Discuss The Importance of Loneliness in the Novel Silas Marner by George Eliot

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Nicholas Bethell-Collins        Wellington College        18/02/2011

        English Coursework 2006        

Discuss The Importance of Loneliness in the Novel Silas Marner by George Eliot.

Loneliness is seen in different forms throughout the novel, mainly shown through Godfrey and Silas. George Eliot uses loneliness as a major theme throughout the novel to introduce other issues such as community, love, the church and friendship. She does this by using Eppie and the stolen money as key point regarding loneliness, with Godfrey and Silas. Eliot shows us the reason for Silas’ isolation in Raveloe at the beginning of the novel, after he was exiled from Lantern Yard.

Eliot presents to us the reasons for Silas’ seclusion in Raveloe, by showing him in Lantern Yard, a member of the church, betrayed by his best friend, accused of theft and then banished through the supposed ‘will of god’, accounting for his lack of trust in people and God. He feels betrayed by God and people. Silas has felt betrayed by everyone in the past. This part of the novel explains why Silas is not religious or churchgoing in Raveloe. Later we realise that churchgoing is a key part of socialising and community in Raveloe.   When Raveloe is introduced into the novel Silas has been living there for fifteen years and has been hoarding the money he earnt from his weaving, he has no one to love and so continues weaving. Eliot does this to show the contrast between Silas’ personality before and after Eppie’s introduction in Raveloe.

Silas’ gold has a significant importance in the novel. By hoarding the gold he gains a sense of belonging and comfort. Most people only like their money as they lust after the things they can buy with it, but Silas keeps the gold for its mere presence. The gold also represents people to Silas, another reason why he doesn’t feel the need to socialise in the village.

We see how Silas hoards his gold, and is his reason for living. He slowly makes money and thrives on the adrenaline he receives from admiring his guineas. He weaves to gather the money, and then at supper enjoys marvelling at the golden guineas. We can see this in the novel when Eliot says:

“Supper was his favourite meal, because it came at his time of revelry, when his heart warmed over his gold”

In Chapter 2, Silas is shown to be a compulsive worker, with a bed in his living room, always near his work. Eliot portrays him as an almost mechanical worker, monotonously weaving in the darkened room, slowly losing his eyesight and turning pale.

Eliot explains this when she says:

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“He had clung with all the force of his nature to his work and his money”

 Silas' fits and his medicinal knowledge are used to accentuate Silas’ image of being visited by Satan, and are quite a regular occurrence. Although Eliot also says:

“Yet few men could be more harmless than poor Marner”

Showing us that he is not in league with the devil.

 When Silas heals Sally Oakes, the villagers are wary of Silas and how he healed Sally with his herbal concoction. The people of Raveloe are wary of people like Silas with unconventional skills and strange knowledge ...

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