Hints of Same-Sex Attraction and Transgender Traits in George Eliot’s Characters

Abstract

Some critics suggest that some of George Eliot’s characters—both men and women—are attracted to individuals of the same sex, and scenes critics cite tend to be the scenes in which the characters involved are most clearly living out the principles which define her moral philosophy. What are moral transgressions for George Eliot—who made it clear that in her opinion no one moral principle applies in every case—that each situation has a “right” and a “wrong” of its own? In Eliot’s moral philosophy, two basic principles consist of Solidarity or sympathetic understanding and Continuity which involves both an appreciation of the past and leaving a legacy for posterity. Yet, the examples of same-sex couples are at opposite ends of Eliot’s moral spectrum. Critics ascribe same-sex relationships to her most morally depraved and to her most morally mature characters.