Silas Marner MCQs and Summary

By: Prof. Dr. Fazal Rehman Shamil | Last updated: March 5, 2025

Summary:

Silas Marner: The Weaver of Raveloe is a novel written by George Eliot (Mary Ann Evans) and published in 1861. The novel follows the story of Silas Marner, a linen weaver who is wrongly accused of theft in his hometown of Lantern Yard. As a result, he is exiled and moves to the rural village of Raveloe, where he becomes a reclusive miser, finding comfort only in his growing hoard of gold.

Silas’s life changes dramatically when his gold is stolen by Dunstan Cass, the reckless son of Squire Cass, Raveloe’s wealthiest man. Just as Silas falls into despair over the loss, a golden-haired orphaned child, Eppie, mysteriously appears at his cottage. Silas decides to adopt and raise her, replacing his lost gold with love and human connection.

Years later, Godfrey Cass, Eppie’s biological father, who had abandoned her, tries to reclaim her after his secret marriage to her mother, Molly Farren, is revealed. However, Eppie chooses to stay with Silas, proving that love and kindness outweigh wealth and social status.

The novel explores themes of redemption, fate, isolation, and the transformative power of love. Silas moves from despair and bitterness to joy and belonging, illustrating Eliot’s belief in human resilience and moral justice.

MCQs:

1. Who wrote Silas Marner?
   A) Charles Dickens
   B) Thomas Hardy
   C) George Eliot
   D) Jane Austen
   Answer: C) George Eliot
2. Where was Silas Marner living before moving to Raveloe?
   A) Raveloe
   B) Lantern Yard
   C) Red House
   D) Loamshire
   Answer: B) Lantern Yard
3. Why was Silas Marner forced to leave Lantern Yard?
   A) He committed a crime
   B) He was accused of theft by his best friend
   C) He fell in love with a married woman
   D) He lost all his money in gambling
   Answer: B) He was accused of theft by his best friend

   

4. What does Silas Marner do for a living?
   A) Farmer
   B) Blacksmith
   C) Weaver
   D) Shoemaker
   Answer: C) Weaver
5. Who steals Silas Marner’s gold?
   A) Godfrey Cass
   B) Dunstan Cass
   C) Squire Cass
   D) Aaron Winthrop
   Answer: B) Dunstan Cass
6. Who is Eppie’s biological father?
   A) Dunstan Cass
   B) Godfrey Cass
   C) Silas Marner
   D) William Dane
   Answer: B) Godfrey Cass
7. Why does Eppie come to Silas Marner?
   A) She gets lost in the forest
   B) She follows the light from his cottage
   C) Her mother dies in the snow, and she wanders into Silas’s home
   D) She is abandoned by Godfrey Cass
   Answer: C) Her mother dies in the snow, and she wanders into Silas’s home
8. What does Silas Marner initially value the most before Eppie enters his life?
   A) His reputation
   B) His gold
   C) His friends
   D) His religion
   Answer: B) His gold
9. What happens to Dunstan Cass in the end?
   A) He is caught and imprisoned
   B) He flees to another country
   C) His skeleton is found in a drained stone pit along with Silas’s stolen gold
   D) He becomes a priest
   Answer: C) His skeleton is found in a drained stone pit along with Silas’s stolen gold
10. Who does Eppie marry at the end of the novel?
    A) Dunstan Cass
    B) Aaron Winthrop
    C) William Dane
    D) Silas Marner
    Answer: B) Aaron Winthrop