The Scandalous George Eliot
George Eliot was an English novelist, journalist and translator and one of the leading writers of the 19th Century Victorian era. He was particularly famous for writing the popular novel Middlemarch among many other works.
Victorian society had a strong focus on work ethic, family values, religious observation and faith in the monarchy and government. People were encouraged in hard work, respectability, social deference and religious conformity. British society at the time was somber, conservative, and its people very much set in their ways.
However, there were a few rebels in the Victorian era, with George Eliot being one of them.
Eliot’s real persona was actually a woman called Marian Evans. She adopted the pen-name “George Eliot” because, although there were female authors in her time, Marian felt that they were never taken seriously outside the writing of light-hearted romance novels.
In her day, women were always expected to be married however, the young Marian Evans was said to be lacking in physical beauty (and as a result, unlikely to find a husband to support her) and so her father invested in her education, which not many females were afforded at that time.
She grew up to be a lover of books and would educate herself on Greek mythology, philosophy, literature and also taught herself how to read and write in foreign languages. Marian Evans was definitely not the stereotypical Victorian female.
Later in life, she even rejected her Christian faith. Her father strongly disapproved of this and as she was very close to her father, she kept up her church attendance and remained with him until his death.
By Victorian standards, Marian Evans led an “improper” and scandalous life. She was well educated, inquisitive, she questioned the validity of the Christian faith and later in life she met and moved in with a married man, George Henry Lewes.
In the Victorian era, it wasn’t unusual for men and women to have affairs, but such affairs were discreet. The fact that Evans’ affair with Lewes was so open provided much scandal – Marian Evans would even refer to George Lewes as her husband and use “Lewes” as her own surname, even though they were never married!
The aspects of a society that tried so hard to influence Marian in her life – especially the prejudices of society – were recycled into her novels as George Eliot; she wrote about it all. It’s even said that Queen Victoria herself was a fan of Eliot’s work – so fantastic, so talented! I love people who live their lives the way they feel they have to and not by what is dictated to them by society. The strength to live as you are and not as society dictates has been a passionate thought of mine since I was a child. I used to think, as a child, “I am not going to do what everybody says will make me happy, because it won’t – it only serves to make them happy.”
I’ve always admired people who just try to be who they are. Sometimes they get criticized or lots of slack, but they have to be true to themselves. We cannot live our lives to the views of others always can we, I couldn’t. Even if you lived your life according to what others want of you, you would still be criticized..by who? Yourself. Yes, deep in your heart you would be unhappy. I am not saying we should be radical or harmful in order to be different, just true to ourselves…I have realized that over time….I may not please everyone all the time, but I have to do the best I can with what I know and continue to learn.
I love Marian Evans’ story so much. She was scandalous not because she wanted to be, but because she felt she had to just live her own life the way she wanted to and that was something society couldn’t accept – too bad for them and good for her!
It’s very interesting how passionate Marian Evans was about what she loved. I have posted a very interesting six-part biography of her life – such an extraordinary life that shocked Victorian sensibility (whatever that was). Please watch the biography and enjoy the story of one of English literature’s finest and liveliest contributors.
Tsem Rinpoche
Part 1
Or view the video on the server at:
https://video.tsemtulku.com/videos/GeorgeEliotAscandalouslife1.mp4
Part 2
Or view the video on the server at:
https://video.tsemtulku.com/videos/GeorgeEliotAscandalouslife2.mp4
Part 3
Or view the video on the server at:
https://video.tsemtulku.com/videos/GeorgeEliotAscandalouslife3.mp4
Part 4
Or view the video on the server at:
https://video.tsemtulku.com/videos/GeorgeEliotAscandalouslife4.mp4
Part 5
Or view the video on the server at:
https://video.tsemtulku.com/videos/GeorgeEliotAscandalouslife5.mp4
Part 6
Or view the video on the server at:
https://video.tsemtulku.com/videos/GeorgeEliotAscandalouslife6.mp4
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Marian known by her pen name George Eliot, was one extraordinary woman of the of the 19th century. As an English novelist, poet, journalist, translator and she was a special woman who goes all the way to do what she believed and not what people believed. The British society was very conservative during the 17 centuries at that time.
She has adulterous relationship with a married man George Henry Lewes. And she did what she thinks is right and nor bother of what people think of her.
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing this wonderful post .
At that time, women seem to be very well behaved. Women do not have much of educations. They only need to have a pretty face, behaved very femininely and well mannered. I think Marian had a good karma of being born not so pretty. Hence she was sent to study and became a writer. She’s so knowledgeable that all men actually fancy with her. It’s her confidence about whatever you did. She’s reaching out to the world by her own believe. What she did was not right or wrong but her way of approaching is very
Her behavior so call scandalous finally became a great woman in many people’s eyes. People who behaved well were those actually talking bad and gossiping away at the back of her. Knowledge and education is very important for a woman. Go and do what we think is right no matter how they talk about you. Take responsibilities and find self worth for yourself.
Thank you Rinpoche.
“Middlemarch” is one of my all-time favourite classic novels and I remembered very well how fascinated I was with the book… and later when I found out that its author “George Eliot” is actually a woman, I was totally amased, filled with admiration and respect. However I didn’t know much about her life… so this post really opens my eyes of her boldness and courage to live the life she wants… imagine the challenges she have to endure as a woman in her era… how brave!
Marian Evans/ George Eliot is indeed a fascinating look at an intriguing person who was definitely ahead of her time. She was headstrong, intelligent and saw her men as equals during the time when women were constricted by corsets and society. She embodies an individuality and transcends social and gender norms in the way that is reminiscent of Vajrayogini transcending ordinary existence. What a great woman and hints of Vajrayogini-like individuality and transcendence.