The real name of this 19th century British novelist was Mary Anne Evans. Her novels include Silas Marner and Middlemarch. She wrote under what pseudonym?

To ensure her work was judged on its intellectual merit, Mary Anne Evans adopted the male pen name George Eliot. In the mid-19th century, female writers were often dismissed by critics and the public, with their work frequently stereotyped as frivolous romance novels. Evans, already a respected editor and intellectual, wanted her deeply philosophical and realistic novels to be taken seriously and reviewed without the prejudice often directed at women. The pseudonym also helped her separate her fiction from her somewhat scandalous personal life, particularly her long relationship with the married philosopher George Henry Lewes.

The name itself was a personal and practical choice. "George" was a tribute to her beloved partner, George Henry Lewes, who was the first person to encourage her to write fiction. She reportedly chose "Eliot" simply because it was a "good, mouth-filling, easily-pronounced word." The ruse worked, and her early novels were met with great acclaim, sparking intense public curiosity about the identity of this mysterious and brilliant new author. Today, she is remembered by her chosen name as one of the most important voices of the Victorian era.