Victorians! discussion

Reading Schedule for Silas Marner
Discussion Leader: Judy

Part I
Week 1: July 30- Aug 5: Chapters 1-5
Week 2: Aug 6-12: Chapters 6-10
Week 3: Aug 13-19: Chapters 11-15
Part II
Week 4: Aug 20-26: Chapters 16-21
Week 5: Aug 27-30: Overview

Please post any Background Information or Resources in this thread as well.

Great- let me dig out my copy

I won't be rereading this time around because I'll be traveling quite a bit through much of August. But I'll definitely check in and add my two cents as time and Internet access allow. This is such a great story.

I'm intending to read this. Here's hoping that I can get my hands on a copy! 🌸

A fav of mine

I hope that everyone has found a copy of Silas Marner and you will be ready to start discussing the first 5 chapers on Sunday....

Yes - I am looking forward to the discussion!

I re-read it last month after it won the vote (couldn't wait!), and have my copy ready to refer to for the discussion.

I have my copy and am ready to go!

Mary Ann Evans (George Elliot) Nov 22 1819 - Dec 22 1880. English novelist, journalist, translator. Daughter of local mill owner. Voracious reader. Not considered a beauty so marriage prospects were slim. Father gave her an education not typically afforded women. She was sent to school, yet education stopped at age 16. She continued on her own by reading the books in the Arbury Hall library (the estate where her father worked).

It is said her novels draw heavily on Greek literature, often Greek tragedy. Her visits to the estate allowed her to contrast the lives of different statuses. She was also influenced by religion, and had religious doubts. She became friends with Charles and Cara Bray known to be progressive, free thinkers. Their home was a place where people of radical views met and debated. Bray published some of her earliest writing.

After her father's death, she stayed at the house of John Chapman who was a radical publisher. She became the assistant editor to the Westminster Review, a left-wing journal.

George Henry Lewes met her in 1851 and by 1854 they decided to cohabitate. Lewis was married, but his wife had agreed to have an open marriage. Due to legalities associated with the Lewes children's birth certificates, he was unable to claim adultery and divorce his wife.

Elliot considered Lewes to be her husband. It was considered scandalous because of their open admission of their relationship. She adopted her pen name George in honor of Lewes, and Eliot was code for "to L I owe it".

Silas Marner is her third novel published in 1861. It is notable for its strong realism and sophisticated treatment of issues ranging from religion to industrialization to community. One theme is the influence of pure, natural human relationships. Some others are the function of religion in society, the use of custom and tradition, indulgence vs, discipline, and the effect of industrialization on society.

Interesting. Thank you for the information, Deborah!

Just getting started with the first 5 chapters on a long train journey this morning. Looking forward to discussing it shortly!

I love the bit about her pen name.
Thanks, Deborah.

George Eliot was about to write the novel "Romola", but had a sudden inspiration to write "Silas". Has it ever been told what it was that sparked her? I am curious to know if she experienced something or met someone in particular.

After reading chapter 12, I see what made Eliot write this book. I guess she was contemplating her own life situation on her long journey to Italy, the one she did with her partner, Lewes.