Political Myths in G. Orwell’s Fairy Tale Animal Farm and Their Temporal Reference

Abstract

The article deals with the concepts of myth in the past and in the present. As a result of the analysis of a number of dictionary definitions the author comes to the conclusion that the words "antiquity" and "unauthenticity" are the main determinants of the lexeme "myth". The article describes the ways of myth transition in the 20th century from the categories of folklore to the categories of politics and speech manipulation. It is shown that the concept of myth is losing the determinant "antiquity", but preserves the "unauthenticity". The author studies the issues of consciousness mythologization, the use of myth as a part of the political discourse. The material of the research is represented by myths of the anti-utopian fairy tale Animal Farm by G. Orwell. The article aims at analyzing the fairy tale's three types of myths in reference to the time axis – about the past, the present and the future. The conclusion is made that in the Animal Farm the myths on the present power create the illusion of a safe, happy life; form an image of an enemy. Myths about the past draw gloomy pictures of pre-revolutionary life under the previous leader; create heroes. Myths about the future represent idyllic pictures of the future on the condition of full submission to authorities. These three types of myths are fully represented in the anti-utopia under the review.