George Eliot may sound like a male name; however, it’s actually the pen name of a female Victorian author. Mary Anne Evans (a.k.a. George Eliot) was one of the leading authors of the Victorian Era. Even though women authors had started publishing works under their own names, Mary Anne Evans persisted in using a male pseudonym. Her reasons behind doing this are unknown, but there are theories as to the use of a pen name. The first is that she believed the works of female authors were never taken seriously as most women wrote frivolous romances. The second is her want of privacy due to her somewhat unusual life. George Eliot lived for over 20 years with a married man and conducted herself as his wife. Later, after her life partner had died, she married another man who was nearly 20 years her junior. Some people say that she believed her private life would affect the sales of her novels.

       Throughout her career, George Eliot translated several works, wrote poetry, and published seven novels. Her first novel, “Adam Bede”, became a favorite of both Princess Louise and Queen Victoria. In fact, the Queen was so impressed by the beautiful scenes in the novel, that she commissioned an artist to paint a serious of scenes from the book. Queen Victoria became an avid reader of George Eliot’s works and eventually George Eliot was introduced to the Queen in 1877.

       Eliot’s novel “Adam Bede” became one of the most widely read novels of the Victorian Era. She was praised by critics for using a rural setting and writing with a political view. In “Adam Bede” she tells the story of a love triangle played out against the background of infanticide. The trial in the book was met with rave reviews for its realism. All of her subsequent novels became hits as well.

       Today, George Eliot novels are read in high school and college courses throughout multiple nations. Each of her novels has been developed for film or television.