The History and Literary Context of Silas Marner Essay -- English Lite

The History and Literary Context of Silas MarnerSilas Marner was written in 1860 by Mary Ann (Marian) Evans, betterknown under the pen name of George Eliot. She used this name forseveral reasons for one, shed had affairs with a variety ofunsuitable men, which was greatly frowned upon in those days, and sherightly thought this could affect her career as a successful novelist.For another reason, women authors were looked down upon by critics andindeed, society, so she felt sure she would have a greater chance ofsuccess under a male name. Other women writers like the Bront sistershave done similar things.Whilst she was young she was a firm Christian, as was expected. It wasonly later that she began to question her faith, when she met theunconventional Charles Bray and his wife Caroline. Eliots father washorrified when he discovered this, having an evangelical outlook onlife. He bust contact with Eliot entirely, ashamed that one of hischildren should turn out to be a non-believer. Howev er, when hermother died in 1836, Eliot returned home to look after her fatheralthough she wouldnt give up her education and learnt German andItalian.Because of her linguistic skills, Eliots first publication was atranslation of Strauss Life of Jesus, under her real name. She stillwas not writing novels until she met George Lewes. Lewes was marriedand with children, scarce he and Eliot grew gradually closer until theyfinally decided to elope. As Lewes was already married, he and Eliotcould not be officially joined in matrimony, but they lived togetherlike man and wife, and Eliot even went under the name Lewes. Theirrelationship was censured by many, and Eliot hardly left the house,be orgasm... ..., and soon many peoplefrom all over Raveloe were coming to Silas to have him cure theirrheumatism and other ailments, adding more darkly that if you couldonly speak the devil fair enough, he Silas might save you the costof the doctor. So witchcraft was still in peoples minds. Drugs wereal so used in that time, and Godfrey Casss wife, Molly, was addictedto opium, the drug which finally killed her.The life that George Eliot was depicting in Silas Marner was one inwhich privation and wealth lived side by side, and people accepted thatthat was how things were. Religion was very important to all, whetherit was non-conformist or Anglican. By the time George Eliot wroteSilas Marner she had lost her Christian faith, and this could have excite her to write about somebody who also loses their faithalthough, unlike George Eliot, Silas regains his.