1. George Eliot & Silas Marner

2. Main Events in Eliot’s Life
Born: Mary Anne Evans (also Mary Ann or Marian) on Nov. 22, 1819
Daughter of a Warwickshire mill-owner
Had some formal education but had access to local estate’s library - autodidact.
Grew up in an Anglican home around Protestants who had left C of E.
Mother dies when Eliot’s in 16.
Befriends the Bray’s (philanthopists) and meets numerous writers (including Emerson)
Struggles with religion.

3. Warwickshire, England

4. Main Events in Eliot’s Life
1850: Moves to London to write. Becomes editor of a literary magazine (uncommon for the time)
1851: Meets married philosopher George Lewes
1854: Left wife for Eliot (but no divorce possible)
Lewes and Eliot live as man and wife until he dies in 1878.
May 1880: Legally marries John Cross (20 years younger than her).
Dec. 1880: Eliot dies from throat and kidney infection.

5. Eliot’s Novels Leading writer of the Victorian era
Best known as a novelist, but also a poet
Best known for Middlemarch (1872)
Some other novels:
Adam Bede (1859)
The Mill on the Floss (1860)
Silas Marner (1861)
Romola (1863)
Felix Holt, the Radical (1866)
Daniel Deronda (1876)

6. Eliot’s Literary Reputation
Known for:
Realism
Insight into psychology of characters from different classes
Influenced by Greek tragedy
Discussions of religion and class difference
Focused on the countryside over town
Interesting Facts:
Wrote under pen name to avoid being categorized as “female” writer (aka romance writer).
Worked as a translator

7. Silas Marner
Thought of as Eliot’s most concise work – tightly woven – no spare words.
THEMES
religion
industrialization
chance vs. God
nature vs. nurture
love and greed
class difference
independence vs. community