George Sand
by
Francis Leary
More than 100 years ago, George Sand was one of the best-known people of the day. George wrote stories that were very popular. In all, George Sand wrote over 100 books and was one of the best-selling authors of the day. George was friends with most of the great artists and authors.
George Sand's real name was Aurore Dudevant. She was born and raised in France. Her father died when she was young, and Aurore learned early to be independent.
This spirit of independence stayed with her all her life. And it marked her as different from most women of her time. Women were expected to obey first their fathers and then their husbands. Even the law gave a husband complete control over his wife and any property she might have.
But Aurore dare to speak out. She was too free and too sure of herself to allow herself to be controlled by any person.
She set out to make a life of her own. As a child, Aurore had always loved reading. Soon she turned to writing. By the time she was 28 years old, Aurore had sold her first novel, Indiana. The book, printed under the name George Sand, began Aurore's lifelong career as an author.
At first her free spirit kept her poor. But by the time she had written her third book, Lelia, George began to accumulate wealth and fame. She worked hard and kept on a strict schedule, writing about 3000 words daily. When she had to, George could complete a novel in a month.
Her own life made her fight for women's rights. In a number of newspaper articles, she charged that women of her time were kept poorly educated on purpose. She demanded property rights for women and the right of divorce. In her writings and in her home, where she gathered poets, painters, musicians and politicians, she kept up her fight for women's rights.
George was the most well-known woman of her day. She could count as friends the great minds of her time. With her strong, straight-forward style, George Sand could not be ignored.
She died at the height of her fame on a June morning in 1876, her last novel unfinished. She had been the first woman of her age to be both a great writer and great champion of women's equality. As Gustave Flaubert, a great French novelist, wrote, "She will remain one of the splendors of France and a unique glory."
Albarra's response:
She changed her full name because women couldn't be allowed to write their books.
