George Eliot, The Poetry

By George Eliot

Mary Anne Evans was born in 1819. Her Father did not consider her a great beauty and thought her chances of marriage were slim. He therefore invested in her education. By 1850 she had moved to London to work at the Westminster Review where she published many articles and essays. Her view on literature had taken some time to coalescence but with the publication of parts of “Scenes From A Clerical Life” in 1858 she knew she wanted to be a novelist and as her 1856 titled essay “Silly Novels by Lady Novelists" stated not a ‘silly woman’s one at that. Success of course meant that her real name came out but it seemed not to affect how the public devoured her novels. Here, we look with a keen eye at her poetry. Although slim in number she is able to take a situation, scene or thought and bring us into its world with undeniable care. Many of these titles are on our audiobook version which can be purchased from iTunes, Amazon and other digital stores.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Copyright Group
• Release date: Sep 24, 2013
• ISBN: 9781780005546

George Eliot

George Eliot (1819–1880), born Mary Ann Evans, was an English writer best known for her poetry and novels. She grew up in a conservative environment where she received a Christian education. An avid reader, Eliot expanded her horizons on religion, science and free thinkers. Her earliest writings included an anonymous English translation of The Life of Jesus in 1846 before embracing a career as a fiction writer. Some of her most notable works include Adam Bede (1859), The Mill on the Floss(1860) and Silas Marner.

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George Eliot, The Poetry

 Poetry is a fascinating use of language.  With almost a million words at its command it is not surprising that these Isles have produced some of the most beautiful, moving and descriptive verse through the centuries. In this series we look at individual poets who have shaped and influenced their craft and cement their place in our heritage.  In this volume we look at the works of the Victorian Authoress and Poet George Eliot.

Mary Anne Evans was born in 1819.  Her Father did not consider her a great beauty and thought her chances of marriage were slim.  He therefore invested in her education and by the time she was 16 she had boarded at several schools acquiring a good education.  With the death of her mother in 1835 she returned home to keep house for her father and siblings.  By 1850 she had moved to London to work at the Westminster Review where she published many articles and essays.  The following year Mary Anne or Marian, as she liked to be called, had met George Henry Lewes, and in 1854 they moved in together; a somewhat scandalous situation as he was already married albeit with complications.   Her view on literature had taken some time to coalescence but with the publication of parts of Scenes From A Clerical Life in 1858  she knew she wanted to be a novelist and as her 1856 titled essay Silly Novels by Lady Novelists stated not a ‘silly woman’s one at that.  Under the pseudonym of George Eliot that we know so well Adam Bede followed in 1859 followed by the other great novels of English literature Mill On The Floss, Silas Marner and Middlemarch.       

Success of course meant that her real name came out but it seemed not to affect how the public devoured her novels.   Here, we look with a keen eye at her poetry.  Although slim in number she is able to take a situation, scene or thought and bring us into its world with undeniable care.   

Many of the poems are also available as an audiobook from our sister company Portable Poetry.  Many samples are at our youtube channel   http://www.youtube.com/user/PortablePoetry?feature=mhee   The full volume can be purchased from iTunes, Amazon and other digital stores.  Among our readers are Richard Mitchley and Ghizela Rowe

Index Of Poems

Mother And Poet

Nature's Lady

To A Skylark

Mid My Gold-Brown Curls

Brother And Sister

How Lisa Loved the King

How They Brought The Good News From Ghent To Aix

Blue Wings

Bright, O Bright Fedalma!

Came A Pretty Maid

Count That Day Lost

Day Is Dying

Good Needs Antonio

I Grant You Ample Leave

The Radiant Dark

In A London Drawing Room

Roses

The Choir Invisible

Sweet Evenings Come And Go Love

The World Is Great

Sweet Springtime

Ay De Mi

Two Lovers

Mother And Poet

Dead! one of them shot by the sea in the east,

And one of them shot in the west by the sea.

Dead! both my boys! When you sit at the feast

And are wanting a great song for Italy free,

Let none look at me!

Yet I was a poetess only last year,

And good at my art for a woman, men said,

But this woman, this, who is agonized here,

The east sea and west sea rhyme on in her head

Forever instead.

What art can woman be