George Eliot
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Who was George Eliot? Novelist.

Date and Place of Birth: Born Mary Ann Evans on 22nd November 1819, Arbury Hall Farm, Chilvers Coton, Warwickshire, England.

Family Background: Daughter of an estate worker.

Education: Mrs. Wallington's School, Nuneaton, Warwickshire. Misses Franklin's School.

Chronology:

1836: Death of her mother.

1840: publishes her first poem in the "Christian Observer".

1841: Moves to Bird Grove. Foleshill near Coventry with her father.

1842: Translates parts of the "Tractatus Theologico Politicus" by Spinoza.

1843: Begins studying Greek.

1844: Translates Strauss's "Das Leben Jesu". Begins to study Hebrew.

1849: (June) Death of her father. Travels to Geneva, Switzerland with the Bray family.

1851: Writes an article for the "Westminster Review" about Mackay's "Progress of the Intellect".

1852: First publication of the "Westminster Review" under her Editorship.

1853: Moves to live in her own lodgings.

1854: (July) Leaves with George Henry Lewes for Weimar in Germany. (3rd November) Begins translating Spinoza's "Ethics".

1856: (February) after finishing Spinoza she begins writing "The Sad Fortunes of Rev. Amos Barton".

1857: Writes "Scenes of Clerical Life" for Blackwood's Magazine under the pseudonym George Eliot.

1859: "Adam Bede" published by Blackwoods in three volumes. Second edition and second impression follow on swiftly.

1860: Tours Italy with Lewes. Publishes "The Mill on the Floss".

1861: Publication of "Silas Marner".

1862: "Romala" begins its serialisation in "Cornhill Magazine".

1864: Tours Italy once more. Begins to learn Spanish.

1865: Holidays in Paris and Brittany.

1866: "Felix Holt" published by Blackwoods. Tours Holland, Belgium Germany and Spain.

1867: Travels with Lewes to Germany.

1868: Travels with Lewes to Germany and Switzerland. Publishes "The Spanish Gyspy".

1869: Travels to Italy with Lewes and meets John Walter Cross in Rome during April. (August) Begins writing "Middlemarch".

1871: "Middlemarch" is published in eight monthly parts by Blackwoods.

1872: Visits Germany with Lewes and is ill.

1873: Holiday in France and Germany.

1876: "Daniel Deronda" published in eight monthly parts. Travels to France and Switzerland with Lewes. (December) Buys the Heights at Witley with Lewes.

1878: (22nd December) Death of George Lewes.

1879: (October) John Blackwood dies.

1880: (3rd December) Moves to 4 Cheyne Walk.

Written Works:

  • 1846: "Strauss's Life of Jesus".
  • 1858: "Scenes of Clerical Life".
  • 1859: "Adam Bede".  "The Lifted Veil".
  • 1860: "The Mill on the Floss".
  • 1861: "Silas Marner".
  • 1863: "Romola".
  • 1866: "Felix Holt".
  • 1868: "The Spanish Gypsy".
  • 1869: "Agatha".
  • 1871: "Middlemarch".
  • 1874: "The Legend of Jubal".
  • 1876: "Daniel Deronda".
  • 1879: "Thophrastus Such".
  • (1884): "Essays and Leaves from Notebooks".

Marriage: To John Cross on 6th May 1880 at St. George's Hannover Square, London.

Places of Interest:

WARWICKSHIRE:

Nuneaton Museum and Art Gallery, Riversley Park, Coton Road, Nuneaton, CV11 5TU..

Date and Place of Death: 22nd December 1880, London, England.

Age at Death: 61.

Site of Grave: Highgate “new” Cemetery, Highgate, London, England.