This will be a timeline that briefly describes some of the most important events, and dates that happened throughout Orwell's life. My goal is to inform the viewers of some major aspects of his life.
Timeline
Table of Events
| Date | Event | Created by |
|---|---|---|
| 15 Jun 1903 | George Orwell is bornOrwell was born in Motihari Bengal, a British-owned colony that is now in modern-day India. Orwell was born with the name, “Eric Arthur Blaire”, which he then changed to George Orwell before the publication of his first literature. He was born to his father, Richard Blaire, and his mother Ida Limouzin. |
Dylan Bronkema |
| Dec 1904 | A young Orwell moves to EnglandAt only one year of age, A very young Orwell (still Eric Blaire) moves with only his mother, Ida Limouzin, and his six-year-old sister Marjorie Blaire. His father and mother stay together, but his father lives in India, where he works in civil service, overseeing the export of Opium to Asia. He only gets to see his father very rarely. |
Dylan Bronkema |
| 1 May 1917 | Orwell Attends Eton PrepOrwell was never a huge fan of school, but his mom thought it was very important. In 1917, when Orwell was almost fourteen years old her got accepted to the very prestigious Eton, accepting the incredibly difficult to receive “Kings Scholarship. He went on to actually drop out of the school in his final year, describing his experience as bitter. |
Dylan Bronkema |
| 1 Jun 1922 | Orwell Join Indian Imperial PoliceAfter leaving Eton prep Orwell took and passed an entrance exam to join the Indian Imperial Police. This was a police force that was put in place to watch over British colonies that were not attached to England. Orwell was sent to Burma or modern-day Myanmar, an experience that changed his life. Five years later, in 1927, Orwell resigned from the police due to poor health. He moved back to England after his resignation. |
Dylan Bronkema |
| Oct 1934 | Orwell Publishes his First NovelIn 1934 George Orwell published his first-ever novel titled, Burmese Days. It details his experience in the Indian Imperial Police, where he witnessed prejudice and corruption within the government of imperial Burma. At this time Orwell had recovered from his illness and he was working in a book store.
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Dylan Bronkema |
| Jun 1936 | Orwell gets marriedIn 1936 Orwell gets married for the first time to Eileen Maud O’Shaughnessy. O’Shaughnessy and Orwell met in London, where Eileen attended Hugh’s College in Oxford and studied English. They were not very wealthy at the time that they got married, and they moved into a very small cottage in Hertfordshire, England. |
Dylan Bronkema |
| Jun 1938 | Orwell Fights in the Spanish Civil WarOrwell fought on the side of an English unit that was specifically anti-Stalin. He was fighting for about six months when he was shot in the throat, luckily, he survived. This experience transformed his writing as he took on a stance that was incredibly anti-totalitarianism. Almost all of his literature after this point is actively anti-totalitarianism. |
Dylan Bronkema |
| 29 Mar 1945 | Orwell’s Wife DiesEileen Maud O’Shaughnessy passes away during a botched hysterectomy in 1945. Orwell was left to raise both his adopted son and his daughter alone. Later that same year Orwell came out with arguably his most well-known novel, Animal Farm. |
Dylan Bronkema |
| 13 Oct 1949 | Orwell Re-MarriesOrwell was not in good health when he married his second wife Sonia Brownell. She was his editorial assistant for the last few years of his career. He married her laying in his hotel bed. Sonia went on to change her name to Sonia Orwell but changed it back to Brownell after his death. She went on to remarry Michael Pitt-Rivers, but she famously had many affairs with well-known British painters. |
Dylan Bronkema |
| 21 Jan 1950 | George Orwell Passes AwayIn the same hospital bed that he is married in, Orwell passes away from tuberculosis. He is buried in Oxford shire, England. His grave read his original name, Eric Arthur Blaire. He died having published 9 novels. He is incredibly well known; his work lives on as it is taught in schools and is often being analyzed and critiqued by experts. |
Dylan Bronkema |