This document provides information about Victorian author George Eliot and her status as a feminist. It discusses how Eliot challenged the male domination and patriarchy of her era by portraying strong female characters in her novels. Her most famous work, Middlemarch, is described as representing her struggle between idealism and realism. While some critics were negative about certain aspects of the novel, others saw Eliot and her protagonist Dorothea as symbols of feminism and challenging the typical roles expected of women during the Victorian period through rational thinking and education.

1. Victorian Literature
Prepared by payal chudasama
Department of English
Study: M.A. Sem:2
Batch: 2019 - 20
Paper no: 6
Topic :George Eliot as feminist.
Roll no: 17
Enrollment no: 20691084202000005
Email I’d:
chudasmapayal1997@gmail.com
Submitted by:Maharaja Krishna
kumarshihaji bhavnagar University

3. Religious
Rational
thinking
Feminis
m
Political
Quality

4. ☆Brief introduction
about George Eliot:
● Marry Anne Evans her pan name.
●Marry Anne Evans was one of the
renowned novelists of theVictorian
era.
●“ MiddleMarch” her famous novel.
●Eliot’s life was full of rebelions .
● she struggle between realism and
idealism.
●she desired to compete with the
male’s writers.

5. ☆ George Eliot as a feminist:
■ During theVictorian age the females were considered to be
inferior to man and thus there. Existed discrimination regarding
the status of women in English society. In every sphere and
field the existing domiriation of men.
■ Virginia Woolf quotes were: “The Angel of the House .”The
women education was never taken seriously.
■ However, George Eliot could be considered to be the one
these feminists who challenged the male - dominantion and
norm of patriarchy in her age and upheld the status of woman in
the society.

6. ☆ MiddleMarch:The masterpiece of
Eliot:
■ The MiddleMarch considered as her masterpiece that represents
her struggle between idealism and realism.
■ The novel achieved fame after her death and its Popularity even
faded away till today.
■ Virginia woolf called MiddleMarch “ one of the few English
novels written for grown – up people .”
■ But we also find some negative review of the novel. e.g.
Dorathea in MiddleMarch cannot achieve the status of saint
Theresa at the time which Eliot’s characters live is not suitable
for them.

7. Continue……
■ Some critics like Zelda Austen go to the extent of saying that “
Dorothea is not lesss heroine then SaintTheresa and Antigone
but also George Eliot herself.
☆ Conclusion:
inshort, Dorothea represents many of idea. She is good woman.
But she is also symbol of feminism. Feminism is connected with
culture. And retion think is more important in feminism.

8. ☆Reference:
☆Wekipidia
☆ sparknotes