---
author: Anna Sewell
pdate: 1877
rdate: 2021
rating: 6
genre: Children's literature
---
#english_literature #books #classicbooks #fiction

Black Beauty is an 1877 English novel by Anna Sewell.

## The novel's analysis
Themes:
1) Violence, whether caused by: a) cruelty; b) ignorance; c) necessity
2) Religion
3) Alcoholism
4) Injustice

The hero of Black Beauty isn't really the eponymous horse, but the reader who would give anything to align themselves with the gorgeous knowledge of horses. The story's driving force is the narrative of the human desire to understand and love an animal such as a horse.

## The novel's plot

### Part One
The narrator, a horse by the name of Black Beauty, describes his early life. He was well-bred (his grandpa won the **Newmarket races**, that actually happened in real life) and well-fed, had a kind master and mother. His mother's name was Duchess.
He also tells the story of Dick, a plowboy, who'd throw stones at some colts to make them gallop. Black's master saw this once and gave him a box on the ear, then fired him.
Duchess introduced Black to the idea of class division in horse society by saying he should behave better than the cart horse colts he'd met.

Then he and the other horses observed a hunting scene, where one guy, George Gordon, Squire Gordon's son (possible reference to [[George Gordon Byron]]?, broke his neck and died, some other horses were injured and one horse put down (its name was [[Rob Roy]]) only for the other men to catch a hare.

Then, once Black had grown up a little (he had a white star-shaped spot on his head), he was broken in (that is, was put a saddle and all the other stuff on). Squire Gordon was going to buy him, and as a farewell, his mother told him about the different kind of men, and hoped that he'd have a great master.

Black then is transported to Squire Gordon's Birtwick estate, and has a spacious stall in his stable. He then meets a pony named Merrylegs, and a rather ill-tempered mare Ginger. Ginger's salty about Black because she has been "turned out from her own home by him". In reality, that's because she has bitten James Howard, the local stable boy.. Then Merrylegs tells him that John, the groom, is the salt of the earth, and that its overall pretty nice here.

John Manly, the coachman, then tests Black and confirms that he is an almost perfect horse. Then, Black is officially named Black Beauty (hadn't had a name till then), befriends Merrylegs and Ginger, and Justice and Sir Oliver, the other horses. He then learns that Rob Roy was actually his brother, and thinks that horses have no connections - don't know each other after they're sold.

After serving some time at the Squire's mansion, Black notices that he yearns for liberty and freedom, though he doesn't necessarily complain about his duties.

Afterwards, he learnt from Ginger that she had been mistreated by Samson, her good old master - Mr Ryder's son. This was the reason behind her ill temper. Her other masters were not better, but when she was bought by Squire Gordon, the treatment of "Birtwick horse-balls", i.e. a combination of patience, gentleness and kindness, cured her of her ill temper.

One day, Merrylegs was haltered by James after he, in order to give the young boys - Mr. Blomefield - the local vicar's sons a lesson, simply threw them off without kicking them. He explains that he did this to teach the boys that horses have feelings as well. Furthermore, he loves this place and appreciates the treatment he is given, so he'd never kick or bite because of some ignorant boys.

One day, Black noticed that Sir Oliver's tail is abnormally small, so he asked him what kind of accident he'd gone through. Sir Oliver answers that this was done by his earlier masters intentionally "for fashion", and they, together with Ginger, rant about men's cruelty. They're, however, cooled down by Justice and Merrylegs.

Soon, Black found out that Mr. Douglas Gordon, his master, was an active advocate against animal cruelty, e.g. he was working with his old master, Farmer Grey, against the use of bearing reins for 20 years.

The other day Black Beauty had to carry John and Sq. Gordon to the town where his master had to do some business. It was really stormy on the way back, and he accidentally saved John and Sq. Gordon by refusing to go ahead on the trembling wooden bridge.

One another day John and Black were returning from some business as they saw the local farmer's son, Bill, torturing a pony to make it leap over a high fence. The pony kicked Bill into some thorns, and ran away. Then, the topic of religion is brought up: "there is no religion without love, and people may talk aas much as they like about their religion, but if it doesn not teach them to be good and kind to man and beast, it is all a sham".

Another day, an offer is received by Doulgas Goldon from his brother-in-law, Sir Clifford Williams, to send his groom, James Howard, to Williams' estate, Clifford Hall. James agrees to the deal, as it would give him plenty of opportunities and time to learn driving. 

Mr. & Mrs. Gordon had to visit some old friend of theirs, so they decided to let James drive the cart. They stopped at a nearby hotel for the night, where the old ostler was a jolly fellow and truly skillful in his art, showing great kindness and sympathy towards horses and animals in general.

Everything seemed fine at first, but then Dick Towler left his pipe in the stable and caused a fire. Ginger, Black and their masters were saved, but 2 horses had to die in agony.

As James was about to leave, John told him his story. An orphan, he could sustain neither himself and his sister, Nelly, and managed to survive only thanks to the help of his current mistress and master. Then he says that egotism is a truly horrible thing, and compares the men who think so to the puppies and kittens drowned before they could open their eyes. According to John, James' successor is a 14-yo child Joe Green, who'll have to learn a lot.

Some time after James' departure Black Beauty was suddenly awoken in the middle of the night. Squire Gordon ordered John to rush to the town and seek Doctor White, as the mistress was extremely ill. Black Beauty managed to get there and back as fast as he could, saving the mistress' life, but, because he was sweating hot Joe thought he shouldn't put on warm clothes. As a result, Black's lungs were "attacked by a strong inflammation".

In the followind days, Black Beauty was very well taken care of, with the local horse doctor coming to Birtwick Park. One night Thomas Green, Joe Green's father, and John had to see how the doctor's medicine would work. Tom asked John to be kind to his son, as he understands that it was his own fault, but it was because of ignorance. John then rants that ignorance is the 2nd worst thing after wickedness. *This confirms my theory of the book's division of purposeful wickedness and mistreatment, and accidental mistreatment*.

John was getting used to this new environment, and was soon given his first task to ride Black. On their way to their destination they saw a man trying to get his horses out of a bog they'd stuck in, completely ignoring Joe's prayers for him to stop beating his horses. Enraged, Joe and Black went to the local farmer, and reported what they'd seen. Later, John approved of Joe's actions and Joe was actually summoned to testify as a witness. The man was charged with 2-3 months of prison.

After 3 years of Black's service at Birtwick Park, the mistress was very ill, and had to live for some time in a hotter country. It was decided that the Gordons would move there, while Merrylegs was sold to the Vicar - on the condition that he will not be sold in the future, and that he will be shot and buried when he's too old; Ginger and Black were sold to the Earl of W - a friend of Squire Gordon. Joe Green would join Merrylegs at the vicarage, while John still had to choose where to work, though he wanted to be a breaker for young horses, so that they could be treated fairly in their young age.

### Part Two

After the Gordons and Joe's departure, John went with the horses to the Earl's estate - Earlshall Park. There, their new groom - Mr. York, put their in their stable. Black overheard his conversation with John, and York mentioned that Mrs. W likes the bearing rein. After John hurried for his train, Ginger and Black were tested for several days, with the bearing rein adjusted each one of them. It was beginning to be a nuisance.

At one point, Mrs. W asked York to fix the rein as tight as possible, and Ginger then began to resist violently. Both she and Black were soon moved to their boxes in the stable, where Black met Max, another horse used to the rein. When asked about how he was able to bear the pain, Max replied that he had to - though it was bad for his health. Black then describes how painful the bearing rein is.

One day Mr. and Mrs. W's had to go to London for some business, leaving the horses at their estate in charge of their servants. Lady Harriet, who stayed at the estate, was disabled and couldn't ride a horse, but the Lady Anne preferred riding on horseback with her brother, or cousins. She was a perfect rider and called Black "Black Auster". Black'd often have to go with Ginger or Lizzie, another mare, high-spirited yet nervous. Then there was a gentleman of the name of Blantyre, who always rode Lizzie, but once Anne offered that she'd drive Lizzie and that he'd drive Black on their errand to the doctor to get something Lady Harriet needed. Near the doctor's there was a gate from which several wild colts emerged, chased by a boy with a whip. They caused Lizzie to dash off into a gallop. Blantyre soon mounted Black and chased Lizzie, until Lizzie and Lady Anne jumped over a dyke and fell, causing Lady Anne to fall unconscious. He had to ask a local worker to mount Black and go to the doctor. Thanks to Black's speed, Lady Anne was saved.  

The man left in charge of the horses in York's absence was Reuben Smith, a most kind man fired for alcohol abuse. Though he was soon hired again, and had to go to a local town, where he ignored the fact that Black's horseshoe was going to fall off and got drunk. On the way back, he forced Black to go through sharp stones, and on the way Black fell, causing Smith to leap forward. He then died. Soon Black was rescued and healed.

Black, now a job-horse, described the several types of driving he had become accustomed to:
1. tight-rein drivers, too tight
2. loose-rein drivers, too loose
He also tells the story of how an ignorant man didn't notice that he had picked a stone during their ride, and Black was relieved from his pain by a random farmer who had noticed that something was wrong.

Black continues his description of driving types with the "steam-engine" style of driving. It's when people think that horses are basically little trains with no feelings and almost unremitting physical abilites. Then there are the Cockneys, the people who start at full speed and are generally reckless. As an example, he tells the story of Rory, a pair mate of his, who got crashed into by a youngster on a gig driving "Cockney"-style. Rory almost died, but then was sold to do listless jobs at a coal plant. Then he tells the story of Peggy, a mare who has to go in an odd pace because her legs are short, but her masters demand her to go as fast as the other horses go.
One day two gentlemen came and asked the ostler to remove the curb, then going on to drive Black as gently as a lamb. Because of Black's good behaviour, the gentlemen encouraged Black's master to sell him to their friend, Mr. Barry. And so he was sold.

Mr. Barry was a single man who had to have horse exercise. He was not knowledgeable about horses, and bought a stable nearby his home. Black's new groom was by the name of Filcher (pun probably intended), who knew his business. Although Black was well-fed, soon, by the advice of a friend, Mr. Barry suspected that Filcher was stealing oats from the stable. And he was fucking stealing oats from the stable with his son. Filcher was sentenced to 2 months in prison.

Black's next groom was Alfred Smirk, a rather glitzy and selfish man. He never properly cared for Black, aside from giving him food. As soon as Mr. Barry went to a farrier to find out what's wrong with Black, he found out about Alfred's indolence, and fired him. He couldn't stomach being deceived by 2 of his grooms so he sold Black.


### Part Three

Black was on the horse fair, commenting how unfair they are. In the end, he was sold to a hard-faced, loud-voiced man, who, as Black feared, would treat him no better than his previous owners.

It turned out exactly the opposite - the man, Jeremiah Barker, aka Jerry, was a rather kind man, with a loving wife, Polly, a daughter, Dolly (Dorothea), and Harry, his son. They made sure Black was well-fed and well-groomed. Then Jerry drived to his boss, Grant, aka Grey Grant, aka Governor Grant, to show him the new cab horse he had got. And so they, Black (whose name was Jack now) and Jerry worked zealously. Black's pair mate was Captain, an old war horse who had served in the Crimean War.

Captain tells Black his story, when he, named Bayard, served in the Crimean War, and his master (probably) died in the [[Charge of the Light Brigade]]. He finds no reason in the war, and says that some people support it only as if there no was fighting, but only parades (pacifist views).

Jerry Barker then is described more as a cheerful man, singing happy songs. An example of his good treatment towards animals is clearly shown after it is mentioned that he never rushed somewhere, even for an extra fare. The only example is when he helped a young man get to the train station, and the man was kind.

In the next chapter, Jerry loses his best customer, Mr. Briggs, by refusing to take offers on Sundays (he wants a day of rest). He then argues with his coworkers that religious people are only the ones who emphasise personal faith. Jerry also says that "if a thing is right, it can be done, and if it is wrong, it can be done without" when the coworkers mention that "what would all the good people do if they couldn't get to their favourite preachers".

Soon the Briggs found out that Jerry's cab was basically impeccable, and renewed their contract. The story of how Jerry had to sacrifice half of his Sunday to get their neighbour, Dinah Brown, to her family house in the countryside to see her ill mother. The role of Jerry as a Christian interested in his personal faith is cemented.

One day a gentleman was coming to Jerry's stand, and Jerry was about to give  her daughter the soup she'd brought him as the man interrupted him and allowed him to finish his soup. Soon the man was quite often using Jerry's services, and proved to be a conscientious and a kind man. He believed that by not reporting or standing up to wrongdoing, we share the guilt.

The novel then touches on the theme of poverty, introducing a character by the name of Seedy Sam. When he enters Governor's stand, he is suspected of ill-using his horse, but then rants being so poor he has to think more of his wife and children than of his horse. He died soon after.

Soon, Black accidentally meets Ginger - now completely worn out, suffering for every moment of her existence. She wishes she was dead - and soon Black passes by a cart with a dead horse that looked suprisingly similar to Ginger.

In the next chapter Black suggests that horses, especially work horses, are mostly treated unfairly not because of sheer cruelty. For example, a butcher's employee has to ruin his horse because the gentry do not mind a butcher's convenience or his horses' health. This echoes the idea that ignorance and carelessness are the roots of evil.

Then, the topic of politics is discussed, where Jerry supports the idea that elections should be taken seriously and it is a person's civil duty to choose what they think is best for their country. When Harry tells him that he protected his sister Dolly, who was wearing blue, the colour of the Conservative Party, against some rascals who were wearing orange, the colour of the Liberal Party, Jerry replies that all people who try to impose their ideology on the others are buffons:
"every man ought to vote according to his conscience, and let his neighbour do the same".

Black then describes the election day itself, going to much detail in all the hustle. He also tells the story of when Jerry decided to take a young mother with her sick child to a hospital for free, then citing a bible verse to himself that meant "as much as you do [good] for the least [important] of people, as mush as you do for me [Christ]". He then takes his wife's old mistress to a train station, where she recommends him to get a better job as a private groom or a driver due to the hazards of the one he held.

The topic of alcoholism is soon brought up again, as Captain was injured by a drunk driver, and was consequently put out. The new horse's name was Hotspur, a high-spirited noble horse who had fallen from his high position. He was quite sad about his position at first, but then got used to it.

During the winter holidays Jerry got ill and almost died, but fortunately defeated his bronchitis. However, his doctor warned him that he mustn't work as a cab driver again. Soon, Mrs. Fowler, his wife's old mistress, agreed to give them a cottage nearby where they'll work for her. Black's comrade, Hotspur, is sold to Grant, and he himself is sold to some other person.

### Part Four
Black was sold to a farmer, and his carter's name was James. He was quite often overloaded with goods, thanks to the local foreman, and had to be driven with a bearing rein. Once James was beating him up with a whip for not going uphill, to which a nearby lady suggested that James should put his bearing rein down. Her plan worked, and got James to think about his actions for a little.

He was soon resold to Nicholas Skinner - the same man Seedy Sam had worked for. Due to Skinner's lack of compassion and morals, Black almost died of exhaustion, but, lucky for him, managed to survive. Skinner agreed to sell him again a few days later.
At the horse fair he was chosen out of pity by a man named Mr. Thoroughgood and his grandson Willie. They had been caring for him for about half a year, and by then his freshness and stamina returned to him.

After his rehabilitation, Black was sold to none other than Miss Blomefield herself, with Joe Green serving as the groom. He lived there happily ever after.

// purposeful mistreatment - Samson, accidental mistreatment - the boys, Dick Towler, Joe causing Black to fall ill; "necessary" mistreatment - Seedy Sam, the butcher, James from the farmer's
