| “ | All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others. | „ |
| ~ Napoleon's replacement for the seventh commandment. |
| “ | Long live Animal Farm! | „ |
| ~ Napoleon's catchphrase. |
Napoleon is the main antagonist of George Orwell's 1945 English novel Animal Farm. He is a ruthless Berkshire pig of the Manor Farm who took part in the revolution to oust the farm's owner Mr. Jones and becomes the leader of the Animal Farm after ousting his political rival Snowball, eventually turning the farm into a state no better than it was under Mr. Jones.
Biography
After Old Major's death, Napoleon and Snowball assumed control of the animals of Manor Farm and orchestrated a revolution, successfully overthrowing their irresponsible farmer and his "regime."
Napoleon was initially considered a war hero; however, he soon revealed his true colors to all of the other animals, revealing himself as extremely corrupt, traitorous, selfish and greedy, chasing Snowball away in order to declare himself leader of Animal Farm and enacting changes to the administration structure of the farm by replacing communal meetings with a committee of pigs who had the power to pass laws. As he grew more authoritative and powerful, he began employing cruel methods to dispose of animals whom he deemed a threat and adopted tyrannical and undemocratic policies almost identical to those used by the humans, even making hypocritical changes to the sacred Seven Commandments of Animalism which was Animal Farm's core belief system.
Throughout the book, Napoleon constantly made a slanderous statement about Snowball, branding him a traitor who was working for Mr. Jones.
By the end of the book, Napoleon and his fellow pigs (minus Snowball, who ran afoul of Napoleon and was disposed of) and human allies are so iniquitous and corrupt that the other animals can no longer tell the difference between the pigs and the humans.
Film Adaptations
In the 1954 film adaptation, it shows Napoleon and his fellow pigs (again, minus Snowball) drunk and yelling. Just like the book, the animals could no longer tell the difference between the pigs and the humans. Also in this adaptation, he had the dogs kill Snowball.
Napoleon's fate varies in adaptations. In the 1954 animated film, he and the other pigs are killed by the rebelling animals when they stampede into their dining hall. In the 1999 live action version of the book, he perished when the farm's water towers fell during a storm. Another family of humans later purchased the farm.
Appearance
Napoleon is described as a mature stud boar, although he was the runt of his litter and had to fight for food growing up in order to become big and strong, contributing to his socially Darwinistic view of the world and of his place in it. During his reign over the farm, he becomes quite overweight due to his excessive eating and alcoholism. In the animated film, he is depicted as bipedal, sneering, imperious, autocratic, and authoritative, wearing dark, double-breasted suits. In the live action film, he is depicted with black and white fur.
Personality
Napoleon is a cruel, oppressive, hypocritical, deceptive and tyrannical dictator defined by his unquenchable thirst for power. Napoleon is a remorseless and possibly psychopathic sadist who abuses his power as soon he obtains it and is only concerned with furthering his own selfish goals rather than benefiting Animal Farm. He is also extremely manipulative and charismatic, so he is able to inspire the other animals to turn against Snowball's vision of the peaceful Animal Farm, although it could be argued that Snowball had visions of a dictatorial government himself.
Although he initially presents a facade of self-effacing modesty, describing himself as "a practical pig of few words" who would "work hard and say little", Napoleon predominantly uses words to manipulate others, and is a supercilious and narcissistic elitist, ordering many poems and songs be written about himself, singing his praises as the savior and leader of Animal Farm and insisting that it reverts to its original name of Manor Farm after he had established himself as its dictator and succeeded in rallying the other farmers to his cause. He is also a hedonistic and parsimonious alcoholic who sired many illegitimate piglets. Whilst obviously intelligent, knowledgeable and self-confident, Napoleon rarely contributes any ideas of his own, preferring to discredit the ideas of his opponents and then claim those ideas as his own once he had driven out his rivals.
Napoleon is also extremely opprobrious, vituperative, persuasive, deceitful and bitter, having had to fight his way to power through cruelty and cunning as a result of being the smallest of his litter of pigs. He sees the world as a socially Darwinistic place where the ends always justified the means. Despite his heartless and misanthropic nature, Napoleon could also be empathetic and affable in the presence of humans and other animals.
Portrayals
- In the 1954 animated film adaptation, he was voiced by the late Maurice Denham.
- In the 1999 live-action film adaptation, he was voiced by Patrick Stewart, who is known for playing Jean-Luc Picard in Star Trek and Professor Charles Xavier from the X-Men film series, King Goobot in the Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius film, and Deputy Director Avery Bullock in American Dad!
Trivia
- He is based off the real-life Soviet revolutionary and politician Joseph Stalin. Napoleon arguably represents Communist Russia (maybe even the idea of government corruption) as a whole, while Snowball represented the Provisional Government that was overthrown in the October Revolution (or maybe any benevolent government that is replaced by a less benevolent one), or Stalin's early ideological rival, Leon Trotsky. Old Major represented the principles of Marxism (or any political ideology).
- In the French version of the story, "Napoleon" is called "Caesar" instead. This is because French laws say that it was forbidden to name a pig after Napoleon.