Napoleon (Animal Farm)

Napoleon is the principal pig in Animal Farm. Named after the French emperor, Napoleon share's his namesake's dictatorial nature. Initially, Napoleon and the other pigs aide in the animal revolution, and he claims to uphold the tenets which Old Major had passed on. Privately, however, he soon schemes on his own, first by ousting the charismatic Snowball, and through intense propaganda campaigns conducted by his toady Squealer.

He steals Jessie's pups and trains them in secret as his personal army, continually violates the code of the animals, and engages in trade with Mr. Pilkington. He betrays Boxer, selling him to the glue factory, and all who once believed in the animal revolution. By the tale's end, he has taken to wearing clothes and walking upright. In contrast to the book, Napoleon's empire eventually crumbles under its own corruption, aided by the passage of time.