When a respectable weaver is wrongfully accused of theft, he becomes a virtual hermit until his own fortune is stolen and an orphaned child is found on his doorstep.
In 19th-century England, a misanthropic weaver named Silas Marner hoards his gold. But his life changes when his gold is stolen, and then a baby girl wanders into his life. He raises little Eppie, but her real father is not far away.—Kathy Li
Silas Marner is a respected member of the small 19th Century rural religious community of Lantern Yard, but his world is shaken when he is wrongfully accused of a theft and expelled as a pariah. He settles anonymously in the town of Raveloe in a hermit-like existence in an isolated cottage. His weaving skills and penurious lifestyle help him amass a small fortune over the next fifteen years, but he is devastated when Dunstan Cass, the wastrel son of the local squire, steals his hidden hoard of gold and disappears. Shortly thereafter, the despondent Marner discovers an orphaned little girl whom he adopts as his own. Unbeknownst to him the child's father is Godfrey Cass, Dunstan's brother, who fears the consequences of revealing the child's true paternity.—Gabe Taverney ([email protected])
Silas Marner, a weaver, comes to Raveloe after he is accused of theft by the "narrow religious sect" in Lantern Yard, where he has been living. It is clear that it is in fact his friend, William Dane, who is guilty, and William has also stolen Sarah, Marners fiancée, from him.
The rest of the chapter is devoted to establishing our sense of the rural community into which Marner has moved and of his strangeness to its inhabitants. There are various reasons for that strangeness:he suffers from occasional fits and Jem Rodney saw him in the throes of onehe lives in an isolated cottagehe is a weaver and such technical skill is viewed with suspicion by the country peoplehe has "large brown protuberant eyes"naturally enough, after his experiences in Lantern Yard, Marner does not readily trust other people
Fifteen years later, Marner is still an outsider. This was made worse when he was able to help Sally Oates with the knowledge of herbs he had gleaned from his mother. His refusal to help anyone else only made people treat him as someone almost alien.
Dolly Winthrop has tried to draw him into the community but his refusal to go to church seals his exclusion. However, when all the money that he has made by his weaving is stolen, the community are sympathetic, and as Christmas approaches, many acts of kindness are extended to him. That money had been really important to him. He spent as little as he could on everyday life, and rewarded himself each evening by counting the money that was hidden.
The thief is Dunstan Cass, the Squires younger son and immoral in all kinds of ways.
Godfrey loves Nancy, but, unknown to his father, he has married Molly and has a little girl. Molly is an opium addict and Godfrey does not know how to tell his father about his marriage which would cost him Nancy.
Dunstan finds out about the marriage and blackmails Godfrey. He gives some of his fathers rent money that he has collected from a tenant, and, of course, Dunstan has no intention of repaying it. He agrees that Dunstan should sell his horse. Despite receiving an offer for the horse, Dunstan continues to ride it and kills it when jumping.
Dunstan is forced to walk back. As he approaches Marners cottage, he thinks about the weavers well known savings. He plans to try to persuade Marner into handing over a "loan", but ends up stealing it. He then disappears.
Godfrey is forced to tell his father about the money. He does not tell him about the existence of a wife so he awaits the New Year party in a state of mixed emotions - longing to see Nancy but knowing he cannot marry her and fearful that his secret will be revealed.
Nancy is described as an attractive girl and she has a warm personality but she holds strong moral views. She has said she will not marry Godfrey unless he changes his behaviour. She likes being Squire Casss chosen bride for his eldest son but she is also ready to state strongly that she values the work at home, for instance baking before the party. She does not value social trivia very highly.
She is an interesting contrast with her blunt and plain sister, Priscilla. Priscilla is willing to indulge Nancys wish to wear matching clothes in order to show theyre sisters, but not to have them chosen to suit her since she knows that Nancy is the one who stands a chance of making a good marriage.
When Nancy tears her dress, it creates the opportunity for a conversation between her and Godfrey which at least makes the way open for them to possibly get back together: "I should be glad to see a good change in anybody, Mr Godfrey," she answered, with the slightest discernible difference of tone, "but it 'ud be better if no change was wanted."
The scene ends with the dancing that causes this discussion, but also captures strongly the feel of a rural celebration, with the affluent guests and the observers.Godfreys wife, Molly, sets out to take revenge by arriving at The Red House, Godfreys home, on New Years Eve, when a party is taking place. She is carrying her daughter in her arms. However, she decides to take opium and when she has done so, falls into a drugged sleep. It is snowing and in her unconscious state, she dies of the cold.
The child she is carrying wakes up and wanders off to Silass cottage, where she falls asleep in front of the fire and is found there by Silas Marner. Following her footprints in the snow, he finds her mothers body.
Silas Marners appearance at the New Year party, carrying the child, causes a stir. Godfrey recognises his daughter and is terrified but his wife is dead and he is free to pursue Nancy. Silas surprises everyone by saying he will keep the child but no-one objects. Godfrey gives him money towards her care and tells himself that he will continue to contribute to her upkeep but he believes that he cannot tell Nancy - that to do so would be the end of their relationship.
We hear about how Marner learns to combine his work with looking after Eppie, "his daughter". Dolly Winthrop helps with her upbringing. Godfreys help only takes the form of an occasional cash hand-out as might be normal for someone in his position helping someone who has adopted a waif and stray. His thoughts are all on his future life with Nancy and he wants nothing to stand in its way.
Silass love for Eppie and her bright and happy spirit means that they support each other. His devotion to her is sketched in by the description of how he cannot punish her for anything. He steeled himself to lock her in the coal hole but she saw this as a great joke and went in for fun. "Eppie in de toal-hole!" (Chapter 14).
Sixteen years later and Silas and Eppie are both content. Eppie is being courted by Aaron Winthrop, Dollys son. Eppie wants to marry Aaron and then live with Silas, so they can look after him as he grows older.
Nancy and Godfrey are married but they have no children Godfrey has tried unsuccessfully to persuade Nancy to adopt Eppie without telling her about their relationship. "When you saw a thing was not meant to be", said Nancy, "it was a bounden duty to leave off so much as wishing for it." (Chapter 17). The absence of a child has caused strain in the relationship, but has not changed Nancys mind.
The stone pits have been drained and Dunstans body is found, and with it, Silas Marners money. This triggers a confession from Godfrey and he tells Nancy about his daughter. They go to see Silas and Eppie and Godfrey reveals himself as her father and offers her a home.
However, Eppie remains loyal to Silas, Aaron and the life she has and Godfrey has to accept that his revelations are all too late. He is resigned to this and determined to do as much as he can for his daughter.
Silas returns with Eppie to Lantern Yard but it has been destroyed and a factory built in its place. He now knows that he has no home but Raveloe and the injustice of the past is lost in the face of his present happiness.
"No", said Silas, "no; that doesn't hinder. Since the time the child was sent to me and I've come to love her as myself, I've had light enough to trusten by; and now she says she'll never leave me, I think I shall trusten till I die." (Chapter 21).
The conclusion of the novel is Eppies wedding day. The marriage is celebrated as a fitting scene in Raveloe life.
"There was one time of the year which was held in Raveloe to be especially suitable for a wedding. It was when the great lilacs and laburnums in the old-fashioned gardens showed their golden and purple wealth above the lichen-tinted walls, and when there were calves still young enough to want bucketfuls of fragrant milk. People were not so busy then as they must become when the full cheese-making and the mowing had set in; and besides, it was a time when a light bridal dress could be worn with comfort and seen to advantage."
The neighbours discuss the wedding as a fitting reward to Silas for his generous act in taking Eppie in, all those years ago, but Silas and the reader know that Silas benefited too. Eppies wedding dress was a gift from Nancy and Godfrey has paid for the wedding feast, an extension to the cottage and garden. But he goes away on the day of the wedding, perhaps because it is Silass place by her side and not his.
Eppies splendid garden is a strong image of the natural continuity of life that the wedding represents.
