MAJOR CHARACTERS of the Novel Silas Marner
Silas Marner
The protagonist of the novel by the same name, Silas is a simple, honest, and kind-hearted weaver. He is described as a pallid, bent man with bulging eyes and poor eyesight.
He is framed for the crime he did not commit by his closest friend, William Dane. This hurts Silas very deeply. As a result, he loses faith in both God and other men. Shunned from his hometown, Lantern Yard, he comes to live in Raveloe.
He lives there as a solitary miser for fifteen years, dedicating his time and energy to his work and his hoard of gold. Catastrophe strikes and his money is stolen. He is devastated for the second time. But, a small fair-haired girl, Eppie, enters his life and restores his faith and trust. He raises her lovingly and she becomes more precious to him than his lost gold, which is restored by his adopted daughter, Eppie.
Eppie
She is Silas Marner’s adopted daughter who fills the void left in his heart after the betrayal of his closest friend and, later, the theft of his gold.
She is the child of Godfrey Cass and his secret wife, Molly Farren. Eppie is beautiful and lively and loves Silas unconditionally. When, towards the end of the narrative, she discovers her real father, she chooses to stay with Silas for he is the only family she has known since she was two years old.
Godfrey Cass
He is the eldest son of Squire Cass. He is good-natured but selfish and weak-willed. Godfrey is secretly married to Molly Farren and has a daughter with her. He is the biological father of Eppie.
He loves Nancy Lammeter and wishes to marry her. However, his secret marriage is an obstacle; his youngest brother, Dunstan (or Dunsey) Cass, uses this information to blackmail him. Godfrey lacks the moral courage to face the situation and allows himself to be used by Dunstan.
Dunstan (Dunsey) Cass
He is the Squire’s younger son. He is a cruel, lazy, manipulative and a greedy person, ready to do or say anything to get what he wants. He blackmails his brother, Godfrey, by threatening to spill the beans about the latter’s secret marriage. He convinces his brother to sell off his favourite horse, Wildfire. He strikes a good bargain for the animal with Bryce, but his foolish greed gets the animal killed.
While returning home, he stops by at Silas’s cottage and steals his money. He disappears after the act and his dead body is found years later when Stone-pits are drained.
Dolly Winthrop
She is the wife of the wheelwright, Ben Winthrop, and the mother of Aaron. Dolly Winthrop takes it upon herself to help Silas raise Eppie. She persuades Silas to trust in God always. Dolly later becomes Eppie’s godmother and mother-in-law. She is kind and patient and is devoutly religious. She becomes Eppie’s godmother and later, her mother-in-law.
Squire Cass
He is the richest man in Raveloe. The Squire is described as lazy, complacent, selfish and short-tempered. He is the father of Godfrey and Dunstan. However, he seems to care more for his money than his sons. He allows them to do whatever they please as long as they do not involve his tenants in any way.
Molly Farren
She is Godfrey’s secret wife and Eppie’s mother. She was a pretty woman when Godfrey first met her; however, addiction to opium and alcohol destroys her completely. She becomes vengeful and is determined to reveal the secret of their marriage to the Squire. However, she dies before she can reach the latter and tell her tale.
Nancy Lammeter
Nancy is MrLammeter’s daughter and Godfrey’s sweetheart whom he eventually marries after the death of Molly. She is described as a pretty and caring person with a remarkable strength of character and high principles.
She refuses to adopt a child after the death of their only child. But, when she comes to know of the secret marriage of her husband and the child from that marriage, she willingly agrees to accept Eppie and take her home.
Priscilla Lammeter
 She is Nancy’s elder sister and is very homely and plainspoken. She is very good at everything she does. In fact, she is the one who manages MrLammeter’s farm and dairy. A cheerful and wise spinster, Priscilla, has the ability to laugh at herself.
Aaron Winthrop
He is the son of Dolly and Ben Winthrop. He promises to help Silas and Eppie with their garden and other household chores. At the end of the narrative, he marries Eppie.
William Dane
He is the friend Silas was closest to when he was in Lantern Yard. In spite of their friendship, William frames Silas in a theft to disgrace him and to marry his (Silas’s) fiancée. He reveals himself as a scheming person who can go to any lengths to get what he wants.
MINOR CHARACTERS
Ben Winthrop
He is the wheelwright of Raveloe. He is Dolly’s husband and Aaron’s father. He is a happy, jovial man and enjoys company and drinks at the Rainbow.
Bob Cass
 Bob is one of the younger brothers of Godfrey Cass.
 Bob Lundy
He is the butcher. He is a good-natured, reserved person.
Bryce
 Bryce is a friend to both Godfrey and Dunsey. He agrees to buy Godfrey’s horse at a good price. He is also the one who informs Godfrey about how Wildfire died.
Dr and Mrs Kimble
Kimble is the village physician. Every one addresses him as ‘Doctor’ even though he does not have a degree. He inherits this position from his father.
 He is Godfrey’s uncle and godfather. He loves to talk but becomes irritable while playing cards.
Mrs Kimble is the sister of Squire Cass. She is a stout woman, has a good nature and is very proud of her husband.
Fowler
Fowler is Squire Cass’s tenant. He paid his dues to Godfrey, who in turn gave it to Dunstan.
Jen Rodney
He is a habitual poacher and has a very bad reputation. He once witnesses Silas in the midst of one of his cataleptic fits. Silas accuses him of stealing his gold.
Miss Gunns
The Gunn Sisters come to the Squire’s New Year’s dance from a neighbouring town. They look down upon Raveloe’s rustic ways; despite that, they remain impressed by Nancy Lammeter’s beauty.
MrCrackenthorp
He is the rector of the Raveloe church.
MrsCrackenthorp
She is his wife who is “a small blinking woman who fidgeted incessantly.”
Mr Dowlas
He is the blacksmith of the town. His job is to shoe the horses and tend to livestock diseases. He is too full of himself and considers himself a strict rationalist.
MrLammeter
MrLammeter is proud and uncompromising. He is Nancy’s and Priscilla’s father.
Mr Macey
A tailor by profession, he is the parish clerk of Raveloe. Mr Macey is a well-meaning Person but is biased and smug.
 He Visits Silas soon after the theft and assures him that he will find his money. At the end of the narrative, he witnesses the bridal party and is pleased to know that his assurance about the gold came true.
Mr and Mrs Osgood
Mr Osgood is the maternal uncle of Nancy and Priscilla. His sister had married MrLammeter.
Mrs Osgood is very close to Nancy.
Mr Snell
He is the landlord of the local tavern, the Rainbow. He has a very conciliatory disposition and always tries to resolve conflicts and settle arguments.
MrTookey
He is the assistant tailor and deputy clerk. His job is to aid Mr Macey. He is also the target of sarcasm from others.
 Sally Oates
 Sally is the cobbler’s wife. She is suffering from a heart disease and dropsy. Silas sees her and is reminded of his mother’s suffering. He eases her pain with a concoction of foxglove.
Sarah
Silas’s fiancee in Lantern Yard. Sarah gets put off by Silas’s cataleptic fits and breaks off her engagement after Silas is accused. She marries William Dane.
Solomon Macey
Solomon is a famous fiddler and the brother of the tailor/parish clerk, Mr Macey.
The Pedlar
An anonymous person who comes through Raveloe shortly before the theft of Silas’s money. He becomes a suspect because of his tinderbox.
