THE
TO
GREENHAVEN PRESS
BRITISH LITERATURE
.-••si
READINGS
ON
Barbara A. Goodman, Book Editor
David L. Bender, Publisher
Bruno Leone, Executive Editor
Bonnie Szumski, Series Editor
Greenhaven Press, Inc., San Diego, CA
CONTENTS
Foreword
Introduction
George Eliot: A Biography
Characters and Plot
9
11
13
22
Chapter 1: Personal Influences
1. The Psychological Contexts of Eliot's Writing of
Silas Marner by Peggy Fitzhugh Johnstone
2.
3.
4.
5.
30
Eliot's portrayal of Silas's compulsive behavior relates to
several theories of current psychological thought. It also
reflects some of Eliot's concerns about family and personal
choice.
Eliot's Identification with Eppie and Silas
by Ruby V. Redinger
41
George Eliot's relationship with her family, particularly
her brother and sister, are reflected by her portrayal of
Silas and Eppie and their family relationships. Eliot's isolation from her family is found in Silas's isolation from the
community and Eppie's initial rejection by Godfrey.
Literary Relationships and Affinities
by Rosemary Ashton
47
Eliot's portrayal of the "mirrored destiny" of two men, Silas
and Godfrey, contains several literary associations, including references to Wordsworth, Shakespeare, and a variety
of fairy tales.
Eliot's Views on Motherhood in Silas Marner
by Rosemarie Bodenheimer
53
Eliot's own experiences with and observations of mothers
and the importance of motherhood influence her portrayals of characters in Silas Marner. Interestingly, many of
those characters, including Dunsey and Godfrey Cass, are
motherless.
Aspects of Eliot's Life Are Reflected in the Themes
of Silas Marner by Frederick R. Karl
59
Eliot's state of mind and the events occurring in her life
greatly influence the writing of Silas Marner. A chronological tracing of those events allows the reader to understand
how they affected Eliot's representation of important
themes.
Chapter 2: Major Themes
1. Alienation in Silas Marner by Fred C. Thomson
70
The first part of the novel reflects Silas's alienation from
society; the second part of the novel explores Silas's regeneration and how his life once again becomes a part of the
fabric of society.
2. The Theme of Rebirth and Redemption
by Walter Allen
84
Silas Marner is, in part, a story of spiritual rebirth. Unjustly
accused of a crime in Lantern Yard, Silas leaves his native
community to find peace in the countryside. His faith in humanity is eventually restored when he settles in Raveloe, a
village whose rustic simplicity conveys basic moral truths.
3. Chance in Silas Marner by Donald Hawes
92
Eliot's beliefs about moral responsibility manifest themselves in the roles that chance and duty play in her characters' lives. In particular, she parcels out the unpredictable
consequences which befall Silas and Godfrey based on the
moral choices they make.
4. Natural H u m a n Relations and Their Influences
by David Carroll
99
Silas Marner demonstrates how important a balance between the masculine and feminine is in the raising of children. It emphasizes the need for both mothering and fathering through its portrayal of pivotal characters.
Chapter 3: Characters and Their Motivations
1. Characterization in Silas Marner by Joan Bennett
111
Eliot portrays several communities in Silas Marner, including Lantern Yard, Raveloe, and the gentry. The lives and
events of the people in these communities intertwine at
various junctures in their lives, causing good and bad opportunities to arise.
2. The Joys of Fatherhood by Caroline Arthurs
119
Silas becomes more and more isolated after losing faith in
humanity, but Eppie helps to revitalize his good characteristics of kindness and generosity. This is but one way in
which Eliot illustrates how children and the role of parenting affect her characters.
3. The Significance of Nancy Lammeter Cass
by Terence Dawson
127
While many scholars have discussed parallels of Silas and
Godfrey, few have drawn the comparison between Silas
and Godfrey's wife, Nancy. Although apparently a minor
NIBDEBS.
^
|STAATS-U.UNIV.BIEI.IOTHEK
r.nTTTNOEN J
character, Nancy clearly endures a process of transformation that touches on pivotal themes in the novel.
4. Three Stages of Moral Development
by Bernard J. Paris
149
The characters in Silas Marner reflect the three major
forms of moral development that are found in George
Eliot's novels. In particular Godfrey Cass and Silas
Marner both undergo evolutions in their stages of moral
development.
Chapter 4: Structure and Language
1. Blending Realism and Allegory by Jerome Thale
157
Eliot's original idea to write a sort of fairy tale or fable becomes a combination of moral allegory and realistic story.
This combination allows Eliot to present two visions of life
and to transcend the logic that says both views could not
be viable in a single work of art.
2. The Narrator's Use of Metaphor
by Meri-Jane Rochelson
164
Eliot's novels all contain a strong impression of the narrator and the narrator's use of metaphor. In Silas Marner the
narrator shifts perspective and imagery in order to help
the reader understand Silas's experiences in Part I and
Eppie's experiences in Part II.
Chronology
For Further Research
Index
172
177
180