George Eliot Narrative techniques
Didactic: Eliot’s narrative attempts to moralise and teach as well
as to entertain. Eliot makes general observations based on
particular events especially with regard to religion, Chance,
personal conduct and changes to the British countryside in light of
the Industrial Revolution.
Find ten clear examples of Eliot’s didactic narrative.
Colloquialisms: Eliot’s formal, highly structured prose stands in
contrast to the vernacular and colloquialisms of Raveloe. Dolly
Winthrop’s speech is heavily accented, as are many of the voices at
the Rainbow. Even the speech of ‘gentle’ characters such as
Dunstan Cass and Nancy are affected by inaccuracies.
Find three quotes to highlight these points.
Poetic: Silas Marner was originally intended as an epic poem,
inspired by the works of William Wordsworth. The influence of
Wordsworth can be seen throughout both in quotation (epigraph &
ch19) and also in Eliot’s own style. Eliot employs assonance,
rhythm and rhyme at times in the novel. Her use of imagery is
extensive.
“…beauty born of murmuring sound…” (Chapter 19) from Three
Years She Grew in Sun and Shower Wordsworth.
“A child, more than all other gifts that earth can offer to declining
man, brings hope with it, and forward-looking thoughts.”
Wordsworth.
Write down the epigraph and quote by Wordsworth. Find one
example of how Eliot veers towards the poetic.
Imagery & symbolism: Recurrence of light/dark and
stream/rivulet imagery to symbolise the state of Silas Marner’s
soul. Gold as a symbol measures the soul’s wealth throughout in
the form of the religion, the coins and finally Eppie.
Structure: Echoes Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale in that there
are two sections, one tragic, dealing in loss, and one regenerative
thanks to the influence of a child (see also epigraph.) Eliot also
allows a 16 year gap and references Time. The structure is
reflective of the novel’s themes, particularly destiny and the notion
that everyone ultimately receives a fate in keeping with their
conduct. ‘…the orderly sequence by which the seed brings forth a
crop after its kind.’ Narrative closure is achieved in this manner in
the case of each character.
Trace how each major character receives an ending in keeping
with his or her conduct.
Characterisation: Each character in the novel has a function and
highlights a separate theme. The fate of the characters is an
exercise by Eliot in attributing an ending to each in keeping with
their moral fibre.
For each character below identify the theme he/she highlights and
the function they serve within the novel. For instance:
Dunstan Cass highlights the fact that, within the novel, serious
transgression warrants death. Dunstan functions as a villain and
creates sympathy within the reader with Godfrey and within the
Raveloe community with Silas Marner. For all that, his crime
paves the way for Silas’s redemption from emptiness.
 Nancy Cass (nee Lammeters)
 Godfrey Cass
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Molly Cass
Eppie
Silas Marner
Lantern Yard