Why T. S. Eliot wouldn't publish Animal Farm
Richard Brooks writes today in The Sunday Times about T. S. Eliot, and his decision, when he was director of Faber & Faber in 1944, to turn down George Orwell's Animal Farm.
Twenty five years later, Eliot's wife, Valerie, sent a copy of the rejection letter he wrote to Orwell to The Times for publication - in order, she said, to put an end to speculation about his reasons.
I'm not sure it does that. It's an extraordinary document, appearing to tell Orwell that the book wasn't left-wing enough,while the pigs deserved to be in charge because they were the cleverest. Or is that what he's saying? For a great writer, Eliot has managed to be strangely obscure.
Maybe he was embarrassed. You can read it in full by clicking on this link - see what you make of it: T. S. Eliot and Animal Farm: Reasons for Rejection
Posted by Rose Wild on March 29, 2009 in Literature
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Or maybe Eliot rejected animal farm because it left two sufficient holes in the work for left-wing sympathizers of the 40s to argue as a defense of pure communism. But no, he really rejected because the revisionists of the 21st century would begin to reinterpret the author's intent.
Posted by: Fred | 29 Mar 2009 23:17:31
Britain was at war in alliance with Stalin, and here was a piercing, unforgettable criticism of Stalinism. It looks as though Faber wanted to publish it, but didn't quite dare. Fascinating.
Posted by: Leo | 31 Mar 2009 11:40:16
Had he been alive today, Orwell would have written one about the ruling elite of the Newspaper Business being overthrown by the people on the Internet. It would have a happy ending, and it would be called Server Farm.
Posted by: none@none.com | 1 Apr 2009 22:20:12
No one understands T.S. Eliot. T.S. Eliot didn't understand T.S. Eliot!
Posted by: Rose Gonella | 4 Apr 2009 17:08:45
"Server Farm"
Excellent !
Posted by: Stan | 7 Apr 2009 05:03:02
My take: the rejection letter reflects two opinions - Eliot and the second director. Eliot liked the book and was comfortable with the politics but felt, politically, it was not the right moment to publish. The second director, whose opinion has been patched in towards the end, liked neither the fable nor the politics.
Posted by: pjs | 8 Jun 2009 03:30:43