Black Beauty

“They often hurt themselves, often spoil good horses, and tear up the fields, and all for a hare or a fox or a stag, that they could get more easily some other way; but we are only horses, and don’t know.”

In this quotation, Black Beauty’s mother muses about why she finds the practice of hunting for sport, which is common among the British upper classes, strange and confusing. She can objectively observe the destruction and harm often caused by this pursuit and provides a critique while also maintaining humility. Throughout the novel, Sewell uses the idea of animals being ignorant about the context for human behaviors, such as hunting, drinking alcohol, and going to war, to provide commentary on how strange and irrational these behaviors seem when observed objectively.

“He is really quite a beauty, and he has such a sweet good-tempered face and such a fine intelligent eye.”

Squire Gordon’s wife observes this when she first meets Black Beauty. Beauty’s attractive appearance is a reoccurring theme, and his external appearance signals his inner integrity and kindness. Because Beauty cannot speak with human characters, his physical attributes function to foreshadow how he will behave loyally and nobly in all situations. Beauty’s attractive appearance also gives him a number of opportunities and advantages in life, suggesting that for both horses and people, physical attractiveness is advantageous.

“It seems that horses have no relations; at least, they never know each other after they are sold.”

Black Beauty says this after he learns that Rob Roy, the horse killed during the hunt, was his brother. The quotation reflects on the absence of family structure for the animals depicted in Sewell’s novel. Beauty forms deep emotional bonds with some of the other horses he encounters, such as Ginger, and with various human beings, but he expresses limited interest in his mother after being separated from her at a young age. The loss of these family ties is connected to how horses are bought and sold and provides one of the parallels between Sewell’s discussion of horses, and slavery.

“These balls, he said, were made up of patience and gentleness, firmness and petting, one pound of each to be mixed up with half a pint of common sense, and given to the horse every day.”

In this quotation, John uses a metaphor to describe how he treats horses who come from difficult or abused backgrounds. He uses the metaphor of providing medicine (horses were often given large pills known as “balls”) to a horse that suffers from a physical ailment but focuses on the kind of behaviors that help to heal a horse psychologically rather than physically. John’s use of the metaphor shows that he sees himself as responsible for all aspects of a horse’s well-being, not just its physical condition. This holistic approach is important in a novel where many characters treat horses like machinery or objects.

“When they seem frightened or a little unsteady on my back, I go as smooth and quiet as old pussy when she is after a bird.”

Merrylegs describes the great care he takes while being ridden by young children. He uses a simile comparing himself to a cat hunting a bird to convey how cautious he is. The quotation reveals that the horses in the novel are sensitive and aware of how to help their riders.

“Boys, you see, think a horse or pony is like a steam engine or a thrashing machine, and can go on as long and as fast as they please.”

Merrylegs explains why he felt compelled to teach a lesson to some young boys who were treating him roughly. The quotation marks one example of anti-industrialist sentiment in the novel. By the time Anna Sewell was writing, Victorian England had been transformed by the rise of machinery, automation, and industrialization. Part of why horses suffer in the novel is because characters have lost touch with a pre-industrial world in which both animals and other humans were treated with greater patience and care.

“They always think they can improve upon Nature and mend what God has made.”

This is Ginger’s response as the horses discuss how men tend to alter the physical appearances of horses and dogs by cropping their tails and ears. The quotation offers a powerful rebuke to these practices within the predominantly Christian worldview of Victorian England. According to Sewell’s philosophy, animals represent one of the purest forms of God’s creation and therefore to harm or try to change an animal is tantamount to challenging God’s will. The use of the word “mend” is ironic because mending involves making something whole or healed, whereas the practice of docking tails and ears inflicts damage.

“There is no religion without love, and people may talk as much as they like about their religion, but if it does not teach them to be good and kind to man and beast, it is all a sham.”

John reflects on his abhorrence of cruelty and the value he places on kindness and compassion. John’s comments on religion and the possibility of religion being a sham reflect the historical context of the novel in which Christianity coexisted alongside other cultural norms and values, notably capitalism and industrialization. John astutely notes that there is often an inherent tension between these different value systems and that many people continue to profess faith in Christian beliefs without actually living according to these values. This quotation helps to develop the strong critique of hypocrisy present throughout the novel.

“The news fell upon the household like the tolling of a death-bell.”

This quotation occurs after the news breaks that Squire Gordon’s wife needs to move to a warmer climate. The simile of the death-bell reveals how sad this news makes everyone, from the servants to the horses. The sense of grief and loss at the departure of the Gordon family reveals how much devotion and loyalty they have inspired. The simile is also somewhat paradoxical since the move is intended to prevent a death, yet it is received in a way comparable to a death. The simile also foreshadows how the departure of the Gordon family is the end or symbolic death of a happy and innocent period in Black Beauty’s life.

“As she had no home or relations, she, with her six little children, were obliged once more to leave the pleasant home by the tall oak trees, and go into that great gloomy Union House.”

This quotation describes the fate of Reuben Smith’s wife and children after he dies. The quotation develops the theme of the destructive effects of alcohol since Reuben’s excessive drinking not only ends his life but also has serious impacts on his family, who are left in poverty. The imagery of the “pleasant home” that Mrs. Smith has to leave develops the juxtaposition between bleak urban environments and more pure and peaceful rural locales. The “Union House” refers to the working-houses, or poor houses, where impoverished people in Victorian England were forced to work in terrible conditions. The innocent children, who suffer due to their father’s negligence, parallel the innocent animals who also suffer when men mistreat them.

“The black one, he must be sold; ‘tis a great pity, but I could not have knees like these in my stables.”

The earl comes back from London and sees the scars on Beauty’s knees. Black Beauty sustained these injuries when he fell while being ridden recklessly by Reuben Smith, who was too drunk to notice that Beauty had lost one of his shoes. The quotation reveals that the earl, much like his wife, is vain and focused on superficial appearances. Black Beauty is still capable of working hard, but the earl is only interested in what the horse looks like. Moreover, the earl does not take personal responsibility for caring for Beauty or giving him a safe and quiet life. Beauty is treated like an underperforming employee and dismissed due to something that was not his fault.

“What were horses made for, if not to drag people uphill?”

In this quotation, Black Beauty adopts a sarcastic tone to mock widespread beliefs about horses. During his time as a job horse who is rented out to various drivers, Beauty encounters individuals who are not accustomed to horses or skilled at working with them. The quotation is notable because it shows Beauty is capable of being annoyed and sarcastic even though he is generally very noble, optimistic, and self-sacrificing. While Black Beauty is an aspirational protagonist, Sewell makes him a relatable character by also showing that he can become frustrated and angry when he is poorly treated.

“Yes, Dolly, as gentle as your own kitten; come and pat him.”

Jerry Barker brings Black Beauty home and introduces the horse to his family. Even though Jerry has just purchased Beauty, he forms an intuitive sense of the horse’s character and trusts him. By comparing Beauty to a kitten, Jerry shows that he sees Beauty as part of the family like a cherished domestic pet rather than a tool or instrument for labor. By encouraging a bond between his horse and his child, Jerry foreshadows the tender and caring attitude he will maintain toward Beauty.

“We shall have a day of it to-day, Bayard, my beauty; but we’ll do our duty as we have done.”

This is spoken by Captain’s former master during Captain’s recollections of his time fighting in the Crimean War. On the day of the Battle of Balaclava, Captain’s master, like many other soldiers, knew he was faced with an incredibly dangerous task, yet he courageously rode into battle anyway. The comment about duty reflects a sentiment shared between men and horses in the novel: the importance of bravely doing one’s best even under impossible circumstances. The quotation also reveals Captain’s previous name, Bayard, which is also the name of a mythical French horse who appears in medieval ballads.

“The enemy must have been awfully wicked people, if it was right to go all that way over the sea on purpose to kill them.”

Captain says this after Black Beauty asks him what the point of the war was. Captain claims not to know because horses are ignorant, but Sewell uses this moment of seeming confusion to critique warfare. From an innocent and objective point of view, the act of travelling vast distances to kill other people seems bizarre and pointless. By showing that it is hard for horses to understand war, Sewell raises questions about whether war actually serves any purpose. Notably, Sewell was a Quaker (a sect of Protestant Christianity), and individuals of this faith tended to be opposed to warfare.

“If you want to get through London fast in the middle of the day, it wants a deal of practice.”

Black Beauty describes how he skillfully navigated through the crowded London streets while hurrying to get a worried passenger to a train. The quotation shows that Beauty is adaptable and able to thrive under different circumstances, and it also reveals that he takes pride in working hard. Even though his life is now so different and considerably more humble, Black Beauty still fulfills his role with skill and pride.

“There are a good many curious things said in the New Testament about rich men, that I think would make me feel rather queer if I was one of them.”

Jerry responds to some other cab drivers teasing him about the unlikelihood that Jerry will ever become wealthy. Jerry references the many biblical critiques of wealth and implies that, due to this Christian doctrine, he would not want to become wealthy. This quotation shows that Jerry is a devout and modest man. It also reveals how religious faith can function to maintain social order and prevent criticisms of inequality. Jerry’s belief that it is not ethical or virtuous to be wealthy conveniently prevents him from aspiring to earn more money. At the same time, it also provides him with peace and contentment that most other working-class characters seem to lack.

“Good Luck is rather particular about who she rides with, and mostly prefers those who have got common sense and a good heart.”

Grant responds to another cabman saying he has been unlucky. Grant’s pointed comment reveals that he does not believe in the notion of luck and thinks individuals shape their own fortunes based on their choices and actions. To make this point, Grant personifies the idea of good luck as a female figure similar to a passenger who chooses which driver to hire. The comment aligns with the novel’s larger project of encouraging individuals to reflect on the impact of their choices and take responsibility for their actions.

“Every man must look after his own soul; you can’t lay it down at another man’s door like a foundling.”

Jerry debates his fellow cabdrivers about the ethics of working on Sundays. Some of the other drivers try to blame circumstances and other people to justify bending their moral principles, but Jerry urges individual integrity. He uses a simile comparing a soul to an abandoned child to illustrate his point: It is extremely hard to abandon a child, yet a child can be adopted and welcomed into a new family, whereas no one can claim responsibility for anyone else’s choices and moral actions. Jerry’s comment reflects the novel’s argument that while it is important to take care of others, especially the needy and vulnerable, individuals also must take responsibility for themselves.

“My doctrine is that, that if we see cruelty or wrong that we have the power to stop, and do nothing, we make ourselves sharers in the guilt.”

This comment of Jerry’s passengers who regularly intervenes when he sees horses being mistreated reflects one of the key themes in Sewell’s novel: the need for individuals to intervene in the face of cruelty. The comment provokes a sense of responsibility for readers, as they are responsible not only for their own behavior but also for intervening when they see cruel events taking place. 

“’Tis a mockery to tell a man that he must not overwork his horse, for when a beast is downright tired […] you must put your wife and children before the horse.”

Seedy Sam laments the pressure he feels as he struggles to make an income under hard working conditions. Sam regrets that he sometimes treats his horses harshly and wishes he did not have to behave in this way, but he argues that the welfare of other humans is sometimes in conflict with the welfare of the horse. This quotation shows that while the novel makes an impassioned case for treating horses more humanely, it also recognizes the nuance of a broader system of exploitation of humans.

“It may be hard work sometimes, but a friend’s hand and voice make it easy.”

Black Beauty reflects while watching other working horses who seem to lead happy lives regardless of the hard work they must endure. Beauty has to work hard during his time with Jerry Barker, but he is never resentful of the work because he wants to please Jerry. Beauty refers to a horse’s owner or driver as a friend, revealing his perspective on the ideal relationship that can exist between human and animal. If humans thought of horses as friends, they would be much more concerned with their wellbeing, and animal welfare would arise organically.

“We call them dumb animals, and so they are, for they cannot tell us how they feel, but they do not suffer less because they have no words.”

A lady stops Jakes and pleads with him to stop using the bearing rein. The lady makes an impassioned speech about treating horses with care and points out their vulnerability. She uses the term “dumb” to mean “unable to speak,” and identifies the problem that Sewell sought to correct by writing a novel featuring anthropomorphized animals. By giving her animal characters access to language, Sewell makes it possible for human readers to see events from the animals’ perspective.