Silas Marner

Chapter 1
Eliot begins chapter one with an overview of the society in which her story takes place. She describes the hermit-like lifestyle of those like Silas Marner, who she jokes, "looked like remnants of a disinherited race." Eliot also addresses the suspicion surrounding these solitary weavers and collectors of herbs, saying, "all cleverness...was in itself suspicious." Silas, too, a linen-weaver who had emigrated to Raveloe fifteen years ago, is similarly thought to possess quasi-demonic powers due to his solitary nature and ability to cure others with herbs. To further support the townspeople’s claims that Silas is possessed, the author describes sudden times when the weaver would have "cataleptic fits," in which it seemed his soul had left his body.
Yet Marner’s whole life hasn’t been spent in this manner. Before he fled to Raveloe, he was a quite normal person, active in his church in Lantern Yard and eagerly awaiting his wedding day. Soon, however, Silas is suspected of having the devil’s influence when he has his cataleptic fits during the church service prayers. Eventually he is set up by William Dane (who he thought was his best friend) and is said to have stolen money from the dying deacon whom he was suppose to watch. Soon his wife-to-be is married to William and Silas is found guilty by the church council following a drawing of lots. Silas decides to isolate himself from his inner pain, taking up weaving as a means of escape.
Chapter 2
Eliot begins chapter two with the same retrospective writing with which she began the first chapter. Again, describing those people alienated from society after a traumatic event, like Silas Marner, she asserts, "the past becomes dreamy because its symbols have all vanished, and the present too is dreamy because it is linked with no memories." Later she addresses the reasons Silas fled to another region of England. She follows, "In the early ages of the world, we know, it was believed that each territory was inhabited and ruled by its own divinities, so that a man could cross the bordering heights and be out of the reach of his native gods, whose presence was confined to the streams and the groves and the hills among which he had lived from his birth. And poor Silas was vaguely conscious of something not unlike the feeling of primitive men, when they fled thus, in dear or in sullenness, from the face of an unpropitious deity."
The trust which Silas had previously had in his faith and in the church had now been turned to bitterness. No longer was his faith or personal relations important to him since they had betrayed him. Gold now became the object of his work, and nothing else but weaving his loom day and night in order to get more of this gold mattered. Eliot admits, "money had stood to him as the symbol of earthly good, and the immediate object of toil... His life had reduced itself to the mere functions of weaving and hoarding, without any contemplation of an end towards which the functions tended."
Chapter 3
Eliot’s third chapter discusses the Cass family, a very prominent and wealthy family of nobles headed by Squire Cass. The Squire has four sons, including Godfrey and Dunstan. While the author says that Dunstan is commonly thought of as the mischievous one, lately Godfrey has been following in his brother’s footsteps. The two brothers hate each other deeply, but realize they need each other in order to advance their own selfish desires.
It soon becomes evident that Godfrey is hiding a very dark secret. It seems he has married "a drunken woman," Molly Farren, without consulting his father, who thinks he should marry Nancy Lammeter. Godfrey now wishes he was in fact married to Nancy, but realizes that he will have to decline since he’s already married. Furthermore it seems the first-born son is in financial trouble, having borrowed heavily from a friend of his father.
Dunstan uses all of this to his own advantage, threatening to tell the truth of Godfrey’s marriage to their father is his brother refuses to do him favors. Finally in order to raise money to pay their father, Godfrey reluctantly allows Dunstan to sell Wildfire, his prized horse. The scene ends with the following description of Godfrey: "The yoke a man creates for himself by wrong-doing will breed hate in the kindliest nature; and the good-humoured, affectionate-hearted Godfrey Cass, was fast becoming a bitter man, visited by cruel wishes, that seemed to enter and depart, and enter again, like demons who had found in him a ready-garnished home."
Chapter 4
This chapter begins the last adventurous day in the life of Dunstan Cass. On his way to auction-off Wildfire, he begins to contemplate the prospect of persuading Silas to lend him the pile of money which he must have been hoarding over the years. Later, on his journey, he gets a generous offer for the horse from a friend of the family, and says that he will return later to make the deal. Inside his mind, Dunstan thinks that he could also win even more money by entering a hunt with dogs, citing his own "unusual good luck." Unfortunately tragedy strikes during the hunt— Wildfire falls into a pit, leading to the horse’s immediate death. Dunstan ditches the prized horse, deciding to walk home. On the way he paces Silas’s house, planning to persuade the old, lonely weaver to loan him some of his gold. When Dunstan knocks, he notices that no one is home and soon invites himself in. Suddenly he realizes that nothing is preventing him from just stealing Marner’s money, so he uncovers the sandy bricks and hauls away two bags of Silas’s gold guineas. The scene ends with Dunstan stepping forward into the darkness; he will not be heard from again until his body is found near the end of the story.
Chapter 5
Chapter five gives some background on Silas’s decision to leave his home unattended and unlocked. He was simply doing a routine errand, briefly leaving the cabin. He didn’t lock the door because after fifteen years of this pattern of living, any alteration, such as a robbery, seemed almost incomprehensible to the weaver hermit.
Upon Silas’s return, he checks under the bricks where his gold is kept and to his shock and horror sees that it has been stolen. Silas immediately descends into a mode of panic, thinking that the "cruel power" of God has made him "a second time desolate." He rushes into town, determined to see the constable and put an end to this sudden misery.
Chapter 6
Eliot’s sixth chapter takes place in the Rainbow Bar, the major town meeting place for social occasions. There is a lot of character dialogue in this chapter, including stories from Mr. Macey; but the conversation employed by Eliot here is not pertinent to the novel. The chapter simply shows the reader the kinds of people in Raveloe, and introduces the reader to those whom Silas will confront in chapter 7.
Chapter 7
The seventh chapter starts with Silas entering the Rainbow Bar, confronting those he sees there with the apparent robbery of his gold. This is the first time many of those gathered have seen Silas out of his "shell," and thus some are initially skeptical about his story. Others, however, feel quite sorry for the bachelor weaver, and do their best to help.
Eliot describes a positive side effect to this whole situation, saying that Silas, due to his need to communicate with the others in order to get his gold returned, is forced to grow socially. She follows, "This strangely novel situation of opening his trouble to his Raveloe neighbors, of sitting in the warmth of a hearth not his own, and feeling the presence of faces and voices which were his nearest promise of help, had doubtless its influence on Marner, in spite of his passionate preoccupation with his loss. Our consciousness rarely registers the beginning of a growth within us any more than without us: there have been many circulations of the sap before we detect the smallest sign of the bud."
After pondering for a few moments what to do, several of the men realize that Justice Malam is unavailable and that one of them must be appointed deputy-constable to take the place of the judge. Although there is a "hot debate" over this, eventually the men decide that two men will go with Silas to the scene of the crime: Mr. Dowlas and the landlord.
Chapter 8
Eliot’s eighth chapter details Godfrey’s state of mind upon his return from the Osgood party. She admits that he is so busy thinking about the beauty of Nancy Lammeter that he doesn’t give much thought to the fact that Dunstan hasn’t returned. He figures his brother has spent the night somewhere else.
The nest day Bryce, the man with whom Dunstan made the deal with Wildfire, visits Godfrey and tells him about the deal for the horse, the horse’s death, and the disappearance of Dunstan. This outrages Godfrey, who swears revenge. This leaves Godfrey in a difficult situation, since now he has no money to pay off his debts. Though the eldest brother considers lying to the Squire about what happened, eventually he determines that this act would simply get them both into more trouble with their father, so he decides just to speak the truth to the Squire tomorrow.
As far as the robbery investigation in concerned, the only "evidence" found by the deputy constables is a tinder box near Silas’s home, known to be owned by a foreign peddler. Soon many of the townspeople consider this peddler the robber, though they have no real proof.
Chapter 9
Chapter nine begins with a description of the Squire. Obviously the man is very proud of his family heritage and concerned about keeping it intact. Eliot continues, "The Squire had been used to parish homage all his life, used to the pre-supposition that his family, his tankards, and everything that was his, were the oldest and best; and as he never associated with any gentry higher than himself, his opinion was not disturbed by comparison."
After the others had eaten, Godfrey finds his father starting his own breakfast, and quickly confronts him about what has happened with Dunstan and the horse. Although the Squire is angry with Godfrey about the debts he owes, the old man saves most of his criticism for Dunstan, saying, "Let him turn ostler, and keep himself. He shan’t hang on me any more." Thus, Godfrey has maintained (though barely) his place in the family while Dunstan is forever exiled.
Chapter 10
Chapter ten serves as a transition chapter. There has been no progress regarding the robbery. The clue of the tinder-box, though seemingly very important, has now ceased to be a topic of major discussion around the town. Dunstan’s continued absence has also gone virtually unnoticed.
Eliot describes Silas as a man more confused and desolate than ever, spending most of his time bent over in a chair, holding his head in his hands. She continues, "The loom was there, and the weaving, and the growing pattern in the cloth; but the bright treasure in the hole under his feet was gone; the prospect of handling and counting it was gone: the evening had no phantasm of delight to still the poor soul’s craving." Silas is now seen by his neighbors as more crazy than ever.
Despite the urging of Mr. Macey and Dolly Winthrop to go to church and seek refuge in his faith, Silas ignores these ideas, already disillusioned with the religion he formerly trusted in. Eliot continues, "And so, notwithstanding the honest persuasions of Mr. Macey and Dolly Winthrop, Silas spent his Christmas-day in loneliness..."
On New Year’s Eve, the Cass family is having a huge annual party at the Red House, so Godfrey nervously awaits the arrival of Nancy.
Chapter 11
Eliot begins chapter eleven with a characterization of Nancy Lammeter, Godfrey’s love interest. Of course she is beautiful— this is perhaps the most important characteristic, at least as far as Godfrey is concerned. Nancy, however is upset with Godfrey for leading her on. Since she obviously doesn’t know about his secret marriage to Molly, she is naturally very confused at his behavior. Nancy thinks to herself about Godfrey, saying "...Mr. Godfrey Cass was, sometimes behaving as if he didn’t want to speak to her, and taking no notice of her for weeks and weeks, and then, all of a sudden, almost making love again?"
The rest of the chapter is devoted to boring scenes in which the ladies dress themselves and gossip about each others’ appearance. Soon the party begins with a dinner, in which Godfrey, acting very awkward, almost melts in Nancy’s presence.
Chapter 12
Chapter twelve ends the slow, uneventful narrative of the preceding chapter with a sudden surprise for the reader. It seems Godfrey will be dealt a crushing blow at his father’s party, when his forgotten wife, Molly, decides to make a surprise visit to confront him and the rest of the Cass household. Eliot narrates, "This journey on New Year’s Eve was a premeditated act of vengeance which she had kept in her heart ever since Godfrey, in a fit of passion, had told her he would sooner die than acknowledge her as his wife."
Molly decides to make the long trip in the bitter cold by foot. Suddenly she becomes very tired and decides to take a rest in a snow bank; she never wakes. Her two-year-old daughter silently crawls out of her dying arms and ventures into the home of Silas Marner where the door is open and a warm fire is crackling. Eliot describes Silas’s shock, saying, "He leaned forward at last, and stretched forth his hand; but instead of the hard coin with the familiar resisting outline, his fingers encountered soft warm curls...he had a dreamy feeling that this child was somehow a message come to him from the far-off life."
Quickly Silas comforts the girl by offering her warm porridge. Soon he looks outside to try to find the place from which she came. It’s at this time he sees her mother’s dead body frozen in the snow.
Chapter 13
Finding the enchanting child with golden curls suddenly in his home and seeing her mother’s frozen body outside in the snow, Silas decides to go into town to report both the woman’s death and the discovery of the new joy in his life. When the old weaver invites himself in the back door of the party, Godfrey is one of the first people to see him. When Silas begins to speak about the dead woman in the snow, Godfrey immediately realizes that she’s his wife. Eliot details his thoughts, saying, "Godfrey felt a great throb: there was one terror in his mind at that moment: it was, that the woman might not be dead. That was the evil terror..."
As the evening progresses it soon becomes obvious that Silas has become attached to his newly found treasure. When the women of the household ask to hold her, Silas protests, saying, "I can’t part with it, I can’t let it go."
Soon a search party is organized to locate the body; Godfrey eagerly goes along to make sure his wife is silenced permanently. He returns home a few hours later, exuberant that Molly is gone for good. Now, he thinks, he will be free to marry Nancy. He’s even glad that he won’t have to be father to his child, though he tells himself he’ll see that she is well cared for.
Chapter 14
Chapter fourteen begins the narrative of Silas’s new life with the child, whom he decides to name Eppie. Although some of the townspeople think it’s rather odd that a tramp like Silas should raise the toddler, no one prevents the weaver from keeping her, seeing his devotion to her already in his eyes. Whenever Silas is questioned about the situation, he repeats the colloquial phrase, "The money’s gone I don’t know where, and this is come from I don’t know where."
Soon Dolly Winthrop becomes Silas’s child-raising helper and eventual godmother to Eppie. Dolly and her son, Aaron, become the closest contact Silas has with the outside world. Silas’s eyes seem to open more widely with each passing day. The sick obsession he formerly had with his gold has now been replaced with the healthy obsession for his new daughter, Eppie. Eliot narrates, "Unlike the gold which needed nothing, and must be worshiped in close-locked solitude— which was hidden away from the daylight, was deaf to the song of birds, and started to no human tones— Eppie was a creature of endless claims and ever-growing desires, seeking and loving sunshine, and living sounds, and living movements; making trial of everything, with trust in new joy, and stirring the human kindness in all eyes that looked on her." She was "warming him into joy because she had joy."
Eventually Silas and Eppie even attend church in Raveloe, something Silas had never had any interest in before, following the bad experience he had with religion in Lantern’s Yard. Soon Eppie is baptized.
Eliot narrates, "As the child’s mind was growing into knowledge, his mind was growing into memory: as her life unfolded, his soul, long stupefied in a cold narrow prison, was unfolding too, and trembling gradually into full consciousness."
Chapter 15
This chapter is very short and uneventful; it simply says that no one in the town seems to miss Dunstan or think something is peculiar about his absence. Godfrey’s path to happiness is unblocked and despite his double-life he will continue to ensure Eppie’s well-being. "That was a father’s duty," he thinks to himself vainly.
One ironic note: it’s interesting how one member of the Cass family took Silas’s gold while the other gave Silas his daughter. It seems that now the Cass family will live in financial luxury while Silas experiences true fulfillment by raising a daughter.
Chapter 16
This chapter fast-forwards to the future— sixteen years after Silas found Eppie. Mr. and Mrs. Godfrey Cass (Godfrey and Nancy) have taken over the Red House and received much of the Squire’s inheritance.
As Silas and Eppie walk out of church, Aaron Winthrop approaches them, saying he is willing to help them build the garden they are planning. It soon becomes evident that Aaron and Eppie have a special relationship, and the two are hoping to get married soon.
There are changes to Silas’s lonely stone cottage. There are plenty of pets, both in and out of doors, and more furniture given them by Godfrey. In fact, the Red House has helped Silas and his daughter considerably in the last few years. Eliot explains, "Godfrey Cass, as everyone said in the village, did very kindly by the weaver; and it was nothing but right a man should be looked on and helped by those who could afford it."
By this time, Silas has come to terms with his past, even being willing to share the story of his supposed guilt in Lantern Yard with Dolly. Eliot narrates, "...with reawakening sensibilities, memory also reawakened, he had begun to ponder over the elements of his old faith, and blend them with his new impressions, till he recovered a consciousness of unity between his past and present. The sense of presiding goodness and the human trust which come with all pure peace and joy, had given him a dim impression that there had been some error, some mistake, which had thrown the dark shadow over the days of his best years."
Chapter 17
Eliot’s seventeenth chapter views the perspective of Nancy Cass. It seems she is not totally happy with her life as wife of Godfrey. Although she loves him very much and is happy when he is happy, she desperately desires children. Godfrey also feels that he’s missing something in middle age. Apparently the couple has tried to have children but failed, and although Godfrey has thought about adoption, Nancy is opposed to the idea of bringing up a child not one’s own. The child Godfrey suggested that they adopt was Eppie. Yet Nancy rejected this idea, not knowing that Godfrey was her real father.
Chapter 18
This chapter is very short but quite significant to the novel as a whole. While one of the stone pits near Silas’s house is being drained (for the first time in decades), the skeleton of Dunstan Cass is discovered, along with the two sacks of gold he had stolen sixteen years ago. It seems Dunstan didn’t make it more than a few steps away from Silas’s cottage before he slipped into the water pit in the darkness.
This find inspires Godfrey to reveal his secret to Nancy once and for all. "Nancy," said Godfrey, slowly, "when I married you, I hid something from you— something I ought to have told you. That woman Marner found dead in the snow— Eppie’s mother— that wretched woman— was my wife: Eppie is my child."
This powerful statement overwhelms Nancy, yet she doesn’t seem at all bitter about it. She only regrets the fact that Godfrey kept this from her so long. Otherwise, she admits, she would have been more than willing to adopt Eppie as their own.
Yet the Cass couple still has hope. This night they plan to visit Silas and tell him the news about Eppie’s father. This, they hope, will convince him to give the eighteen-year-old Eppie to them as their child.
Chapter 19
Godfrey and Nancy Cass are admitted to the home of Silas and Eppie that evening. Godfrey apologizes for the theft of the weaver’s gold by his brother so many years ago. Silas shrugs it off, saying Godfrey isn’t responsible anyway, and that he’d much rather have Eppie than the gold.
Soon Godfrey gets to the point. He tells Silas and Eppie, "But I have a claim on you Eppie— the strongest of all claims. It is my duty, Marner, to own Eppie as my child, and provide for her. She is my own child— her mother was my wife. I have a natural claim on her that must stand before every other."
Silas responds, "God gave her to me because you turned your back upon her, and He looks upon her as mine: you’ve no right to her! When a man turns a blessing from his door, it falls to them as take it in."
Following this, Eppie is asked whom she would rather stay with, and of course she chooses Silas, the only father she’s ever known.
Godfrey feels insulted and storms away without a polite farewell. Nancy does her best to cover for her husband’s rude departure by saying that both of them wish Eppie the best no matter with whom she lives.
Chapter 20
Godfrey and Nancy walk home in the darkness. Godfrey blames himself for the situation, saying, "It’s part of my punishment, Nancy, for my daughter to dislike me. I should never have got into that trouble if I’d been true to you— if I hadn’t been a fool. I’d no right to expect anything but evil could come of that marriage— and when I shirked doing a father’s part too."
Finally both decide that it’s best that this secret isn’t revealed to the rest of the town.
Chapter 21 - Conclusion
Now that he has the money to travel, Silas decides to return for a trip to Lantern Yard with Eppie. This marks a real turning point in Silas’s ability to accept the past. When they visit this far-off town, Silas soon realizes that it no longer exists. A big factory has replaced Silas’s whole original life.
Yet Silas still believes in a power above looking over him. He admits that he has "light enough to trusten by." Now that Silas has confronted his past, he realizes that his future with Eppie is all that matters now.
Eliot’s last chapter details the marriage of Eppie and Aaron. It’s a wonderful time of celebration and jubilation. Eppie tells her father, "I think nobody could be happier than we are." Silas doesn’t feel that he’s losing a daughter, but instead he knows that he’s gaining a son.