'The Real England': Englishness and patriotism in the writings of George Orwell

George Orwell has been labelled at various times a Tory-radical, a neo-conservative, a liberal and a democratic socialist. While historians disagree in defining his political outlook, Orwell's interest in and admiration for English culture is universally acknowledged. Yet this persistent theme in Orwell's writings has been insufficiently examined. Orwell's definition of English national character was the product of his personal experiences as an imperial policeman, tramp, soldier and journalist in the 1930s and 1940s. By examining his various published articles, essays and novels, one can discern Orwell's evolving vision of England, the English people and their values, habits and traditions. Of central importance to his definition of Englishness is the idea of patriotism as a political and cultural aspect of English society. Orwell urged his contemporaries on the British Left to look at patriotism, not as a conservative and jingoistic sentiment, but rather as an inoculation against totalitarianism and a powerful lever by which to gain popular support. The Second World War, he believed, offered the Left an opportunity to awaken the inherently socialist character of the working class to bring about a uniquely English revolution. Orwell argued that a socialist society could be founded upon the political and cultural traditions of the English common people if England only emerged from the war a free nation. While his predictions ultimately proved incorrect, George Orwell made an original contribution to British socialist thought during his literary career by adopting patriotism as a radical platform and by evaluating socialism in the context of English culture and national identity.