Art in Crisis: Modernism, Dada, Surrealism and the Transformation of Twentieth-Century Literature

Art in Crisis: Modernism, Dada, Surrealism and the Transformation of Twentieth-Century Literatur

This blog task is assigned by Megha Trivedi Ma'am(Department of English, MKBU).

Expressionism

Introduction

Expressionism is an early twentieth-century modernist movement in art and literature that originated in Germany around 1905. It emerged as a reaction against Realism and Naturalism, which aimed at objective representation of external reality. Expressionism, in contrast, seeks to represent inner emotional experience rather than external physical reality. It distorts form, exaggerates language and imagery, and presents subjective truth to express anxiety, alienation, spiritual crisis, and psychological intensity.

Historical Background

Expressionism developed in Germany and Austria during a period marked by rapid industrialization, urban expansion, political instability, and the trauma of World War I. The mechanization of modern life created feelings of isolation and spiritual emptiness, which deeply influenced Expressionist artists and writers.

The movement was shaped by the psychological theories of Sigmund Freud, who emphasized the unconscious mind, and the philosophy of Friedrich Nietzsche, who questioned traditional morality and religion.

Two major artistic groups were formed in Germany:

• Die Brücke (1905, Dresden)

• Der Blaue Reiter (1911, Munich)

These groups rejected academic traditions and sought emotional and spiritual renewal through bold experimentation.

Major Writers

(A) Drama

Expressionism had its strongest impact on drama.

• Georg Kaiser – From Morn to Midnight

• Ernst Toller – Man and the Masses

• August Strindberg – precursor of psychological drama

• Bertolt Brecht – influenced by Expressionist techniques

Expressionist drama is episodic, symbolic, and often presents characters as types rather than individuals (e.g., “The Clerk,” “The Father”). It uses monologues, dream sequences, and exaggerated settings.

(B) Fiction and Poetry

• Franz Kafka – portrayal of alienation and absurdity

• Alfred Döblin – Berlin Alexanderplatz

• Rainer Maria Rilke – intense spiritual and emotional poetry

Common themes include alienation, identity crisis, revolt against bourgeois society, and spiritual awakening.

Expressionism in Art

Expressionist art is characterized by:

• Distorted and exaggerated figures

• Bold, unnatural colors

• Angular lines and dramatic composition

• Emphasis on emotional intensity

Important artists include:

• Edvard Munch – The Scream

• Ernst Ludwig Kirchner

• Wassily Kandinsky

• Oskar Kokoschka

These artists rejected realism and aimed to depict inner turmoil and spiritual crisis.

Expressionism in Literature

Expressionist literature focuses on:

Subjectivity – Inner consciousness over external events.

Distortion – Dream-like, nightmarish settings.

Symbolic Characters – Characters represent ideas or social forces.

Revolt – Criticism of materialism and mechanization.

Apocalyptic Vision – A sense of destruction followed by renewal.

Language is intense, fragmented, and often poetic. The structure may be non-linear and episodic.

Conclusion

Expressionism is a significant modernist movement that revolutionized art and literature by shifting emphasis from objective reality to subjective emotional experience. Emerging in early twentieth-century Germany, it reflected the anxieties of modern industrial society and the trauma of war. Through distortion, symbolism, and psychological depth, Expressionism profoundly influenced later movements such as Surrealism, Existentialism, and the Theatre of the Absurd.

Thus, Expressionism remains an important artistic response to the crisis of modernity, emphasizing that truth lies in emotional and inner experience rather than outward reality.

Surrealism

Introduction

Surrealism is a twentieth-century avant-garde movement in art and literature that emerged in the 1920s in France. It sought to liberate human imagination by exploring the unconscious mind, dreams, and irrational experiences. Rejecting logical reasoning and conventional morality, Surrealism aimed to unite dream and reality into a higher reality that André Breton called “surreality.”

It is closely connected with modernism and developed partly as a reaction against rationalism, which many believed had led to the devastation of World War I.

Historical Background

Surrealism officially began in 1924 with the publication of the Surrealist Manifesto by André Breton in Paris. It evolved out of Dadaism, which rejected logic, reason, and traditional aesthetics.

The movement was deeply influenced by the psychoanalytic theories of Sigmund Freud, especially his ideas about dreams, repression, and the unconscious mind. Surrealists believed that the unconscious contained deeper truths than conscious rational thought.

Surrealism spread from France to other parts of Europe and eventually to America, influencing painting, poetry, fiction, cinema, and theatre.

Major Writers

1. Poetry and Prose

• André Breton – Nadja, Surrealist Manifesto

• Louis Aragon

• Paul Éluard

Surrealist writers practiced automatic writing (écriture automatique)—writing without conscious control to express the unconscious flow of thought.

2. Fiction and Drama

Although primarily poetic, Surrealism influenced fiction and theatre. Its techniques appear in later writers associated with absurdism and magical realism.

Surrealism in Art

Surrealist art is characterized by:

• Dream-like imagery

• Strange juxtapositions

• Illogical scenes

• Symbolism drawn from the unconscious

Major artists include:

• Salvador Dalí – The Persistence of Memory

• René Magritte

• Max Ernst

• Joan Miró

These artists combined realistic detail with impossible situations to create a sense of mystery and psychological depth.

Characteristics of Surrealism in Literature

Exploration of the Unconscious – Emphasis on dreams and hidden desires.

Automatic Writing – Free association without logical control.

Irrational Imagery – Illogical, dream-like sequences.

Symbolism – Personal and psychological symbols.

Revolt Against Tradition – Rejection of moral and artistic conventions.

Fusion of Dream and Reality – Creation of “super-reality.”

Language in Surrealist literature is often fragmented, symbolic, and associative rather than logical.

Conclusion

Surrealism is a revolutionary avant-garde movement that sought to free human imagination from the control of reason and social norms. Emerging in post–World War I Europe, it was deeply influenced by Freudian psychoanalysis and developed from Dadaism. Through automatic writing, dream imagery, and symbolic art, Surrealism transformed modern literature and visual art.

Its influence can be seen in later movements such as Existentialism, Theatre of the Absurd, and Magical Realism. Surrealism remains a powerful artistic attempt to uncover deeper psychological and spiritual truths beyond rational reality.

Modernism

Introduction

Modernism is a major literary and artistic movement that emerged in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, reaching its peak between 1900 and 1945. It represents a radical break from traditional forms, values, and techniques. Modernist writers and artists rejected Victorian moral certainty and realist representation, experimenting instead with fragmented structures, subjective perspectives, and new narrative techniques.

Modernism reflects a deep sense of crisis in Western civilization, especially after the devastation of World War I. It expresses themes of alienation, disillusionment, loss of faith, and fragmentation of identity.

Historical Background

Modernism developed during a period of rapid industrialization, urbanization, technological advancement, and political upheaval. Scientific theories such as Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution and the psychological theories of Sigmund Freud challenged traditional religious and moral beliefs.

Philosophical ideas of Friedrich Nietzsche further questioned absolute truth and morality. These intellectual shifts created uncertainty and instability, which are central to modernist thought.

The year 1922 is often considered a landmark in modernism because of the publication of:

• Ulysses by James Joyce

• The Waste Land by T. S. Eliot

These works exemplify high modernist experimentation and complexity.

Major Writers

1. Fiction

• James Joyce – Stream of consciousness technique

• Virginia Woolf – Psychological realism (Mrs Dalloway)

• D. H. Lawrence – Exploration of human relationships

• Franz Kafka – Alienation and absurdity

2. Poetry

• T. S. Eliot – Fragmentation and mythic method

• Ezra Pound – Imagism and literary innovation

• W. B. Yeats – Symbolism and modernist transition

3. Drama

• Samuel Beckett – Existential themes

• Eugene O'Neill – Psychological drama

Characteristics of Modernism.

Break with Tradition - Rejection of Victorian conventions.

Fragmentation - Discontinuous narrative structure.

Stream of Consciousness - Representation of inner thoughts.

Alienation and Isolation - Sense of spiritual emptiness.

Mythic Method - Use of classical myths to structure modern experience (as seen in Ulysses).

Symbolism and Imagism - Suggestive and compressed language.

Urban Setting - Focus on city life and modern society.

Modernism in Art

Modernist art is characterized by abstraction, experimentation, and rejection of realistic representation.

Key artists include:

• Pablo Picasso – Cubism

• Henri Matisse – Fauvism

• Wassily Kandinsky – Abstract art

These artists focused on form, color, and abstraction rather than direct imitation of nature.

Conclusion

Modernism is a revolutionary movement that transformed literature and art in the early twentieth century. It reflects the crisis of modern civilization caused by war, industrialization, and the collapse of traditional values. Through experimentation, fragmentation, and psychological depth, modernist writers and artists sought new ways of representing reality.

Modernism laid the foundation for later movements such as Postmodernism, Existentialism, and the Theatre of the Absurd, making it one of the most influential literary and artistic movements of the twentieth century.

Postmodernism

Introduction

Postmodernism is a late twentieth-century literary, cultural, and philosophical movement that developed after World War II as a reaction against the principles of Modernism. While Modernism sought meaning in fragmentation, Postmodernism questions whether any stable meaning exists at all. It challenges the ideas of absolute truth, universal values, and grand narratives.

The term gained prominence particularly after World War II, when faith in reason, progress, and Western civilization was deeply shaken.

Historical Background

Postmodernism emerged in the 1950s and 1960s in Europe and America. It developed in a context marked by:

• The aftermath of World War II

• The Cold War

• Consumer capitalism

• Technological advancement

• Media culture and globalization

Philosophically, it was influenced by thinkers such as:

• Jean-François Lyotard – concept of “incredulity toward metanarratives”

• Jacques Derrida – theory of deconstruction

• Michel Foucault – discourse and power structures

• Jean Baudrillard – simulacra and hyperreality

Lyotard defined Postmodernism as a rejection of “grand narratives” such as religion, science, or Marxism that claim universal truth.

Major Writers

1. Fiction

• Thomas Pynchon – complex, fragmented narratives

• Salman Rushdie – magical realism and historiographic metafiction

• Italo Calvino – playful narrative structures

• Kurt Vonnegut – satire and black humor

2. Drama

• Samuel Beckett – absurdity and meaninglessness

• Tom Stoppard – meta-theatre and parody

Characteristics of Postmodernism

Rejection of Grand Narratives - Denial of universal truth.

Fragmentation - Discontinuous and non-linear structure.

Intertextuality - Mixing references from other texts.

Metafiction - Self-reflexive writing that questions its own fictionality.

Pastiche and Parody - Imitation of different styles.

Irony and Playfulness - Humorous, self-conscious tone.

Blurring of High and Low Culture - Mixing popular and classical elements.

Hyperreality - Reality shaped by media and simulation.

Postmodernism in Art and Culture

Postmodern art rejects the purity and seriousness of Modernism. It embraces irony, commercial imagery, and popular culture.

Key figures include:

• Andy Warhol – Pop Art and mass culture

• Roy Lichtenstein – Comic-style paintings

In architecture, Postmodernism reintroduced ornamentation and historical references, rejecting the simplicity of modernist design.

Conclusion

Postmodernism is a complex and diverse movement that challenges the foundations of Western thought, including ideas of truth, identity, and meaning. Emerging after World War II, it reflects skepticism toward progress, reason, and universal explanations. Through fragmentation, metafiction, intertextuality, and irony, Postmodern writers and artists question reality itself.

Thus, Postmodernism represents not merely a continuation of Modernism but a critical transformation that embraces plurality, ambiguity, and the instability of meaning.

Dada Movement

Introduction

The Dada Movement (1916–1924) was an avant-garde artistic and literary movement that emerged during the chaos of World War I. It was not a conventional artistic movement but rather an anti-art movement that rejected logic, reason, aesthetic standards, and bourgeois values. Dadaists believed that rationalism and nationalism had led to war and destruction; therefore, they embraced absurdity, chaos, and irrationality as forms of protest.

Dada aimed to shock society and destroy traditional concepts of art, morality, and meaning.

Historical Background

Dada began in 1916 in Zurich, Switzerland, at the Cabaret Voltaire, founded by Hugo Ball and Emmy Hennings. Switzerland, being neutral during World War I, became a refuge for artists and intellectuals escaping war.

The term “Dada” is believed to have been chosen randomly from a dictionary, symbolizing meaninglessness and childlike absurdity.

The movement later spread to Berlin, Paris, and New York. Important contributors included:

• Tristan Tzara

• Marcel Duchamp

• Hans Arp

• Francis Picabia

Dada declined around the early 1920s but strongly influenced the rise of Surrealism.

Major Ideas and Aims

Rejection of Reason and Logic - Rational thought was blamed for war.

Anti-Art Attitude - Art should not follow rules or aesthetic standards.

Absurdity and Nonsense - Celebration of chaos and irrationality.

Political Protest - Criticism of nationalism, capitalism, and authority.

Destruction of Traditional Values - Mockery of bourgeois society.

Dada was essentially a movement of rebellion and negation.

Dada artists used unconventional materials and techniques:

• Ready-mades – Ordinary objects presented as art (e.g., Duchamp’s Fountain).

• Collage and Photomontage – Random images combined to create shocking effects.

• Performance Art – Absurd public performances.

• Chance Methods – Art created through randomness.

These techniques questioned the very definition of art.

Dada in Literature

Dada literature rejected grammar, syntax, and logical meaning.

• Tristan Tzara promoted “cut-up poetry,” where words were randomly arranged.

• Hugo Ball performed sound poems made of meaningless syllables.

Characteristics include:

1. Nonsense language

2. Random word combinations

3. Satire and irony

4. Rejection of conventional literary forms

Dada literature aimed to break language itself to reflect the breakdown of civilization.

Conclusion

The Dada Movement was a radical and revolutionary response to the horrors of World War I. By rejecting logic, tradition, and artistic norms, Dada challenged the foundations of Western culture. Though short-lived, it profoundly influenced later movements such as Surrealism, Expressionism, and Postmodernism.

Dada remains significant as a powerful protest movement that questioned the meaning of art and exposed the absurdity of modern society.

Avant-Garde Movement

Introduction

The term Avant-Garde (French: “advance guard” or “vanguard”) refers to innovative and experimental artistic and literary movements that challenge established traditions, aesthetic norms, and bourgeois cultural values. The Avant-Garde is not a single movement but a collective term for radical artistic trends of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries that sought to transform both art and society.

Avant-Garde artists rejected realism, conventional morality, and academic standards, advocating instead for experimentation, abstraction, shock, and political engagement. It is closely associated with modernism and includes movements such as Futurism, Dadaism, Surrealism, and Expressionism.

Historical Background

The concept of the Avant-Garde originated in nineteenth-century France, where artists saw themselves as cultural revolutionaries leading society toward progress. However, it gained significant momentum in the early twentieth century, particularly around and after World War I.

The war shattered faith in rationalism, nationalism, and traditional European values. Rapid industrialization, urbanization, technological development, and political upheaval created a sense of cultural crisis. Avant-Garde artists responded by rejecting established artistic conventions and advocating radical innovation.

The movement spread across Europe—France, Germany, Italy, and Russia—and later influenced global art and literature. Manifestos became an important tool, publicly declaring new artistic principles and revolutionary goals.

Major Writers and Thinkers

Since Avant-Garde is an umbrella term, its major writers are associated with specific movements:

• Filippo Tommaso Marinetti – Founder of Futurism; celebrated speed, machinery, and violence in his Futurist Manifesto.

• Tristan Tzara – Leading figure of Dada; promoted anti-art and absurd poetry.

• André Breton – Leader of Surrealism; emphasized the unconscious and automatic writing.

• Guillaume Apollinaire – Experimented with visual poetry (calligrams).

• Bertolt Brecht – Incorporated avant-garde theatrical techniques and political engagement.

These writers used fragmentation, symbolism, non-linear narrative, and experimental language to challenge traditional literary forms.

Avant-Garde art is characterized by radical experimentation and rejection of realism.

Key artistic innovations include:

• Abstraction and Fragmentation – Seen in Cubism by Pablo Picasso.

• Celebration of Technology and Motion – In Futurism.

• Ready-mades and Anti-Art – Introduced by Marcel Duchamp in Dada.

• Abstract Spiritual Expression – In works of Wassily Kandinsky.

Avant-Garde art sought not beauty but innovation, shock, and transformation of perception.

Avant-Garde in Literature

Avant-Garde literature rejected conventional storytelling and traditional poetic forms. Its major features include:

Formal Experimentation - Fragmented structure and non-linear narrative.

Manifestos - Public declarations of artistic rebellion.

Political Engagement - Art as a tool for social revolution.

Irrationality and Absurdity - Especially in Dada and Surrealism.

Interdisciplinary Approach - Blending visual art, performance, and literature.

The aim was to disrupt readers’ expectations and redefine the purpose of art.

Conclusion

The Avant-Garde Movement represents a revolutionary phase in twentieth-century art and literature. Emerging from social, political, and cultural crises especially around World War I it challenged traditional norms and introduced radical experimentation. Rather than merely reflecting society, Avant-Garde artists sought to transform it.

Though diverse in form, all Avant-Garde movements share a commitment to innovation, rebellion, and the belief that art must continually redefine itself. Its influence remains visible in modern and postmodern artistic practices, making it a crucial development in literary and cultural history.

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Art in Crisis: Modernism, Dada, Surrealism and the Transformation of Twentieth-Century Literature

In our Department, i have participated in Literature Festival in which i had done several activites on Dadaism, Absurdism and Surrealism. I have clicked several photos:

Words: 2905 

Images:  16

Videos: 1

Links: 1

References:

Gordon, Donald E. “On the Origin of the Word ‘Expressionism.’” Journal of the Warburg and Courtauld Institutes, vol. 29, 1966, pp. 368–85. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/750724. Accessed 22 Feb. 2026.

Richardson, Brian. “Remapping the Present: The Master Narrative of Modern Literary History and the Lost Forms of Twentieth-Century Fiction.” Twentieth Century Literature, vol. 43, no. 3, 1997, pp. 291–309. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/441913. Accessed 22 Feb. 2026.

Wohl, Robert. “Heart of Darkness: Modernism and Its Historians.” The Journal of Modern History, vol. 74, no. 3, 2002, pp. 573–621. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.1086/345112. Accessed 22 Feb. 2026.

Huyssen, Andreas. “Postmodern Recodifications of Modernism: Three Vignettes.” German Politics & Society, vol. 13, no. 3 (36), 1995, pp. 49–57. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/23736487. Accessed 22 Feb. 2026.

van Alphen, Ernst. “The Heterotopian Space of the Discussions on Postmodernism.” Poetics Today, vol. 10, no. 4, 1989, pp. 819–39. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/1772812. Accessed 22 Feb. 2026.

Thank you!

The Theology of Totalitarianism: Power, Worship, and Religious Allegory in 1984 by George Orwell

The Theology of Totalitarianism: Power, Worship, and Religious Allegory in 1984 by George Orwell

This blog is written as a task assigned by the head of the Department of English (MKBU), Prof. and Dr. Dilip Barad Sir. Here is the link to the professor's blog for background reading: Click here.

God is Power | 1984 | George Orwell

The phrase "God is Power" serves as a central ideological pillar in George Orwell's 1984, representing the Party’s successful effort to replace traditional theological structures with the absolute authority of the State. Within the dystopic society of Oceania, the Party functions as a religious entity, with its leaders acting as "priests of power." By equating God with power, the Party shifts the focus of human devotion, obedience, and love away from spiritual deities and toward Big Brother.

This briefing document examines the significance of the phrase "God is Power," the systematic destruction of the individual spirit, and the mechanisms such as perpetual war and psychological conditioning used to maintain this totalitarian theological-political hybrid.

The Presence and Function of "God" in Oceania

While Oceania is characterized as an atheistic, dystopic society, the concept of "God" appears approximately eight times in the novel, primarily in the final section (Part 3). These references highlight the transition from a society with lingering religious remnants to one where the State has totalized the human experience.

The Case of Ampleforth

The first significant reference to God in the latter half of the novel involves the poet Ampleforth. His imprisonment in Room 101 illustrates the Party's intolerance for any intellectual independence.

• The Offense: Ampleforth was tasked with rewriting Rudyard Kipling’s poetry for the Party’s purposes. He failed to find a suitable rhyme for the word "rod" (or "road") other than "God."

• The Implication: Despite the absence of religious freedom, the linguistic necessity of the word "God" remains a thought crime. Ampleforth's situation demonstrates that in Oceania, even aesthetic or technical choices are subject to lethal political scrutiny.

The "Last Man" and the Human Spirit

Winston Smith initially argues that the "Spirit of Man" an indomitable, rebellious nature will eventually overturn the Party. He views this human spirit as a force that historically topples despotic rulers. However, the Party’s goal is to render this spirit extinct.

• The "Last Man": Orwell’s original title for the novel was The Last Man in Europe, emphasizing Winston’s role as the final vestige of traditional humanity.

• Dehumanization: The Party seeks to diminish humans into "mechanical puppets" or robots who think, feel, and memorize only what is sanctioned.

The Theology of Power

The quote "God is Power" appears twice: once spoken by the antagonist O'Brien to explain the Party's philosophy, and once written by Winston Smith following his torture and "re-education."

O'Brien’s Definition of Power

O'Brien describes the inner party as the "priests of power," suggesting that power has replaced God as the ultimate object of worship. He defines power through several specific characteristics:

Characteristic	Description
Collective	Individual power is a fallacy. An individual only gains true power by ceasing to be an individual and merging with the Party.
Immortal	While individual humans fail and die, the Party is immortal. By submitting entirely, a person becomes part of an eternal entity.
Psychological	True power is not just control over matter or the body, but absolute control over the mind and reality.
Relational	Power is defined as power over other human beings; it is the ability to shape another's reality.

The Reversibility of Slogans

O'Brien posits that Party slogans are reversible and absolute. For instance, if "Freedom is Slavery," then "Slavery is Freedom." He argues that a lone human is always defeated because they are doomed to die, but through "complete utter submission" to the Party, the individual escapes their identity and becomes all-powerful.

Mechanisms of Control and Propaganda

The Party maintains its status as a "God" through sophisticated psychological and social manipulation.

Psychological Conditioning

The Party seeks to capture the same fervor that religions once commanded.

• Directed Emotion: Citizens are taught to love Big Brother and hate designated enemies with the same devotion previously reserved for deities.

• Subconscious Erasure: Through torture and conditioning, Winston eventually accepts contradictory truths (e.g., 2 + 2 = 5). His writing of "God is Power" signifies that his subconscious resistance has been broken and replaced by Party dogma.

The Utility of Perpetual War

The state of constant warfare is a primary tool for maintaining power.

• Propaganda of Victory: The Party uses media and telescreens to report constant victories, creating a sense of national pride and happiness.

• Sacrifice: By keeping the country at war, the Party ensures that citizens are willing to sacrifice basic necessities and personal freedoms for the "greater good" of the state.

• Comparison to Religion: This readiness to sacrifice is likened to religious fasting; it is done with "fervor" because the State has replaced God as the entity demanding the sacrifice.

Surveillance

The novel reveals that the Party’s surveillance is exhaustive. Winston Smith was under observation for seven years without his knowledge. This constant "spying eye" functions like an omnipresent deity, monitoring not just actions but the potential for "thought crimes."

Orwell’s Broader Critique

The analysis of "God is Power" suggests that Orwell was offering a dual critique: one of totalitarian political systems and another of organized religion, specifically the Catholic Church.

• The Danger of Absolute Power: Orwell warns that granting absolute power to any individual or party leads to the exploitation and destruction of society.

• The Corruption of Reality: When a leader or party becomes an object of religious devotion (e.g., an "Avatar" or "Shakti"), they gain the ability to alter the past and control the future.

• Doublethink: The document highlights "Doublethink" the ability to hold two contradictory beliefs simultaneously as a requirement for survival in a society where political power has assumed the mantle of divinity.

The transformation of Winston Smith concludes with his total acceptance of the Party’s truth. By erasing his own memory and adopting the belief that "God is Power," he ceases to be "The Last Man" and becomes a functioning component of the Party’s immortal structure.

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Critique of Religion | 1984 | George Orwell

While George Orwell’s 1984 is predominantly analyzed as a political satire of totalitarianism, it serves equally as a profound critique of organized religion, specifically the Catholic Church. The novel constructs a world that mirrors religious structures, using the "Big Brother" figure as a surrogate for a watchful deity and the Inner Party as a modern priesthood. Orwell’s critique suggests that the mechanisms of religious devotion confession, penance, celibacy, and the worship of a higher power are easily co-opted by authoritarian regimes to ensure absolute psychological submission.

Evidence for this interpretation is found not only in the text's structural parallels to the Holy Trinity and Dante’s Inferno but also in Orwell’s personal history. His experiences during the Spanish Civil War and his observations of the Church’s collaboration with fascist regimes informed his view of organized religion as an "enemy" to democratic socialism. Ultimately, the document posits that 1984 warns against the "habit of worship," arguing that once an individual is conditioned to bow before a religious idol, they are predisposed to submit to any secular dictator.

Structural and Conceptual Parallels

The world-building in 1984 mirrors historical and theological frameworks found in major world religions, specifically the abrahamic faiths.

• The Three Superstates: The division of the world into Oceania, Eurasia, and East Asia reflects the three major abrahamic religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. These entities are in a perpetual state of war, mirroring the historical tensions between religious blocs.

• The Pyramidal Structure and the Trinity: The Party is organized in a pyramidal hierarchy. This structure is reflected in the physical architecture of the four Ministries. The three angles of the pyramid evoke the Christian Holy Trinity (the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost).

• The Divinity of Power: O’Brien explicitly identifies the Party members as "priests of power." In this system, power is equated with divinity, and the Party’s ideology replaces traditional theology.

The Sacramental Process of the State

The Party utilizes a corrupted version of Catholic sacramental rituals to break and then "restore" dissidents.

Confession and Penance

The telescreens frequently broadcast the confessions of "traitors." These sessions are not merely political; they are presented as a religious cleansing. Winston Smith’s own journey through the Ministry of Love follows a specific sacramental trajectory:

1. Penance and Penitence: The recognition of "sin" against the Party.

2. Mortification: The infliction of physical pain to purge the soul.

3. Restoration: The final stage where the "sinner" is made pure and "saved" before execution.

Room 101 and the Inferno

The Ministry of Love (Miniluv) bears a striking resemblance to the structures depicted in Dante Alighieri’s Purgatorio and Inferno.

• The Hellish Descent: The building is a multi-story structure where souls are located based on their "sins."

• Lucifer’s Domain: Room 101, located at the bottom of the structure, functions as the "Lucifer’s space." O'Brien acts as a Mephistophelean figure or the "right hand of Satan," overseeing the final purging of the mind and memory.

• Purification through Fire: Much like the souls burning in hell to reach heaven, Winston is subjected to "hellish fire" and mechanical torture to ensure he is "purified" into loving Big Brother.

Big Brother as a Primordial Deity

The figure of Big Brother is the Party's version of an omniscient God. The slogan "Big Brother is Watching You" is a perversion of the religious sentiment that God is always watchful.

• Watchfulness vs. Spying: In a religious context, "God is watching" implies care and protection that the deity will catch the believer if they stumble. The Party adopts this terminology to frame its surveillance as a form of paternal care rather than invasive spying.

• The Requirement of Followers: The Party recognizes that a deity cannot exist without "bhaktas" (devotees). This necessitates a controlled population to maintain the "Big Brother" image.

Social Control and Asceticism

The Party’s regulation of human behavior mirrors the ascetic requirements of religious orders.

• Celibacy and Devotion: Celibacy is highly respected and encouraged through organizations like the Junior Anti-Sex League. By remaining unmarried and "celibate," members are expected to dedicate every moment of their lives to the Party (the secular religion) rather than a family unit.

• Procreation as Duty: Marriage is permitted only for the purpose of procreation growing the population of followers. Physical pleasure is discouraged, aligning with certain religious views that sexual relations should only serve the purpose of continuing the faith.

Orwell’s Intellectual and Personal Context

Orwell’s critique of religion was not accidental; it was rooted in his biographical developments and political observations.

Source/Experience	Insight/Quote
Personal Faith	In his essay Such, Such Were the Joys, Orwell noted that by age 14, while he believed the accounts of God were true, he "hated him" and "hated Jesus."
The Spanish Civil War	Orwell’s distrust of the Church solidified when he witnessed the Catholic Church collaborating with fascist governments in Italy and Spain to oppose socialism.
Subscribing to the Catholic Press	Orwell told a classmate he subscribed to the Catholic Press specifically "so that he may see what the enemy is up to."
View on Organized Religion	He began to view the Church as its own "authoritarian regime," viewing those who worshiped the Church as succumbing to "power worshiping."

The Danger of the "Habit of Worship"

A central concern for Orwell was that the "habit of bowing down" to a religious idol makes a person's "spine" weak. He argued that if a population is conditioned to be a "bhakta" (devotee) of a religious figure, it is incredibly easy for a political dictator to replace that idol and command the same blind devotion.

Comparative Analysis: Animal Farm

Orwell’s critique of religious manipulation is also evident in Animal Farm through the character of Moses the Raven. Moses speaks of "Sugar Candy Mountain," a celestial city that serves as a "dangling carrot" or a "lollipop" for the animals. This represents the use of religious afterlife promises to keep the working class submissive to their current earthly suffering.

Conclusion

1984 serves as an alarm against the anti-democratic potential of organized religion. By depicting the Party as a religious institution, Orwell illustrates how the tools of faith orthodoxy, ritualized confession, and the idolization of a supreme leader are the ultimate instruments for the destruction of the human spirit and the establishment of a totalitarian state.

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Department of English, MKBU | Task Assigned by Prof. Dr. Dilip Barad

The Theology of Totalitarianism

Power, Worship, and Religious Allegory in 1984

Published: February 22, 2026 | Analysis: George Orwell

The phrase "God is Power" represents the Party’s successful effort to replace traditional theological structures with the absolute authority of the State. Within Oceania, the Party functions as a religious entity, shifting human devotion from spiritual deities toward Big Brother.

I. The Deification of the State

While Oceania is nominally atheistic, the concept of "God" remains a linguistic and psychological ghost in the novel. The Party acts as a modern priesthood, with O’Brien serving as the high priest of the theology of power.

Characteristic	Description of Power-as-Deity
Collective	Individual power is a fallacy; one must merge with the Party.
Immortal	The individual dies, but the Party is eternal.
Psychological	Absolute control over mind, memory, and reality.

II. The Sacramental Process

Orwell mirrors Catholic rituals in Winston’s "restoration" within the Ministry of Love. This is not just torture; it is a corrupted sacrament:

• 1. Penance: The forced recognition of one's "sins" against the Party's truth.
• 2. Mortification: The infliction of physical and psychological pain in Room 101 to purge the rebellious spirit.
• 3. Restoration: The total acceptance of Big Brother, making the sinner "pure" before execution.

"The habit of bowing down to a religious idol makes a person's spine weak."

III. Comparative Allegory: Animal Farm

The transition from Animal Farm to 1984 marks a shift in how the State handles religion. While Moses the Raven offers the "lollipop" of Sugar Candy Mountain to keep animals submissive, the Party in 1984 removes the carrot and replaces it with the "God of Power" itself.

References

Barad, Dilip. "1984." 16 June 2021, blog.dilipbarad.com/2021/06/1984.html. Accessed 22 Feb. 2026.

Orwell, George. 1984. Secker & Warburg, 1949.

References:

Barad, Dilip. 1984, 16 June 2021,blog.dilipbarad.com/2021/06/1984.html. Accessed 22 Feb. 2026.