George Eliot
Chapters 13 and 14
Silas carries Godfrey’s child into the New Year’s Eve party. He
asks for a doctor to go to the woman near his cottage. Godfrey
fears that the woman [Molly] may not be dead. Silas cannot
answer the question of who the child is but when Mrs Kimble
suggests he leave the girl there, Silas refuses to let her go.
Godfrey, Dolly and the doctor go to the Stone Pits. He waits until
Dr Kimble comes out with the news that the woman is dead. Then
he goes in to have a last look at his wife. He feels jealousy at the
contentment the child shows in Silas’ arms. When he asks if Silas
will take the child to the parish to be raised, Silas answers that the
child has come to him and he will keep it. Godfrey gives him
money and returns home relieved.
• Silas’ entry to the Red House resembles that of his entrance to the
Rainbow. Narrative point of view is from the spectators: Silas is not
seen approaching, but appears suddenly amid the festivities. There is
a feeling that a ghost has burst in, but only Godfrey feels it and he is
looking at the child.
• Note Eliot’s careful handling of Godfrey: despite pretending not to
know the woman and child, Eliot explains that he is “half-smothered
by passionate desires and dread,” yet he has the sense that “he
ought to accept the consequences of his deeds, own the miserable
wife, and fulfil the claims of the helpless child. But he had not moral
courage enough to contemplate that active renunciation of Nancy as
possible for him; he had only conscience and heart enough to make
him forever uneasy under the weakness….”.
How does Eliot use language here to manipulate the reader’s
response to Godfrey’s situation?
• Godfrey isn’t portrayed as wicked, although the consequences
of his weaknesses are ever present. When he first hears of
Molly’s death his first emotion is “________”? that she might be
alive. Yet he feels regret that the child seems happy with
Marner and shows no response to his own “ _______________”.
• It seems that Godfrey’s lies have been rewarded – but there
are several hints that things aren’t over yet. One is Godfrey’s
feelings about the child. The other is his commitment to support
the child, to do “everything but own it”. More explicitly Eliot says
that the impact of Godfrey’s last look at Molly would be
revisited “at the end of sixteen years every line in the worn face
was present to him when he told the full story of this night”.
Explain the effect of this.
• Silas and Godfrey are in stark contrast here. Silas has no
knowledge of the child except that is has come to him in place
of his gold, but he is determined to keep it. He makes no vows
to himself, but he acts, as Godfrey does not – in effect he
“owns” the child. This reaction is “almost like a revelation to
himself, “ for he had no such intention a minute before. Despite
the rational explanation, then, the child’s coming seems a
miracle of sorts. But if the event and the change seem
miraculous to Silas and the other characters, they are no
miracles to the reader, who has been carefully prepared for
them. How have readers been “carefully prepared” for
Eppie’s arrival and the change in Silas? Find quotes to
support your ideas.
• Godfrey’s fear that Molly might NOT be dead “was an evil terror – an
ugly inmate to have found a nestling-place in Godfrey’s kindly disposition;
but no disposition is a security from evil wishes to a man whose happiness
hangs on duplicity”.
• Godfrey fetched Dr Kimble’s boots and upon returning to the gathering
and hearing the child’s crying “as if some fibre were drawn tight within
him”.
• “Dolly, who though feeling that she was entirely in her place in
encountering cold and snow on an errand of mercy, was much concerned
at a young gentleman’s getting his feet wet under a like impulse.”
• Godfrey was “painfully preoccupied.. trembling suspense .. The effect of
each alternative on his future lot”. (Whether Molly was dead or alive).
• “Deeper down, and half-smothered by passionate desire and dread,
there was the sense that he ought … to accept the consequences of his
deeds, own the miserable wife, and fulfil the claims of the helpless child”.
• “His mind leaped …toward the sudden prospect of deliverance from his
long bondage”.
• Of the child…her “wide-gazing calm which makes us older human
beings…feel a certain awe in the presence of a little child, such as we
feel before some quiet majesty or beauty in the earth or sky”.
• “us older human beings, with our inward turmoil” – empathy for
Godfrey or Silas?
• “it’s a lone thing – and I’m a lone thing. My money’s gone, I don’t know
where – and this is come from I don’t know where.” Silas immediately
associates the child with his lost gold – a replacement treasure like
some kind of inexplicable cosmic irony.
• Godfrey’s “relief and gladness” were due to there being ‘no danger
that his dead wife would be recognised: those were not days of active
inquiry and wide report”.
• “When events turn out so much better for a man than he has had
reason to dread, is it not a proof that his conduct has been less foolish
and blameworthy than it might otherwise have appeared?” –
Godfrey’s confidence in “good fortune” i.e. his religion, ‘Chance’.
• …”the father would be much happier without owning the child”.
• Theme - effects of children on adults – “quiet majesty or beauty in the earth or in
the sky”.
• Theme - good fortune and coincidence – “it’s a lone thing and I’m a lone thing” –
“My money’s gone, I don’t know where – and this is come from I don’t know
where”. Godfrey’s good fortune that Molly is dead and he can keep his secret.
• The irony that he is relieved and glad, and feels absolved of his past wickedness
– but in his married life with Nancy he thinks he must keep this secret and that in
fact, the truth will eventually be revealed.
• Humour – The Squire’s teasing of Godfrey and his affection for Nancy, Dr
Kimble describing his wife as “too fat to overtake it [the child]; she could only sit
and grunt like an alarmed sow.” The indulgence and excesses of the rich at the
festivities, “hardly sober”. Dolly’s and Kimble’s concern for Godfrey’s wet shoes –
irony in this show of concern for him when he is behaving not out of generosity but
terror.
• Foreshadowing – “sixteen years” from now, Godfrey’s “jealousy” and “strange
mixture of feelings, a conflict of regret and joy” that the child did not respond to
him, the child’s devotion to Marner “the blue eyes turned away from him
[Godfrey] slowly , and fixed themselves on the weaver’s queer face, … with
loving disfiguration”.
• The villagers approve of Silas’s selfless devotion to his new
daughter Eppie.
• Silas is helped by Dolly Winthrop
• His life begins again as he is led into a ‘calm and bright land
… (by) a little child’s’ hand.
• Molly Farren’s apparently unimportant death permanently
affects several lives.
• Raveloe quickens its changing attitude to Silas because he
adopts the orphan. They are interested in how he will cope. The
women are generous with advice and warnings. Silas confides in
and receives practical help and advice from Dolly Winthrop.
She approves of his keeping the child.
• Silas continues to link his loss of money with the child’s arrival.
He is determined to have all her love. Dolly asks Silas to have
the child christened and to bring her to church.
• Silas agrees, although he cannot connect Dolly’s religion with his
own past beliefs and experiences. She is surprised that
Hephzibah (Eppie for short) is a biblical name.
• Church attendance, together with Eppie’s needs and intersts,
brings Silas into contact with the villagers. Silas discusses with
Dolly how to punish Eppie but cannot bear to actually punish
her. Together Silas and Eppie enjoy the countryside and Silas
revives emotionally. The villagers and their children welcome
Silas because of Eppie. His earnings become of little interest or
value to him unless Eppie needs something. Silas accepts the
villagers’ advice. He is a changed man.
• Why does Dolly maintain that Eppie should be christened?
Did you know?
In the Bible the giving of a new name indicates that God is giving
the person a new chance.
The poetry of Wordsworth was very influential in Eliot’s thinking.
• Theme: the influence of a child, pure naturel human
relationships. The healing power of a loving relationship.
• On the title page of the first edition, Eliot quoted Wordsworth
about the effects following the arrival of a child. In this chapter
Silas begins to change because of Eppie – this is an important
theme.
• Theme: Religion – the religion of the town chapel is very
different from the established church. Silas does not understand
Dolly’s religion. He agrees to have Eppie christened and brings
her to church because he wants to do everything helpful to her
and live by Raveloe customs. Now he is choosing to join the
village community.
• Godfrey cares for his daughter from afar.
• Dunstan is still missing.
• He is free to marry Nancy.
Godfrey Cass secretly watches Eppie grow and occasionally , as
chance offers, gives small presents to Silas. No longer afraid of
the absent Dunstan, he feels reformed and lookds forward to
marriage and a family with Nancy. Eppie will be provided for.
• Godfrey now seemed “like a man of firmness”. But the author is being
ironic. Godfrey “seemed” firm, to those who do not know the truth.
And there are other shadows of the future. He pictures himself happy
at home with Nancy and his children, and he intends to provide for
the other child because “that was a father’s duty.” He still does not
recall that it is his duty to own the child. The author brings in the
metaphor of the ring that “pricked its owner when he forgot his duty
and followed desire.” She remarks that it may not have pricked
deeply “when he set out on the chase,” but become painful only when
“hope, folding her wings, looked backward and became regret.” The
implication is that although Godfrey has not been hurt yet, he still
may be, and it will have something to do with his child. This is typical
of Eliot’s careful preparation for future events, so that they do not
seem strange or unreal when they come.
FIND QUOTES TO SUPPORT EACH POINT – THEY MAY COME FROM
CHAPTER 15 OR FROM EARLIER IN THE STORY.
Godfrey is relieved to have disowned Eppie.
Ironically, the weak and selfish Godfrey is not the reformed man he
believes himself to be. His gifts to Silas depend on chance and he
promises to himself to help Eppie – in the future.
His marriage will be built on a lie.
Ironic also is his dream of playing with his children – he will be childless.
The chapter ends ironically – a ‘father’s duty’ does not end with
providing money for a child. The previous chapter details the hours of
devoted love Silas puts into bringing up Eppie. The contrast between
Silas and Godfrey is again highlighted.