Verb form and modifier

[mj78ind]

Kaplan 2009 - 2010, SC Test 1 question. Hence, those who are planning on taking it please skip if you want an unbiased score.

1. Before George Eliot became the popular and renouned novelist known as George Eliot, she had been an anonymous translator and essayist of formidable far-ranging scholarship.
2. Before George Eliot became the popular and renouned novelist, George Eliot, she was an anonymous translator and essayist of formidable far-ranging scholarship.

The answer is 1 and of course I like 2!
I have two doubts:
Doubt 1 - The answer says that 'had' should be used since she was a translator etc. before she became famous. Firstly, she was a translator and essayist and she still has to be good even after becoming popular. Because 'had' means the event / action is over, but just because she became popular does not mean she was no more a great essayist. Also, I remember an obscure rule which says that if time indication is mentioned separately (in this case 'before') we do not have to use past perfect. And as GMAT prefers simplicity, 'was' should be used.
Doubt 2 - The answer says George Eliot can not become George Eliot (as shown in 2) but can't a normal John (aka George Eliot) become the renouned and popular George Eliot? Hence I chose 1.

Please enlighten me

[sumanr84]

Q is right but Kaplan seems to have messed up with the options/answer choice explanation.

Pls see this link : https://www.beatthegmat.com/kaplan-sc-ge ... 54113.html

Forgot to mention that the correct option should read as follows,

A. Before George Eliot became the popular
and respected novelist known as George
Eliot, she was -- Correct