Contast of Silas & Godfrey & their regeneration

Eliots depiction of the two protagonists Silas and Godfrey is done with fine
artistic symmetry and contrast. Godfrey and Silas are fatal opposites brought
into a fatal conjunction. The thematic development of Marners loss and recovery
of humanity is counterpointed with the stages of Casss moral deception and
defeat.
George Elliot clearly depicts differences and similarities of Silas Marner and
Godfrey Cass by using astonishing description of their characterization
especially as Eppies fathers.George Eliots Silas Marner depicts the difference
between fathering a child and being a father to a child. At its broadest level, the
novel is a thoroughly Romantic tale, in which the title character achieves
redemption through the genuineness, innocence, and purity of a child. The
central story of Silas Marner is a parable of moral regeneration through parental
or filial love. But Silas Marner also presents a stark contrast between two types of
fathers. The protagonist, Silas, rescues an abandoned child, Eppie, and showers
her with all the love and attention of a devoted parent. Unbeknownst to the rest
of the community, Eppies biological father lives among them, watching his
daughter from afar and purposely choosing to ignore the child for the sake of his
own comfort and reputation. At the novels opening, Eppies father, Godfrey
Cass, is miserably married to Molly, a woman not only far below his social rank,
but also a barmaid addicted to opium. Early chapters describe Godfreys
character, which constantly vacillates between guilt, duty, and fear of
consequences. His family expects him to make a good marriage with the wellbred Nancy, and his father contrives to throw the two together at every
opportunity. This makes Godfrey extremely uncomfortable, because he knows
that he has a wife and child in another town, yet he undeniably enjoys Nancys
company. Godfrey gives his wife and child monetary support, but even this
noble-seeming action has questionable motives.
Silas, a good-hearted man whose outlook has been embittered by unfair
accusations, sees the golden-haired Eppie as a gift. He decides to raise and care
for her. Godfrey, the only one who knows the identity of his wife and daughter,
remains silent, elated that all his problems are solved. He has utterly abandoned
any shred of responsibility toward this child of his, salving the slight twinge of his
conscience by a contribution to ensure that Silas can support Eppie. By
abdicating his duty as biological father, Godfrey forfeits any reciprocal love that
might have been given him by his daughter. In contrast, Silas becomes a new
man (or one might say, his old self) in pouring out devotion to a helpless waif. He
tenderly cares for Eppies needs, watches over her as he works, and finds it
difficult even to discipline her when she misbehaves. With the help of a motherly
neighbor, Silas raises Eppie into a lovely young woman who seeks to assist him
and ease his burdens as he ages. Though poor, the two find enjoyment and
satisfaction in the beauty of nature and the fellowship they enjoy together. Eppie
even dislikes the thought of leaving Silas alone when she marries.
George Eliot depicts Silass selflessness and Godfreys selfishness clearly when
Godfrey proposed to adopt Eppie. Even though Silas was afraid of loosing her, he
said, Eppie, my child speak. I wont stand in your way. He accepted to give up

his daughterhis treasurefor her benefit. On the contrary, Godfrey felt

irritation for unexpected refusal from Eppie and revealed himself as father
without thinking about their feelings, because he had decided to adopt her and
had believed his proposal would be the best thing for her. Also his desires
remained the most important thing for him, and his duty as an Eppies father
provoked his authority and selfishness. Even though George Eliot describes two
different character and feelings by Silas and Godfrey, they both express deep
and true affection for Eppie because they want her to have the best future. Silas
gives her happiness and faithful love while Godfrey provides many material
satisfactions as her fathers.
Yet in positively portraying Eppies choice of Silas over Godfrey, Silas Marner
does not reject the importance of biological fatherhood. On the contrary, it
heightens it. Godfreys lowest moment is not distancing himself from his drugaddicted wife or flirting with another woman; what galls the reader is his
abandoning his helpless infant daughter to a perfect stranger for his own
convenience and then expecting that daughter to welcome him sixteen years
later with his talk of duty. Not even Silas contradicts the importance of biological
fatherhood: in vindicating his claim to the title of Eppies father, he questions
why Godfrey never felt compelled to care for Eppie.
The protagonists Silas and to certain extent Godfrey are set apart superficially
against the backdrop of comfortable society with their virtues and failings : Silas
by his self chosen isolation , Godfrey by his exalted position as Squires son. Silas
and Godfrey inhabit opposite ends of the social spectrum. At a deeper level silas
and Godfrey stand out as shocking, set apart by their odd behaviour and the
secrets that dictate it. Like Silas, Godfrey undergoes a process of moral
transformation but his is in many ways a more complex case than Silass : a
victim primarily of his own wavering nature too averse to facing difficulty to be
unvaryingly simple and truthful rather than of other peoples viciousness , he
eventually confesses the truth about Eppie to his wife Nancy and receives her
forgiveness but he still has to pay the price for his earlier moral cowardice : his
marriage remains childless and Eppie alienated by his failure to acknowledge her
as his daughter for sixteen years, refuses to choose him over Silas and to come
to live with him in the Red House. The contrast between Silas and Godfrey is
central to the novels message : the example of Godfrey qualifies the idealism of
the allegorical fable of Silass moral redemption without undermining its
essential humanist vision. Grounded much more firmly than Silas in the
realistically presented context of his family background and his social and
economic circumstances, Godfrey is not only the novels profound psychological
study but also an example of Eliots sceptical but compassionate understanding
of the complexities of human nature. Godfrey is one of those weak characters
who take the path of least resistance.
Silass rebirth is the consequence of Godfreys behavior. George Eliot, as a
severe moralist, likes to place her characters in situations where they are forced
to make a moral choice. Now Silas had found redemption and spiritual rebirth
through unselfish love for an abandoned child, while Godfrey began to suffer a
great deal as a result of his youthful sin. To tell precisely, the latter suffered from
his moral weaknesses and his lack of will power.