Before the 19th Century, the profession of author was dominated by men. George Eliot, born Mary Anne Evans, created a male pen name in order to gain more respect for her work throughout England. She dealt with loneliness as a young adult. Mary’s parents were not very caring toward her in her early years. Her mother was very ill and died when Mary was 17, and her father and brother rejected her when she returned from school. Feeling very isolated, Mary turned to reading extensively. She focused on revolutionary books that challenged conventional religious beliefs, and she even quit attending church for a period of time. (Grenier, 2003)
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Her extensive reading helped her develop a personal philosophy that inspired much of her writing. At the age of 31, she moved in with a publisher named John Chapman and worked as an editor. Mary’s work as an editor was praised, and she eventually replaced John Chapman as editor of his publication. Sometimes she did not receive credit because Chapman did not believe the audience would value a female editor. Her spouse George Henry Lewes was also a publisher. He helped George Eliot rise to fame as an author by working to create the pen name George Eliot. Without his assistance, she would not have found an editor for her books. Lewes encouraged George Eliot to expand her writing from critical essays into the poetry and fictional novel genres. Most of her well-known novels and poetry were written from 1860 to 1880 (Grenier, 2003)
Her earlier works consisted mainly of articles, especially those critical of different religions and ideas. Her later novels depicted commonplace people of England and struggles they faced while growing up in this society, as well as the divide between those with authority and those not in power. Many of Eliot’s novels also featured issues faced by women in 19th century England, especially those involving love and marriage, and how women used strong communication to settle these difficulties. She frequently used problems she experienced while growing up as themes in her writing.
George Eliot blazed the trail for female writers in a male dominated profession so that one day, women would not need to hide under a pen name to be legitimized as authors. Eliot represented a revolutionary change in literature by bucking the trend of a male-dominated industry. It was her work that helped spark the acceptance and pervasiveness of future female authors.
For more information about George Eliot and her writings, visit this website.
References:
Grenier, C. (2003, October). Passion and Ideas: A Profile of George Eliot. World and I, 18(10), 250. Retrieved April 2, 2014.
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