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Mary Anne Evans was born on 22 November 1819 at South Farm, Arbury Hall near Nuneaton, Warwickshire. Her parents were Robert Evans, manager of Arbury Hall, and Christina Evans. She had four siblings: Robert, Fanny, Chrissy, and Isaac. Mary was always seen as a serious child with unrestricted access to books, quickly becoming an avid admirer of literature. She had a particular fondness for Greek literature and often incorporated elements of Greek tragedy into her writings. Her works were also strongly influenced by social issues and religion, likely shaped by the Baptist education she received later.
Mary Anne attended Miss Latham's boarding school, followed by Mrs. Wallington's Boarding School in Nuneaton in 1828. There, she met Maria Lewis, the school's governess, who held strong evangelical beliefs. Mary Anne then transferred to Miss Franklin's school in Coventry, where she expanded her literary knowledge and studied French and piano.
After her mother’s death in 1838, Mary left school to return home to her father but continued her education with private tutors, funded by him, including lessons in Italian and German.
Later, Mary and her father moved to Foleshill, where she encountered many intellectuals and thinkers who likely influenced her later work. She ceased attending church, which strained her relationship with her father and her friendship with Maria Lewis. In 1844, she began translating "Das Leben Jesu," a German work by theologian David Strauss (1808–1874).
Following her father's death, she traveled to Switzerland with the Brays, friends of hers, for a change of scenery. In 1850, she moved to London and befriended John Chapman, a publisher and bookseller. In 1851, Chapman purchased the Westminster Review and hired Mary Anne, who was then using the name Marian Evans, as editor. Under her leadership, the journal flourished.
Marian met George Lewes, and they became close. Although George was still legally married to Agnes Jervis, whose marriage had effectively ended, he and Mary began a relationship. They started living together in 1854, but their unconventional arrangement led to social ostracism in London.
In 1856, she published "Scenes of Clerical Life" under the male pen name George Eliot, believing it would lend her work more respect. Her 1859 novel "Adam Bede" was a great success. By the time "The Mill on the Floss" was published, her true identity was known, but the book was still well received.
She went on to publish other notable works, including "Silas Marner" (1861) and "Romola" (1863). It took three more years before "Felix Holt, the Radical" was released. With the publication of "Middlemarch" (1871–1872), her fame and wealth grew. Unfortunately, she suffered from severe kidney stone pain. Her final novel, "Daniel Deronda," was published in 1876.
After George Lewes's death in 1878, Mary Anne was left alone. In 1880, she married John Cross, a close friend of both herself and George. However, she passed away seven months after their marriage.
