Orwell: from novels to graphic novels – a French contemporary relevance of 1984

Abstract

In 2021, Orwell’s novel 1984 became public domain, increasing the interest for a work of burning current events: alongside new translations of the novel, adaptations and graphic novels have multiplied. 

This article aims to study some graphic novels proposed to the French public in 2021 by answering some questions: why choose 1984 again? Do the authors decline Orwell’s narrative with our troubled Third Millennium (pandemics, political dictatorships, social control)? What specific characteristics of comics and graphic novel genre do they use for a post-modern approach to Orwell’s dystopia? How is the specific thematic relationship between text and images articulated?