WhenSilasMarneriswronglyaccusedofcrimeandexpelledfromhiscommunity,hevowstoturnhisbackupontheworld.HemovestothevillageofRaveloe,whereheremainsanoutsiderandanobjectofsuspicionuntilanextraordinarysequenceofevents,includingthetheftofhisgoldandtheappearanceofatiny,golden-hairedchildinhiscottage,transformshislife.Partbeautifullyrealizedruralportraitureandpartfairytale,thestoryofMarner’sredemptionandrestorationtohumanityhaslongbeenGeorgeEliot’smostbelovedandwidelyreadwork.Theisolated,misanthropic,miserlyweaverSilasMarnerisoneofGeorgeEliot’sgreatestcreations,andhispresencecastsastrange,otherworldlyglowoverthemoraldramas,bothlargeandsmall,thattakeplaceinthepastorallandscapethatsurroundshim.IntroductionbyRosemaryAshton
