Silas Marner Character Sketch and Summary

It is early in the 19th century. My name is Silas Marner, I’m a weaver, and a devout member of a small Calvinist congregation in Lantern Yard, Northern England.

I was falsely accused of stealing the congregation's funds while watching over the very ill deacon. Two pieces of evidence implicated me: a pocket-knife, and the discovery of the bag formerly containing the money in my house. William Dane, framed me, I gave my pocket- knife to William shortly before the crime was committed.

The woman I was to marry broke our engagement and married William instead.  I left Lantern Yard and the city for a rural area where I was unknown and settled near the village of Raveloe, where I lived alone, choosing to have only minimal contact with the residents beyond my work as a linen weaver. I devoted myself to my craft and became addicted to the gold coins I earned and hoarded.

One foggy night, my two bags of gold were stolen by Dunstan ("Dunsey") Cass, a dissolute younger son of Squire Cass, the town's leading landowner. On discovering the theft, I became deeply depressed.  Dunsey immediately disappeared, but the community took little notice of this disappearance since he vanished several times before.

Godfrey Cass, Dunsey's elder brother, also harbors a secret past. He is married to, but estranged from, Molly Farren, an Opium addict, working-class woman living in another town. This secret prevents Godfrey from marrying Nancy Lammeter, a young middle-class woman.

On a winter's night, Molly tried to make her way to Squire Cass’s New Year's Eve party with her two-year-old girl to announce that she is Godfrey's wife. On the way, she collapsed in the snow and lost consciousness.

The child wandered to my house. I followed the child's tracks in the snow and discovered the woman, dead. I went to the party for help, Godfrey headed outdoors to the scene of the accident, but didn’t tell anyone that Molly was his wife. Molly's death was convenient for Godfrey and Nancy.

I kept the child and named her Eppie, after my deceased mother and sister, both were named Hephzibah. Eppie changed my life completely. I was robbed of my gold but think that it was returned to me symbolically in the form of the golden-haired child.

Godfrey Cass is now free to marry Nancy but continues to conceal the fact of his previous marriage—and child—from her. However, he aided me in caring for Eppie with occasional financial gifts. More practical help and support in bringing up the child was provided by Dolly Winthrop, my kindly neighbor.

Sixteen years passed, and Eppie grew up to be the pride of the village. She has a strong bond with me, I found a place in rural society and a purpose in life. Meanwhile, Godfrey and Nancy mourn their own childless state, after the death of their baby.

Eventually, the skeleton of Dunstan Cass—still clutching my gold—was found at the bottom of the stone quarry near my home, and the gold was duly returned to me.

Godfrey confessed to Nancy that Molly was his first wife and that Eppie is his child. They offered to raise her, but Eppie refused, saying, "I can't think o' no happiness without him."

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