GEORGE ELIOT

Real name Mary Ann Evans (1819-1880). English writer. Borrowed from the philosophy of positivism, the idea of a gradual evolution of society and harmony classes. Author of the novels "The Mill on the Floss (1860)," Silas Marner "(1861)," Middlemarch "(1871-1872).

Under the pseudonym concealed the woman and the woman a new type of truly delivers the emancipated woman of the XIX century. Eliot was a feminist at the most radical form, and George Sand, in comparison with her, it seems only a romantically-minded dreamer. At first acquaintance with the works of Eliot, it seems that hardly anyone from the English writers differed so sharply pronounced masculine features like this novelist. But later you realize - it's impossible to hide the wolf's teeth under the guise of a hare, so do not upryachesh a positive philosophy and harsh judgments of female nature. And the more you will "keep away" rigidity and rationalism, the clearer it will human weakness of the author.

However, it is undeniable that Eliot - the most educated English novelist of the XIX century, and in this respect superior and Dickens and Thackeray. Artistic merit of her works can be challenged, but powerful analytical mind Eliot no doubt.

Mary Ann Evans was from a poor but very respectable bourgeois English family, where the tradition was honored scrupulously. Her father was a jack of all trades - he worked in other people's estates manager, manage the farm itself, knew the details of all agricultural work. Mary was the favorite of his father - Mr. Evans saw showed early man, deep mind daughter. Here are just good looks nature gave her unattractive. "A small slender figure with disproportionately large, heavy head and mouth with huge, protruding" British "teeth, nose, although correct, beautiful shape, but too massive for the women's faces, some old-fashioned, strange hair, black dress made of light translucent tissue, the outstanding leanness and angularity of neck and sharply put up a painful form of yellowness of the person .

Photo — «George Eliot»

. . " - A hard-hitting portrait of Eliot gives S. Kovalevskaya, highly tsenivshaya life positions of writer and her work. True, Kovalevskaya met with Eliot in the years when George was already a fifty, and the need to make allowances that the above portrait written by a woman, even smart enough. However, reviews of men on the exterior of Eliot on the general impression differed little from the views of Kowalewski. A great connoisseur of female beauty IS Turgenev remarked that he rarely had to meet such an unattractive woman, which seemed to him an English writer, qualifying that Eliot was the first lady to make him believe in crazy fascination ugly woman.

I must say that the charm of Eliot, in contrast to her mind, matured for a long time. Maximum of 32 years, Mary remained a spinster and lived with his father, earning his bread. She received her ordinary English education in private school, with special emphasis on religious teachings, and has long been out of a zealous puritanku. However, Puritanism has come to naught under the influence, apparently, a purely female rebellion against the loneliness, the existence of poverty and lack of heat.

Mary refused to visit the church, having read books by radical thinkers. Only nine months after the wrath of his father and mother persuaded her pleas for a compromise solution - to accompany Mr Evans to the church. However, with the world she could not accept more. Closed, sensitive to painful to every dissonance, Mary has always lived in her, she published the world. Notorious, painfully going through its own imperfection, she probably never would rise above the fear of falls and mistakes, not to lay down the circumstances of the second half of her life so well.

Nobody knows from what point of reference can be launched success in life. For Mary's run to glory began with the death of old Mr.

Photo — «George Eliot»

Evans. Freedom provided an opportunity to rest completely one overripe girl to find a circle of acquaintances, equal to her level of education and mental demands. After the philosopher Herbert Spencer and the publisher of Chapman, with whom she has established close business contacts, Mary met George Henry Lewis. With this man, our heroine realized that she might like that, and her fate was paid by "piece of the pie" of female happiness.

Not having good looks, Mary, however, mastered more powerful weapons, fight on the spot man's hearts. She knew how to listen, but not as able to dissolve in a partner, "Darling," and as able to listen only to smart women. "The narrator was bad and in general conversation, too few stood out, even rarely took part in it - wrote about Eliot S. Kovalevskaya. - But it is highly mastered the art, so to speak, draw people into the conversation, not only is it on the fly caught and guess thought that the person to whom said, but if prompted them to him, as if unconsciously guided the course of his thoughts. "I never feel so clever and profound, as during a conversation with George Eliot," - said to me once one our common friend . . . " Well what man can resist the opportunity to feel the genius of thought? "It turns out that the first feminists did not set themselves to destroy the moral man. " Anyway, the admiration for Lewis's girlfriend gave Mary confidence and contributed to her decision to start writing.

Top dating Mary and Lewis last was one of the leaders of English positivism, and although his main work - The Physiology of Everyday Life (1859-1860) - have not yet been written, Lewis enjoyed a reputation in the literary and scientific circles. The complexity of their relationship was that Lewis was married and had three sons, which, of course, made the marriage with Mary's favorite impossible.

Photo — «George Eliot»

In 1853, when our heroine was openly living with Lewis, all relatives Evans turned away from her. However, Mary ignored the even anger her beloved brother, Isaac. She soon perceived indifference inflicted by her vanity small injections, when, already a famous writer, it did not take into secular stores and when she eschewed familiar with their wives and daughters, even those who thought highly of the talent Eliot.

But in the face of Mary Lewis has found a reliable friend, just to reveal her talent. Testaments of the identity of the Lewis and even of his appearance so contradictory that you would think if we are talking about different people. What is clear is that this man was an outstanding, very sociable and charming. Many say that he was the complete opposite of her friend: cheerful, lively, wonderful storyteller, he gathered people around her with ease, and seemed even a little close to the surface profound, ponderous, Mary. Anyway, that whatever is said about Lewis - his happy literary fate, but, apparently, and women's well-being, our heroine is obliged her unnamed husband. With his own light hand Mary Evans became George Eliot. This pseudonym writer signed his first artwork in January 1857 - novella "The sad fate of the Honourable Amos Barton. " Perhaps that is not supported Lewis morbid pride of his girlfriend, neither make it conspicuous even from the exaggeration of its merits, would not take place and the triumph of our heroine. So feminism - just a product of good relations to smart women.

Roman, who made the famous Eliot, was published in 1859 and was called "Adam Beede. Critics have compared her book with the works of Dickens and Thackeray, who themselves were delighted by a new writer and together with the other readers can not wait to find out the true name of "the great stranger.

Photo — «George Eliot»

" We must pay tribute to the psychological abilities of Dickens - he on some nuances of guessed that the author of acclaimed works - a woman, but because even the publisher of her books at first did not realize it, getting manuscripts from the hands of Lewis.

But once Lewis invited the publisher to dinner, promising to introduce "a great stranger. " Dinner lasted three very long and the guest expressed his regret that Eliot did not attend, Lewis laughingly introduced puzzled publisher for his wife. Since the first was discovered the author's pseudonym acclaimed novel "Adam Beede. There were impostors who attempted to usurp the name of George Eliot. Mary Ann Evans soon had to write in the Times a letter that reveals the secret of her authorship.

The novel "The Mill on the Floss" (1860) also brought glory to Eliot, which is now increased every time with the release of the new book. Our heroine quickly became famous. She even forgave unusual marriage. Now, many themselves sought acquaintance with her. On the Saturday receptions in her London home can be seen the most prominent writers, philosophers, journalists, British, and visitors, many are not even awarded a conversation with the writer. Soul Society was still Lewis, and Eliot has always sat on the sidelines, in his constant Voltaire chair, protected from the lamp shade wide, and has devoted his talk to only one to some elect.

Eliot position in society is very curious. On the one hand, it violated moral norms, sharing a bed with someone who is not her husband, but still living at his wife. On the other hand, the authority of Eliot as a writer was so undeniable it is in matters of morality, that in England it looked as mentor, teacher of life, Sybil. Queen Victoria herself, famous for strict moral principles, has been zealous admirer Eliot's novels, writer, and recommended his granddaughters.

Photo — «George Eliot»

In 1878, Lewis died. It would seem, Eliot, losing a faithful friend, had to fall into despair, however, several months after the death of her husband, she, despite his advanced age, married a second time. And again, her marriage has shaken the public the British capital. At this time her lover was not married, free, but thirty years, John Walter Cross.

S. Kovalevskaya, looking at the Union Eliot and Lewis found that Mary consorted with his friend without passion, but rather on the calculation. She ushered his conclusions fine psychological background, indicating that their marriage was not reflected in any product Eliot, while every detail immediately exciting writer covered in the pages of her novels. Consequently, reasoned Kovalevskaya, an affair with Lewis Eliot touched souls, and indeed, judging from the works of Mary it was a lot of common sense, logic, and quite a bit - feeling. Alliance with Lewis was probably well-thought-step actions that it has determined that his future life.

With the last lawful husband was all, probably not. Aged Eliot loved this kind, silly handsome. "Is most striking in it . . . brown eyes, simple and devoted, like a big Newfoundland dog, and mouth, which by its delicate shape and nerve inner corner of his lips would rather go to a female face, and somehow even contradicted quite healthy, frank expression throughout the rest of the figures. " Eliot continues to look old woman, do not bother to look molodyascheysya next to "fresh" man, but it did not and were showing the shadow of worry or concern of the opinions of others.

No one knew the true intentions of the young man married a famous writer. He, incidentally, was enough to ensure that the desire to seize the state of Eliot, and our heroine was smart enough and cynical, to promise the young husband of his wealth - it is prudent bequeathed their belongings to children of Lewis from his first marriage, thereby redeeming the blame to them.

Photo — «George Eliot»

Perhaps the Cross truly loved his wife and admired her intelligence, he may decide their internal psychological problems. It is a pity that the later life of famous men, women are not interested in history, and we do not know what fate Cross after the death of Eliot. May be, knowing this, we would have lifted the secrecy of recent years, our heroine.

In many of his novels, Eliot liked to resolve difficult life units in death. So it was in "Mill on the Floss, when Maggie, the heroine dies, sacrificing his love for his cousin. In "Middlemarch," Mr Kazabon dies without waiting for bringing the conflict to its logical conclusion. Death in the works of Eliot became mediatress all problems, which delayed her characters human passions. Once, when this writer was told, she replied: "Have you ever noticed that life is really so, and things happen? I personally can not abandon the belief that death is more logical than usually thought. Once in a life situation becomes too strained when never seen the outcome when the duties, the most sacred, mutually contradict each other, then, is death, suddenly opens up new paths, which nobody thought of before, and reconciles what seemed irreconcilable. How many times has happened already, that the credibility of the death gave me the courage to live. "

Eliot knew what to say . . . She died suddenly, not having time to get bored with her young husband, did not survive its popularity.