Validity of The Past

"once the act of forgery was forgotten, he would exist just as authentically, and upon the same evidence, as Charlemagne.

Charlemagne born in 742 and became the King of Franks. He is highly regarded and it is believed that he created an empire that inspired western Europe to unite for the first time since the Roman empire. It is believed that his secretary Einard described him as “six feet four inches tall, and built to scale. He had beautiful white hair, animated eyes, a powerful nose...a presence ‘always stately and dignified.’ He was temperate in eating and drinking, abominated drunkenness, and kept in good health despite every exposure and hardship.”. Winston compares Charlemagne to Comrade Ogilvy because they both have been built to be something they are not, over the course of time. Orwell believes that history is determined by people in the present. He warns his readers to be skeptics and protect themselves from ideas such as communism, that will greatly falsify the past.

~"Charlemagne | King of the Franks | Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire." Lucidcafé Interactive Café and Information Resource. 02 Apr. 2009 .