George Eliot

Mary Anne Evans was born on 22 November 1819 at South Farm, Arbury Hall near Nuneaton, Warwickshire. Her parents were Robert Evans, the manager of Arbury Hall, and Christina Evans. She had four siblings: Robert, Fanny, Chrissy and Isaac. Mary was always considered a serious child and she always had free access to books. She soon became a great literature admirer. She had a special fall for Greek Literature and she would include many elements of Greek tragedy on her books. She also had a strong influence of social issues and religion. This latter was probably due to the Baptist education she would receive later.

Mary Anne attended Miss Latham's boarding school and then (in 1828) Mrs. Wallington's Boarding School at Nuneaton. At this second school she met Maria Lewis who was the governess of the school and had strong evangelical believes. Mary Anne then moved to Miss Franklin's school at Coventry. At this third school she developed her knowledge in literature and also studied French and the piano.

When her mother died in 1838 Mary had to leave school and come back to her father, but she never gave up studying. Her father bought her books and paid private tutor for her. She had Italian and German lessons too. Some time after, Mary and her father moved to Foleshill where she later met many intellectuals and thinkers and these people may have had strong influence on her later work. She stopped going to the church, what made the relation with her father and close friendship with Maria Lewis unstable.

In 1844 she begun working on the translation of "Das Leben Jusu" written in German by theologian David Strauss (1808 - 1874). When her father died she traveled with the Brays (her friends) to Switzerland in order to refresh her mind.

In 1850 she moved to London and then became friend of John Chapman, a publisher and bookseller.

In 1851 Chapman bought "Westminister Reviwe" and hired Mary Anne, who was then calling herself Marian Evans, as the editor. With Mary, the journal became a success. Marian then met George Lewes and they became close friends. George's marriage to Agnes Jervis had been over and he and Mary started dating and.

In 1854 they started living together, but George was still legally married to Agnes. This had a very negative impact onto the London society and many people stopped talking to the couple.

In 1856 she published "Scenes of Clerical Life" under the male name of George Eliot - because she believed it would make her job more respected.

In 1859 another work came out, "Adam Bede", a great success. When "The Mill of the Floss", was published, the real identity of George Eliot was not a secret anymore, but the book was successful.

She published other successful books later: "Silas Marner" (1861) and "Romola"(1863). It took her three more years until "Felix Holt, the Radical" came out.