"Mill on the Floss" by George Eliot

George Eliot

   The first thing to realize about "Mill on the Floss", is that the author, George Eliot, is not a man.  It is the pen name of Mary Ann Evans (1819-1880).  She was extremely bright and well- educated and lived an unconventional life.  She studied many religious philosophies, but lived by her own ideals.
  At age 32, she met George Lewes and, although he was already in an open marriage with another woman, they moved in together.  Affairs were common at that time, but mostly carried on 'with discretion'.  However, Mary Ann and George did not hide their relationship. They were eventually accepted into polite society.  In 1877, they were introduced to Queen Victoria's daughter, Princess Louise.  
  When Mary Ann's partner George died in 1878, she met John Walter Cross, whom she married in May of 1880.  This relationship was not accepted well because he was 20 years younger than her.  However, she only lived until December of that year.  She was buried in Highgate Cemetery in the area reserved for societal outcasts, religious dissenters and agnostics, beside the love of her life, George Henry Lewes.
  I had previously read only one book by George Eliot- "Middlemarch".   It was the first book that I read for a book club- 21 years ago!  It was LONG (880 pages), but I loved it! I thought the characters were enjoyable and it was a great picture of England in the 1800's.  I immediately realized that she was a great writer!
  I will write about "Mill on the Floss" in my next blog.