George Orwell Biography

George Orwell short biography- Eric Arthur Blair, popularly known by his pen name George Orwell, had been an English novelist, journalist, essayist, and critic who lived from June 25, 1903, to January 21, 1950. Clare prose, scathing social criticism, opposition to tyranny, and open support for democratic socialism are all hallmarks of his work.

Orwell wrote literary criticism, fiction, poetry, and polemical journalism as a writer. He is best known for Animal Farm (1945), an allegorical novella, and Nineteen Eighty-Four, a dystopian novel (1949). His nonfiction projects, such as The Road to Wigan Pier (1937), which chronicles his experiences as a working-class man in northern England, and Homage to Catalonia (1938), which recounts his experiences as a Republican soldier in the Spanish Civil War (1936–1939), are as well-regarded as his writing on politics, language, literature, and culture. George Orwell was voted second within "The 50 best British writers since 1945" by The Times in 2008.

George Orwell Information

Full Name: Eric Arthur Blair

Born: 25 June 1903, George Orwell was born in India

Died: 21 January 1950 (aged 46)

Pen Name: George Orwell

Occupation: Novelist, essayist, journalist, literary critic

Spouse: Eileen O'Shaughnessy

​Children: Richard

Early Life

Eric Arthur Blair George Orwell was born in India on June 25, 1903, in Motihari. Orwell spent most of his early days in India, where his dad was stationed, as the son of a British civil worker. About a year after his birth, his mother transported him and his older sister, Marjorie, to England, where they resided in Henley-on-Thames. His father remained in India and only came to see him on rare occasions. (Avril, his younger sister, was born in 1908.) Until he withdrew from the army in 1912, Orwell had little contact with his father. Even after that, the couple was never able to create a solid bond. His father was dull and conservative, he thought.

Orwell's first remark, as per George Orwell biography, was "beastly." He was a sickly child who was frequently afflicted with bronchitis and the flu.

Orwell began writing at a young age, purportedly writing his first poem when he was four years old. "I seemed to have the lonely child's behaviour of making up stories and having imagined dialogues with fictitious individuals," he later wrote, "and I believe my creative ambitions were jumbled up with the feeling of being alienated and devalued from the very beginning." At the age of 11, he got a poem published in the local newspaper, which was one of his earliest literary achievements.

Education

Orwell, like many other English lads, had been sent to boarding school. In 1911, he enrolled at St. Cyprian's in the coastal town of Eastbourne, where he learned about England's class structure for the first time.

On a partial scholarship, Orwell noted that the affluent students were treated much better than that the poorer students. He wasn't famous among his peers, so he took solace in books to help him cope with his problems. Among the authors he read were Rudyard Kipling and H.G. Wells.

He made up for his lack of personality with his intellect. To pursue his education, Orwell was awarded scholarships to Wellington College and Eton College. After finishing his education at Eton, Orwell discovered himself in a rut. His family lacked the financial means to pay for his university education. In 1922, he ultimately entered the India Imperial Police Force. Orwell announced his resignation from his post in Burma after five years and returned to England. He was dead set on being a writer.

Early Writing Career

Orwell struggled to get his writing business off the ground upon leaving the India Imperial Force, and took a variety of occupations to make ends meet, including becoming a dishwasher. Orwell's first significant work focused on his time scraping by in these two locations. The book took a harsh look at the lives of the working poor and those who live on the streets. The author released the book under the pseudonym George Orwell to avoid embarrassment to his family.

Following that, Orwell wrote Burmese Days, a grim look at British colonialism in Burma, which was then part of the country's Indian empire. Following the publication of this work, Orwell's interest in politics expanded significantly.

War Injury and Tuberculosis

Orwell moved to Spain in December 1936 to assist one of the factions opposing General Francisco Franco in the Spanish Civil War. Throughout his tenure with the militia, Orwell was shot in the throat and arm and suffered serious injuries. He has been unable to talk for a few weeks.

In Spain, Orwell and his wife, Eileen, were charged with treason. The charges were brought just after the couple had left the country, which was fortunate.

Shortly after his return to England, the great writer began to suffer from other health issues. Orwell suffered from illness for years before being diagnosed with TB in 1938. He spent a few months at the Preston Hall Sanatorium attempting to recuperate, but he would live the rest of his life with tuberculosis. There was no successful therapy for the condition when he was first diagnosed.

Literary Critic and BBC Producer

To make ends meet, Orwell took on several writing jobs. Over the years, he produced a number of essays and reviews, earning a reputation for writing well-crafted literary critiques. Orwell got a position as a producer with the BBC in 1941. He created news commentary and presentations for viewers in the British Empire's eastern regions. T.S. Eliot and E.M. Forster were among the literary greats who appeared on Orwell's broadcasts.

With World War II still raging, Orwell discovered himself serving as a propagandist in order to further the country's national interests. He despised this aspect of his employment, describing it as "something midway between a ladies' school and a mad asylum, and all we can do at the moment is useless, or somewhat worse than useless" in his notebook.

“I was spending my own time and the public funds on performing work that generated no result,” Orwell said when he quit in 1943. In the current political climate, I think that broadcasting British propaganda to India is a near-impossible task.” Orwell has become the literary editor of a socialist journal about this period.

Famous Books

George Orwell author is most known for two novels: Animal Farm and Nineteen Eighty-Four, and is sometimes referred to as the conscience of an age. Both works, which were released at the end of Orwell's life, were adapted into films and have a cult following.

‘Animal Farm’ (1945)- Animal Farm had been an anti-Soviet satire presented in a pastoral setting, with two pigs as the central characters. Joseph Stalin and Leon Trotsky were thought to be represented by these pigs. Orwell received widespread recognition and cash incentives for the novel.

‘Nineteen Eighty-Four’ (1949)- Nineteen Eighty-Four (or 1984 in later editions) was released in the latter stages of Orwell's TB struggle and shortly before his death. This grim image of the globe divided into three authoritarian nations sparked debate among critics, who thought it was too depressing. In the novel, Orwell showed readers what might happen if the government had complete control over all aspects of a person's life, including their private thoughts.

Essays

This essay, first published in the British literary magazine Horizon in April 1946, is widely regarded as one of Orwell's finest important writings on style. Orwell argued that "ugly and incorrect" English allowed totalitarian ideology and that ambiguous or meaningless language had been intended to cover reality. He claimed that language must be “an instrument which we mould for our own purposes,” rather than evolving spontaneously over time. As he railed against cliches, dead metaphors, and pretentious or useless language, he said that to write well is to be able to communicate logically and participate in the political conversation.

Orwell's stint as a police officer in Burma (now Myanmar), which was still a British colony at the time, is discussed in this essay, which was featured in the literary magazine New Writing in 1936. Orwell despised his job and considered imperialism to be "a horrible thing," and as a representative of imperialism, he was despised by the natives. He murdered a working elephant in front of a mob of villagers one day, despite the fact that he didn't think it was essential. The essay was eventually featured in a collection of Orwell's essays, titled 'My Country Right or Left,' which also included 'How the Poor Die,' and 'Such, Such Were the Joys.'

About George Orwell Wives and Children

In June 1936, Orwell George married Eileen O'Shaughnessy, who aided and supported him throughout his career. Until her death in 1945, the couple stayed united. They had to have an open marriage, as per numerous reports, and Orwell had a number of affairs. Richard Horatio Blair, titled after one of Orwell's relatives, was adopted by the couple in 1944. Following Eileen's death, their boy was mostly reared by Orwell's sister Avril.

Orwell committed to editor Sonia Brownell towards the end of his life. Just a few months before his death, he wedded her in October 1949. Brownell inherited Orwell's estate and has earned a living maintaining it.