Showing results by author "George Eliot" in All Categories

Praised by Virginia Woolf as one of the only novels "written for grown-up people", Middlemarch is a highly accomplished story, whose characters are involving and intriguing. Dorothea's story interlinks powerfully and tantalisingly with that of Lydgate's, a doctor, who joins her for a some of her journey towards making sense of her role in the world, both as a woman and as an idealist.

Considered one of the great English novels, George Eliot's Middlemarch, A Study of Provincial Life follows myriad characters and their lives in the eponymous town, Middlemarch, in the 1800s. Utilizing a realistic style, Eliot considers issues such as religion, education, and the status of women—to name just a few.

This 1859 novella by George Eliot takes a rather dramatic departure from her usual realistic fiction. Now canonized along with other great works of Victorian horror literature, The Lifted Veil plays with the theme of extrasensory perception. It discusses the power of fate in our everyday lives and even flirts with the possibilities of life after death.

In this volume we examine Gothic short stories from the woman’s point of view. More usually in this genre the main examples are almost always given as male. Well, in this volume we prove that view needs severely testing. Here we explore works by classic women authors who, with the sheer breadth of their talents and narratives, can make mere men seem tame by comparison.

Adam Bede, the inaugural novel by George Eliot—pseudonym of the esteemed Mary Ann Evans—was published in 1859 and has captivated readers ever since. Despite her scholarly acclaim, Evans chose to publish this work under a pen name, allowing her literary voice to resonate with broader audiences. Set in the fictional village of Hayslope in 1799, the novel intricately weaves the lives of four compelling characters caught in a tumultuous love triangle. The story unfolds around the beautiful yet impulsive Hetty Sorrel, her seducer, Captain Arthur Donnithorne, the devoted Adam Bede who loves her ...

The George Eliot Library invites listeners into the quiet company of one of England’s most observant storytellers, where the smallest choices of ordinary lives reveal uncommon depth. Through complete readings of George Eliot’s novels and tales, this podcast lingers among village streets, restless minds, and the tender bonds that shape human character. Unhurried and reflective, it offers a listening experience attuned to sympathy, moral insight, and the enduring beauty of thoughtful prose. A library of voices meant not merely to be heard, but to be understood.

George Eliot, the pen name of Mary Ann Evans, presents a captivating exploration of love and society in her groundbreaking first novel, Adam Bede. Set in a charming rural village in northern England during the late 18th century, the story revolves around a complex love triangle involving the earnest carpenter Adam Bede, the charismatic squire Captain Arthur Donnithorne, and the enchanting Hetty Sorrel. Amidst this romantic tension, the beautiful lay preacher Dinah Morris adds another layer of intrigue. Eliot masterfully crafts a vivid portrayal of everyday life, intricately developing each ...

In Brother Jacob, George Eliot delves into the complex dynamics between the ambitious and self-serving David Faux and his simple-minded brother, Jacob. This poignant short story, narrated by Lynne Thompson, invites listeners to reflect on the nature of ambition and the bonds of brotherhood.

A commentary on guilt, material wealth, community, religion, and more, this novel is a thought provoking yet heartwarming tale. Banished from his church after being falsely accused of theft, Silas Marner becomes a bitter hermit consumed only by the wealth and goods he has been able to attain in exile. After losing everything he loved from his past, he clings now to the materials he has gained since. However, he must suffer through losing those too and instead gain the love of an innocent orphan to find the redemption he didn’t know he needed.

Mary Anne Evans was born on 22nd November 1819, at Nuneaton in Warwickshire, England. Her first major literary work was completing an English translation of Strauss's ‘The Life of Jesus’ in 1846. Under the pseudonym of George Eliot that we know so well, ‘Adam Bede’ was published in 1859, followed by her other great novels: ‘Mill on the Floss’, ‘Silas Marner’ and ‘Middlemarch’. ‘The Lifted Veil’ is a both a beautiful story and typical of Eliot’s formidable powers of writing.

Here, Eliot explores ethical problems inherent in certain strands and styles of Christian evangelical teaching—particularly as displayed in the writings of one Dr. Cumming. While Eliot’s critique is focused on the work of this particular preacher, her insights are enduringly pertinent for those interested in the politics and ethics of religious discourse today. As always, Eliot’s authorial voice is abounding in pathos and concern for contexts of human relationality.

In this essay, originally published anonymously in The Westminster Review (1856), George Eliot examines the state of women’s fiction in her time. She lamentingly argues that absurd and banal novels, written by well-to-do women of her time, do great disservice for the overall appreciation of women’s intellectual capacities within society.

Among the many fatalities attending the bloom of young desire, that of blindly taking to the confectionery line has not, perhaps, been sufficiently considered. How is the son of a British yeoman, who has been fed principally on salt pork and yeast dumplings, to know that there is satiety for the human stomach even in a paradise of glass jars full of sugared almonds and pink lozenges, and that the tedium of life can reach a pitch where plum-buns at discretion cease to offer the slightest excitement.

Reputed as Eliot’s favourite novel "Silas Marner" is set in the early years of the 19th century. Marner, a weaver, is a member of a small congregation in Lantern Yard. Falsely accused of a crime he didn’t commit, he leaves his home and lives a solitary life near the village of Raveloe. Dedicating his life to weaving and hoarding gold for the next fifteen years, circumstances beyond his control shape his destiny and help to restore his faith in humanity.

George Eliot’s 1859 novella, "The Lifted Veil", departs radically from the grounded realism of her longer and better known works, such as "Middlemarch" and "Daniel Deronda". Its tone calls to mind the works of middlebrow Sensationists, like Wilkie Collins ("The Moonstone"), and of some of the better known authors of Victorian era horror writings, such as Bram Stoker ("Dracula") and Mary Shelley ("Frankenstein"). Eliot here explores mystical themes, considering the world of phenomena which are felt but not seen.

Latimer is convinced that he has a special power. According to him, he can see into the future and he can also read people's mind. Actually everybody’s but one; his brother’s wife Bertha's mind remains closed to him. Although he marries her after his brother’s death, he still cannot manage to read her thoughts. What he realizes however is that Bertha is manipulative and her heart is not pure.

L'action se situe dans les premières années du XIXe siècle. Silas Marner, tisserand, fait partie d'une petite congrégation calviniste à Lantern Yard, dans un faubourg déshérité d'une ville du nord de l'Angleterre. Il est accusé à tort d'avoir volé l'argent de la congrégation pendant qu'il veillait le diacre, gravement malade. Deux indices accusent Silas : un couteau de poche, et la découverte à son domicile du sac ayant contenu l'argent.

Being an exceptionally learned parent is a vital responsibility in building a stable family. While it is true that new parents would suddenly develop a fatherly or motherly instinct right after the birth of their first child, it is not always right to let everything rely purely on instincts alone. There is such a thing as smart parenting, and it is supposed to be understood and internalized. This book provides 49 tips and advice to help you navigate the world of parenthood.

Silas Marner: The Weaver of Raveloe (1861) is the third novel by George Eliot. Set in the early years of the 19th century, it seems at first to be only a simple story about the weaver Silas Marner. However, the complex plot and wide cast of characters soon reveal its scope and realism.

The Lifted Veil is a novella by George Eliot, first published in 1859. Quite unlike the realistic fiction for which Eliot is best known, The Lifted Veil explores themes of extrasensory perception, the essence of physical life, possible life after death, and the power of fate. This book has been carefully adapted into modern English to allow for easy listening. Enjoy!