Eliot, George

A pseudonym of Mary Ann Evans, a British author, born in Warwickshire. Her father was a steward at a large estate, something which gave her a glimpse of social life in the countryside. She had a narrow-minded religious upbringing, but developed in an increasingly radical direction with influences above all from German philosophers. Through her own efforts Eliot acquired a wide reading experience and an extensive knowledge of languages. Before her literary breakthrough she worked as an editor and critic at the reputable Westminster Review. For twenty-five years George Eliot defied public opinion by living in a common-law marriage with the philosopher and literary critic G.H. Lewes.