International Journal of Scientific & Engineering Research Volume 10, Issue 7, July-2019 180 ISSN 2229-5518 Animal Abuse referring to the Novel Black Beauty by Anna Sewell Author: Dr. Amira M. Wasfy Canadian International College (CIC) Abstract - The English novel Black Beauty (1877) written by Anna Sewell is an autobiography of a horse “Black Beauty” tackling the problem of animal abuse during the Victorian age. Since Anna Sewell’s Black Beauty (1877) appeared, horse stories were favored by children as they were part of their culture. The story shows how Anna Sewell was not only concerned with animal abuse, but she was also concerned, whether directly or indirectly, with many of the social issues of her time, such as poverty, unemployment, drinking, etc. She says, in her introduction, that her purpose in writing, is ‘to induce kindness, sympathy, and an understanding treatment of horses.’ Through such kindness and understanding, children can easily make a leap from horse-human relationships to human-human relationships, and begin to understand how their own consideration of others, whether animals or human beings may be of benefit to all. Anna Sewell believes that cruelty towards animals was a societal problem that could often be caused, whether intentionally or unintentionally, by ignorance and love for fashion. She tries to make readers aware of the need to legislate laws to protect animals from harsh and abusive treatment. Animal abuse is one of the cruelest acts seen among people through ages, However, nowadays it is still seen clearly in many countries especially the under developed countries. The story of Black Beauty (1877), written by Anna Sewell, is considered one of the most famous novels during the Victorian age which tackles this problem clearly. This novel is still most famous up to our present day. It is one of the best-loved and famous animal’s realistic stories that became popular among people as well as with children. Besides, it started a trend in the popularity of autobiographical stories about animals. age of 14 injuring both ankles, causing her INTRODUCTION: to be invalid. As she could not use her feet, she began to rely heavily on horses Anna Sewell (1829 – 1878) is a famous to pull her around in a cart. She spent many hours driving her father to and from and popular BritishIJSER writer who has only his shuttle to work. Soon Anna grew to written Black Beauty. She was one of two love horses and to resent the careless and children born on 1820 in Yarmouth, cruel treatment they often receive from England, to Quaker parents of moderate humans. beliefs and practices. She lived in London until 1822, and then moved with her Animal abuse is one of the cruelest acts family to Dalson. Since her early life, seen among people through ages, Sewell displayed sensitivity towards the However, nowadays it is still seen clearly treatment of animals, and that was clearly in many countries especially the under seen at her age of nine, when she refused developed countries. The story of Black to allow a man to redeem a blackbird he Beauty (1877), written by Anna Sewell, is had shot in her yard and scolded him for considered one of the most famous novels his cruelty (Starrett 208). She even spoke during the Victorian age which tackles out against the abuse of horses at that age this problem clearly. This novel is still as she saw that men used to drive them as most famous up to our present day. It is if they are machines that do not need rest one of the best-loved and famous animal’s or kind treatment. Her love for horses realistic stories that became popular increased when she fell in the rain at the among people as well as with children. IJSER © 2019 http://www.ijser.org International Journal of Scientific & Engineering Research Volume 10, Issue 7, July-2019 181 ISSN 2229-5518 Besides, it started a trend in the She spent six years to complete her novel popularity of autobiographical stories Black Beauty which was published in 1877 about animals. a few months before her death on April 25, 1878. At her funeral, her mother insisted Anna Sewell (1829 – 1878) is a famous and that the uncomfortable reins should be popular British writer who has only removed from all the horses in the funeral written Black Beauty. She was one of two procession for that was one of the issues children born on 1820 in Yarmouth, tackled in her daughter’s novel. England, to Quaker parents of moderate beliefs and practices. She lived in London The novel is not only based on Sewell’s until 1822, and then moved with her own experience of dealing with horses, family to Dalson. Since her early life, but it is also based on real horses: one Sewell displayed sensitivity towards the owned by her brother, named Bessie, and treatment of animals, and that was clearly the other pony Merrylegs is based upon a seen at her age of nine, when she refused favorite gray pony of Sewell’s. to allow a man to redeem a blackbird he had shot in her yard and scolded him for The book received great success on its his cruelty (Starrett 208). She even spoke publication. Such success was due to its out against the abuse of horses at that age main purpose as of an equine care manual, as she saw that men used to drive them as rather than that of an entertaining story. if they are machines that do not need rest or kind treatment. Her love for horses Edwin Jaheil in his article "Black Beauty" increased when she fell in the rain at the observed that Sewell’s novel remained in age of 14 injuring both ankles, causing her print since its initial publication and is to be invalid. As she could not use her considered one of the best-selling novels feet, she began IJSERto rely heavily on horses in her time, as its original publishers to pull her around in a cart. She spent printed one fifty editions before copyright many hours driving her father to and from ran out. Furthermore, it was adopted by his shuttle to work. Soon Anna grew to several societies which protested against love horses and to resent the careless and cruelty to animals. Professor Waller cruel treatment they often receive from Hastings, summarizing Sewell’s life in his humans. article “Anna Sewell (1820 – 1878),” affirms that her book gained sympathy from Sewell was never married, nor had any animal anticruelty groups, and “was children; she spent her time with her widely used as propaganda by groups mother Mary Wright Sewell teaching in a seeking more humane treatment of Sunday school, as her mother was a deeply horses.” In addition, Skyline Farm’s religious and popular author of “Anna Sewell’s Black Beauty – Teacher evangelical children’s books. She wrote Resource Guide” states, several popular books which Anna used to help her edit. In fact, Anna was fascinated The book was eventually with writing and she started to write in adopted by both the British and 1871 her only story Black Beauty. American Societies for the Prevention of Cruelty to IJSER © 2019 http://www.ijser.org International Journal of Scientific & Engineering Research Volume 10, Issue 7, July-2019 182 ISSN 2229-5518 Animals, and thousands of The book was also distributed by animals’ copies were distributed for rights’ campaigners as well as through educational purposes. As a bookshops, and over the years, the novel result, in the United States, a did much for the understanding and better million copies were sold treatment of horses in England and between 1890 and 1892, and elsewhere. Consequently, this group of Black Beauty continued to sell at animals’ rights’ campaigners today also the rate of a quarter million bans the use of animals in product testing copies each year for another and in scientific experiments. They twenty years. changed the public sense of fashion by decrying the wearing of fur coats. They Claudia Johnson and Vermon Elso in their also advocated the spaying and neutering book The Social Impact of the Novel: a of family pets to prevent unwanted reference guide marked that the book’s offspring and stray animals that the publication was sponsored by the people used to kill. Massachusetts ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) Black Beauty is a realistic animal story that and was introduced by George Thorndike focuses on the animal itself and its Angell, (an American lawyer, suffering, not on a child’s interaction with philanthropist, and advocate for the an animal in an animal tale. Although it humane treatment of animals). Its was not originally intended for children, phenomenal success was credited by yet it has become a children’s classic, a boosting the activity and interest in novel for the education of generations of anticruelty societies and anticruelty school children up to the present day; it is legislation across the nation (254). an autobiography of a horse named Black IJSERBeauty. It is very obvious from the above quotations that the book is very In such autobiographical genre, the first influential, effective and popular among person narrator is an animal that narrates people and that it has widely spread in his own life and experience from his own different countries and become one of the point of view, and that requires the reader best-selling novels read by generations of to accept the fact that a horse is the first children as well as adults. In the article person narrator.