!y and )talin, the
windmill symboli(es )oviet industry, both agricultural and factory. The narrator tells us that, up until the building of the windmill,
*anor ,arm has been stuc! in the past. 1t is not technologically advanced, though other farms are. This mirrors the fact that,
coming into the )oviet -ra, ussias agriculture and city industry lagged behind other civili(ed countries. 'll of the three original
)oviet leaders, Lenin, Trots!y, and )talin, recogni(ed the need for industrial progress and had varying ideas about how to pursue
it. 1n his conception and promotion of the windmill, )nowball can be seen to ta!e a turn as Lenin. Lenins 8ew -conomic /olicy
D8-/E was an attempt to stimulate ussian productivity, one that )talin ceased and replaced with his own ;windmills,< the ,ive
Lear /lans. &n a broader scale, the windmill represents the abstract )oviet cause toward the common good.
&ver the years, the animals will wor! tirelessly to build the windmill, sacrificing everything from their rest days to their rations in
order that it might be completed. 1n the same way, )oviet citi(ens labored for an abstract ;common good,< the fruits of which they
never saw. -ach time the windmill is destroyed, 8apoleon gives the animals new hope that, ne"t time around, they will build it
and reap its benefits. 1n the same way, )talin !ept the )oviet people trained on a good that, time after time, slipped from their
grasp.
1n Chapter @, &rwell also brings up the central difference between Trots!yism and )talinism. 's we have discussed previously,
Trots!y advocated the e"tension of the evolution on an international scale. 1n contrast, )talin advanced the idea of )ocialism in
&ne Country, in which he stated that, considering the failure of communism in other nations, the )oviet Union should focus its
energy internally. )talins )ocialism in &ne Country was a revision of *ar"ism>Leninism. &rwell mirrors these events in
)nowballs and 8apoleons debate over how best to protect 'nimal ,arm against another human attac!. )nowball wants to send
messengers to spread the message of the ebellion. 8apoleon wants to stoc!pile weapons and train the animals to use them. ?ust
as )talin revised *ar"ism>Leninism with )ocialism in &ne Country, 8apoleon has begun to hi0ac! 'nimalism to serve his own
ideals.
1n 3464, )talin e"pelled Trots!y from the )oviet Union. 1n a similar move, 8apoleon ousts )nowball from 'nimal ,arm.
)nowballs rabble>rousing cannot protect him against 8apoleons dogs, 0ust as Trots!ys oration s!ills were no match for the
power that )talin was slowly and steadily cultivating. The revelation of the attac! dogs is the first sign of the new violence
between animals on 'nimal ,arm. 1t is a !ind of coup.
Under 8apoleon, as under )talin, propaganda ta!es on a much>e"panded and more powerful role. )pecifically, )2uealer comes to
represent )talins revisionist propaganda machine. 8o sooner than )nowball is gone, )2uealer is already 2uestioning )nowballs
bravery in the Battle of the Cowshed. 8otably, )2uealer claims that the windmill was 8apoleons idea all along. %hether this is
true or not, it certainly seems li!e revisionist history.
%ith the e"humation of old *a0ors s!ull, &rwell ma!es the point that propaganda is often effective not simply for its message
but for the atmosphere of domination it creates. 8apoleon is changing *a0ors ideas in order to create his own personal regime in
the same way that )talin changed *ar"ism>Leninism. )till, he ma!es the animals march past *a0ors s!ull as though they are still
adhering to the old boars e"hortations.
Chapter VI
The animals work sixty-hour weeks all spring and summer in order to build the windmill, but none begrudges the
extra labor. In August, Napoleon instates strictly voluntary labor on !undays" animals may choose not to come,
but they will have their rations reduced by hal#. There are plenty o# building materials on the premises, and the
animals discover that they can break limestone into pieces by using the #orce o# gravity. $owever, the process o#
dragging boulders to the top o# the %uarry and throwing them down is very taxing. &oxer compensates by picking
up the other animals' slack, #or which they admire him.
!hortages begin to occur. The animals re%uire things, such as iron #or horseshoes and machinery #or the windmill,
that they cannot produce on the #arm. To provide a solution, Napoleon opens trade with the neighboring #arms
and says that the animals may need to sell some o# the hens' eggs in the nearby town o# (illingdon. $e makes
sure to stress the #act that the windmill should be the animals' #irst priority. The other animals are conscious o# a
vague uneasiness because the !even )ommandments #orbid trade with humans and the use o# money. Napoleon
assures the animals that they, at least, will not have to make contact with human beings. $e has already set up
an agreement with a solicitor in town named *r. (hymper, who will act as their intermediary to the human
world.
A#ter the meeting, !%uealer assures the animals that trade and the use o# money are allowed a#ter all+that no
resolution against those activities has ever been passed. $e convinces them that their memory o# such a
resolution is mistaken. *r. (hymper visits the #arm every *onday to get his orders. *eanwhile, in the human
world, humans are more opposed than ever to Animal ,arm's existence. They hope that the windmill will #ail and
the #arm will go bankrupt. !till, they secretly admire Animal ,arm's e##iciency, which they have begun to call by
its new name. They even stop valori-ing *r. .ones, who has moved away.
/ne day, the pigs move into the #armhouse. The other animals again #eel uneasy, remembering #aintly a
resolution that #orbade such an action. Again, !%uealer convinces them that they are mistaken. Napoleon, whom
!%uealer now calls The 0eader, should be granted the honor o# living in a house. ,urthermore, the pigs need a
%uiet workplace. !%uealer's lies satis#y some o# the animals. &ut )lover decides to investigate when she learns
that the pigs have taken to sleeping in beds. !he tries to read the !even )ommandments on the barn wall, but
she cannot. *uriel is able to read it #or her. /ne resolution has been changed to" No animal shall sleep in a bed
with sheets 1234. At this point, !%uealer approaches and denies that there was ever a rule against beds+only
sheets. As usual, he 5usti#ies the pigs' actions by threatening *r. .ones's return. !oon a#ter, the pigs award
themselves the additional privilege o# waking up an hour late.
&y autumn, the windmill is hal# #inished. /ne night in November, violent winds ravage the #arm and destroy the
windmill. Napoleon %uickly blames the destruction on !nowball. $e sentences !nowball to death and o##ers hal# a
bushel o# apples and the title o# Animal $ero, !econd )lass to any animal that detains him. There is a track o#
pig #ootprints leading to the hedge, which Napoleon attributes to !nowball. Then Napoleon rouses the animals to
action, saying, ,orward, comrades6 0ong live the windmill6 0ong live Animal ,arm6 1784.
Analysis
In )hapter 9I, the animals begin working tirelessly to complete the windmill. In this case, we can see the
windmill as the #irst o# !talin's ,ive :ear ;lans. The ,ive :ear ;lans had the same aim as 0enin's New <conomic
;olicy, which was to stimulate =ussian industry and help bring it into the >?th century. @nlike the N<;, which le#t
some control o# industry in the people's hands, !talin's ,ive :ear ;lans brought =ussian industry under complete
government control. /rwell mirrors this pattern in Napoleon's tightening o# the reigns on the animal work#orce.
Napoleon's supposedly voluntary but actually compulsory !unday labor sets him even #arther apart #rom
!nowball, who advocated a shorter workweek.
This episode also re#lects !talin's reliance on tactics o# deception. Although !talin was clear with industry leaders
about the goals o# the ,ive :ear ;lans, he continued manipulating the public to #oster increased+albeit success#ul
+labor. As in history, the animals o# Animal ,arm are able to achieve great productivity but do not bene#it
personally #rom their e##orts. They su##er shortages because #or all their work, the windmill 1like the heavy
industry on which !talin #ocused !oviet e##orts4 cannot yet provide them with energy, much less the basic things
they need.
@nlike Napoleon, who opens trade relations with neighboring #arms, !talin was conservative about #oreign trade.
=ather than representing a speci#ic event in history, Napoleon's decision to conduct business with other #arms is
another opportunity #or /rwell to point out !talin's hypocrisy and revisionism by means o# the pigs' re5ection o#
the original principles o# the =ebellion. The very basis #or Animalism is the idea that humans are the enemy and
not to be trusted+#our legs good, two legs bad. &y negotiating with humans, Napoleon undermines Animalism
completely at the same time he is reminding the animals that the windmill should be their #irst priority. &y having
Napoleon show such disregard #or Animalism's tenets, /rwell suggests that !talin was more a proponent o# his
personal interests than he was o# the cause o# )ommunism. 0ike Napoleon, !talin did not seem to believe in the
greater good #or which he #orced his people to work so tirelessly.
/rwell mirrors !talin's caution in dealing with #oreign nations in Napoleon's procurement o# an intermediary, *r.
(hymper. Additionally, (hymper represents those countries that traded with the !oviet @nion while turning a
blind eye to !talin's abuses. (hymper 1whose name suggests whimpering or docility4 works purely #or pro#it and
never inter#eres in Animal ,arm's a##airs.
/rwell also expands his criti%ue o# !talin's revisionist propaganda. The pigs break another o# the !even
)ommandments when they begin living in the #armhouse and sleeping in beds. )lover and *uriel investigate,
only to discover that the commandment has been changed to suit the pigs' desires. Through his smooth talking,
!%uealer convinces )lover and *uriel that the commandment has always concerned the use o# sheets and not
beds. In this revision, the allegory serves /rwell particularly well. !talin and his propagandists plastered the
!oviet @nion with propaganda in the #orm o# posters, songs, art, and countless other media. !%uealer's version o#
this pattern is to continually re-paint the !even )ommandments to re#lect Napoleon's changes in policy. /rwell
humorously suggests a !oviet agent going around the !oviet @nion, personally scratching out and rewriting the
slogans on posters. The point is that the propaganda changes to suit those in power and to keep a controlled
ac%uiescence among the rest.
)hapter 9I also continues /rwell's criti%ue o# the tactic o# intimidation. (hen )lover and *uriel %uestion the
!even )ommandments' accuracy, !%uealer threatens them 1as usual4 with .ones's return. In this chapter,
Napoleon's #ear tactics culminate with the windmill's destruction. Though natural #orces are to blame, Napoleon
blames the disaster on !nowball in the same way !talin considered Trotsky a threat even in exile. In the novel,
Napoleon sentences !nowball to death, but we never #ind out whether his orders are carried out, or i# !nowball is
even still alive at the time o# his sentencing. In history, !talin eventually did have Trotsky assassinated by a
!oviet agent in A3B?. (hether !nowball is a true threat to Animal ,arm or not, Napoleon makes sure the animals
believe !nowball is. In this sense, !nowball represents the nebulous #oreign threat o# which !talin kept his people
wary. There are now two terrorist enemies to #ear, *r. .ones 1even i# he has le#t town, other men remain to be
a#raid o#4 and !nowball.
/rwell makes the connection between #ear tactics and economic strategy very clear at the end o# )hapter 9I.
Napoleon moves directly #rom accusing !nowball o# destroying the windmill to urging the animals, ,orward,
comrades6 0ong live the windmill6 0ong live Animal ,arm 1784. Napoleon remains a leader the animals are willing
to #ollow+they cannot see another choice, anyway, especially with *r. .ones and !nowball cast as enemies+but
the legitimacy o# Napoleon's authority is becoming more and more suspect to the reader.
0hapter EI
The animals wor! si"ty>hour wee!s all spring and summer in order to build the windmill, but none begrudges the e"tra labor. 1n
'ugust, 8apoleon instates ;strictly voluntary< labor on )undaysA animals may choose not to come, but they will have their rations
reduced by half. There are plenty of building materials on the premises, and the animals discover that they can brea! limestone
into pieces by using the force of gravity. #owever, the process of dragging boulders to the top of the 2uarry and throwing them
down is very ta"ing. Bo"er compensates by pic!ing up the other animals slac!, for which they admire him.
)hortages begin to occur. The animals re2uire things, such as iron for horseshoes and machinery for the windmill, that they cannot
produce on the farm. To provide a solution, 8apoleon opens trade with the neighboring farms and says that the animals may need
to sell some of the hens eggs in the nearby town of %illingdon. #e ma!es sure to stress the fact that the windmill should be the
animals first priority. The other animals are ;conscious of a vague uneasiness< because the )even Commandments forbid trade
with humans and the use of money. 8apoleon assures the animals that they, at least, will not have to ma!e contact with human
beings. #e has already set up an agreement with a solicitor in town named *r. %hymper, who will act as their intermediary to the
human world.
'fter the meeting, )2uealer assures the animals that trade and the use of money are allowed after allSthat no resolution against
those activities has ever been passed. #e convinces them that their memory of such a resolution is mista!en. *r. %hymper visits
the farm every *onday to get his orders. *eanwhile, in the human world, humans are more opposed than ever to 'nimal ,arms
e"istence. They hope that the windmill will fail and the farm will go ban!rupt. )till, they secretly admire 'nimal ,arms
efficiency, which they have begun to call by its new name. They even stop valori(ing *r. ?ones, who has moved away.
&ne day, the pigs move into the farmhouse. The other animals again feel uneasy, remembering faintly a resolution that forbade
such an action. 'gain, )2uealer convinces them that they are mista!en. 8apoleon, whom )2uealer now calls ;The Leader,< should
be granted the honor of living in a house. ,urthermore, the pigs need a 2uiet wor!place. )2uealers lies satisfy some of the
animals. But Clover decides to investigate when she learns that the pigs have ta!en to sleeping in beds. )he tries to read the )even
Commandments on the barn wall, but she cannot. *uriel is able to read it for her. &ne resolution has been changed toA ;8o animal
shall sleep in a bed with sheets< DH4E. 't this point, )2uealer approaches and denies that there was ever a rule against bedsSonly
sheets. 's usual, he 0ustifies the pigs actions by threatening *r. ?oness return. )oon after, the pigs award themselves the
additional privilege of wa!ing up an hour late.
By autumn, the windmill is half finished. &ne night in 8ovember, violent winds ravage the farm and destroy the windmill.
8apoleon 2uic!ly blames the destruction on )nowball. #e sentences )nowball to death and offers half a bushel of apples and the
title of ;'nimal #ero, )econd Class< to any animal that detains him. There is a trac! of pig footprints leading to the hedge, which
8apoleon attributes to )nowball. Then 8apoleon rouses the animals to action, saying, ;,orward, comradesQ Long live the
windmillQ Long live 'nimal ,armQ< DC5E.
'nalysis
1n Chapter @1, the animals begin wor!ing tirelessly to complete the windmill. 1n this case, we can see the windmill as the first of
)talins ,ive Lear /lans. The ,ive Lear /lans had the same aim as Lenins 8ew -conomic /olicy, which was to stimulate ussian
industry and help bring it into the 67th century. Unli!e the 8-/, which left some control of industry in the peoples hands, )talins
,ive Lear /lans brought ussian industry under complete government control. &rwell mirrors this pattern in 8apoleons
tightening of the reigns on the animal wor!force. 8apoleons supposedly ;voluntary< but actually compulsory )unday labor sets
him even farther apart from )nowball, who advocated a shorter wor!wee!.
This episode also reflects )talins reliance on tactics of deception. 'lthough )talin was clear with industry leaders about the goals
of the ,ive Lear /lans, he continued manipulating the public to foster increasedSalbeit successfulSlabor. 's in history, the
animals of 'nimal ,arm are able to achieve great productivity but do not benefit personally from their efforts. They suffer
shortages because for all their wor!, the windmill Dli!e the heavy industry on which )talin focused )oviet effortsE cannot yet
provide them with energy, much less the basic things they need.
Unli!e 8apoleon, who opens trade relations with neighboring farms, )talin was conservative about foreign trade. ather than
representing a specific event in history, 8apoleons decision to conduct business with other farms is another opportunity for
&rwell to point out )talins hypocrisy and revisionism by means of the pigs re0ection of the original principles of the ebellion.
The very basis for 'nimalism is the idea that humans are the enemy and not to be trustedS;four legs good, two legs bad.< By
negotiating with humans, 8apoleon undermines 'nimalism completely at the same time he is reminding the animals that the
windmill should be their first priority. By having 8apoleon show such disregard for 'nimalisms tenets, &rwell suggests that
)talin was more a proponent of his personal interests than he was of the cause of Communism. Li!e 8apoleon, )talin did not seem
to believe in the greater good for which he forced his people to wor! so tirelessly.
&rwell mirrors )talins caution in dealing with foreign nations in 8apoleons procurement of an intermediary, *r. %hymper.
'dditionally, %hymper represents those countries that traded with the )oviet Union while turning a blind eye to )talins abuses.
%hymper Dwhose name suggests whimpering or docilityE wor!s purely for profit and never interferes in 'nimal ,arms affairs.
&rwell also e"pands his criti2ue of )talins revisionist propaganda. The pigs brea! another of the )even Commandments when
they begin living in the farmhouse and sleeping in beds. Clover and *uriel investigate, only to discover that the commandment
has been changed to suit the pigs desires. Through his smooth tal!ing, )2uealer convinces Clover and *uriel that the
commandment has always concerned the use of sheets and not beds. 1n this revision, the allegory serves &rwell particularly well.
)talin and his propagandists plastered the )oviet Union with propaganda in the form of posters, songs, art, and countless other
media. )2uealers version of this pattern is to continually re>paint the )even Commandments to reflect 8apoleons changes in
policy. &rwell humorously suggests a )oviet agent going around the )oviet Union, personally scratching out and rewriting the
slogans on posters. The point is that the propaganda changes to suit those in power and to !eep a controlled ac2uiescence among
the rest.
Chapter @1 also continues &rwells criti2ue of the tactic of intimidation. %hen Clover and *uriel 2uestion the )even
Commandments accuracy, )2uealer threatens them Das usualE with ?oness return. 1n this chapter, 8apoleons fear tactics
culminate with the windmills destruction. Though natural forces are to blame, 8apoleon blames the disaster on )nowball in the
same way )talin considered Trots!y a threat even in e"ile. 1n the novel, 8apoleon sentences )nowball to death, but we never find
out whether his orders are carried out, or if )nowball is even still alive at the time of his sentencing. 1n history, )talin eventually
did have Trots!y assassinated by a )oviet agent in 34I7. %hether )nowball is a true threat to 'nimal ,arm or not, 8apoleon
ma!es sure the animals believe )nowball is. 1n this sense, )nowball represents the nebulous foreign threat of which )talin !ept his
people wary. There are now two terrorist enemies to fear, *r. ?ones Deven if he has left town, other men remain to be afraid ofE
and )nowball.
&rwell ma!es the connection between fear tactics and economic strategy very clear at the end of Chapter @1. 8apoleon moves
directly from accusing )nowball of destroying the windmill to urging the animals, ;,orward, comradesQ Long live the windmillQ
Long live 'nimal ,arm< DC5E. 8apoleon remains a leader the animals are willing to followSthey cannot see another choice,
anyway, especially with *r. ?ones and )nowball cast as enemiesSbut the legitimacy of 8apoleons authority is becoming more
and more suspect to the reader.
0hapter EII
The animals wor! to rebuild the windmill through a bitter, stormy winter, well aware that the human world is watching and hoping
for their failure. Because of increasing food shortages, the animals begin to go hungry. Gnowing that the humans must not hear
of'nimal ,arms hardships, 8apoleon enlists the sheep to comment about their increasing rations when within earshot of
*r. %hymper. #e also has someone lead *r. %hymper past the food bins, which are filled with sand and topped with grain to
loo! full.
8apoleon appears in public less and less, and when he does, si" fierce dogs act as his guards. 's there is need for more grain, he
has *r. %hymper arrange a contract to sell four hundred eggs per wee!. The hens rebel by laying their eggs in the rafters so that
the eggs smash on the floor. 8apoleon stops the hens rations and ma!es feeding a hen punishable by death. 8ine hens die,
supposedly of coccidiosis, during the five>day stri!e, after which the hens surrender.
8apoleon negotiates with *r. ,rederic!and *r. /il!ington, who wish to buy 'nimal ,arms supply of timber. ' rumor begins
circulating among the animals that )nowball is snea!ing into the farm at night and causing mischief. ,rom then on, the animals
attribute any misfortune to )nowballs interference. 8apoleon arranges a public investigation of )nowballs activities. #e surveys
the farm and claims to smell )nowballs scent everywhere. The animals are terrified. That evening, )2uealer tells the animals that
)nowball now belongs to *r. ,rederic!, with whom he is plotting to overta!e 'nimal ,arm. #e claims that )nowball was
collaborating with *r. ?ones from the very beginning and claims to have supporting evidence. )2uealer also claims that )nowball
intended to get the animals !illed in the Battle of the Cowshed. %hen the animals, including Bo"er, protest, )2uealer invents yet
another lie. #e claims that 8apoleon cried, ;$eath to #umanityQ< during the battle and bit *r. ?ones in the leg. Bo"er continues to
protest until )2uealer tells him that the news is directly from 8apoleon. Bo"er replies, ;1f Comrade 8apoleon says it, it must be
right< D43E. Before leaving, )2uealer gives Bo"er a nasty loo! and warns the animals that )nowballs secret agents are lur!ing
among them.
,our days later, 8apoleon calls an assembly. #e wears the medals of ;'nimal #ero, ,irst Class< and ;'nimal #ero, )econd
Class,< which he has awarded himself. 8apoleons dogs drag out of the crowd the four pigs that had opposed the cessation of
)unday meetings. The dogs try to drag Bo"er out as well, but he deflects them. The pigs confess that they collaborated with
)nowball in destroying the windmill and were planning to help *r. ,rederic! overta!e 'nimal ,arm. They also confess to
!nowing of )nowballs partnership with *r. ?ones for years. Then the dogs tear out the four pigs throats. 8apoleon as!s whether
any other animal wishes to confess. Three hens, which had led the hen rebellion, confess that )nowball incited them to revolt in a
dream vision. 'fter this, several other animals confess to crimes both great DmurderE and small DstealingE. 8apoleon has them all
murdered.
'fter the public e"ecutions, the horrified animals slin! away. Bo"er blames the evil among them to some ;fault< in themselves
and suggests that the way to 2uash it is to wor! harder. 's Clover sits on the !noll with the other animals, she considers how
different their current situation is than the ideal &ld *a0or put forth. The animals were supposed to create a society of e2uality and
freedom, not one of ;terror and slaughter< D4:E. )till, Clover thin!s 'nimal ,arm is better than it was in the days of *r. ?oness
rule, and her heart remains faithful to it. Unable to put her thoughts into words, Clover leads the animals in singing ;Beasts of
-ngland.<
)uddenly, however, )2uealer arrives with a dog escort and forbids the animals from singing the anthem, for 8apoleon has
abolished it. #e e"plains that the ebellion has now ended with the slaughter of the unfaithful and that, being a song of the
ebellion, ;Beasts of -ngland< has no further purpose. The animals are now to sing *inimuss anthem, which begins with the
lyricsA ;'nimal ,arm, 'nimal ,arm, B 8ever through me shalt thou come to harmQ<
'nalysis
1n Chapter @11, &rwell focuses again on the gap between the tirelessness of the animals efforts and the benefits they receive. %e
discussed earlier that, because )talin focused more on heavy industry than on consumer products, the )oviet people faced
shortages of the things they needed the most. Because of chronic shortages in the )oviet Union, there arose the clich. of standing
in line for most anything one wanted, including food and toilet paper. %hen one wanted to purchase a bigger item, such as a car,
one was put on the end of a seemingly interminable list. &n a side note, )talins focus on heavy industry corresponded with his
nameSmeaning steelSwhich he chose for himself D)talin was born with the much more ethnically>specific surname
$(hugashiviliE.
8apoleon begins to shelter himself from public scrutiny and ma!es )2uealer and the dogs do his dirty wor!. This corresponds
with )talins habit of being a figure in the shadows. )talin gave orders from the comfort of his office, while the propagandists and
secret police meted out his demands and punishments. The negotiations over the timber represent )talins e"port of the products of
heavy industry. 8apoleons waffling between /il!ington and ,rederic! also mirrors )talins caution in dealing with foreign
nations.
*eanwhile, in order to distract the animals from their hardships and frustrations, 8apoleon increases the amount of propaganda on
'nimal ,arm. )2uealer, his agent as usual, cultivates the idea that )nowball is lur!ing on the perimeter of 'nimal ,arm and
plotting mischief against the animals. 8apoleon also ma!es a personal and very public show of claiming to smell )nowballs scent
all around the farm. By giving the impression that )nowball is everywhere, 8apoleon at ones ma!es )nowball, a concrete entity,
into a nebulous threat and creates an atmosphere of almost palpable fearA ;The animals were thoroughly frightened. 1t seemed to
them as though )nowball were some !ind of invisible influence, pervading the air about them and menacing them with all !inds of
dangers< DC4E. By personally investigating )nowballs whereabouts, 8apoleon !eeps himself tied to the greater good in the
publics eyes. 't once, they feel frightened and also cared for, but they attribute the former feeling to )nowball and the latter to
8apoleon.
)oon enough, 8apoleon turns )nowball from an outside threat into a pervasive internal threat. Bo"er unwittingly gives )2uealer
the idea when he protests )2uealers revision of )nowballs heroism. &nly after Bo"er challenges him does )2uealer first warn the
animals that )nowballs secret agents have infiltrated their ran!s. #ere, &rwell satiri(es )talins intensification of fear tactics. 1n
)talins )oviet Union, people of every gender, age, and profession were suspected of treachery. *any were forced to confess to
things they did not do, all in the name of !eeping the public subdued by fear. 't this point, we should recall that the ed Terror,
the first organi(ed attempt to stamp out anti>Communist sentiment in the )oviet Union, was Lenins prerogative. Therefore it
predated Trots!y and )talins debates as well as Trots!ys e"pulsion. 1t stands to reason that &rwell s!ips over the ed Terror in
order to assign all terrorist tactics to 8apoleon Das opposed to including )nowballE. &rwells e"periences in the )panish Civil %ar,
in which he fought on the side of Trots!yists, may have informed this omission as well.
1n any case, 8apoleons e"ecution assembly represents the *oscow Trials and the Great /urge, )talins widespread campaign to
suppress any and all dissent in the )oviet Union. 1ndeed, this was a far cry from the cooperation and good cheer with which the
'nimalism revolution began. 1n the )oviet Union, it began as a ;cleansing< of the Communist /arty and was e"panded to one of
the entire, vast )oviet population, among which tens of millions were !illed or deported. 1n the *oscow Trials of 345M>345C,
)talin incriminated many party leaders, charging them with crimes ranging from conspiracy to attempted assassination. The
accused gave their confessions, seemingly freely in front of a general assembly, 0ust as 8apoleons accused give theirs in front of
all the other animals. This gave loo!ers>on a reason to believe that the traitors were rightfully accused, another belief we see
repeated in 'nimal ,arm. 's &rwell suggests in the te"t, )talin Dand 8apoleonE staged the confessions by using violence and fear
tactics to coerce the accused. %itnesses at the trials also gave scripted testimony in order to force guilt upon the accused. )talin
had the accused traitors e"ecuted Dor, if they were luc!y, e"pelledE 0ust as 8apoleon has the dogs rip out the throats of the
supposed traitors. $espite the publicity of the *oscow Trials, )talin often had torture and e"ecutions performed in secrecy. &rwell
ma!es 8apoleons purge not only public but especially cruel in order to shed light on the magnitude and barbarism of )talins
purges. 1t is one thing to hear of an e"ecution by humans against humans for political reasons, 2uite another to contemplate the
image of fierce dogs tearing out traitors throats.
The )oviet population became terrified of e"ecution and internment in forced labor camps called Gulags. 1n the novel, the
animals immediate response to the purge is fear and disillusionment. )ha!en, Clover and the other animals try to ta!e comfort in
;Beasts of -ngland<Sthey !now that something has gone terribly, terribly wrong but cannot 2uite describe what or how. They
want to focus on the positive ideas of freedom and abundance. )2uealer shatters even that comfort when he announces that the
song is obsolete and therefore forbidden. %e can assume that the real reason 8apoleon abolishes it is that, since the animals have
committed it to memory, he cannot revise it li!e the )even Commandments. Therefore, he forces the animals to forget it, along
with the tenets of their beloved 'nimalism, to be replaced with a new song and new values that are loo!ing more and more li!e
the values under which *r. ?ones ran the farm.
0hapter EIII
&nce the terror abates, some of the animals recall the )i"th Commandment, ;8o animal shall !ill any other animal.< Clover again
as!s *uriel to read to her from the wall, only to find that the )i"th Commandment has been changed toA ;8o animal shall !ill any
other animal without cause< D4CE. Clover and *uriel convince themselves that the commandment has always been that way and
decide that treachery 0ustifies murder after all. The animals wor! even harder than in the previous year. &n
)undays )2uealerassures them, by reading statistics from a sheet of paper, that their efforts are increasing production many times
over. The animals can do nothing but believe )2uealer. They can scarcely remember life before the ebellion.
8apoleon restricts his public appearances further to about once a month. #e is said to eat separately from the other pigs, using the
fine china. #e also decrees that the gun be fired every year on his birthday. The animals now call 8apoleon ;our Leader, Comrade
8apoleon.< ?ust as the animals attribute all misfortunes to)nowball, they now attribute all success and luc! to
8apoleon. *inimus composes a poem called ;Comrade 8apoleon,< which 8apoleon has inscribed on the wall across from the
)even Commandments, where )2uealer also paints his portrait.
8apoleon continues to negotiate with *r.,rederic! and *r. /il!ington, though the timber remains unsold. umors of *r.
,rederic!s plans to overthrow the farm continue. 1n the summer, three hens confess to plotting against 8apoleons life and are
e"ecuted instantly. 'fter that, 8apoleon increases his security even more and enlists a pig named/in!eye to be his taster, lest
someone attempt to poison him. 8apoleon finally agrees to sell the timber to /il!ington, as well as to engage in regular trade with
,o"wood. *eanwhile, rumors about ,rederic!s coming invasion, as well as his cruel practices at /inchfield, begin to circulate.
&ne day, 8apoleon announces that he never planned to do business with ,rederic! at all. #e ma!es the messenger pigeons change
their slogan from ;$eath to #umanity< to ;$eath to ,rederic!< D375E. #e also, strangely, forbids them from going to ,o"wood.
The wheat fields turn out to be filled with weeds, a misfortune that the animals blame promptly on )nowball. ' gander confesses
to !nowing about the plot to mi" weed seeds with the wheat seeds and commits suicide. To bring further ignominy upon
)nowballs memory, )2uealer disseminates a rumor that )nowball never received the title of ;'nimal #ero, ,irst Class< at all. 's
usual, he is able to 2uell any 2uestions that arise from his rewriting of history.
't last the windmill is finished, with walls twice as thic! as before. The animals are very proud of their achievement. 8apoleon
names the windmill ;8apoleon *ill.< Two days later, 8apoleon calls a meeting to announce that he has sold the timber to
,rederic!, not /il!ington. #e denounces ,o"wood and ma!es the pigeons change their slogan to ;$eath to /il!ington.< 8apoleon
claims that ,rederic! had never planned to invade 'nimal ,arm and that he was not as cruel as rumored. *oreover, )nowball has
never been at ,o"wood or been ,rederic!s collaboratorO in reality, he has been /il!ingtons longtime collaborator. The pigs are
proud of 8apoleons shrewdness. They believe 8apoleons claim that his relationship with /il!ington was 0ust a pretense to get
,rederic! to raise his bid. -ven cleverer, 8apoleon refused to let ,rederic! pay for the timber with a chec!, instead demanding
cash that he will use to buy the windmill machinery. 8apoleon goes so far as to hold a special meeting where the animals can
inspect the ban!notes.
Three days later, %hymper informs 8apoleon that the ban!notes are forgeries. 8apoleon sentences ,rederic! to death by boiling
alive and tries to reconcile with /il!ington. The ne"t morning, ,rederic! and his armed men overta!e the farm. 8apoleon
considers calling /il!ington for help, but /il!ington sends a note that says, ;)erves you right.< 's the animals watch helplessly,
,rederic! and his men blow up the windmill. 'fter that, the animals put up a fight and manage to chase the men off. )2uealer, who
was not in the battle, has the gun fired as a sign of victory. ,or the first time, Bo"ers faith in the value of hard wor! begins to flag.
#owever, 8apoleon devotes two days to celebrating the victory at the newly named Battle of the %indmill and burying the slain.
#e also gives himself the title, ;&rder of the Green Banner.<
' few days later, the pigs discover a store of whis!y, which they begin consuming. The morning after, the pigs do not show up for
wor!. )2uealer finally emerges to inform the animals that 8apoleon is dying, a fact that the animals blame on )nowball. #e
announces 8apoleons final declarationA drin!ing alcohol should be punishable by death. #owever, 8apoleon recovers and, soon
after, as!s %hymper to procure information on how to brew alcohol. #e also designates a field for the propagation of barley. )oon
after, a strange episode occurs. &ne midnight, a crash in the barn awa!ens the animals. They rush there only to discover )2uealer
with a bro!en ladder and a can of paint.Ben0amin seems to understand what is happening but declines to share his insight with the
others. #owever, a few days later, *uriel notices that the ,ifth Commandment has been changed from ;8o animal shall drin!
alcohol< to ;8o animal shall drin! alcohol to e"cess< D335E.
'nalysis
8apoleons revisionism continues with the alterations of the commandments. %orst of all is the reversal from ;8o animal shall
!ill any other animal< to ;8o animal shall !ill any other animal without #ause.< This particular revision may stri!e a particularly
deep chord with readers on the parallel between the original Commandment and the Biblical commandment ;Thou shalt not !ill.<
&n that note, we should notice that by this point,*oses is absent from 'nimal ,arm along with the morality he represents and his
vision of )ugarcandy *ountain, which could help the animals through their terror. 8apoleon adds to his array of propaganda the
reading of optimistic statistics. )talins ,ive Lear /lans were successful, especially considering how much catching up ussia had
to do, but they did not meet up to his e"ceptionally high pro0ections. *aintaining appearances was deemed vital to the regimes
international reputation.
't this point, 8apoleon can trust that his terrorist tactics have made the animals submissive. They cannot believe in their own
safety, so they embrace any good news they can get, and good news arrives to them almost e"clusively in the form of propaganda.
They have lost the ability to 0udge their success or their 2uality of life because they cannot remember what life was li!e before or
0ust after the ebellion. The animals have also become immune to the type of outrage that their leaders deceit might arouse in
someone with a democratic education and mindset. -ven when they catch )2uealer in the act of revising the )even
Commandments, they are too subdued to protest. The animals have ta!en on Ben0amins 2uality of apathy, not because they are
naturally apathetic li!e him, but because 8apoleon has molded and terrori(ed them to be that way. 1n the same way, the )oviet
populace ad0usted to )talins tactics of fear and manipulation. /owerless to change anything, they grew to accept it. 1n psychology
this might be called a denial, a defense mechanism, or a coping mechanism. 'gain, the nobles, who tended to have better
educations than the wor!ing class, had fled.
's the animals are forced to live an increasingly restricted lifestyle, 8apoleon and the pigs are continually awarding themselves
privileges and ta!ing an unfair share of the rations. #istorically, this corresponds to )talins privileging of the Communist elite.
%hile the typical )oviet citi(en wor!ed hard and gained little, the typical member of the Communist elite had access to everything
from fancy consumer goods to summer houses in the country. $uring the 3457s, it became increasingly difficult for people to 0oin
the ran!s of the Communist elite. &rwell reflects this in 'nimal ,arm, where there is absolutely no social mobility. /igs alone
have access to privileges such as sleeping in beds and drin!ing alcohol. %e should recall that the seeds of this e"treme class
stratification, contrary to the tenets of 'nimalism and to *ar"ism>Leninism, began very early on when the pigs appropriated the
mil! supply. &rwell introduces the pigs privileges early and increases them gradually to show how insidious and therefore
successful )talins policies could be. /eople can be sub0ugated severely when the sub0ugation is enacted by degrees.
The events of Chapter @111 cover the historical events ofA #iters ascension to power in Germany, the 8a(i>)oviet non>aggression
pact, and Germanys invasion of the )oviet Union. 8apoleon continues to be suspicious of ,rederic! 0ust as )talin !ept one eye
open as #itler ascended to power in Germany. The stories of animal torture on ,rederic!s farm are meant to symboli(e the reports
of atrocities coming out of 8a(i Germany. The rumors are not substantiated in 'nimal ,arm, presumably because the truth about
the scale and severity of #itlers atrocities did not emerge fully until after %orld %ar 11. 8apoleons tightening leash on 'nimal
,arms consciousness is reflected in his interactions with the messenger pigeons. The pigeons, which were formerly his
mouthpieces, are now forbidden from flying over the neighboring farms. /resumably, 8apoleon does not want them to undermine
his ever>changing opinions about ,rederic! and /il!ington.
1n 3454, the )oviet Union and 8a(i Germany signed a non>aggression pact that promised neutrality and cooperation between the
two nations. 1n 'nimal ,arm, 8apoleons trade agreement with ,rederic! symboli(es this pact. 8apoleon does not trust ,rederic!
completely, as shown in his unwillingness to accept a chec!. 1n the same way )talin was wary of #itler and his goals, perhaps
seeing some of his own ruthlessness and ambition in #itlers eyes. 8apoleons distrust of ,rederic! soon turns out to be true, 0ust
as )talin was right not to trust #itler completely. #itlers forces invaded the )oviet Union in 34I3, an event that &rwell mirrors in
,rederic!s attac! on 'nimal ,arm. #e summari(es the incredible damage that the 8a(is did before their defeat in the destruction
of the windmill.
/il!ingtons neutrality during the conflict and his not>so>neutral message, ;)erves you right,< satiri(e the 'llies initial hesitance
to respond during %orld %ar 11. %orld %ar 11 devastated the )oviet population, which lost over twenty million people. &rwell
reflects the magnitude of the )oviet Unions loss in Bo"ers flagging enthusiasm. -ven he, the bastion of positive thin!ing, finds it
difficult to recoup after the Battle of the %indmill. %ith 'nimal ,arm so isolationist and duplicitous toward the human world
Dcompare modern>day 8orth GoreaE, it is no wonder that it faces withering shortages, demorali(ation, and tyranny within and
hostility everywhere without.
0hapter IF
Bo"ers split hoof, an in0ury from the battle, ta"es himO still he will not let it deter him from rebuilding the windmill before he
reaches retirement age. %hen they first formed'nimal ,arm, the animals had agreed on fi"ed retirement ages and pensions. The
winter is bitter again. ations, save the pigs and dogs, are reduced>>;read0usted,< as )2uealersays. To appease the animals,
)2uealer reads the animals more statistics to ma!e them believe that their lives are better than in the days of *r. ?oness rule. The
animals are overwor!ed, underfed, and cold, but they are happy to believe )2uealer.
Thirty>one young pigs now live on the farm, all of them parented by 8apoleon. #e ma!es plans to build them a schoolhouse and
discourages them from interacting with other types of animals. #e also instates two rules of pig superiorityA other animals must
stand aside on the path to let pigs pass, and pigs are allowed to wear green ribbons on their tails on )undays. 8apoleon also
awards himself the privilege of eating sugar. )till, times are hard on the farm, and the animals struggle to ma!e ends meet. The
chic!ens are forced to lay si" hundred eggs per wee! to sell in town and can barely !eep any for hatching. ations are reduced
again, and the animals are not allowed lanterns in their stalls anymore in order to save oil. *eanwhile, the pigs seem to be
flourishing.
Towards the end of winter, the animals smell a new scent in the wind, which they discover is from the barley 8apoleon has begun
to coo!. )oon after, the pigs announce that all barley is reserved for them. -ach pig gets a pint of beer added to his rations, with
8apoleon getting half a gallon. To distract the animals from their hardship, 8apoleon increases the amount of propaganda on the
farm. This includes songs, speeches, poems, statistics, marches, and his newly created )pontaneous $emonstrations, in which the
animals celebrate their victories. The animals en0oy the )pontaneous $emonstrations, which remind them of their freedom and
self>sufficiency.
1n 'pril, 8apoleon declares 'nimal ,arm a epublic, and the animals elect 8apoleon unanimously as president. #is new
propaganda claims )nowball was not a covert human collaborator, but an open one who charged into battle on the human side
yelling, ;Long Live #umanityQ< D334E. 1n mid>summer, *oses returns from a long absence. #is stories of )ugarcandy *ountain
return with him. The other animals en0oy the stories, with the e"ception of the pigs. Bo"er and the other animals wor! feverishly
to complete their tas!s, which now include building the schoolhouse for the young pigs. &ne day, Bo"er overwor!s himself so
much that he collapses, unable to get up. 1n his sic!ly state, he e"presses a wish to retire early along with Ben0amin. The animals
fetch )2uealer, who relays 8apoleons decision to send Bo"er to the veterinary hospital in %illingdon.
&ver the ne"t two days, Bo"er lies in his stall and ta!es doses from ;a large bottle of pin! medicine< that the pigs send from the
farmhouse. #e e"presses his wish to spend his final years learning the rest of the alphabet. &ne afternoon, a van comes to ta!e
Bo"er away. 1t has ;lettering on its side and a sly>loo!ing man in a low>crowned bowler hat sitting on the drivers seat.< The
hopeful animals wish Bo"er goodbye, but Ben0amin brea!s their revelry by reading the lettering on the side of the vanA ;'lfred
)immons, #orse )laughterer and Glue Boiler, %illingdon. $ealer in #ides and Bone>*eal. Gennels )upplied< D365E. The animals
panic and try to get Bo"er to escape. #e tries to get out of the van, but he has grown too wea! to brea! the door. The animals try to
appeal to the horses drawing the van, but they do not understand the situation.
Bo"er never returns, but three days later the pigs announce that he died in the hospital despite receiving the best care. )2uealer
claims to have been present at Bo"ers death, a tale he relates emotionally to the other animals. #e claims that Bo"ers last words
were, ;,orward, ComradesQ N ,orward in the name of the ebellion< and ;Long live 'nimal ,armQ Long live Comrade
8apoleonQ 8apoleon is always right< D36:E. )2uealer also claims that the van belongs to the veterinarian, who had recently bought
it from the horse slaughterer and had not yet managed to paint over the lettering. These stories satisfy the animals. The ne"t
)unday, 8apoleon promises to honor Bo"er with a special wreath and a memorial ban2uet. &n the day the ban2uet is to be held, a
large crate arrives at 'nimal ,arm. That night, the pigs are rowdy inside the farmhouse and do not wa!e up until noon the ne"t
day. The animals hear a rumor that the pigs had bought a case of whis!y.
'nalysis
%orld %ar 11 devastated not only the )oviet Unions populace but also its economy. 'griculture and factory production, which the
people had wor!ed so tirelessly to fortify in previous decades, were left in shambles. 1n 'nimal ,arm, the windmill represents the
)oviet peoples economic progress. ,rederic! and his men ruin the windmill in one fell swoop 0ust as the 8a(is destroyed the
)oviet Unions hard>earned progress. 1n the ,ive Lear /lans after %orld %ar 11, )talin had no choice but to focus on recouping the
)oviet Unions losses. 1n the same vein, 8apoleon rededicates the animals to the windmills construction. Bo"ers attitude after the
war represents the toll that the war too! on the )oviet peoples morale. )till, they managed to rally 0ust as Bo"er does, despite
even harsher shortages than ever.
$espite harsh conditions for the rest of the animals, the pigs are flourishing. 8apoleon has managed to parent thirty>one new pigs,
which he plans to ma!e disciples of his theories by building a schoolhouse. DThis may be a reference to the Thirty Tyrants of
ancient Greece, only a little worse.E 's usual, 8apoleon ma!es the animals complicit in their own oppression, this time by forcing
them to build the schoolhouse on top of their reconstructive and regular wor!load. 8apoleons abuses become even more blatant
and more reminiscent of ?oness behavior when he awards pigs the right of way on the path. The other animals must stand aside in
deference to the pigs, which is the sort of behavior a peasant under the feudal system would have to display in his masters
presence. The pigs even assume *ollies two favorite habitsA eating sugar and wearing ribbons in their tails. 1f we recall that
*ollie represents the imperial elite, we can see how far 'nimal ,arm has regressed.
By ma!ing 8apoleons abuses so blatant, &rwell e"poses the fact that stratification is inevitable in the hands of corrupt leaders
and that power and greed are cyclical. The pigs begin the boo! by carrying out &ld *a0ors ideals of a wor!ing>class rebellion 0ust
as the Bolshevi!s overthrew the c(ar with *ar"ism>Leninism in mind. Then, 0ust as )talin and the )oviet elite came to resemble
the imperialists they so despised, 8apoleon and the pigs ta!e on human characteristics. ThisSemulating humansSis the very
thing against which *a0or warned the animals in his meeting. eaders are progressively horrified by the new outrages and
betrayals committed by the pigs.
&rwell focuses on propaganda again in Chapter 1U. This time he focuses less on the manipulative nature of propaganda and more
on its grandeur. 8apoleons )pontaneous $emonstrations are especially pompous and gay, with a coc!erel marching in front of the
procession. The )pontaneous $emonstrations also involve the animals directly in the propaganda machine. *ore than singing
songs or chanting ma"ims, they are now marching around the farm to celebrate 'nimal ,arms glory. The gun, originally intended
to solemnly mar! the anniversaries of battles, is now used liberally to stir the animals loyalties. D)ee the elated Lin!s for a clip
from a )oviet propaganda film, !eeping the )pontaneous $emonstrations in mind.E ,urther proving their submission, the animals
find the increase in propaganda upliftingA ;But if there were hardships to be borne, they were partly offset by the fact that life
nowadays had a greater dignity than it had had before. There were more songs, more speeches, more processions N They found it
comforting to be reminded that all the wor! they did was for their own benefit. N They were able to forget that their bellies were
empty, at least part of the time< D33H>33CE. &rwell comes close to sympathy for the animals in this passage, where he seems to
suggest that in addition to the animals gullibility, they have a desperate need to be uplifted, even by means as false and ridiculous
as the )pontaneous $emonstrations. *oses return also supplies them with much>needed inspiration, although the pigs are wary of
his competing influence.
&rwell brea!s such reverie with the story of Bo"ers illness and murder. By this point, &rwell has repeated the pigs abuses so
many times that the reader may be as desperate as the animals for some relief. But &rwell wastes no time in reminding us that
propaganda is 0ust the totalitarian governments machine of deception. 8apoleon feels no affinity for Bo"er, despite that animals
years of tireless wor! on 'nimal ,arms behalf. This is because 8apoleon feels entitled to the animals hard wor! 0ust as )talin
was more concerned with his own goals than with his peoples well being. 8apoleon sends Bo"er off to the slaughter for profit
without seeming to have any second thoughts e"cept for finding a way to e"plain the betrayal to the other animals. 'dding insult
to in0ury, he uses Bo"ers murder as an opportunity for more propaganda, having )2uealer relate to the animals Bo"ers supposed
patriotic last words. Then he and the pigs celebrate their latest feat of deception and violence by drin!ing the case of whis!y.
%hile the pigs are becoming more li!e humans, they are becoming the !ind of humans whom others would call animals for their
cruelty and irrationality.
0hapter F
'fter a few years, the only animals that even remember the ebellion are Clover,Ben0amin, *oses, and some of the
pigs. *uriel, Bluebell, ?essie, and /incher have died. *r. ?ones has died in a home for alcoholics. )till, no animal has retired, and
no pasture has been put aside for retired animals. 8apoleon and )2uealer have both become very fat. The farm is bigger, than!s to
land purchased from *r. /il!ington, and now features a threshing machine and hay elevator. The windmill is finished, but the
animals use it to mill corn for a profit instead of to generate electricity as planned. 8apoleon puts the animals to wor! building an
additional windmill, which he promises will supply electricity. #owever, he discourages the animals from dreaming of lu"ury,
saying, ;The truest happiness N JliesK in wor!ing hard and living frugally< D364E.
The pigs and dogs continue to do no manual labor, instead devoting themselves to organi(ational wor! that the other animals are
;too ignorant to understand< D357E. This includes writing up notes and burning them promptly after. /ropaganda and pride in
living on the only animal>owned farm in -ngland continue to distract the animals from their hardships. &ne day, )2uealer ta!es all
the sheep out to an overgrown patch of land on the far side of the farm. &ver the ne"t wee!, he claims to be teaching them a song,
and no one sees them. &n the day the sheep return, Clover alerts the other animals to a disturbing factA )2uealer and the other pigs
are wal!ing two>footed, on their hind legs. The sheep brea! into a chorus of, ;,our legs good, two legs betterQ< Ben0amin
accompanies Clover to the barn wall, where he deigns to read to her for the first time. 1n place of the )even Commandments there
is now a single ma"imA ;'ll animals are e2ual B But some animals are more e2ual than others< D355E.
The animals discover that the pigs are buying a telephone and have subscribed to several maga(ines. 8apoleon ta!es to smo!ing
*r. ?oness pipe, and the other pigs ta!e to wearing *rs. ?oness clothes. 8apoleon begins wearing *r. ?oness dress clothes and
awards ;his favorite sow< the privilege of wearing *rs. ?oness )unday dress. &ne day, 8apoleon invites human visitors to tour
the farm. That night, the animals spy into the farmhouse and see the pigs dining with the humans. 'ccording to *r. /il!ingtons
toast, they are celebrating the end of their bad relations. Touring 'nimal ,arm has impressed him and the other farmers to follow
'nimal ,arms e"ample and give their animals more wor! and less food. 8apoleon says he wants to cooperate with the other
farms and confirms that he and the pigs co>own the farms title>deeds. #e states that the animals will no longer be calling each
other ;Comrade< or marching past &ld *a0ors s!ull Da practice he denies understanding anywayE. 1n addition, the flag has been
changed to a plain green without the symbols of the ebellion. -ven further, 'nimal ,arm shall again be referred to as ;The
*anor ,arm.< The pigs and humans begin to play po!er, and a fight erupts when 8apoleon and /il!ington both put down the 'ce
of )pades at the same time. 's the animals witness the pigs and humans 2uarreling over their po!er game, they cannot distinguish
between them.
'nalysis
&rwell fast>forwards to a time when 'nimal ,arm has undergone a great deal of turnover. &nly a few animals that remember the
ebellion remain, and their memories of it are faint. 8apoleon has rewritten the animals history to the e"tent that they feel they
no longer have one. #e has also manipulated language to the e"tent that it is meaningless. %e see this reflected in the ma"im, ;'ll
animals are e2ual B But some animals are more e2ual than others.< The concept of ;more e2ual< is mathematically impossible, but
the animals are too disillusioned and brainwashed to notice. 1n all the years since the ebellion, not a single animal has gotten the
rewards that he was promised or that was e"perienced so briefly in the days immediately following the ebellion. 1n history,
Chapter U corresponds to a time somewhere in the distant future, beyond the realm of &rwells own e"perience. 1t is, therefore,
the manifestation of his pessimistic con0ectures about the future of totalitarianism. 1n this chapter, &rwell slowly and firmly
crushes our hopes along with the animals. 1n the end, the pigs have all the tangible fruits of 'nimal ,arms labor while the
animals are left with only empty promises. The windmill, the cause for which countless animals labored and died, has been
diverted from its original purpose of supplying electricity. 8ot even Clover and Ben0amin, who are by this time very old, have
been allowed to retire. %hile wearing clothing, smo!ing pipes, and eating sugar, 8apoleon still has the nerve to tell the animals,
;The truest happiness N JliesK in wor!ing hard and living frugally< D364E. 1t is a harrowing, dystopic future.
1n the pessimistic vein for which he became !nown, &rwell imagines a future in which not only the )oviet Union, but also the
'llies, become totalitarian. %e see this reflected in /il!ingtons speech at the ban2uet. #e not only agrees to collaborate with
8apoleon, but vows to emulate 8apoleons harsh standards of labor and living on his own farm. 1n his own toast, 8apoleon seals
the door on 'nimal ,arms history and brea!s the last ties with its original tenets. #e changes the farms name bac! to ;*anor
,arm,< as though the trials, triumphs, and abuses of the past many years never happened. 1t is clear that he intends to erase the
memory of 'nimal ,arm from history. )talin and #itler were both !nown to do this in educating the youth in their countries. *ost
li!ely, the te"tboo!s in 8apoleons schoolhouse will severely s!ew the truth about 'nimal ,arm, if they mention the name
;'nimal ,arm< at all. 8apoleon brea!s the final tie with *a0or when he denies !nowing why the animals march past his s!ull in
ceremonious fashion. #e is erasing !nowledge not 0ust of the ideas that *a0or stood for, but also all the things he himself
authored.
The po!er game is multiply symbolic. ,irst, it represents the carelessness with which totalitarian leaders treat their people. The
animals are li!e cards in the gamblers hands, sub0ect to whim and chance. %hen 8apoleon and /il!ington fight over the 'ce of
)pades Dwhich proves that at least one of them had a card up his sleeveE, they foreshadow the international disagreements and
struggles that are sure to follow the temporary postwar peace. 1n this symbolic meaning, &rwell foreshadows the Cold %ar even
though it did not begin in earnest until after the boo! was published. /igs and humans are e2uals at the table, more or less, and
rivals once the game is over.
&rwell demonstrates the fact that oppression is cyclical and the oppressed becomes the oppressor when given the chance. By the
novels end, the pigs are indistinguishable from the humans not only in behavior but also in appearance. Their transformation is
complete when they adopt two>legged wal!ing. They treat the animals in the autocratic manner of ?ones. 1n this sense, the story
has come full circle.
The future &rwell creates for 'nimal ,arm does not correspond neatly with 1mperial ussia. Before the ebellion, the animals
lived under ?oness total control but had the advantage, the bliss, of ignorance. 8ow they are living under 8apoleons total control,
having been enlightened to the possibility of freedom and, it seems, still under the impression that they are free but no longer
understanding what true freedom would be. This is consistent with &rwells belief that 67th>century autocrats such as #itler and
)talin were of a new and more dangerous !ind than the dictators of the past.
'nimal ,arm is a warning about autocrats who ta!e over socialist ideals for their own aggrandi(ement. 1s there any chance for
socialism if human nature is such that the lust for greed and power brings forth leaders who ta!e control and betray its ideals, over
against passive and uneducated populationsF The capitalist, democratic alternative is to channel that lust into productive wor! and
to limit the power of government to control the freedoms of the people. This alternative creates or aggravates ine2ualitiesSone
might say that there will always be pigs, dogs, horses, cats, and the restSbut is far preferable to totalitarian control. The challenge
for &rwell or for anyone who promotes socialist ideals is to find a practical way to circumvent the abuses that the pigs of 'nimal
,arm so easily commit. But since the novel is a reflection of the challenges of the 34I7s rather than a political treatise, &rwell has
done 2uite enough in demonstrating, clearly and horrifyingly, the nature and scope of the challenges to be faced.
uggested #ssay %uestions
3. #ow is )nimal ,arm a satire of )talinism or generally of totalitarianismF
Ans)er: ' good way to answer this 2uestion is to pic! a specific e"ample of totalitarianism in any country, historical or current,
and e"plain how the ideas &rwell puts forth in )nimal ,arm apply to it. Go bac! and forth between the historical facts and the
events of the novel. 8ote the actions of the leaders, the mechanisms of fear and power, and the reactions of the people over time.
6. -lucidate the symbolism inherent in the characters+ names.
Ans)er: The symbolism ranges from the obvious to the more cryptic. Compare 8apoleon with the historical ,renchman and
*oses with the figure from the Bible. Ta!e )nowball as representative of something that grows larger and more forceful. )2uealer
has something to do with the spo!en word. Bo"er suggests strength. *a!e sure to consider each character at various stages of the
story and to use specific e"amples from the te"t.
5. %hat does the narrator do, or fail to do, that ma!es the story+s message possibleF
Ans)er: The narrator lets the story tell itself to a large degree by relating what is said and done without morali(ation and
reflection. The narrator spea!s from the perspective of the animals other than the pigs, a !ind of observer who can point out the
significant details without interfering. The reader then can draw his own conclusions about the symbolism, concordance with
historical events, and the awfulness of the events themselves.
I. %hat does the windmill representF
Ans)er: The windmill+s symbolic meaning changes during the course of the novel and means different things to different
characters. 1t is to be for electricity but ends up being for economic production. 's it is built, it is a locus of wor! without benefit
and a medium of the pigs+ power. ,or the humans, it is a dangerous symbol of the growing power of the farm. Consider also the
relationship between the windmill and the biblical Tower of Babel.
:. %hat role does the written word play in)nimal ,armF
Ans)er: Literacy is a source of power and a vehicle for propaganda. )ome e"amples to consider are the )even Commandments,
9Beasts of -ngland,9 the child+s boo!, the manuals, the maga(ines, and the horse>slaughterer+s van.
M. -"amine the )even Commandments and the way they change during the course of the novel from &ld *a0or+s death to the
ban2uet 8apoleon holds with the farmers.
Ans)er: The commandments begin as democratic ideals of e2uality and fraternity in a common animal identity, but they end in
ine2uality when some animals are 9more e2ual9 than others. 's the pigs ta!e more control and assume their own liberties, they
unilaterally change the commandments to fit their own desires. Consider especially the interactions between Clover, *uriel, and
)2uealer surrounding the )even Commandments, determining how easy it is to change the fundamental rules of society on the
farm, where most of the animals can do no better than to remember that four legs are good and two legs are bad.
H. %ould )nimal ,arm be more effective as a nonfiction political treatise about the same sub0ectF
Ans)er: Given the success of the novel, it is hard to see why &rwell might have chosen a different genre for his message. '
nonfiction account would have had to wor! more accurately with the history, while &rwell+s fiction has the benefit of ordering and
shaping events in order to ma!e the points as clear as possible from a theoretical and symbolic point of view. ' political treatise
could be more effective in treating the details and theoretical understandings at greater length and with more nuances, but the
readership and audience for such a wor! would therefore become 2uite different as well, so the general population would be less
li!ely to hear &rwell+s warnings.
C. Can we perceive much of &rwell himself in the novelF
Ans)er: &rwell seems to be most li!e the narrator, who tells the story from the perspective of e"perience with the events related.
%e !now from &rwell+s history that he was a champion of the wor!ing class and did not much li!e the idea of being in a role
where he had to e"ercise power to control people under him. &rwell seems to be a realist about the prospects for the socialist
ideals he otherwise would promote.
4. Compare )nimal ,arm with &rwell+s other famous novel, 1-.$.
Ans)er: Consider the ways in which both novels are allegories with a political message against the evils of state control and
totalitarianism. #ow does totalitarian control affect the illiterate versus those who are educated and wish to e"ercise their human
rightsF Compare the political regimes in the two novels. $oes the relative anonymity of the leaders affect the reactions of the
peopleF
37. /ic! a classic fairy tale or fable and e"amine it in comparison with )nimal ,arm.
Ans)er: ' good way to answer such a 2uestion is to consider the function of animals as characters. ,or instance, each of the
Three Little /igs e"presses a different approach to planning for the future and managing ris!, which can lead to an analysis of how
each character represents a moral or physical 2uality. 1n terms of narration, note the degree to which the narrator lets the characters
spea! in their own voices and lets the plot play out without editoriali(ing. 1n terms of structure, consider how critical events
shatter the calm Dsuch as getting lost in the woods or encountering an enemyE and lead to a moral once some !ind of order Dfor
better or for worseE is restored.