When was George Orwell’s famous novel 1984 published?

George Orwell’s novel 1984 is one of the most influential works of the 20th century. It was published on June 8, 1949, at a time marked by the aftermath of the Second World War and the start of the Cold War. This dystopian book describes a totalitarian world in which surveillance, propaganda and thought control dominate society.

Orwell wrote 1984 between 1947 and 1948, when he was seriously ill with tuberculosis. He retired to the Scottish island of Jura to finish the manuscript, despite the difficult conditions. Through this novel, he wished to warn against the dangers of totalitarianism and authoritarian regimes. His experience in Spain during the Civil War (1936-1937) and his observation of the fascist and communist regimes of his time had a profound influence on his writing.

The story of 1984 takes place in a world divided into three superpowers: Oceania, Eurasia and Estasia. The protagonist, Winston Smith, lives in Oceania, where a totalitarian party led by Big Brother reigns. This regime exercises absolute control over the population through intense propaganda, the rewriting of history and constant surveillance via telecommunications and the thought police.

Orwell describes several concepts that have become emblematic, including :

• Big Brother, the omnipresent power figure;
• Novlangue, an impoverished language designed to restrict freedom of thought;
• Doublethink, forcing citizens to believe in two contradictory truths;
• The thought police, who hunt down all forms of dissent.

Since its publication, 1984 has become an essential work for understanding the mechanisms of power and the dangers of excessive surveillance. Its influence is still perceptible today in debates on the protection of privacy and the manipulation of information.

The novel remains a major reference in dystopian literature, and continues to inspire numerous books, films and political reflections around the world.

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