Romola

Novelist's Biography:​

George Eliot was the pen name of Mary Ann Evans, an English novelist, poet, and journalist born in 1819 in Warwickshire, England. She was one of the leading writers of the Victorian era and is best known for her novels such as "Middlemarch," "The Mill on the Floss," and "Silas Marner."

After being educated at home and at boarding school, Evans moved to London in her early twenties to become a writer and editor. She worked for various publications and eventually became the assistant editor of the Westminster Review. It was during this time that she began writing fiction under the pseudonym "George Eliot," which she adopted as a way to avoid the prejudice against female authors.

Eliot's first novel, "Adam Bede," was published in 1859 and was an immediate success. She went on to write several other novels, including "The Mill on the Floss" and "Silas Marner," both of which were published in 1860. Her most famous work, "Middlemarch," was published in 1871-1872 and is considered a masterpiece of Victorian literature.

Throughout her career, Eliot wrote about social issues such as class, gender, and religion. She also explored the inner lives of her characters in great detail, creating complex and nuanced portrayals of human behavior. Eliot was highly regarded by her contemporaries, including fellow writers such as Charles Dickens and Thomas Hardy.

Eliot lived with her partner, George Henry Lewes, for over 20 years, despite the fact that he was still legally married to another woman. After Lewes's death in 1878, Eliot married John Walter Cross, a friend of Lewes's, but died only seven months later in December of that same year. Her work continues to be widely read and admired today.

Synopsis:

"Romola" is a historical novel by George Eliot, published in 1862-1863. Set in Florence, Italy in the late 15th century, the novel follows the life of the titular character, Romola de' Bardi, the daughter of a wealthy scholar and politician.
Romola is intelligent and independent, but is forced into marriage with Tito Melema, a handsome and charming man who proves to be deceitful and selfish. Meanwhile, Florence is in political turmoil, with the powerful Medici family vying for control and the religious reformer Girolamo Savonarola preaching against corruption and decadence.

As Romola comes to realize the truth about her husband, she becomes increasingly disillusioned with him and their marriage. She also becomes involved in the political and religious conflicts of the city, eventually joining Savonarola's movement and risking her own safety to support his cause.

Throughout the novel, Eliot explores themes such as the nature of love, the struggle for power, and the conflict between individual conscience and societal expectations. "Romola" is also notable for its detailed and vivid depiction of Renaissance Florence, with its art, politics, and religious upheaval.

In the end, Romola's marriage falls apart and she becomes a nun, finding solace and purpose in her faith. The novel ends with the death of Savonarola and the triumph of the Medici family, leaving Romola and her fellow reformers to contemplate the uncertain future of their city and their ideals.