Silas Marner consists of Part One and Part Two between which sixteen years have passed.

Authors Avatar

Section I – Plot Analysis:

        Silas Marner consists of Part One and Part Two between which sixteen years have passed. Part One introduces Silas Marner as a lonely weaver. Briefly, the novel flashes back to fifteen years earlier when he was falsely accused of theft and forced to emigrate from his industrialized town to a village in the countryside. The story picks up Silas Marner sixteen years later and the reader is treated to his hardships over the next fifteen years and eventual good fortune. The purpose of the author is to show that a poor person, who has been so badly treated by his fellow man that he has lost faith in God, is capable of overcoming his despair, and leading a virtuous life.

        George Eliot, whose real name was Mary Ann Evans, begins by depicting Silas Marner and his unfortunate situation. Set in the pastoral English countryside village of Raveloe, at the turn of the nineteenth century, when the industrial revolution was in progress, Silas Marner is a pallid man, of thirty nine years of age, who is disillusioned and has placed his trust in his money more then in man. Nevertheless, he still attempts to be social. He is seen by the villagers as especially strange because of the cataleptic fits he occasionally suffers, and his physical contortions required when weaving. This results in a conflict between Silas and the community who rejects him as a misfit even though these superstitious country people attributed supernatural qualities to him. Although there are similar examples of fantasy dispersed throughout the novel, the tone is realistic. The mood in the exposition is one of desperation which, after the inciting force, swings to one of hope and eventually joy.

There is a parallel plot, introduced in the third chapter, involving a wealthy family by the name of Cass. The villagers regarded Squire Cass and his two sons as nobility although in truth, they were much poorer then was known. His sons, Godfrey and Dunstan, lacked moral principles. Godfrey, the eldest son, was honest but weak-willed and easily led by his brother. Dunstan, “a spiteful, jeering fellow”, was selfish, irresponsible and dishonest. By using his brother to his own advantage, Dunstan shows how some members of privileged society are immoral.

These two plots meet at the inciting force. Dunstan, desperate for money, happens on to Silas Marner’s cottage, where it was rumoured he kept a large sum of gold. By coincidence, Silas was absent and for the first time, had left his door unlocked. The theft left Silas purposeless and empty and forced him to seek assistance from the villagers.

Almost fifteen years passed while Silas integrated himself into the village life. Among the villagers who felt sympathy for Marner’s loss was Dolly Winthrop. Her gentle, genuine, selfless nature helped to reacquaint him with the people of the village. The rising action began with the revelation that Godfrey Cass was secretly married to an opium addict, Molly Farren, but was in love with Nancy Lammeter. Godfrey and Molly had a child who was almost three years old when her mother and she started off in the direction of Squire Cass’s famed New Year’s Eve dance to confront Godfrey. Molly fell down and died en route leaving her toddler to fend for herself. Seeing the light shining through Silas’s open door, unnoticed, she entered and fell asleep by the hearth of the fireplace.

The turning point of this novel was reached when Silas Marner declared publicly at the New Year’s Eve dance that he will raise the child. Godfrey still does not reveal that he is the child’s father and the villagers accept Silas’decision.

Join now!

The falling action began with the baptizing of both Silas and the child, christened as Eppie. Fifteen years passed happily for Silas and Eppie. On the other hand, the reader is informed of Godfrey and Nancy Lammeter’s childless marriage and Nancy’s refusal to adopt despite Godfrey’s persistent desire to adopt Eppie. When Dunstan’s body is found along with Silas’s gold, Godfrey, fearing discovery, confessed to Nancy that he had been secretly married to Eppie’s mother. Nancy was regretful for in her mind, she could justify adopting Eppie. Together, they confronted Silas and Eppie with the knowledge that Godfrey was ...

This is a preview of the whole essay