Beyond the Human Gaze: What Animals Reveal in Historical Fiction
In historical fiction, animals are often more than just a part of the backdrop; they are essential characters whose lives and experiences offer a unique lens through which to view history. By giving these animals a voice, or by making their stories central to the plot, authors can illuminate the values, hardships, and hidden truths of an era in a way that purely human perspectives cannot. Three of the most poignant examples of this are Michael Morpurgo’s War Horse, Anna Sewell’s Black Beauty, and Sara Gruen’s Water for Elephants. These novels use the animal-human relationship to explore everything from the horrors of war to the fight for animal rights and the struggles of a nation during a period of economic despair.
Michael Morpurgo’s War Horse
The Unseen Casualties of Conflict: War Horse
Michael Morpurgo’s War Horse is a powerful testament to the forgotten animal sacrifices of World War I. Told from the perspective of a horse named Joey, the novel takes readers on a harrowing journey through the trenches and battlefields of the Great War. This narrative choice is incredibly effective; Joey's non-human viewpoint strips away the nationalistic and political complexities of the conflict, leaving only its visceral reality. The reader experiences the fear, the chaos, and the loss not through a soldier’s ideological lens, but through an animal's pure drive for survival and an unwavering loyalty to its human friends.
The emotional core of the novel is the profound bond between Joey and his original owner, Albert. When Joey is sold to the cavalry, their separation is a tragedy that drives the narrative forward. As Joey is passed from one owner to another—a British cavalry officer, a German soldier, a French farmer—he acts as a witness to the shared suffering of both sides. This journey highlights the universality of compassion, as different people from different nations show kindness to the same animal. The horse’s endurance and resilience become a metaphor for the human spirit itself, struggling to survive and find purpose amid the senseless brutality. Ultimately, the novel is a moving tribute to the hundreds of thousands of horses that died in the war, reminding us that they, too, were victims of the conflict.
Anna Sewell’s Black Beauty
A Plea for Compassion: Black Beauty
Published in 1877, Anna Sewell’s Black Beauty is a foundational work of animal-centric historical fiction. Its purpose was explicit and revolutionary for its time: to advocate for the humane treatment of horses. The novel is framed as the autobiography of Black Beauty, a magnificent horse who recounts his life story from a peaceful life on a country estate to a brutal existence as a London cab horse. Through his eyes, the reader experiences the full spectrum of human behaviour, from the genuine care of his first owner, Squire Gordon, to the shocking cruelty of neglectful masters who overworked and abused him.
By giving the horse a first-person voice, Sewell brilliantly bypasses the reader's potential indifference and forces them to empathize directly with the animal's suffering. The novel is a direct and forceful critique of the social norms of Victorian England, where horses were often seen as little more than machinery. Sewell meticulously details the physical pain caused by improper harnessing, the exhaustion from overwork, and the emotional toll of separation from companions and kind owners. Black Beauty was instrumental in raising public awareness and played a significant role in the burgeoning animal welfare movement. The book’s enduring legacy is a testament to its power to change hearts and minds, proving that a fictional animal’s story can have a very real impact on the world.
Sara Gruen’s Water for Elephants
Finding Humanity in Hard Times: Water for Elephants
Sara Gruen’s Water for Elephants transports us to another historical moment: the American circus during the Great Depression. The novel’s protagonist, Jacob Jankowski, is a veterinary student who finds himself swept up in a traveling circus after a personal tragedy. It is here that he meets Rosie, an elephant who becomes the emotional heart of the story. Rosie is more than just a circus act; she is a source of hope, a catalyst for love, and a symbol of both the exploitation and the deep affection present in this strange world.
In a time of widespread poverty and desperation, the circus itself is a microcosm of a nation in turmoil. The treatment of the animals, particularly Rosie, reflects the era’s moral ambiguities. While some of the performers show genuine care and respect for the animals, the cruel and abusive methods of the circus’s ringmaster, August, highlight the desperation and moral failings that often emerge under extreme pressure. The bond that Jacob and another performer, Marlena, form with Rosie is a defiant act of kindness against this backdrop of cruelty. It is through their shared commitment to the elephant's well-being that they find love and a sense of purpose. Rosie's story isn't just about a circus elephant; it’s about finding family, compassion, and a reason to fight for what is right in a world that has seemingly lost its way.
George Orwell’s Animal Farm
The Allegorical Animal: Animal Farm
While not strictly historical fiction, George Orwell’s Animal Farm offers perhaps the most powerful example of how animal characters can be used to comment on a specific historical period. As an allegorical novella, the book directly mirrors the events of the Russian Revolution and the rise of Stalinism. The animals on Manor Farm are not just characters; they are direct stand-ins for key historical figures and social classes. Old Major represents Karl Marx, whilst Napoleon and Snowball represent Stalin and Trotsky, while the horse Boxer’s unwavering loyalty and eventual betrayal embodies the exploited working class. The use of animals allows Orwell to satirize and simplify complex political ideologies, making the farm’s slow, chilling descent into a totalitarian state both accessible and unforgettable. This use of an animal-centric narrative demonstrates that a non-human perspective can be the most incisive tool for critiquing human history, exposing its flaws, and warning against its repetition.
The Human and Animal Connection: The Rhino Keeper
Jillian Forsberg’s The Rhino Keeper
Jillian Forsberg’s The Rhino Keeper tells the extraordinary true story of Clara, an Indian rhinoceros who traveled from India to Europe in the 18th century, and the Dutch sea captain who cared for her. By focusing on Clara’s experiences and the humans devoted to her care, Forsberg illuminates the intersections of curiosity, colonialism, and human-animal relationships during a period of intense global exploration and exchange.
Clara’s journey is a lens through which the reader sees both the marvels and the moral complexities of her era. European fascination with exotic animals often masked ignorance and exploitation, yet the story also showcases acts of kindness, dedication, and empathy that transcended cultural boundaries. Forsberg gives Clara an almost palpable presence in the narrative, inviting readers to experience awe, fear, and confusion through her perspective while witnessing the world’s reactions to this unusual creature.
By placing an animal at the heart of an 18th-century historical story, The Rhino Keeper demonstrates how animals can reveal not only the wonder of discovery but also the ethical dilemmas and social dynamics of the time. Clara’s life reminds us that animals have always been participants in human history—sometimes as companions, sometimes as spectacles, and always as beings whose experiences reflect the values and contradictions of the societies around them.
These five novels, spanning centuries and continents, showcase the extraordinary power of animals in historical storytelling. From Joey’s harrowing service in War Horse to Black Beauty’s plea for humane treatment, from Rosie’s role in Water for Elephants to the allegorical lessons of Animal Farm, and Clara’s remarkable journey in The Rhino Keeper, each story positions animals not as background details, but as central witnesses and participants in history.
Through their eyes, we experience the complexities of human societies: the cruelty and compassion, the wonder and exploitation, the loyalties and betrayals that define an era. Animals serve as mirrors to our own humanity, revealing values, injustices, and moments of beauty that might otherwise go unnoticed. By giving these non-human characters a voice or a central role, historical fiction invites readers to step beyond a purely human gaze and see history as a living, breathing world filled with creatures whose lives intersect with our own in profound and unforgettable ways.
Ultimately, these stories remind us that history is not only about people—it is also about the animals who shared our journey, shaped our experiences, and continue to teach us empathy, resilience, and wonder.
About the Author
Grace E. Turton is an aspiring historical consultant with an MA in Social History and BA in History & Media from Leeds Beckett University. Grace specializes in British and Italian history but loves reading and researching about all aspects of history. In her free time, you can find her exploring the Yorkshire Dales with her dog Bear, watching classic films and playing rugby league. Grace is passionate about keeping history alive and believes that an integral part of this is maintained through History Through Fiction’s purpose.
