Middlemarch | Historical Background

Mary Ann Evans Lewes Cross lived in a time of new and revolutionary ideas. Raised with Evangelical piety under the influence of the principal governess, Maria Lewis, at Mrs. Wallington's School between 1828 and 1832, she was also influenced by Charles Bray, her neighbor in Coventry. He was a self-taught Freethinker (agnostic or one who doesn't know if God exists), and campaigned for radical causes. At the Brays' home, she was exposed to political ideology at variance with her father's Toryism, in addition to different religious views. Bray's extended family read Greek and German with Ms....

[The entire page is 371 words long]

Join eNotes

The above is a free excerpt. Get total access to this content with the:

eNotes Pass

Summary and Analysis – Themes – Characters – And much more...