The Real George Eliott

The Female Writer Known as George Eliot revisits the life of the groundbreaking nineteenth century novelist on the bicentenary of her birth. Eliot was a writer who explored such important questions as the role of women in society and the education they were allowed to access, religion and the restrictions it could sometimes place on individuals, and the struggle between a person's public and private persona. Her own private life was the cause of much speculation and notoriety. Eliot chose to ignore most of the conventions of Victorian society in order to pursue her own happiness, and her relationship with George Henry Lewes scandalized many members of 'polite' society. Regardless of this, however, she overcame such prejudice and in later life enjoyed the company of some of the greatest thinkers and academics of the time, and this is a testament to her formidable intelligence. The fact that she is still so widely read today, is a sign of the longevity of her skills as a writer. AUTHOR: Lisa Tippings is based in Swansea but was born in the south Wales valleys. She is passionate about social history and in particular the role played by Welsh women in cultural and political developments from the nineteenth century onwards. She has been published widely in education and history magazines and is currently writing her first novel. 32 b/w illustrations