A Companion to Our Literary Journey/Travelling further in Our Literary Journey
A Dystopian View under George Orwell’s Eyes
[edit | edit source]The introduction of Magna Carta in the English society of the XIII century started an historical chain reaction that led to the introduction of the concept of liberty in the majority of modern states. Many great authors have tried to imagine a society in which liberty never settled, in a world where there is no equilibrium between great leaders’ power and human beings’ rights and dignity. One of those authors is George Orwell (1903-1950), particularly in his book 1984, a masterpiece of English literature. You will now read some clauses from Magna Carta about the concept of liberty and some quotes from the book 1984.
| Magna Carta | George Orwell’s 1984 |
|---|---|
| (38) In future no official shall place a man on trial upon his own unsupported statement, without producing credible witnesses to the truth of it. | - ‘No one can get up much enthusiasm for a Government which puts you in jail if you open your mouth’ |
| (39) No free man shall be seized or imprisoned, or stripped of his rights or possessions, or outlawed or exiled, or deprived of his standing in any way, nor will we proceed with force against him, or send others to do so, except by the lawful judgment of his equals or by the law of the land. | - ‘Like a drug, the machine (the Government) is useful, dangerous and habit-forming. The oftener one surrenders to it the tighter its grip becomes.’ |
| (40) To no one will we sell, to no one deny or delay right or justice. | - ‘The fallacy is to believe that under a dictatorial government you can be free inside’ |
| (42) In future it shall be lawful for any man to leave and return to our kingdom unharmed and without fear, by land or water, preserving his allegiance to us, except in time of war, for some short period, for the common benefit of the realm. People that have been imprisoned or outlawed in accordance with the law of the land, people from a country that is at war with us, and merchants – who shall be dealt with as stated above – are excepted from this provision. | - ‘For, after all, how do we know that two and two make four? Or that the force of gravity works? Or that the past is unchangeable? If both the past and the external world exist only in the mind, and if the mind itself is controllable – what then?' |
| (60) All these customs and liberties that we have granted shall be observed in our kingdom in so far as concerns our own relations with our subjects. Let all men of our kingdom, whether clergy or laymen, observe them similarly in their relations with their own men. | - ‘Now I will tell you the answer to my question. It is this. The Party seeks power entirely for its own sake. We are not interested in the good of others; we are interested solely in power, pure power. What pure power means you will understand presently. [...] We know that no one ever seizes power with the intention of relinquishing it. Power is not a means; it is an end. One does not establish a dictatorship in order to safeguard a revolution; one makes the revolution in order to establish the dictatorship. The object of persecution is persecution. The object of torture is torture. The object of power is power. Now you begin to understand me.’ |
Now it's up to you
[edit | edit source]Analysis and Comprehension
[edit | edit source]- What is the difference between the concept of Liberty discussed in the two sources? (Liberty as in dignity in a juridical system and as in intellectual liberty as freedom to speak or think).
- Both Magna Carta and the quotes from 1984, offer a different view on the concept of “Power”. What’s the main difference between the two?
- Both texts address the rights a citizen has when facing a legal accusation. Do you think these rights are presented similarly in both works? If not, what differences do you see in how they are portrayed?
- Through the protection of merchants and their right to travel freely, Magna Carta sets an early model of free trade, hence the circulation of ideas and culture. Does the "Party" allow for freedom of thought?
Debate, Research and Elaborate
[edit | edit source]- While Magna Carta declared that the King should answer to the same laws as citizens, the 1984’s “Party” seems to be free from any type of judgement or ruling. Hard times require hard measures, so our rulers might need to ignore the laws and the rules that govern our country. Pair up and each student decides whether to support this statement or object to it.
- How does the permanent nature of Magna Carta, which sets clear and fixed rules, compare to the everchanging and manipulated proceedings in George Orwell's 1984? Which model, in your opinion, better suits the requirements of a modern country?