George Eliot

Date of Birth: November 22, 1819

Zodiac Sign: Sagittarius

Date of Death: December 22, 1880

Biography

George Eliot, born Mary Ann Evans, was a renowned English novelist, poet, journalist, and translator of the Victorian era. Born on November 22, 1819, in Nuneaton, Warwickshire, she is best known for her penetrating psychological insights and detailed depictions of rural society. Eliot adopted her male pen name to ensure her works were taken seriously in a male-dominated literary world. Her most famous novels include “Middlemarch,” “Silas Marner,” and “The Mill on the Floss.” Each work is celebrated for its rich character development, social critique, and exploration of ethical dilemmas. Eliot’s personal life was equally unconventional; she maintained a long-term relationship with the married philosopher and critic George Henry Lewes, which was a significant scandal at the time. She continued to write until her death on December 22, 1880, leaving a lasting impact on English literature.

5 Interesting Facts about George Eliot

1. George Eliot was actually the pen name of Mary Ann Evans.

2. She translated “The Life of Jesus” by David Strauss, a controversial work that influenced her agnostic beliefs.

3. “Middlemarch” is considered one of the greatest novels in the English language.

4. Eliot’s relationship with George Henry Lewes was socially scandalous because Lewes was married and unable to obtain a divorce.

5. She was one of the first writers to focus on the inner lives of her characters, pioneering psychological realism in novels.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from George Eliot

1. “It is never too late to be what you might have been.”

2. “What do we live for, if it is not to make life less difficult for each other?”

3. “Blessed is the influence of one true, loving human soul on another.”

4. “It is a narrow mind which cannot look at a subject from various points of view.”

5. “The strongest principle of growth lies in human choice.”

Highest Net Worth Achieved

George Eliot’s highest net worth is difficult to quantify exactly, but she was financially successful in her lifetime, with her novels bringing her considerable income and critical acclaim.