The Common Reader

Clare Carlisle: George Eliot's Double Life.

Apr 27, 2025
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INSIGHT

George Eliot's Feminist Complexity

  • George Eliot is not a disappointing feminist when judged by her 19th-century context. - She critiques patriarchy and explores nuanced power dynamics between men and women in her novels.
INSIGHT

Complex Nature of Eliot and Lewes' Marriage

  • George Henry Lewes was both supportive and controlling in his relationship with George Eliot. - The relationship had light and dark ambiguities with gendered power struggles and personal vulnerabilities.
INSIGHT

Spinoza's Ethical Influence on Eliot

  • George Eliot's creativity flourished through her partnership with Lewes, who opened literary doors for her. - Spinoza influenced Eliot's ethical vision emphasizing interconnectedness and the idea that individualism is constituted by relations.
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