The Other Einstein: A novel

“I walked a fine line between my insistence on this untrodden path and the conformity still demanded of me.”

Here, Mileva identifies her most important external and internal conflict. She can’t stop pursuing the “untrodden path” while still navigating “conformity.” This is evident in her presence at the Polytechnic: She is given exclusive admission to attend classes with men, but there are still important social rules that divide her from those men. Mileva knows what she is capable of, but she is also oppressed by societal norms that prevent her from reaching her full potential. This quote sets the tone for the rest of the novel.

“We’d been told that, even though they adamantly maintained their independence and neutrality in the face of the relentless European empire building that surrounded them, the Swiss looked down upon those from the eastern reaches of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. And yet the Swiss were the most tolerant people in other ways; they had the most lenient university admissions for women, for example. It was a confusing contradiction.”

Benedict emphasizes the complexity of cultural politics in Europe at the turn of the 20th century. Switzerland is a setting for both progress and xenophobia, for inclusivity and oppression. This dichotomous setting echoes the conflicts Mileva also endures as an immigrant woman pursuing higher education in math and physics.

“I constantly astonished myself with these girls. Astonished that I had the words to express my long-buried stories. Astonished that I allowed them to see who I really was. And astonished that I was accepted regardless.”

This quote represents an important turning point in Mileva’s character. After years of feeling isolated from her peers and distrusting women for their cruelty, Mileva has genuine and deep friendships with the other women in her pension. These first friendships are crucial because they show Mileva that she is not alone in the world, not the oddity she always believed herself to be. Furthermore, they’re important because they help her break down some of her emotional barriers and open herself up to confronting and overcoming her vulnerabilities.

“The world of physics was where I belonged. Embedded in its secretive rules about the workings of the world—hidden forces and unseen causal relationships so complex that I believed only God could have created them—were answers to the greatest questions about our existence. If only I could uncover them.”

Here, Benedict highlights two important characterizations for Mileva. The first is that her commitment to science and math does not exclude religion. In the 19th century, religious philosophies battled with scientific discoveries. Here, Benedict emphasizes that for Mileva, there is no conflict: Science and God co-exist. The second important characterization here is Mileva’s natural curiosity and her desire to discover and uncover what has been previously hidden.

“Iron will? Discipline of mind? Armor? This was to be my future? No husband. No home of my own. No children. What about the hopeful ending of ‘The Little Singing Frog,’ where the prince sees the beauty within the frog daughter’s ugly exterior and makes her his princess, clothing her in golden gowns the color of the sun? Was this not to be my fate? Didn’t I deserve a prince of my own, no matter how horrible I was?”

One of Mileva’s primary internal conflicts is the internalization of being unattractive and, therefore, unmarriageable. Most women in this time period had only one destiny: to marry and to have children. Mileva learned at an early age that this could not be her future because of her disability. Though this belief freed Mileva to pursue an education, it always made her feel bad that the fairy-tale image of love and partnership was closed to her. Benedict employs Einstein and Mileva’s new friendships as proof that she can free herself of this mindset and pursue all of her dreams, including love.

“Tears welled in the corners of my eyes; I was angry at myself. Nothing was worth the disappointment of these girls. They had rekindled my dreams of a fulfilling future, and together, we had fashioned a refuge from the world, where we could be our true intellectual yet sometimes silly selves. Mr. Einstein, for all his insinuation into my life over the past two months, for all the excitement I felt around him, was not deserving.”

This quote captures Mileva’s conflict between her friends and her growing feelings for Einstein. In the 19th century, women and men were rarely platonic friends; they were either associated through marriage or family or they only maintained a casual acquaintanceship. Mileva finally has important friendships with women who understand and support her. Einstein’s increasing presence threatens those friendships because the women at the pension are suspicious of men who invade their space and take over their environments.

“Was Papa right? Was Albert keeping me at bay while he pursued life at his own pace? I’d always placed such faith in Albert to lead us through this bohemian wilderness. I knew he wanted me to be strong and independent, and it always seemed so weak and dependent to beg for commitment. I did my best to play the part Albert cast for me.”

This quote foreshadows the conflicts Mileva experiences with Einstein’s narcissism. Here, Mileva realizes that with Einstein, she plays a role he created for her, which signifies that she is not living her authentic self. This quote also emphasizes that Einstein’s “bohemian” lifestyle is fun for him but consequential for Mileva. Indeed, her father’s suspicions prove to be correct because Einstein does keep Mileva tied to him while navigating their lives in the manner he sees fit.

“I didn’t answer. The thought of being expunged from the paper’s authorship bothered me; we had worked on it as equals. But if he was only showing it to the new Professor Weber to impress him and if we’d later submit it to journals with both our names, I could agree. Anything to speed along Albert’s ability to secure a permanent job.”

This quote is a turning point in Mileva and Einstein’s relationship. While he billed their romantic relationship as partly an intellectual partnership, Einstein removes her name from their joint intellectual property. Though Mileva doesn’t know it yet, this is the first of many instances in which he takes full credit for her brilliant work. Here, she readily agrees because she fills in the role of the obedient wife, secondary in importance to her husband.

“Mama had indeed risen up with a ferocity I didn’t think she possessed. I’d been wrong about her my whole life. Her quietude was not weakness; it was an ardent watchfulness that would be replaced by a roar when required. Single-handedly, she fought Papa for my right to keep Lieserl with me in seclusion at the Spire, with only Mama and a maid for company.”

This quote demonstrates the major development in Mileva’s relationship with her mother and therefore in the relationship Mileva has with womanhood. Mileva and her mother are very different, but through motherhood they discover their common ground and become closer. Mileva revises her previous judgments of her mother, making her more empathetic to her mother and women in general. This quote is also important because it emphasizes that no matter how close Mileva is with her father, at the end of the day she can truly only rely on women as allies.

“There it was. The new rule was so simple and natural. Newton’s laws about the physical universe only applied to inert objects. No one needed to be bound by the old rules anymore. Time was relative to space. Time was not absolute. Not when there is motion.”

Out of the darkness of grief surrounding her daughter’s death, Mileva finds salvation in physics. Her deep contemplation activates a thought that becomes the first theories of relativity, the first theories about the way gravity works. This quote is important because it highlights this revelation, a turning point in science and in Mileva’s life.

“The pact seemed so long ago, struck by an entirely different person. One who hadn’t had her body riven in two—from the pain of childbirth and the inexorable suffering of child loss. That girl seemed so innocent, standing on the brink of limitless possibility, mercifully unaware that she would have to morph herself and sacrifice her ambitions to persevere in the world.”

The longer Mileva is in her marriage with Einstein, the farther away she goes from her dreams. As a young woman studying physics at the Polytechnic, Mileva had bright hopes for her future. Marriage and children were not part of those dreams, and Mileva was certain that her life would be dedicated to intellectual pursuits. Instead, her life became the very opposite of what she worked for. Looking back on her youth only makes Mileva more unhappy in her present. She misses the support of her female friends, like Helene. Without her community of women, Mileva has become another victim of the patriarchy.

“I wasn’t going to let Albert humiliate me, privately or publicly. Not again. I forced a smile upon my face, and as if I’d known about the omission of my name all along, I calmly said, ‘Why should my name be listed, Paul? Albert and I are Ein Stein—one stone.’”

In this quote, Mileva experiences shame but recovers for the sake of her dignity. This signifies that she sees Einstein’s intentions; he not only wants to keep her away from his success, but he also wants her to feel humiliated so that she will be silenced. Mileva references the symbolism of her married name, “one stone,” a now-farcical symbol of unity. This second betrayal from Einstein is the real beginning of their end.

“Like a spider, Albert became busy building a name for himself in the center of the intricate web of European physicists. Offers to write more articles and comment on others’ theories for various journals began to appear. Invitations to physics conferences and convocations formed piles around the apartment. Strangers started stopping him in the Bern streets when they learned who he was. But Albert’s new web lacked a sticky foothold for me and Hans Albert. We became merely the tree branches to which the web was attached.”

Here, Benedict likens Einstein to a spider, which is a direct metaphor of his purposeful construction of a web. In Einstein's web, he is in control and catches opportunities. A spider is a notoriously individual species, so this metaphor extends to Einstein’s narcissistic personality. Furthermore, Benedict likens Hans Albert and Mileva to the tree branches on which the web is built, implying that he sees them as a necessary but ultimately replaceable support structure.

“The beautiful Engadine Valley spread out before me, giving me momentary relief from my inner turmoil. The azure River En cut through the verdant valley, turning the high mountainous peaks into a dramatic snowcapped backdrop. Picturesque spire-laden towns dotted the valley, and trails cut through the hills like swooping paint strokes. I knew why Albert brought me here: to reawaken old memories and loving affection. Feelings that seemed like faraway memories. Feelings that would make me forget about his failings.”

In this quote, Benedict uses the literary device juxtaposition to emphasize Mileva’s internal conflict. The beauty of the Swiss countryside is juxtaposed with the ugliness that has festered in Mileva’s marriage. Einstein's peace offering, this vacation to the countryside, serves only to develop more resentment between Mileva and Einstein because Mileva can see through the farce.

“Black industrial soot clogged the Prague air, and it settled on me like a deep depression. I felt as if I were swimming through sludge when I made my way through the dense warren of Prague streets with the boys. The unpleasantness of the city’s atmosphere was mirrored by the attitudes of its ethnically Germanic rulers and elite, whose rumored dislike of Slavic people and Jews was confirmed from the start.”

In this quote, Benedict emphasizes two important sociocultural developments occurring around Mileva during the early 20th century. The first is the rapid industrialization of cities such as Prague, which were once quaint and became polluted and crowded within decades. The second is the rise of antisemitism and xenophobia, two undercurrents of prejudice that inform the impending World War I and the future World War II.

“Broad hips from bearing children, the still trim waist hidden under the voluminous folds of an ugly housedress. Thickened nose and lips, coarsened brow. Once-lustrous skin and hair now dull. I was only thirty-six, but I looked fifty. What had happened to me? Was my neglected appearance one of the reasons Albert had turned away from me?”

Mileva again turns against her physical body in response to her unhappiness. As a child, Mileva internalized walking with a limp as a physical deformity, but she was able to outgrow this concern with the help of empowered female friends. Now, as an adult, she sees her body as a decaying object. Without female friends to support her, Mileva sees herself as she believes a man would. Mileva’s physical manifestation of her stresses are symbolic of how she feels on the inside and what Einstein has done to take the spark out of her life.

“It had been so long since someone thought of me as anything but Albert’s wife. His shy and strange and gimpy wife, as I’d been declared by the gossips in every place we’d landed. Someone always let this appraisal of me slip in the guise of “helping” me reshape myself into a better semblance of a professor’s wife. They wanted me to be Albert’s match, outgoing and charismatic. This was the only Albert they knew, of course, the public Albert.”

Mileva used to identify herself through her family or, more importantly, through her brilliant talent with physics and mathematics, but she loses herself in her role as Einstein’s wife and the mother of his children. As he becomes more famous, Mileva becomes more of a stain on his image. She defies society’s expectations of a charming professor’s wife and is more of a haggard and overstressed maid. This perception is due to the public’s image of Einstein because of his public-facing self. Behind the scenes, he is far less charismatic and more cruel than his fans and admirers might think. This poses yet another problem for Mileva. She can’t match other people’s expectations of her, which causes more resentment between her and Einstein.

“So this was to be Albert’s new collaborator. He gave the work long earmarked for me away—to Marcel. I’d told myself that the hope of collaboration was long past, but to actually witness the passing of the baton was unbearable. How could Albert make me stand by and watch as he utterly robbed me of the bohemian partnership he’d promised? On the theory I created. He knew how much this must hurt me. Since an Easter trip to Berlin to see his extended family four months ago, he had become noticeably more callous. But I never thought he could be this cruel.”

Einstein’s collaboration with Marcel on Mileva’s own theory is the final straw. It’s one of Einstein’s ultimate betrayals and a direct message from Einstein to Mileva that he doesn’t respect her anymore and doesn’t consider her to be the mathematician who created the theory in the first place. This displacement is deeply hurtful to Mileva. This quote also reveals that his mood soured even more after his trip to Berlin. It is later revealed that during this trip, he started his affair with his cousin and future second wife, Elsa. Thus, while Mileva believes that Einstein can’t betray her further than robbing her of her theory of relativity, he is also betraying their marriage. This quote implies that there is no rock bottom for his cruelty toward Mileva.

“Albert’s expression morphed from embarrassment into pride. But it was too late for me to care about his feelings toward my intellect. I had conversed with Madame Curie and held my own. That was my treasure.”

In this quote, Benedict emphasizes the fine line Mileva must tread as Einstein’s wife. She can’t embarrass him in public, but she also doesn’t know what will embarrass or anger him. She can’t live freely because she is under constant pressure from Einstein to walk and talk a certain way. Here, Benedict also highlights the importance of intellectual connections. Despite the emotional abuse Mileva endures, she holds on to treasured moments such as an intellectual conversation with her idol, Marie Curie. These small moments keep her resilient and are a testament to the life she could have had without Einstein’s overbearing control.

“’Remember my words, Mileva, when you withdraw into the deadening cycle of home. You and I are not so different except in the choices we’ve made. And remind yourself that a new choice is always possible.’”

Curie’s words of advice and encouragement to Mileva are a major turning point in Mileva’s life. Mileva realizes that her life with Einstein is a choice, one that she can change. This is crucial because for most of her relationship with Einstein, she believed she has no options. Curie’s words inspire her because of her respect for Curie. This quote also implies that Mileva’s brilliance is on a similar level as that of the famous Curie, and she simply needed the same structures of support as Curie to realize her full potential.

“As soon as Albert walked up the steps to the stage, the hall thundered with the audience’s raucous applause. He beamed at the adulation, his eyes sparkling, a wide grin forming on his lips, the spotlight catching the gray streaks in his wild, dark hair. It was an impersonation of his somewhat impish, eccentric student self, a persona he’d begun to cultivate. Understanding the dichotomy of his transformation immediately, Helene squeezed my hand.”

This quote characterizes Einstein as beloved, humble, and eccentric. This image is the one that modern readers associate with the historical figure of Einstein. But Benedict twists this characterization and presents it as a carefully constructed persona, implying that he was consciously performative in how he presented himself to the world. This also implies that he recognizes his own contradictions but doesn’t care that some of his behaviors are hurtful to his wife.

“It was a contract for my behavior. As I read the barbaric agreement term by term, I grew more outraged. The document enumerated the household duties I must perform for Albert: his laundry; the preparation of his meals, to be served in his room; and the cleaning of his bedroom and study, with the requirement that I never touch his desk. Even more incredible was his list of his requirements that I must “obey” in my personal dealings with him. He demanded that I renounce all interaction with him at home; he would control where and when I spoke and what sorts of statements I could make to him and in front of the children. In particular, he mandated that I forego all physical intimacy with him.”

This quote presents the major turning point in Mileva’s marriage, the point of no return. With Einstein's formal demands for control of her behavior laid out as terms of their continued marriage, Mileva reaches the limits of her patience and self-flagellation for him. This list is an authentic historical document; readers can find this message published online as part of Einstein’s correspondence. This list proves that Einstein controlled his wife and saw her as a prop in his life.

“The train’s whistle blew, and I peered out the window. There Albert stood. Clacking and roaring, the train began to pick up speed as it exited the station. It sped away faster and faster, making Albert grow smaller and smaller. Like a quanta. Or an atom. Until he disappeared entirely into the ether.”

This is Benedict’s final description of Mileva and Albert’s marriage. The source of his uncharacteristic emotional outpouring over the departure of Mileva and his sons is not revealed, because Mileva is finished prioritizing his feelings and moods. It is also notable that Mileva characterizes the final moments with language from physics. This language alludes to the science that first brought her and Einstein together. It also implies the inevitability of their separation, their pull away from one another. Here, Benedict uses science as a metaphor for Mileva’s final break from her husband.