CHAPTER 1: Summary
Silas Marner was a weaver who lived near Raveloe. He had a pale face and protruding eyes. His appearance was fearful to small boys and he was not much liked by their parents. There were rumours that Silas had strange powers. Jen Rodney had seen him standing once as stiff as a dead man, but then he recovered and walked off. Moreover, Marner had cured Sally Oaths when she was sick, and “he might cure more folks if he would.” Silas had come to Raveloe fifteen years earlier from Lantern Yard, a city to the north. In Lantern Yard, he had been a faithful member of a religious sect, and his first fits of unconsciousness were seen as a mark of special grace. Silas was the friend of William Dane, a friendship so close that they were called David and Jonathon. Even Silas’ engagement to a young serving woman did not seem to chill that friendship. Only once William suggested that Silas’ fit was a visitation of Satan, but Silas accepted the brotherly rebuke in pained silence. It so happened. that the senior deacon fell ill, and members of the congregation took turns looking after him. During Silas’ turn, the deacon died. Silas thought he appeared to ‘ have been dead for some time. Silas went to seek help and then later returned to his work. That day it was reported to him that a bag of money had been taken from the bureau by the deacon’s bedside, and Silas’ knife had been found there. Furthermore, the empty bag was found in Silas’ room. Silas remembered then that he had last used the knife to cut a strap for William, but he said nothing. After a lot of discussions, the church members decided to draw lots to see whether Silas told the truth. The lots declared him guilty. Silas has been literally disinherited, driven out by his people. He then declared that there was no just God, and accused William of the theft. He expected that Sarah would not desert him. He retreated to his loom for refuge. The next day, he received word that Sarah considered their engagement ended. A month later, she married William Dane, and Silas departed from Lantern Yard. Silas’ acceptance of the doctrine of his sect and of the goodness of his friend William had been utterly unquestioning. Ironically, they were referred to as David and Jonathon, for it was Jonathon who saved David from death at the hand of Saul. This Jonathon, instead of saving David, betrayed him. Silas’ “expression of trusting simplicity” is contrasted to “the self-complacent suppression of inward triumph that lurked” in William’s eyes.
Silas feels betrayed by his God because he is unable to question the validity of the doctrine that drawing of lots would establish guilt. His life has been built around his church and his friend. Now, these props vanish and he leaves Lantern Yard.
Q1. Describe the incident at Lantern Yard. What was the impact on Silas?
 Ans. Silas was an honest man and a faithful member of a religious sect. He got a cataleptic fit. People of the congregation thought that it was a blessing but William, his closest friend, considered it a visitation of Satan. When the deacon fell ill, everyone took turns to look after him. Silas had been sitting with the ageing Deacon and thought him to be getting better when he noticed that the man had in fact perished and William had not shown up to relieve him. He was then summoned to Lantern Yard. William produced Silas’ pocket knife and claimed that it was found in the drawer near the bag of money that had belonged to the deacon and which had been emptied, thus implying that Silas had stolen the money. The bag was also found, empty, in Silas’ apartment. He recalled that he had used the knife to cut the straps for William and had left it there. The church members decided to draw lots to see whether Silas told the truth. The lots declared him guilty. Silas was disappointed and disillusioned that he declared there was no just God. Silas had been literally disinherited, driven out by his people. After this, he was suspended from the church membership. Sarah broke her engagement with him and it wasn’t long when William married Sarah. Silas ran off to live in Raveloe.
Q2. Did William betray Silas? Support your answer with evidence from the text.
Ans. William wanted to marry Sarah. When Silas had his first fit of unconsciousness, it was seen as a mark of special grace. William suggested that Silas’ fit was a visitation of Satan, and Silas accepted the brotherly rebuke in pained silence. Silas was accused of the crime because his knife was found there. William used the opportunity to frame Silas and marry Sarah. Silas’ acceptance of the doctrine of his sect and of the goodness of his friend William had been utterly unquestioning. Ironically, they were referred to as David and Jonathon, for it was Jonathon who saved David from death at the hand of Saul. This Jonathon, instead of saving David, betrayed him. Silas’ “expression of trusting simplicity” is contrasted to “the self-complacent suppression of inward triumph that lurked” in William’s eyes.
Silas feels betrayed by his God because he is unable to question the validity of the doctrine that drawing of lots would establish guilt. His life has been built around his church and his friend. Now, these props have vanished and he leaves Lantern Yard.
Q3. What kind of life did Silas lead at Lantern Yard?
Ans. In Silas Marner, Silas is portrayed as changing dramatically due to the events that transpired at Lantern Yard.
Marner in his earlier life in Lantern Yard had been a well-liked, religious and well-respected member of a small congregation. He was engaged to be married and was a happy, well-adjusted member of his community. lifter he was framed by his close friend, William Dane, for a theft which actually Dane had perpetrated, he changed radically. His fiancée also left him to marry Dane. He was so disillusioned that he left Lantern Yard for Raveloe where he became a misanthrope, living in an isolated cottage, and avoiding all human company.
