life and work
What was George Eliot’s real name and where was she born?
real name was Mary Ann Evans, and she was born in Arbury, Warwickshire.
What is Middlemarch and how is it structured?
Middlemarch is a very long novel divided into eight books
What is the main theme of the novel?
The main theme is the relationship between the individual and the environment in which he or she lives.
What experiences influenced her break with formal religion?
Her contact with intellectual circles in Coventry and her friendship with the Bray family
Who is Dorothea Brooke ?
Dorothea Brooke is a rich young country lady living in Middlemarch with her uncle
Does the narrator talk to the reader?
Yes, the narrator directly addresses the reader using questions and observations.
Why did Mary Ann Evans choose the male pen name “George Eliot”?
She chose George because it was the name of George Henry Lewes, and Eliot because it was easy to pronounce
Why does Dorothea decide to marry Reverend Casaubon, and what does she later realise?
he marries Casaubon because of her intellectual ambitions, but she realises that the marriage is a mistake, even though she decides not to leave him.
Is Eliot’s "religion of humanity" about God?
No, it is about love and duty to other people.
Which writers influenced George Eliot’s style?
She was influenced by Jane Austen, Walter Scott, Fielding, and Thackeray.
What makes George Eliot's narrative technique in Middlemarch innovative?
George Eliot made Middlemarch innovative by focusing on the inner thoughts and psychology of the characters rather than just on the plot
What moral philosophy replaces Christianity in George Eliot’s view?
After rejecting Christianity, Eliot developed a religion of humanity based on love and duty to others, rather than duty to God.