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Silas Marner: The Weaver of Raveloe is a dramatic novel by George Eliot. Her third novel, it was first published in 1861. An outwardly simple tale of a reclusive weaver, in its strong realism it represents one of Eliot's most sophisticated treatments of her attitude to religion
AUTHOR
Aged 30 by the Swiss artist Alexandre Louis Franois d'Albert Durade (180486) Mary Anne Evans Born 22 November 1819
Died
Resting place
Pen name
Occupation
George Eliot
Novelist
HUMOUR
THEME
FRIENDSHIP
JEALOUSY
RELATIONSHIP
CHARACTER
Silas Marner a weaver and miser who is cast out of Lantern Yard Godfrey Cass eldest son of the local squire Dunstan Cass Godfrey's greedy brother with a penchant for alcohol and manipulation, and the real culprit in the theft of Silas's bag of gold Molly Farren Godfrey's first (and secret) wife, who has a child by him
Eppie child of Molly and Godfrey, who is cared for by Silas after the death of her mother.
Nancy Lammeter Godfrey Cass' second wife, Aaron Winthrop son of Dolly, who marries Eppie at the end of the novel.
SYNOPSIS
"Silas Marner" is a wonderful story of maintaining perspective in life - a tale extremely comparable to Charles Dicken's "A Christmas Carol". In the height of his youth, when he is healthy, happy, and totally in love, young Silas is betrayed, cast down, and taught the 'lesson' that only the criminal and avaricious get ahead in life. He moves to a new town and abandons any attempt to connect with the society around him, instead focusing on hoarding his wealth and lovingly counting his money nightly. When his precious hoard is stolen, Silas is again crushed, but the arrival of a small "angel", a little orphan girl with golden curls, starts him down the long road to redemption.
CRITICAL REVIEW
On the surface, the book has a strong moral tract; the bad characters like Dunstan Cass get their just deserts, while the good, pitiable characters like Silas Marner are ultimately richly rewarded. Although it seems like a simple moral story with a happy ending, George Eliot's text includes several pointed criticisms of organized religion, the role of the gentry, and the negative impacts of industrialisation. It was written during the Industrial Revolution and may be a reaction to it.
RECOMMENDATION
However, the first few chapters felt very rushed. The characters do not develop properly.
-The author should write a bit more in details for the first part so the reader can know more about the Silas Manner background.
Other than that too much time is spent on the spineless and flaky character of Godfrey Cass.
- This is quite wasting time and readers feel quite boring and frustrated. Author should simplify a bit about this part.