George Orwell, The Lion and the Unicorn: Socialism and the English Genius

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One of Orwell’s most ambitious, powerful and polemic essays, “The Lion and the Unicorn” was first published in war-time Britain in February 1941. The essay subdivides into three parts, namely “England Your England”, in which Orwell holds up a metaphorical mirror to the English zeitgeist, a central chapter entitled “Shopkeepers at War”, and, finally, “The English Revolution”, in which Orwell outlines his manifesto for the overthrow of both fascism and capitalism by English Socialism.

Subjective in tone and uplifting in nature, the opening chapter of “The Lion and the Unicorn” (written shortly after the British army’s ignominious retreat from Dunkirk) unashamedly seeks to restore some pride in England’s tattered reputation as a world Imperial power. With an

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Citation: Williams, Nigel. "The Lion and the Unicorn: Socialism and the English Genius". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 08 October 2013 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=35011, accessed 19 March 2024.]

35011 The Lion and the Unicorn: Socialism and the English Genius 3 Historical context notes are intended to give basic and preliminary information on a topic. In some cases they will be expanded into longer entries as the Literary Encyclopedia evolves.

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