“...there was a statue of a man on horseback which was supposed to represent Oliver Cromwell.” (Page 195)
Oliver Cromwell was a seventeenth century English military and political leader. He is best known for his role as the first Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland following the execution of King Charles I. Although he grew up in the middle class, he managed to rise through the ranks and become an influential figure in the United Kingdom. As he did so, however, he became obsessed with power and prosecuted those not of the Protestant faith. Orwell includes this allusion because of Cromwell's connection to Big Brother. Like Cromwell, Big Brother is characterized by an obsession to maintain his power and control over his people and the opposing nations surrounding Oceania. Orwell also includes this allusion to show that even though Big Brother has a tendency to change the past, some things from history are kept, especially if they bear some relation to Big Brother’s ideals.
"BBC - History - Historic Figures: Oliver Cromwell (1599 - 1658)." BBC - Homepage. Web. 11 May 2010. http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/cromwell_oliver.shtml.
Oliver Cromwell. Digital image. Web. 11 May 2010. http://endiscomingblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/oliver_cromwell_1599_1658_hi.jpg.
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