Silus Marner

First published in 1861, Silas Marner – The Weaver of Raveloe – follows the decline and subsequent rise of the eponymous character. Cast out of his community for a crime he didn’t commit, he establishes himself in a small village and tries to live a secluded life. The fates don’t allow it and he finds his hoarded wealth robbed away. However, through his kindness in caring for Eppie, an orphaned child, he earns his place in the community. Sitting firmly within Eliot’s realist oeuvre, Silas Marner also presents an unfamiliar route to happiness that is not centred on wealth or success but on care and consideration. Marner’s natural inclination to hoard his wealth doesn’t pay off, but his devotion towards Eppie leads him not just to happiness, but also, by the close, to wealth and security.