Uproar!: Satire, scandal and printmakers in Georgian England

Alice Loxton has the knack of choosing an aspect of life to describe a particular time frame in British history. In Uproar! the author investigates the lives and works of artists and satirists, particularly Thomas Rowlandson (1757-1827), James Gillray (1756-1815), and Issac Cruikshank (1764-1811), who recorded aspects of British history in satirical caricatures. 

During the long reign of George III (1760-1820) artists created caricatures of people and events which were displayed in print shops to view and purchase. Some were compiled into books. Artists such as Rowlandson, Gillray and Cruikshank had the ability to quickly sketch a likeness of a person who was then portrayed in a satirical image. The images were then engraved on plates to be quickly printed, displayed and sold. 

This was the time of the American Revolution, the French Revolution, Napoleonic Wars, William Pitt the younger as prime minister dealing with a raucous opposition led by James Fox, the Gordon riots, industrial revolution, British abolition of the slave trade and the Regency period when the king was unable to rule. Plenty of material for the satirists to work with. However, by the Victorian period, attitudes had changed and the demand for the work of caricaturists had diminished. Eventually cartoons appeared in newspapers and magazines such as Punch and feature in daily newspapers today.

Uproar! provides a detailed account of the lives of the three main caricaturists in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century. Copies of many of their caricatures appear throughout the book. Through telling the story of the lives of the artists, the author also provides an overview of life in Britain at the time including events in other parts of the world impacting on life in Britain. Detailed notes, a bibliography and index are at the back of the book. 

The Proof of My Innocence

Having completed her university studies Phyl decides to try her hand at writing a novel. The death of the friend of the family gives her a starting point however she is not sure what style she should use when writing the book. 

When writing The Proof of my Innocence, Jonathan Coe uses different forms of fiction writing to tell the story. Part One is written as a cosy crime mystery, part two is a dark academia story while part three is an essay in auto-fiction.

This novel is part crime novel and part satirical commentary on conservative politics in Britain and America. Much of the story centres around a far right conference that occurs during Liz Truss' short term as prime minister. A parallel story occurs during the 1980s at Cambridge University when some far right conservatives attempt to influence political decisions. 

At times it can be confusing following the many threads in the book especially when the last section twists the plot in another direction. There is definitely humour in sections and it is interesting being reminded of the tumult in British politics not long ago. The Proof of my Innocence explores attempts to work out what is happening in the present by also exploring events in the past.

Animal Farm

Animal Farm by George Orwell is a short political fable written in the early 1940s and eventually published in 1945. Orwell attempted to have the novella published in 1943 but it was banned as the book parodies the Russian revolution and consequently power structures in Russia. 

During the Second World War the British were attempting to work with the Russians as Allies against the Germans. After the war the relationship deteriorated as the Russians took over neighboring countries and brought them under their communist rule. Animal Farm has continued to be published in many editions and many languages and regularly appears on school curriculums. My grand-daughter is reading this book in Year Nine which is why I have recently re-read it.

The animals on Mr Jones' farm are overworked and underfed. One pig, Major, is concerned about what is happening and makes plans to improve the lot of the animals. Then Major dies. Some months later the animals rebel and force Mr Jones to leave the property. They then band together to plan how they will survive without humans and make up a set of laws (commandments) detailing how the farm will be run for the betterment of all the animals. However it is not long before the pigs become the leaders of the new order with two pigs, Snowball and Napoleon vying to run the farm. Soon it is obvious that the saying 'All animals are equal' is really 'All animals are equal. But some animals are more equal than others'. The novel explores how one group of animals become the dominant group resulting in the majority of the animals having a harder life than when they worked for humans.

Animal Farm is described as an allegory or a fable. On the surface it is a story about a group of animals in dispute with humans. However, it does offer critical commentary on the Russian Revolution via the fictional characters and events. Consequently many of the characters represent real historical figures. 

Major represents Vladimir Lenin (1817-1924); Snowball represents Leon Trotsky (1879-1940) - he was assassinated; while Napoleon represents Joseph Stalin (1878- 1953) who was the Russian leader during the Second World War.  Lenin had been greatly influenced by the books, Das Kapital and The Communist Manifesto, written by Karl Marx. Trotsky had been Lenin's second in command during the Russian Revolution and it was assumed that he would take charge after the death of Lenin. In reality it was Joseph Stalin who became leader of the Soviet Union after Lenin.

Other characters are Mr Jones, the original owner of the farm on which the animals live, represents Czar Nicholas II (1868-1918) who was overthrown in the Russian Revolution in 1917.

Two other farmers are Mr Pilkington, the owner of a neighboring and neglected farm. He eventually sells some of his land to Napoleon. Mr Frederick, the owner of another farm, is an enemy of Mr Pilkington. Mr Frederick swindles Napoleon by buying timber from him with counterfeit money. He later tries to attack and seize Animal Farm but is defeated.

Mollie represents the bourgeois middle class during the Russian Revolution who enjoyed the luxuries in life and often weren't willing to give them up to join the fight.

 Mr. Whymper, a human solicitor, is employed by Napoleon to act between the humans and the pigs.  Mr Whymper therefore represents the capitalists who got rich doing business with the USSR. 

Squealer is the pig who spreads Napoleon's propaganda among the animals. He is an example of how language can be used in order to twist the truth to gain and maintain political control.

Minimus, another pig, writes propaganda poems and songs praising Napoleon and Animal Farm.using art as propaganda to control what people think.

The nine dogs trained by Napoleon represent Stalin's secret police force.

Moses is a tame raven owned by Mr Jones. His role was to tell the oppressed animals about Sugar Candy Mountain (the Russian Orthodox Church), and how their lives would get better. Moses was banned when Mr Jones was defeated but later Napoleon later allowed him to return.

The animals, other than the pigs, represent the ordinary people who believed that joining the revolution would lead to a new life but in reality their life became worse under new leaders.

Specific events in the book can also be seen as events in Russian history.  

The Battle of the Cowshed represents the Russian Revolution of 1917. 

The Battle of the Windmill represents the Battle of Stalingrad. For some time Napoleon had been double dealing with neighbouring, feuding farmers. Then Mr Frederick decided to lead a group to invade Animal Farm and destroy the windmill as they are afraid that the windmill might be a success. The windmill is destroyed but the invasion is not successful. The windmill is an attempt to industrialise the farm representing Stalin's attempts to industrialise Russia.

There are many links to websites discussing and analysing Animal Farm.

Animal Farm - full book analysis Spark Notes

Animals Farm at a Glance - Cliff's Notes

Animal Farm Topic Interview - Gale 

and many more ....