Eric Arthur Blair (George Orwell)
- Born:
- 25 June 1903, Motihari, British India
- Died:
- 21 January 1950, London, England
- Nationality:
- British
- Profession(s):
- Novelist, Essayist, Journalist, Critic
Early Life and Education
- Educated at Eton College on a scholarship.
- Served with the Indian Imperial Police in Burma (1922-1927). This experience deeply impacted his views on colonialism and social injustice.
Career and Major Achievements
- Began writing under the pseudonym George Orwell to distance himself from his family.
- Lived amongst the working class in Paris and London, documenting their lives and experiences in his early works.
- Fought in the Spanish Civil War on the Republican side, an experience that shaped his anti-totalitarian views.
- Worked for the BBC during World War II, producing propaganda broadcasts.
- Served as a war correspondent for The Observer during World War II.
- His insightful essays and reporting on political and social issues established him as a prominent intellectual.
Notable Works
- Down and Out in Paris and London (1933)
- Burmese Days (1934)
- The Road to Wigan Pier (1937)
- Homage to Catalonia (1938)
- Animal Farm (1945)
- Nineteen Eighty-Four (1949)
- Numerous essays and articles on literature, politics, and culture.
Legacy and Impact
George Orwell's works have had a profound and lasting impact on political thought and literature. His novels, particularly Animal Farm and Nineteen Eighty-Four, are considered classics of dystopian fiction and continue to be widely read and studied. The enduring relevance of his themes, such as totalitarianism, surveillance, and the manipulation of language, ensures his continued influence. Many consider the biographies of George Orwell that delve deeply into his experiences and writings the definitive accounts, but opinions vary on which constitutes the best biography of George Orwell.