Critical Miscellanies (Vol. 3 of 3), Essay 4: The Life of George Eliot

"Critical Miscellanies (Vol. 3 of 3), Essay 4: The Life of George Eliot" by John Morley is a biography that explores the life of George Eliot, also known as Mary Ann Evans, and her impact on the literary landscape of the 19th century. This book, written in the early 1900s, examines the period from 1856 to 1876, highlighting Eliot’s intellectual and artistic growth as a novelist. Morley uses Eliot's personal writings to showcase her as both a sharp intellect and an individual grappling with moral questions and societal expectations. With special attention to her unconventional relationship with George Henry Lewes, the book reflects on how she challenged and redefined Victorian literary culture, focusing on her triumphs, setbacks, and lasting influence as a writer and a woman, and placing her story within the historical context of the time.