Indiana: 'But the glorious days had passed''

Amantine Lucile Aurore Dupin was born on the 1st July, 1804, in Paris, France, to an unconventional family who were from different classes—her father being from noble lineage whilst her mother from rather more modest origins.

Following her father’s early death, Sand was raised by her aristocratic grandmother at the family estate in Nohant, which she later inherited at 17. The house and surrounding countryside was a profound influence on her writing which often highlighted pastoral themes and the natural world, particularly in her later, possibly most critically, acclaimed novels.

Sand’s life and writings were unconventional and very progressive. At the age of 18, she married Baron Casimir Dudevant, with whom she had two children. However, the marriage was unhappy, and Sand left in 1831, moving to Paris to pursue her literary ambitions. This point also marked her adoption of the pseudonym ‘George Sand’ to help her in the male dominated world of publishing. Her first major novel was ‘Indiana’ (1832). It was a critical success and there now followed a series of successful novels which established her as more famous and successful than Victor Hugo or Honoré de Balzac. Her writing, a blend of romance and realism, had an effortless spontaneity which neither sacrificed style or form and tackled the complexities of politics, society, and gender.

Sand was a bohemian. She wore men's clothing, smoked cigars, and engaged in several high-profile romantic relationships including Prosper Mérimée and Frédéric Chopin.

She was a staunch advocate for social justice, women's rights, and workers' welfare and championed democratic and socialist causes. As a Republican she supported the 1848 Revolution and was a member of the provisional government.

Despite criticism for her lifestyle and feminist views she continued her literary career across novels, plays, essays, and memoirs.

Her defiance of societal expectations and her commitment to social and gender equality continue to inspire readers and writers alike, cementing her place as a central figure in the history of French literature.

George Sand died on 8th June,1876, at her childhood home in Nohant and was buried in the private graveyard there. She was 71.

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E-kirja: 1. elokuuta 2024