George Eliot

Mary Ann Evans (1819-1880), better known by her pen name George Eliot, was an English novelist, poet, translator, and philosopher. She was one of the leading figures of Victorian literature, and her work continues to be read and studied today.

Early Life and Education

Mary Ann Evans was born in Arbury Farm, Warwickshire, England. Her father, Robert Evans, was a steward for a wealthy landowner. Her mother, Christiana Evans, was the daughter of a carpenter.

Evans received a good education, and she was especially interested in literature and philosophy. She read widely and wrote essays and poetry from an early age.

Career

Evans began her career as a freelance writer for The Westminster Review, a liberal magazine. She used the pseudonym George Eliot to protect her privacy and to avoid gender discrimination.

Evans's first novel, Adam Bede, was published in 1859. The novel was a critical and commercial success, and it established Eliot as one of the leading novelists of her time.

Evans wrote seven more novels, including The Mill on the Floss (1860), Middlemarch (1871-1872), and Daniel Deronda (1876). Her novels are known for their realism, their psychological depth, and their exploration of social and moral issues.

Legacy

George Eliot is considered to be one of the greatest novelists of the English language. Her work has been praised for its realism, its psychological depth, and its exploration of social and moral issues. Her novels continue to be read and studied today, and they continue to be relevant to our own time.

Key Concepts

• Realism: Eliot's novels are known for their realistic depiction of 19th-century English life. She drew on her own experiences and observations to create believable and relatable characters.
• Psychological depth: Eliot's novels are also known for their exploration of the human psyche. She delves into the minds of her characters, revealing their thoughts, feelings, and motivations.
• Social and moral issues: Eliot's novels often address social and moral issues, such as class, gender, and religion. She uses her novels to challenge social norms and to explore the complexities of human nature.

Quotes

• "The greatest thing a human soul ever does in this world is to see something, deep into the heart of reality."
• "It is never too late to be what you might have been."
• "The greatest thing of all is to know how little one can know."

Influences

Eliot was influenced by a wide range of writers and thinkers, including Goethe, Shakespeare, and Thomas Carlyle. She was also influenced by the social and intellectual currents of her time, such as the Romantic movement and the rise of the middle class. Influenced

Eliot's work has influenced a wide range of writers, including Virginia Woolf, Thomas Hardy, and F. Scott Fitzgerald. Her novels continue to be taught in schools and universities around the world, and they continue to inspire and challenge readers.