Silas’ life grew more emptier “he hated the thought of the past, there was nothing that called out his love and fellowship towards the strangers he has come to live amongst. The future was dark, for there was “no unseen love that cared for him.”
Silas prospered in Raveloe. He became very rich; he weaved the best cloth in the neighbourhood. He received five guineas for a tablecloth and for the first time he keep these earnings all for himself. No longer having to share them with the church. He has been reduced to, “ the mere function of weaving and hoarding.” This means that his job has overtaken everything in his life.
He worked sixteen hours each day, counting his earnings like a man marking off days of imprisonment on a wall. He enjoyed the physical presence of the gold coins and handled them joyfully “bathes his hands”. He keeps them in the floor beneath his loom, in an iron pot and only pulled them out at night. When the iron pot overflowed, he began keeping the money in two leather bags. He lived this way for fifteen years, until a sudden change altered his life one Christmas.
We can only understand how devastating the loss of his gold is, if we understand how important the gold is to him, it replaces everything he has lost. He doesn’t want the gold for what it can buy, he actually loves the coins themselves. In fact he spent as little as possible on himself because he couldn’t bear to part with his beloved coins.
Indeed, money allowed Silas to have the same reverence and admiration for the symbolic representations without requiring any human component. Money became to Silas Marner what the amulets of his religious sect once were. Once the last trace of his need for human fellowship is cast away by his banishment from the sect, he found himself seeking the same spiritual edification from his gold coins.
In chapter three we are introduced to the second plot, which revolved around Godfrey Cass. The Cass family are rich and powerful. Dunstan, the evil son of the squire, is blackmailing Godfrey who secretly married Molly Farren. She turned into a drunken, drug-taking wife. If this secret came out then Godfrey would lose his inheritance. Nancy Lammeter is Fodfrey’s new interest; he cannot court her while he already has a wife.
The story of Silas merged with the plot of Godfrey Cass. Godfrey had agreed to sell his horse Wildfire, to raise the blackmail money. Dunstan arranged a sale yet foolishly killed the horse. As he is returned to Raveloe without the horse or money he passed Marner’s cottage. Dunstan entered to see the cottage is empty; he found the bags of gold and went back into the dark misty night. George Eliot said, as Dunstan left the cottage, that he “stepped forward in to the darkness.” This is a metaphor for going to hell.
Silas returned to his cottage and before dinner he decided to get out the gold. To his horror he found that it is missing. He is filled with terror but couldn’t believe the gold had really gone. He spent hours searching and hoping that it might turn up. It doesn’t!
When he finally accepted that it had gone, he let out, “a wild, ringing scream, the cry of desolation.” He, “totters” towards his loom almost insane. He is so devastated he can hardly walk. His purpose in life has been destroyed. This loss is described as, “the withering desolation of a bereavement.” Silas decided it is a thief and suspected Jem Rodney. Silas choose to walk to the village. He went to the Rainbow to notify the villages of robbery and depended on the Squire and others to help him recover his money.
The villagers are surprised by the appearance of Silas who entered the pub stating his loss. Jem Rodney denied the charged and Silas apologised, as he knew about being wrongly accused. The men are helpful and suggested that there must be some clues to track down the thief. Mr Dowlas and Mr Snell went out into the dark to help Silas. He didn’t realise it yet, all he cared about was his lost gold, but the lost has aroused the sympathy of the people of Raveloe and made him less frightening.
In chapter ten Silas if filled with grief and pain, as he is still without money. Eliot referred to his “withering desolation” as if he is shrivelled up by despair. She referred to the loss felt by Silas as someone whose loved one has died.
The attitudes of the villagers are changing as they try to comfort him by visiting his cottage and bringing gifts. Visits from Mr Macey, Dolly Winthrop and Aaron show the concern. Silas is asked to attend church. We see Silas slowly becoming a part of the community. His loneliness and isolation are over; he is no longer an outsider.
At the end of the chapter Silas, despite the increased friendliness of the villages Silas is left alone and feels like life has nothing further to offer.
In chapter eleven it is New Year’s Eve and a party at the Red House is organised. Everyone comments on the beauty of Nancy. The Squire is hoping Godfrey will show her affection, he wants to but he is already married.
While Godfrey is enjoying himself at the party, Molly is on her way to the red house to disclose the secret marriage. Molly felt that she has been neglected.
She carried her child in the arms. Molly took some drugs and fell in the snow. The child toddled towards Silas’s cottage; she is attracted into his home by the bright glow of his fire. Silas is having a cataleptic fit and failed to notice the child entering the doorway.
When he woke he thought his gold had returned. He looks at her and, “it seemed as if there were gold on the floor in front of the hearth”. But, “instead of the hard coin…. his fingers encountered soft warm curls.” The Author contrasted hard coins with soft curls. When he realised that the child is real, he is filled with wonder and begins to remember feelings of tenderness which he known before he was betrayed at Lantern Yard.
When the child woke he instinctively cared for her and there is an immediate bond. His gold is forgotten about because, from the start, Eppie filled the empty places in his life.
In chapter fourteen we see that the dust has settled over the death of Molly Farren and the arrival of the baby at Silas’ cottage. Despite Godfrey suggestion that the baby be sent to an orphanage, Silas decided he would look after the baby. The villagers see Silas as a good man who is trying to bring up a child single – handed. The local “helper of people in trouble” Dolly Winthrop offered Silas help with the baby. Dolly is very important because in a large part she represented Silas’ return to normal society.
Silas has the child christened Hephzibah, Eppie for short, after his mother. This chapter outlined Eppie being naughty and Silas couldn’t bring himself to punish her. The presence of a child has transformed Silas. She had brought him completely back into the world, “for the little child had come to link him once more with the whole world.” His loneliness and isolation are over; he is no longer an outsider.
In chapter fifteen we are informed that Godfrey takes a keen but secret interest in Eppie. He had given small gifts without arousing suspicion. Godfrey is shown to be happy and his relationship with Nancy is strong, she agreed to marry him.
Chapter seventeen shows Godfrey taking up dairy farming and stone pits are being drained. Godfrey and Nancy have been married for fifteen years. Nancy had one baby, which she lost at birth. Godfrey suggested adoption, the child in mind Eppie. He dare not tell her that she is his child. There is a disturbance in the village.
Dunstan’s body has been found in the drained pits and Silas money has been found with it. Godfrey confessed to Nancy that Eppie’s mother was his wife and Eppie is his child. It is time Godfrey acknowledged Eppie, as his daughter, he must do his duty.
Silas had his gold back and explained how his life centred around it. He told Eppie that when she first came to him he still longed for his gold but, “after a bit, I should have thought it was a curse come again, if it had drove you from me.” Eppie was a greater treasure to him than his gold had ever been. When it returned he said, “Takes no hold of me now.”
Godfrey and Nancy asked Eppie to return, “home” to live with them. When Eppie refused Godfrey confessed that he is her father and has a claim on her. Silas was ready to fight for what he loved. The argument showed Godfrey to be selfish and unfeeling to the lower classes. Eppie is adamant to stay with Silas, the only father she has known.
Godfrey and Nancy were distraught, but they can do nothing. (In a way Godfrey is “punished” years after his “crime”) This suggested that Godfrey and Nancy are left alone and unfulfilled, where as Silas has all he wanted. Godfrey tried to make things up to Eppie. He decided to leave her, his wealth in his will.
The novel ended with Silas and Eppie setting off to Lantern Yard to see the old home, it no longer existed and he realised Raveloe is his only home.
CHRISTINA GANDHI
