This month I read George Eliot's Silas Marner with my book club. I haven't read a lot of Eliot's stuff before, and I was excited to read this book.This is the story of a weaver who is turned out of his country town because of a false accusation. This weaver, Silas Marner, settles elsewhere and becomes not only an extreme recluse, but also a miser. The story begins to turn when Marner's stash of gold coins is stolen. This is a really fun (and relatively short) book. There are also other subplots and interesting surprises that Eliot includes in her story. I especially liked how the viewer is convinced that Godfrey Cass and Nancy Lammeter are helplessly in love (all described from the perspective of Cass), and then in a following chapter from Nancy's perspective, the viewer learns that things are slightly different.
It was interesting to see how themes in this book parallel part of Eliot's life. George Eliot (the pen name for Mary Ann Evans) had been living with G. H. Lewes for around seven years when this book was written. Eliot experienced a lot of public attention around the time Silas Marner was published in 1861 - it was discovered that "George Eliot" was a woman involved in a relationship with Lewes in June of 1859.1 Eliot was forced into social exile during this period, and it is interesting to see how this theme of exile and social rejection plays a part in this novel.
I can see how a lot of Jane Austen fans would like this book, especially since parts revolve around issues of social status, wealth, and marriage.
Has anyone else read this book? What did you think? Any other George Eliot books that you would recommend? I've read some parts of Middlemarch, but I never really got into it. Should I give it another try?
1 Rosemary Ashton, "Introduction" in Silas Marner by George Eliot, (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1993), vii.
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8 comments:
i love middlemarch, but i know plenty of people who can't stand it, so...maybe start it and if you hate it move on to adam bede or the mill on the floss? or maybe you should just start with adam bede, which i also love.
I haven't read anything by Eliot, but I have seen the movie "A Simple Twist of Fate" with Steve Martin. It's supposed to be based off of Silas Marner, and if you haven't seen it, then I would recommend it.
I have to say that I'm mostly "meh" about Silas Marner. My favorite version is the one we watched last week on "Wishbone", where Wishbone plays the part of Silas Marner.
This was informative AND 434 hours shorter than reading SM again.
I think Eliot has a somewhat more didactic take on the human condition. Her characters tend to be more flawed and earthy than Austens, but also a bit less 3-dimensional.
Thanks for the recommendations, Zillah and Josh! I actually have been interested in watching "A Simple Twist of Fate" and wondered if it was any good. I'll have to check it out. When we meet next week for book club, we are going to watch the BBC version of "Silas Marner" (starring Ben Kingsley). That movie looks pretty good too.
Rebekah, I like your comparison of Eliot and Austen's characters. I totally agree with you. I felt more distanced from Eliot's characters than from Austen's, which ties into your idea of three-dimensionality.
I also agree about Eliot's didactic take in the human condition. It seems like Eliot's writing is laced with more cynicism and sarcasm than Austen, who seems to focus more on wit and irony.
Oh, and Wishbone = awesome! I can't wait until Sam's old enough to watch that show.
Read Daniel Deronda. It is the best George Elliot Novel.
I'd say I was "MEH" about SM too; although I liked it more than Middlemarch. I enjoyed Mill on the Floss, even though I remember it being quite sad. I'll have to read Daniel Deronda.
I've never even heard of Daniel Deronda. I'll have to try that one, too!
I think I'll read Mill on the Floss next, and then try Daniel Deronda or Adam Bede. Maybe I'll be ready to try Middlemarch again after I read those. This might become a summer full of George Eliot.
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