Silas Marner
By George Eliot
About the Author
George Eliot was the
pen name of Mary Ann Evans, one of the leading English novelists of the 19th
century. She
was born on 22 November 1819 in rural Warwickshire. When her mother died in
1836, Eliot left school to help run her father's household. In 1841, she moved
with her father to Coventry and lived with him until his death in 1849. Eliot
then travelled in Europe, eventually settling in London.
She met George Henry Lewes, with whom she lived
until his death in 1878. Lewes was married and their relationship caused a
scandal. Eliot was shunned by friends and family.
Lewes encouraged Eliot to write. In 1856, she
began 'Scenes of Clerical Life', stories about the people of her native
Warwickshire, which were published in 'Blackwood's Magazine'. The popularity of
Eliot's novels brought social acceptance, and Lewes and Eliot's home became a
meeting place for writers and intellectuals. After Lewes' death Eliot married a
friend, John Cross, who was 20 years her junior. She died on 22 December 1880
and was buried in Highgate Cemetery in north London.
Introduction
The story pertains to natural human relations
which depicts Eppie’s true affection towards Silas and refuses to go away with
Godfrey (the real father). Silas Marner was a linen weaver and belonged to the
Methodist sect of Christianity. He was a very religious man but was falsely
accused of stealing a clergy’s money. He left the place and went to a distant
village called Raveloe and settled down there as a linen weaver. Through his
business he earned a lot of money. He went on hoarding money but as ill-luck,
his money was stolen. One day while brooding over the robbery, a two year old
golden haired girl troddled into his cottage while her mother lay dead in the
snow near his cottage. He adopted the girl and considered a compensation for
his loss of money. The girl was named Eppie and she grew a deep affection for
Silas as he had brought up her as his own real daughter. When the girl was
eighteen, her real father Godfrey Cass claimed to be her daughter since the
girl was begotten by Molly, his first wife. Molly was an addict and died in the
snow and thus she was not on good terms with her husband. Then Godfrey married
Nancy. Both came to take the girl into their own house but Eppie refused to
accompany them. Soon she married a youth Aarron Winthrop. After marriage they
lived with Marner since Eppie felt that without her, Marner would feel lovely
and there would be none to look after him.
Characters
Silas Marner: is the
protagonist of the story. Silas Marner, a cloth weaver, lives in a big
industrial town Lantern Yard. He belongs to the Methodist sect of Christianity
and is a very religious man. He gives away his large part of earnings in
charity.
Godfrey Cass: the oldest son of the
village squire, is in love with one woman, Nancy Lammeter, and married secretly
to another, a drug addict named Molly Farren. His evil brother, Dunstan,
blackmails him.
Dunstan (Dunsey) Cass: the younger of Squire
Cass's two sons, is evil in nature and loves tormenting his older brother,
Godfrey. He is aware of his weak-willed other brother's marriage to Molly
Farren and blackmails him.
Molly Farren: is the secret
wife of Godfrey Cass and a drug addict.
Nancy Lammeter: is a good woman
who marries Godfrey Cass later in the story.
Eppie: is the daughter of Molly Farren
and Godfrey Cass and is adopted by Silas Marner. She transforms Silas Marner's
life.
Squire Cass: is the father of
Godfrey and Dunstan Cass and very wealthy. He is a less-than-admirable
character and a poor father.
Minor Characters
Dr. Kimble: a physician without
any diploma
Sarsah: Silas’s Fiancee
Squire Cass: Wealthiest Man
Molly Farren: 1st wife of Godfrey
Cass
Ben Wintroph: Village wheel wright
father of Aaaron.
Dolly Winthrop: Godmother of Eppie and
wife of Ben Winthrope
Aaron Winthrop: Youngest son of
Winthrops and marries Eppie
Mr. & Mrs. Osgood: A prosperous family in
the village of Raveloe.
Bryce and Keating: Properous gentlemen.
Mr. Snell: Landlord of village
Inn-Rainbow.
Mr. Creackenthorp: Village rector
Mr. Macey: Village Tailor
Tookey: Deputy Clerk.
Places
Lantern
yard: A humble locality
Raveloe:
A village
Tarley—A
village
The
Red House: The name of the Cass family’s house
The
Warrens: The name of the farm and house at the Lammeter’s
The
Rainbow: An inn near the village Raveloe.
Theme
The novel Silas Marner has several themes for
the humanity to comprehend very properly. While writing a letter in the
publishers, Eliot wrote. It sets—or is intended to set—in a strong light the
remedial influences of pure, natural human relations.” In order to express the
theme, the author portrays this through Silas Marner, a good natured man but he
has been subjected to disillusionment and change by a rude shock. Being a most
religious as well as sincere and honest, he is family accused of robbery at the
Church and thereby he loses his faith in God and goes to settle at Revolve to
set up his loon there. There he earns a lot and hoards guineas and wins and
goes on counting the money for the last fifteen years. One day his money is
stolen and a two years old girl enters into his life. After some time his faith
regenerates in the goodness of the world and becomes a happy citizen of Reveloe.
Summary
Silas Marner, a cloth weaver, lived in a big
industrial town Lantern Yard. He belonged to the Methodist sect of Christianity
and was a very religious man. He used to give away his large part of earnings
in charity. By chance he became deeply acquainted with a servant girl Sarah and
decided to marry her but his close friend William Dane accused him of thieving
money from the church. The allegations were proved and Marner was found to be
the culprit though he was not guilty. Sarah forsok Marner and married William
Dane. In deep disguise, Silas left his village and settled down in a far off
village Raveloe. There he became a handloom weaver. He hoarded a lot of guines
and became a miser.
One dark night Dunstan Cass was passing
Marner’s cottage. He made up his mind to get some loan from Marner. Seeing the
door open and finding Marner absent, Dunstan stole Marner’s guineas and ran out
of the cottage with two leather bags in his hands. After walking for a short
distance he fell into a water pit and died. The incident of his death remained
a secret for sixteen years and he was came to be known when the pits were
drained of the water. Marner was deeply hurt at this loss of money and reported
the matter to the villagers. The village constable investigated the matter but
to no result. Consequently Marner became miserable and resumed his weaving.
It was New Year’s Eve. In the chilly and snowy
weather Molly was passing with her two years old golden hair girl by the
cottage of Silas. Being an addict of opium she fell in the snow and died but
her girld entered into Silas’s cottage since Marner was in an epileptic fit. He
did not notice her arrival. On seeing her, he felt that nature had sent him a
golden haired little girl as a substitute for the loss of his gold guineas.
Immediately Silas followed the footprints of the girl and traced the girl’s
mother lying dead on the snow behind a bush. Silas informed the people at the
Red House who buried her considering to be an unknown paper. Actually she was
the wife of Godfrey Cass, the son of old Squire Cass, who had married her
foolishly but he was longing to marry a very beautiful girl Nancy from a respectable
and an, affluent farm owner Mr. Lammeter because Molly was proved to be a long
addict and its effect caused her to die while walking over the snow with her
daughter. In reality Molly was on her way to the Red House to confront her
husband and expose him to his father for action but she died under the
intoxication of opium in half way. When Marner entered the Red House, Godfrey
recognized his daughter and on his visit to Marner’s cottage, he learnt the
death of Molly. He knew that he could marry Nancy and his daughter was safe
with Marner since the later was bringing her up like his own child. Godfrey
married Nancy and started leading a responsible life. In between the Old Squire
Cass passed away and all his property came into the possession of Godfrey
unfortunately Nancy did not produce any child and she became troubled without a
child in the house for the last sixteen years.
Dunstan’s dead body was (now, reduced to a
skeleton) found at the bottom of a pit while the pit was drained of the water.
The hoard of Sila’s guines was found intact close to his skeleton and the money
was handed over to Silas. At this stage, Godfrey made up his mind reveal the
secret of his first marriage with Molley and the death of his wife sixteen
years back along with the stay of his daughter Eppie with Silas. He was
desiring to bring back Eppie since he was her real father. Getting courage,
Godfrey told everything to his wife Nancy. She remained quite unmoved but she
revealed if he had told this earlier, they could have done their duty towards
Eppie. Godfrey was happy at her generous nature but at the same time she became
somewhat agitated over Godfrey for keeping it a secret since she would have
accepted Eppie as his daughter. Godfrey explained if the told his earlier, she
might not have married him. There appeared tears in Nancy’s eyes. Godfrey
requested her for having an apology for the wrong but Nancy praised him for his
loyality and love. Then Godfrey proposed to go to Marner’s house for claiming
the girl. Then they decided to leave for Marner’s cottage on that very night.
On reaching Marner’s Cottage, Godfrey and Nancy
told the truth. To Silas. He asked him why he had not told earlier when he was
in Red House along with the girl in his arms. Godfrey accepted his blunder and
repented over his foolishness. Silas told that the girl was his own daughter
and it would be painful for him to part with her. The decision was left on
Eppie who did not accept her real father’s offer for her rather she pointed out
that she could not leave the man who had brought-her up for so many years. She
told that she was going to marry Aaron who belonged to the upper class family.
Thus Godfrey and Nancy returned disappointed. In the due course of time, Eppie
married to Aaron and it was decided that the married couple would stay with
Silas so that he might not feel lonely. On his part, Godfrey did a lot for
Eppie and gave a garden along with the wedding feast for the villagers. But
Godfrey’s secret remained a secret from the villagers.
Main Points
Chapter-I
1. Silas Marner is introduced and described.
2. Silas is falsely accused and leaves Lantern
Yard.
Chapter-II
1. Silas moves to Raveloe and hoards the
earnings from his weaving for fifteen years.
2. As a result of his curing Sally Oates, the
people of Raveloe consider him even more mysterious.
3. Silas mends and keeps a small brown pot he
has accidentally broken.
Chapter-III
1. Members of the Cass family are introduced
and described.
2. Dunstan blackmails Godfrey into selling his
horse, Wildfire.
3. Godfrey’s past is revealed.
Chapter-IV
1. Dunstan sells Wildfire and then causes the
horse’s death by careless riding during the hunt.
2. Dunstan steals Silas’s gold.
Chapter-V
1. Silas returns from an errand and discovers
that his gold is missing.
2. Silas suspects Jem Rodney and goes to the
Rainbow Inn.
Chapter-VI
Conversation among the community members at the
Rainbow Inn.
Chapter-VII
1. Silas enters the Rainbow Inn and accuses Jem
Rodney.
2. After learning that Jem had been at the Inn
all evening, Silas apologizes to Jem and tells what he knows of the theft.
3. It is decided to go to the village
constable’s house to have one of the men deputized to begin an investigation.
Chapter-VIII
1. Dunstan fails to return home with the money
from Wildfire’s sale.
2. The villagers talk about the theft.
3. Godfrey learns about Wildfire’s death.
4. Godfrey contemplates confessing to his
father.
Chapter-IX
1. Godfrey tells his father, the Squire, about
Wildfire.
2. The Squire asks Godfrey about marrying Nancy
Lammeter.
Chapter-X
1. The people of Raveloe become friendlier with
Silas, talking with him in town, visiting him at home, and giving him small
gifts.
2. The Winthrop family is introduced, Dolly in
particular, who comes to visit with her young son, Aaron. She offers to help
Silas in his housekeeping if he ever needs it.
3. Christmas Day is spent by families among
themselves; Dunstan is still missing from the Cass family.
Chapter-XI
1. The New Year’s celebration at the Red House
gets under way.
2. As the party proceeds, the men make
conversation independently.
3. Nancy and Godfrey dance, followed by a
conversation marked by assertions and defenses.
Chapter-XII
1. Molly comes to Raveloe to confront Godfrey
but dies in the snow of a drug overdose.
2. Molly’s child follows the light and enters
the open cottage of Silar during his fit.
3. Silas regains consciousness, discovers the
child, and follows her tracks in the snow to trace her mother’s body.
Chapter-XIII
1. The party continues well into the night when
Silas enters the Red House with Molly and Godfrey’s child.
2. Soon after the doctor proclaims the child’s
mother dead, Godfrey secretly confirms that it is his wife, Molly.
3. Godfrey returns to the party and determines
to please Nancy and pursue her.
Chapter-XIV
1. Molly is buried with little ceremony.
2. Silas undertakes raising Molly’s child with
help from Dolly Winthrop.
3. Silas christens her and named the Eppie.
Chapter-XV
1. Godfrey keeps an eye on Eppie.
2. Dunstan is given up as gone forever.
Chapter-XVI
1. Sixteen years have passed since Eppie came
into Silas’s life.
2. The effects of the passage of time on the
main characters are described.
3. Eppie gets Aaron to prepare a garden for her
and Silas.
4. Silas tells Dolly about his life in Lantern
Yard.
5. Eppie talks of marrying Aaron and their
living with Silas.
Chapter-XVII
1. Nancy’s sister, Priscilla, and their father
join Godfrey and Nancy for Sunday dinner.
2. Nancy and especially Godfrey regret for not
having any children.
3. Godfrey wanted to adopt but Nancy showed
irrelevance.
Chapter-XVIII
1. Godfrey finds Dunstan’s skeleton and returns
to tell Nancy that his brother has drowned in the Stone Pit after robbing
Silas.
2. Godfrey goes on to confess his prior
marriage and fatherhood of Eppie.
3. Godfrey and Nancy decide to go together to
Silas Marner’s to make the truth known.
Chapter-XIX
1. Nancy and Godfrey visit Silas and Eppie.
2. Godfrey proposes taking Eppie into his home,
but Eppie rejects.
3. After Godfrey asserts his fatherhood and his
plan to make Eppie a lady, Silas and Godfrey discuss what is the best for
Eppie.
4. Eppie firmly and finally makes clear her
intention to remain with Silas and working class people.
Chapter-XX
Nancy and Godfrey returned in silence Godfrey
decide to keep his fatherhood a secret.
Chapter-XI
Silas and Eppie return to Lantern Yard, where
they find things have changed greatly. Silas’s old life has been completely
erased.
CONCLUSION
Eppie and Aaron are married, and the midding
feast is arranged by Godfrey.
Character Analysis
1. Mr. Ben Winthrop: Ben Winthrop is the
leader of the Church choir because of his musical talent. He is the village
wheel-wright. He is a man of humorous nature full of joviality and cordiality.
He is fond of drinking while his wife Dolly is a tolerant woman who goes on
condemning his vices. His son Aaron has inherited his own musical talent who
can sing a tune off str aight, like a throstle. After praising Aaron, he turns
to Mr. Tookey and says that he is fit to pronounce his professional words like
‘Amen’ because of his decent voice.
2. Aaron: Aaron is the son of
Ben Winthrop and Dolly Winthrop. He has inherited the singing talent from his
father. His mother has specific proud over Aaron for this talent and takes him
to Marner’s cottage to sing a verse to Marner. On the occasion of New Year’s
Eve party at the Red House, he asks his father if the cock’s-feather has any
little hole while the feather never falls down. He becomes friendly with Eppie
and accepts her marrige proposal. They serve Silas in the old age and refuse
the proposal given by Godfrey and Nancy. They promise to provide all possible
comfort to Silas during his lonely old age.
3. Mr. Lammeter: Mr. Lammeter is the
father of Priscilla and Nancy. He is an affluent man having a large
agricultural land called. The Warrens’ and a dairy farm. He is devoted to his
daughters. Priscilla remains unmarried and loves after her father and will
manage the land and the other properties. Mr. Lammeter feels ecstasy when
Squire Cass hints to marry Nancy for his son Godfrey but Lammeter shows some
indifference. On the New Year’s party Mr. Squire Cass flatters Lammeter for the
marriage and does not get any encouraging reply.
4. Mr. Crackenthrop: He is the rector of
Raveloe and holds a good repute among the villagers. Thus he runs the local
church and performs all duties. He plays an important role in investigating at
Marner’s cottage. Being a sociable man he attends all the social functions do
the village gentry. He was not at all a lofty figure but simply a merry eyed
man. As for paying compliments to the beautiful girls, he pays a neat
compliment to Nancy at the party.
5. Dr.
Kimble:
He is actually a physician without any diploma. He is thin and agile and flits
about the room by keeping his hands in the pockets. He is also chivalrous
towards beautiful girl as is the rector. He also asks Nancy to dance with him.
He can examine the ladies promptly who lies on the snow-covered ground behind a
bush to find life. He declares Molly dead whom Godfrey had married lavishes.
6. Silas
Marner:
is a handloom weaver by profession in Lantern
Yard. He was accused of thieving in the church falsely by his most intimate
friend William Dane and then Silas came to settle in Reveloe and lived there
for fifteen years. He worked there on his loom and earned a lot of money and
hoarded several guineas. He was simply a pallid young man, with prominent,
short sighted. He used to keep aloof from everybody and sought no man’s or
woman’s company except for the purpose of his profession. He minded his own
business of weaving and the earned money was hidden somewhere in his cottage.
In Lantern yard, he was a member of a Methodist
Sect of Christianity and gave away money in charity. On occasions he had the
epileptic fits. In Lantern Yard, people used to think him to be a young man of
nobel character. Here he won the heart of a girl named Sarah but was falsely
accused of robbery. Sarah married William Dane. At Ravoloe, work was his concern. He seemed to
weave, like the spider, from pure impulse, without reflection. Through his professional
work he hoarded the guineas. The crowns and the half-crowas and hid it in the
earth under his loom. The village children called him ‘Old Master Marner’.
About Christmas time, his money was stolen that
put him in deep gloom. Some of the kind fellows like Dolly Winthrop tried to
console him in every possible way. But there came a sudden change when a little
two years girl stopped into his house and at that time he was with an epileptic
fit. On being conscious, he considered the girl like gold lying before his fire
place. On the advice of the villagers, he adopted the girl and named Eppie.
There came a change in his views and the loss of guineas no longer haunted him
and thus the little girl became substitute for the gold guineas. Eppie grew up
as a beautiful girl and he lavished all his care and love on her. He told Eppie
everything about the robbery. Now Eppie was eighteen years old when Godfrey
Cass and his second wife Nancy came to take the girl away from Marner but Eppie
refused to leave Marner who had treated and brought up her as his own daughter.
She resolved not to forsake him in the old age. In between Marner’s gold was
discovered and was handed over to him. It was another reward for him.
If we examine the facts, Marner was punished by
fate in a robbery and became pauper but the entry of the golden haired girl
generated in him kindness and self-sacrifice with human sympathy on his part.
This development marked the regeneration in him and it served as a good reward
for Marner in his life through Eppie who resolved to stay with him even after
her wedded life.
7. Portray
Godfrey Cass: was
the eldest son of Squire Cass who owned sufficient land and other property.
Squire being a widower, failed to pay deep attention to the upbringing of his
sons, so they grew up as irresponsible fellows. Only Godfrey made a good future
for himself. His brother Dunstan or Dunsan was a spiteful, fearing fellow who
used to enjoy drinking etc. but due to lack of foresight, Godfrey ran short of
money and consented to sell his horse Wildfire. In between Godfrey secretly
married a woman Molly who had turned out to be a very bad specimen of her sex.
She was a strong- addict and begot a daughter. Dunstan was entrusted with the
work of selling the horse but the horse got killed in an accident. Feeling
depressed, while on his way to his house, Dunstan stole guineas form Marner’s
cottage but he fell into a pit and died with money.
Godfrey was a cunning fellow and collected rent
from the tenant without telling it to his father. One day he told his father
about this which made Squire Cass angry. The Squire also reminded Godfrey about
his marriage with Nancy but Godfrey did not tell his earlier marriage with
Molly.
Godfrey was physically strong and robust. He
brooded over the facts and realised that marrying with Molly had put a sort of
blight on his life. So he cursed his own folly and thought of marrying Nancy
for good living.
But Godfrey heaved a sigh of relief on finding
that Molly was dead. He also felt a deep hurt within himself for seeing his
daughter in the arms of Marner as he could not claim her to be his real
daughter. In due course he married Nancy and thus spent sixteen years of
conjugal happiness. Nancy and Godfrey remained unhappy for not giving a birth
to a child in the house. Eppie was fast growing under the care of Marner. Now
something unexpected happened and Dunstan’s skeleton was found at the bottom of
a stone-pit near Marner’s cottage with guineas bags belonging to Marner.
Godfrey got the chance to reveal that Eppie was his own daughter by his first
marriage and suggested her to claim for their house. Both visited Marner’s but
the later asked Eppie to decide. Eppie told that she could not depart with the
old man who had brought her upon as his own daughter. Both went disappointed to
their house.
Godfrey was a kind fellow and in order to
express his parental feelings, he arranged a wedding feast for the villagers on
the occasion of Eppie’s marriage. He also gave her a garden and a huge
property. Here Godfrey’s regeneration started with his realisation of his
breach of the moral code in having a secret of marriage unknown to Nancy.
8. Nancy Lammeter:
She had been the most beautiful girl in
the whole region. She arrives to attend the New Year’s Eve ball with her father
at the Red House but her mind was centred upon Godfrey Cass who had been
courting her for some time. At that time Godfrey did not show relevance towards
her since he was secretly married to another woman Molly. Then Nancy went
upstairs and showed good etiquettes. Her appearance and everything else
produced an impression of quite perfectness. Her cheek and neck looked pretty.
Her laces were costly. In reality she possessed the real attributes of a lady.
These came Godfrey Cass towards her. Nancy
liked it very much and thought that one day she would be the mistress of the
Red House i.e., the Squire’s wife. People at the Red House paid
compliments to Nancy on her beauty. As far as the Squire was concerned, he was
anxious to have Nancy for Godfrey. At the time of dance, she played in a
diplomatic manner and showed her unwillingness to dance with him but inwardly
she wanted. Circumstances took a turn and Godfrey was married to Nancy. They
had a very happy life but could not give birth to a child. The lack of child
made them unhappy. In fact Eppie the child of Cass was staying with Marner.
Finding appropriate time, Godfrey revealed the secret of Eppie and his early
marriage. Nancy showed generosity and agreed to bring Eppie home. She proved a
perfect wife to Godfrey arranged a weeding feast for the villagers on the
occasion of Eppie’s marriage.
9. Dolly
Winthrops: was
the wife of Ben Wintrop and the mother of Aaron. She is a great well-wisher of
Silas Marner and offers him a valuable advice for upbringing the child Eppie.
During his troubled waters. Silas used to consult her the author describes her
as a woman of “Scrupulous conscience in all respects”. She has always performed
her duties. Without locking her calmness. She is the right person to contact in
case of any kind of mishaps like ill or death in a family. She is a
good-looking woman with fresh complexions.
She is deeply worried about Silas as she has
seen him in the light of a sufferer”. She considers it as her daily to comfort
him and help him she steers him towards the faith through Silas is a
non-believer and pays no specific attention but she never tells discouraged. On
the occasion of the Christmas, due takes hyer son Aaron to Marner’s cottage to
sing a Christmas carol for him. She accept Eppie’s marriage with her Aaron and
allows the couple to stay with Silas during his old days.
10. William Dane: was a very fine
scheming fellow who can go to any extent to fulfil his selfish ends. He was a
cunning smart and belongs to the religious sect of Lantern yard. Silas considered
him a good friend. While Silas was profoundly religious, William’s feelings
were not that deep. He seemed to be with the brethern only as far as he is
directly benefitted.
He became jealous of Silas when he had
developed a liking for his finance Sarah and longed to marry her. With the
deacon falling ill, wave got an opportunity to accuse and defame Silas was
found accused of robbing money and leaving his knife at the crime scene. He
managed to make Silas a scapegoat. Silas lost faith in God and human kindness
and thus left Lantern Yard to lead a secluded life in Revoloe.
11. Eppie: It is by destiny that
she happens to toddle in Marner’s cottage when he is under an epileptic fit. On
getting consciousness, he is astonished to see a golden haired girl in his
cottage. She plays an important role in the novel and without her the story
turns zero. She is a passive girl by nature.
As nothing is known about her father in the
early stages and her mother dies in the snow. She becomes an orphan. On her
entry into the cottage, there occurs a sea-change in the life of depressed
Silas. He gets regeneration and views her as a compensation for his stolen
guineas. Silas reports everything about the girl to the villagers who in turn
advise him to adopt the girl. His neighbour Dolly Winthroph, the God mother,
helps the girl in rearing up. In the meantime the girl becomes intimated with
her son Aaron and at the end of the novel we can note her marriage with Aaron.
She certainly shows her heroic qualities, when
Godfrey and his second wife Nancy arrive to claim and take her away to their
own home, Eppies expresses her heroic quality and resolved not to part with the
old man who had reared her up from childhood onwards and who needs her in the
old age. Godfrey and Nancy tell her that they would make a lady of her in case
she goes with them. But Eppie rejects their proposal and tells that she is in love
with a working man and will marry him. This shows her sincerity, loyalty,
faithfulness and true affection.
Long Answer Type Questions
Q1.
Describe the circumstances under which Silas had to leave Lantern yard.
Ans. Silas Marner was from lantern yard and
came as a weaver in the village of Ravelae. But the villagers did not like him
since he was not a native of their town. His brownish squint eyes present a
fearful air about him. He was a herbal medicine man. There he befriended with
Dane, with the passage of time he passed fifteen years there and his cloth was
in great demand. At Lantern yard he was a part of religious sect and known as
the Chapel Community. His affair started a girl named Sarah. But he friend wans
wanted to marry him.
Dane became jealous and manipulated matters in
such a way that Silas was held guilty of stealing money from the house of a
dying minister of the church. He was accused because him knife was found at the
crime scene. It was insisted by ministers and wave, that Silas should accept
his sin and atone for it. Marner found himself in the grieved state and went
away with utter despair. He sat alone thinking at the mischief of wane. On the
second day, Sarah informed him about termination of their engagement. In utter
dismay and despair, Silas left Lantern yard for good and came to stay at Raveloe.
Q2. Describe the circumstances under
which Eppie reached Silas cottage.
Ans. Molly Farren was the first wife of
Godfrey. She was having a girl from him. But Godfrey was enjoying at a party at
the Red House with Nancy, the finance of Fodfrey, Farren being neglected by
Godfrey decided to expose Godfrey for neglecting her so she started through the
snow and by evening reached Raveloe. It was darkness and heavy rain. To bear
cold, she had taken a heavy dose of opium. The girl was with her. Under the intoxication
she longed to lie down and slept on the road near the cottage of Silas Marner
and died soon after. Her clutch on the child became loose and the child opened
her eyes.
She saw a bright say or light on the snow. She
followed or with unsteady steps and entered the cottage of Marner. She sat down
near the hearth and soon slept in the warmth of the fire. In his fit of
epilepsy, he did not know when the child walked into the cottage as he kept his
doors open. On regaining consciousness he saw the golden curls of the baby
girl. He tried to search her parents but to no result. He brought her up and
christened Eppie.
Q3. On first seeing Eppie’s Golden hair,
Silas thought that he had got back his gold. But the child proved to be an even
better treasure. comment.
Ans. Eppie’s presence is felt in chapter 12
when she is just two years girl. It is by destiny that she happens to troddle
in Silds’ cottage when he is under an epiletic fit. On having conscious, Silas
is astonished to see a golden haired girl in his cottage. Immediately he
thought he had got back his stolen gold. It was rather a whim in his mind
against the golden hair.
With the passage of time and under the advice
of Dolly Wintrop, the girl is reared up by Silas though he tries the best in
ascertain her parents but to no result. Eppie become so much engrossed with
Silas and considers him as his real father. She does not want to part with him
for a single moment. She becomes matures and when her real father Godfrey and
Nancy arrive to take Eppie, she refuses and tells that she can’t part with the
man who has reared her up since childhood. He needs her utmost during his old
age. She has a flow of the milk of kindness for Silas. After marriage she
remains with Silas. Thus she proves to be a better treasure for Manner.
Q4. I can’t say what I should have done
about that, Godfrey. I should never have married anybody else. But I wasn’t
worth doing wrong for—nothing is in this world. Nothing is so good as it seems
beforehand—not even our marrying wasn’t, you see.
Ans. Nancy gently upbraids Godfrey with these
lines, after he confesses that he is Eppie’s father and has hidden that
fact from Nancy for eighteen years. Nancy’s reaction is not one of anger, but
instead one of deep regret that Godfrey had not claimed Eppie long ago, so they
could have raised her themselves When Godfrey responds that Nancy would never
have married him had she known of his secret child, she responds with these
lines, a gentle condemnation of Godfrey’s act and the thinking that justified
it.
The quote brings Nancy’s “unalterable little
code” of behaviour into confrontation with Godfrey’s slippery, self-justifying
equivocation. While Nancy and her code are portrayed as occasionally arbitrary
and even illogical, Eliot leaves no doubt that Nancy is a deeply moral person.
In taking Godfrey to task for simply molding his actions to contingency, Nancy
is passing Eliot’s judgment, as well. Here, as elsewhere Eliot s narrative
punishes those who, by allowing ends to justify means, ignore basic questions
of right and wrong.
Q5. Describe the rustic life presented
in the novel, ‘Silas Marner.’
Ans. When George Eliot wrote this novel, she
was remembering her girlhood in Warwickshire countryside. The story is written
when the Industrial Revolution had encroached upon agricultural England. But
villages like Raveloe were untouched by industrialism. There the agriculturists
led a peaceful life. It was cut off from the outside and an occasional peddler
visited it.
There was the broad division into the higher
and the lower classes in Raveloe. Squire Cuss of the Red House and the
Lammeters of the Warms represented the higher folk. But they were free from
snobbery. The Squire used to visit the Rainbow Inn, which was the favourite
resort of the lower classes in the evenings. Crackenthorp, the rector and Dr.
Kimble were the next in importance. Macey, the tailor-cum-parish clerk, was
given special-respect for his age and his superior wisdom.
The lower classes formed the bulk of the
Raveloe community. Ben, the wheelwright. Dowlas, the farrier, Master Lundy, the
butcher, Tookey, the deputy-clerk, were some of them. Mrs. Dolly, the
wheelwright’s wife was popular with all for her kind services at all
emergencies. She was a model rustic matron, industrious, patient and
philosophical. Molly Farren, whom Godfrey married in secret, must have had sone
respectability; but she became a drug-addict, to which she fell a victim on the
New Year’ Eve.
The Raveloe community had its simple pleasures
and pastimes. On Sundays, the villagers attended the church service, where Ben
Winthrop led the choir. They engaged themselves in the rustic preoccupations
during the week. In the evenings, they assembled at the Rainbow Inn for drink
and gossip. Chapter six of the novel gives a fine and faithful account of
lively and spirited discussions at the inn on the Christmas Eve. Snell, the
landlord acted as the peace-maker, whenever the discussion became personal and
aggressive. On the New Year’s Eve, the Squire entertained his friends and
tenants to a feast in the Red House, which was a highlight of the Raveloe life.
A dance followed the dinner. But privileged persons like Macey were allowed to
be spectators of the dance. Chapter twelve gives a colourful account of the New
Year’s party at the Red House.
The village life at Raveloe was smooth,
innocent and pleasant. The rustics were unsophisticated and good-natured. They
were most uneducated and their talk was in the provincial dialect. But all the
same, their talk was spicy and spirited. They had a simple faith in religion,
marked by regular church-going and resignation to the Divine will. They lived
in amity with one another, though they might argue fiercely with one another.
This is the picture that has been presented in Silas Marner.
Q6. How does ‘Nemesis’ operate between
the two protagonists in the novel?
Ans. Nemesis plays its role in the second
part of the novel. In the first half of the novel, the author shows Silas
Marner, the weaver, his loss of money, Godfrey’s secret marriage with Molly and
his failure to repay his father’s money which he had received from a tenant on
his father’s behalf.
Marner lived in Lantern Yard with his faith in Christianity.
But he was falsely accused of theft. So he found himself a sinner though he was
perfectly honest. His girlfriend Sarah married the man who had brought a false
charge of theft against Marner. Thus he lost his religious faith, left the town
under the veil of disrepute. Losing his faith in God and in his religion was
his first misdeed but as per his Bible-reader God did exist.
In Reveloe, he used for lead a solitary life
and the villagers seemed strange to him. He could not adopt the religion of the
villagers there. His life became miserable but he developed a strong passion
for money. He accumulated a lot of treasure but spent less. He became a miser
and Nemesis showed its role when all his money was stolen and he felt both
desolate and hopeless on being excommunicated by his sect in Lantern Yard. But
fortune smiled on him on receiving a little golden haired girl who became the
instrument of his regeneration.
Godfrey Cass had secretly married a low-class
girl but did not disclose to his father lest he should be disinherited from the
property. He kept the regetting of his daughter a secret. He also
misappropriated his father’s money but showed his softness towards Nancy on the
occasion of the New Year’s party at his father house. It had been his worst
deed when he did not acknowledge his daughter which he saw in Marner’s arms. He
committed a breach of moral code by not revealing to Nancy the fasts about his
earlier wife and a daughter. The Nemesis showed its teeth. Nancy could not
produce a child but became miserable for having a child. After ten years,
Godfrey proposed to Nancy to adopt the girl kept by Marner but Nancy did not
like the suggestion. This was surely a blow to Godfrey from Nemesis. When both
Godfrey and Nancy visited Marner’s house for Eppie, she refused to part with
from Marner. It was the last blow for Godfrey from Nemesis. Thus Nemesis in fast
operating in the novel ‘Silas Marner.’
Q7. Describe the ironical situation in
which Silas Marner had to leave Lantern Yard.
Ans. Before going into detail let us know
that in an ironical situation we find quite opposite in nature what we say.
Here Silas Marner becomes the victim of an irony though he was the most
Christian man at the village. He has come in affection with Sarah, a housemaid
servant in the village. His most intimate friend William helps in making him
accused of theft at the Church and thereby marriages Sarah himself. Thus the
facts become quite opposite and he has to leave the village though he never
desired to do so.
Before coming to the village of Raveloe, Marner
used to live in the town of Lantern Yard where he had been enjoying an
excellent reputation till he felt compelled to quit that place. William Dane
who claimed to be Marner’s best friend framed him as he was jealous of Marner,
and wanted to marry his fiancée Sarah, a young maid-servant. Dane manipulated
matters in such a way that Silas Marner was held guilty by the community of
having stolen money from the house of a dying minister of the church. He was
accused because his knife was found at the crime scene. He didn’t remember committing
the murder or stealing the bag of money. But the minister, other congregation
members and William insisted that he should accepted his sin and atone for it.
Marner found himself in grieved and went away with utter despair in his heart.
His trust in man and God suffered a rude jolt. For a whole day, he sat alone.
On the second day, he received word from same that their engagement was
terminated. He received the news silently and returned to his work. In a
month’s time Sarah was married to William. After this Silas left Lantern Yard
for good and at last came to Raveloe and settled down there as a weaver leading
a solitary life.
Q8. In the novel “Redemption or
regeneration is very much predominant.” Justify your answer with valid reasons.
Ans. Marner and Godfrey are the two main
characters in the novel basically both are good at heart but each of them
become the victims of some adverse circumstances. Silas Marner, a weaver of
Lantern Yard was a noble hearted and a charitable fellow but he was falsely implicated
in robbery at the church. Consequently he lost faith in the religious beliefs
of the community but Sarah with whom he had a word for marriage, changed the
course of his life as she married another man and this man had betrayed Marner.
As a result of all this, he left the village, lost his faith in the God and
settled in Raveloe to lead a solitary life. But he earned his living through
weaving and hoarded a huge amount of money. He developed a strong passion for
money and became a miser. Exessive work reduced his figure and children used to
call him an old man. For sixteen long years, he remained aloof. By chance the
entry of a golden haired little girl changed his course of life and here
started his process of regeneration. He became human, sympathetic and adopted
the girl. This led to his fast development of relations with the people of
Reveloe. Human fellowship entered into his mind and there developed a deep
affection for Eppie, Mrs. Dolly Winthrop (The God-mother of Eppie) and her son
Aaron.
On the other hand Godfrey strayed away from the
right path by marrying an addict. The couple had a daughter but the 'wbole
affair was kept a secret from all. Godfrey also deceived his father by
misappropriating his money. He again committed a blunder by failing to
acknowledge his little girl which was in the arms of Marner. He further
deceived his wife Nancy by keeping the secret of his marriage and a daughter
for sixteen years. In reality Godfrey was facing deterioration in his
character. Finding an appropriate occasion, Godfrey opened his heart of first
marriage before Nancy and suggested to bring back Eppie from Marner. Both went
to Marner and claimed Eppie. Thus here we can see the survival of natural
feelings and natural affections and a rejection of false pretenses to
respectability that bring about Godfrey’s redemption.