George+Meredith

In his lifetime, George Meredith was married twice, and both of his marriages seem to have influenced the way that he represented women, love and marriage in his writing.

George Meredith met Mary Ellen Nicholls (née Peacock) in 1846. Mary Ellen was the daughter of writer Thomas Love Peacock and the sister of Edward (Ned) Gryffyd Peacock, a friend and colleague of George Meredith. Mary Ellen was previously married to Captain Edward Nicholls Jr. who drowned only months after they were married in 1844. At the time, she was twenty-three and pregnant with their daughter Edith. When she met Meredith, she was twenty-five and he eighteen. Meredith, Nicholls, Ned Peacock and others collaborated to publish //Monthly Observer,// a literary magazine (Ellis, 58).
 * Mary Ellen Nicholls**

George and Mary Ellen married on August 9, 1849. Mary Ellen gave birth to their first and only child, Arthur, on June 11, 1853 (Ellis, 60). Overall, George and Mary Ellen's marriage was an unhappy one. Although they were both intelligent, educated, well-read individuals, they were also both high strung and easy to anger. This period was relatively early in George's writing career, and as such he was not bringing in much money. The resulting financial hardships put even more strain on their marriage (Ellis, 90-91). In 1858, Mary Ellen left George for the painter Henry Wallis. George knew of the affair and of Mary Ellen's intent to leave. While he didn't place the blame for their failed relationship entirely on her, he never forgave Mary Ellen for the shame she brought on her family when she left him and their son (Sencourt, 61-62). George and Mary Ellen never reconciled, even when she returned after she had been abandoned by Wallis. George retained sole custody of Arthur, as well: although the Custody of Infants Act (which allowed a mother to petition for custody of her children) had been in place since 1839, it didn't apply to women who committed adultery (Norton, 68). Thus, George exercised his right to keep mother and son separate, only allowing Arthur to visit Mary Ellen when she was on her deathbed in 1861 (Sencourt, 62). Although they remained separated, George and Mary Ellen never obtained an official divorce, meaning Mary Ellen died as Mary Ellen Meredith (Williams, 72).
 * The Marriage of George and Mary Ellen**

George Meredith swore off all romantic relationships with women for the six years following his separation from Mary Ellen, until he met and proposed to Marie Vulliamy in May of 1864 (Ellis, 93). George was put through a rigorous interview process by Marie's father, Justin, before he would give them his blessing. George had to disclose all the intimate details about his failed marriage with Mary Ellen, as well as information regarding his financial affairs. Additionally, he had to fill out an eleven-point questionnaire covering information such as his date of birth, the date of his marriage to Mary Ellen, Arthur's date of birth, the circumstances of his separation from Mary Ellen, and the circumstances of her death ( Williams, 71-73). However, Marie went into the marriage financially secure, so the financial hardships that burdened the marriage of George and Mary Ellen were never a concern (Williams, 72). Marie and George had a happy and uneventful marriage that lasted for twenty-one years, until Marie took ill and died on September 17, 1885. They had two children: William Maxse and Marie Eveleen ( Williams, 76).
 * The Marriage of George Meredith and Marie Vulliamy**

George Meredith's marriage to Mary Ellen is alluded to in //Modern Love//, //The Ordeal of Richard Feverel: A History of Father and Son//, and //Love in the Valley// (Sencourt, 62). Works believed to have been inspired by George Meredith's marriage to Marie include //Faith on Trial//, //Change in Recurrence//, and //Hymn to Colour// (Ellis, 280-281).
 * Literary Works Influenced by George Meredith's Marriages**

-- UVic Engl 386/2012W -- Ed. Uvic Engl 386/2015W


 * Works Cited:**

Ellis, S.M. //George Meredith: His Life and Friends in Relation to His Work.// London: Grant Richards Ltd., 1919. Print

Norton, Caroline Sheridan. //The Separation of Mother and Child by the Law of "Custody of Infants" Considered//, London: Roake and Varty, 1838, Print.

Sencourt, Robert Esmonde. //The Life of George Meredith//. London: Champman Hall Ltd., 1929, Print.

Williams, David. //George Meredith: His Life and Lost Love.// London: Hamish Hamilton Ltd., 1977, Print.