George Orwell’s Animal Farm is a chilling allegory of revolution, power, and corruption. Through the story of the animals' uprising and eventual downfall under a totalitarian regime, the novel explores themes of propaganda, betrayal, and the cyclical nature of oppression.
To enhance your reading experience, I’ve curated an Animal Farm music playlist, pairing key moments with music that evokes the novel’s emotional highs and lows. These selections deepen your connection to Orwell’s masterwork, making its themes even more immersive and thought-provoking.
1. The Rebellion & Hope for a New Society (Chapter 2)
Theme: Uprising, optimism, unity
🎵 "Ode to Joy" – Ludwig van Beethoven (Symphony No. 9)
A triumphant and uplifting piece that mirrors the animals’ initial joy in overthrowing their human oppressors.
🎵 "Do You Hear the People Sing?" – Les Misérables (Claude-Michel Schönberg)
A powerful anthem of revolution, symbolizing the animals’ hopeful belief in equality and freedom.
🎵 "Fanfare for the Common Man" – Aaron Copland
A bold, inspiring piece that reflects the working animals’ sense of empowerment and unity in building their new society.
🎵 "This Land" – Hans Zimmer (The Lion King)
A sweeping, hopeful theme that captures the beauty of Animal Farm’s transformation and the promise of a better future.
🎵 "The Ecstasy of Gold" – Ennio Morricone (The Good, the Bad and the Ugly)
A grand and exhilarating track that embodies the animals’ excitement as they claim the farm for themselves.
2. Napoleon’s Rise to Power & The Corruption of Ideals (Chapters 5-6)
Theme: Manipulation, propaganda, power struggle
🎵 "Symphony No. 7, Mvt. II" – Ludwig van Beethoven
A slow, ominous movement that builds in intensity, reflecting Napoleon’s gradual but unstoppable consolidation of power.
🎵 "Mars, the Bringer of War" – Gustav Holst (The Planets)
A dramatic orchestral piece reflecting the brewing tension and Napoleon’s increasingly militaristic rule.
🎵 "Perfection" – Clint Mansell (Black Swan)
A tense, obsessive piece that mirrors Napoleon’s calculated and ruthless rise to power, reflecting his hunger for dominance
🎵 "Dies Irae" – Giuseppe Verdi (Requiem Mass)
A haunting choral piece that mirrors the ominous shift in leadership and the erosion of democracy.
🎵 "The Prestige" – David Julyan (The Prestige)
A mysterious, unsettling track that represents Napoleon’s deceitful rise to absolute control.
3. The Betrayal of Boxer (Chapter 9)
Theme: Loss, sacrifice, shattered illusions
🎵 "Adagio for Strings" – Samuel Barber
A deeply sorrowful piece that captures the tragic fate of Boxer, the farm’s most loyal and hardworking animal.
🎵 "Lacrimosa" – Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Requiem in D Minor)
A mournful, haunting requiem that echoes the heartbreak of Boxer’s betrayal by Napoleon.
🎵 "The Breaking of the Fellowship" – Howard Shore (The Lord of the Rings)
A moving, melancholic theme symbolizing the loss of hope and the ultimate betrayal of the revolution.
🎵 "Song for Bob" – Nick Cave & Warren Ellis (The Assassination of Jesse James)
A tragic, reflective piece underscoring the moment Boxer is sent away, symbolizing the crushing of the working class.
🎵 "Samuel’s Death" – James Horner (Legends of the Fall)
A sorrowful orchestral piece that perfectly encapsulates Boxer’s unjust fate and the despair it leaves behind.
4. The Cult of Napoleon & Totalitarian Rule (Chapters 7-8)
Theme: Fear, oppression, dictatorship
"Concerto in D Minor, BWV 1052" – Johann Sebastian Bach
A commanding and intense piece that reflects the grim and authoritarian atmosphere of Napoleon’s rule.
🎵 "Why So Serious?" – Hans Zimmer (The Dark Knight)
A dark, unsettling track that mirrors Napoleon’s manipulation and psychological control over the other animals.
🎵 "The Red Capes Are Coming" – Hans Zimmer & Junkie XL (Batman v Superman)
A brooding, militaristic piece that embodies Napoleon’s propaganda and dictatorial presence.
🎵 "The Conspirators" – John Williams (JFK)
A tense, atmospheric piece reflecting the paranoia, fear, and control exerted under Napoleon’s rule.
🎵 "The Battle" – Harry Gregson-Williams (The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe)
A powerful, dramatic score symbolizing the relentless march of Napoleon’s regime and his iron grip on power.
5. The Final Scene & The Cyclical Nature of Tyranny (Chapter 10)
Theme: Cynicism, realization, history repeating itself.
🎵"Exit Music (For a Film)" – Ramin Djawadi (Westworld)
A melancholic, thought-provoking piece reflecting the animals’ realization that their revolution has come full circle.
🎵 "The Kiss" – Trevor Jones (The Last of the Mohicans)
A haunting yet powerful track symbolizing endurance amidst oppression.
🎵 "Unfinished Souls" – Brian Tyler (1883)
A somber and reflective theme encapsulating the sorrow of the animals' lost dreams.
🎵 "Farewell Cheyenne" – Ennio Morricone (Once Upon a Time in the West)
A poignant, wistful melody that underscores the tragic irony of the novel’s conclusion.
🎵 "The White Tree" – Howard Shore (The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King)
A solemn and powerful orchestral piece that embodies the weight of history repeating itself.
This playlist deepens the Animal Farm experience, enhancing Orwell’s stark warnings about power, propaganda, and revolution.
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