Political and personal catastrophes characterized the life of George Sand. She lived in an era where women were treated as second class citizens, she witnessed bloodshed in the streets over political differences, and she also lost many loved ones before their time. During her life, her literary skill also came under scrutiny as many of her contemporaries disliked her writing and chastised Sand for her support of many controversial issues. Despite many drawbacks, she never lost her love of humanity and never gave up hope of gender equality. Many of her beliefs and lost fantasies are present in her last piece of writing. George Sand completed Marianne when she was in her twilight and it serves as a reflection of Sand herself as well as a story of what could have been.
The young woman in Marianne shares many similarities with Sand herself. Through her political experiences, Sand began to champion the cause of the proletariat worker who was forced to live under the laws and restrictions of the overbearing nobility. Similarly, the young woman in Marianne is the head of the household, but still “lives on completely equal terms with the farm-workers and that she takes her meals with them.” (Sand 149). While Sand probably sees herself as no better than any other person, she also desires to be educated. She believes that to become both equal at home and in the political arena, women must seek to educate themselves (French 57). Marianne also longs to be educated, not so much for political ambitions or equality, but for her own good. “I should like to be educated not so much for others’ pleasure as for my own” (Sand 117). While Sand suggests that education is a way out for many women, she also views it as a necessity for even those without...
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...ps Sand’s ideal life would be one of a more quiet nature without all of the political turmoil and needless loss of life while still maintaining her feminist perspectives and thirst for gender equality. While Sand condemned marriage and never entered into another one herself it is hard to imagine her not re-marrying had women been treated as equals given her perspective on love. "There is only one happiness in life, to love and be loved” (George Sand Quotes). Since she was unable to live her entire life in a loving relationship, she lives through the young woman in Marianne.
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