In
George Eliot’s novel, Silas Marner,
the eponymous hero is a man who felt deceived by both god and man. His close friend deceived him by implicating
him in a theft committed by the former. Since
Marner was known for his honesty and goodness, the matter was taken to God. The lot drawn before God after the ritual of
a prayer incriminated Marner again. The
worst stab in the innocent heart of Marner was when his fianceé abandoned him to
marry the man who had done the terrible injustice to him.
Marner
leaves the place heartbroken and settles down in Raveloe as a solitary weaver
who does not socialise at all. He cannot
bring himself to join any human company.
He has lost faith in mankind. He
has lost faith in God too. However, when
he sees Sally Oates suffering from the same disease which his mother had
suffered from, the natural goodness in Marner well up. He prepares a concoction for Sally and it
heals her. Marner becomes famous in
Raveloe as a man with occult powers to heal incurable diseases. People flock to him for medicines. He drives them away telling them the truth that
he has no such powers as they imagine.
But people are people. They
accuse him of being wicked. They blame
him for all the ills that befall them.
The
novel is set in the beginning of 19th century. Two centuries later, today, has the human
nature altered anyway in this regard?
Marner
was good and honest. He did not lose
those qualities in spite of his bitter experiences. That’s why he helped Sally Oates. That is also why he refused to help the
others. He did not want to be a
charlatan who cheated them by giving false medication. But people did not care to understand.
That
is why Robert Zend said, “There are too many people, and too few human beings.” Diogenes,
the Greek philosopher (412-323 BCE), would have walked the streets in broad
daylight with a lit lamp looking for human beings even in our times.
Related
Post: The
Loneliness of Silas Marner
Hmmm , thought provoking ..but it's true there are too many people ,few human beings "
ReplyDeleteWasn't it always so, Alka? I don't think the human nature has changed a bit in this regard.
DeletePeople call it sometimes "Fate"...!
ReplyDeleteYes. I have become ardent fan of Fate in the last couple of years. Witches haunt my dreams and tug at the innards of my body roaring like monstrous bulldozers.
Deletea thought provoking read indeed... this post can make people to think whether they are "human beings" or not...
ReplyDeletethis post is a gem sir...
Nice to hear that, Ashish. Thanks.
DeleteAs usual great post!
ReplyDeleteThank you!
My pleasure, Sanah.
DeleteA true eye opener. A lot of people but very few human beings, would like to say here that the you sure are a human being, the way the post is written it makes you stop and think and evaluate yourself. Sitting now figuring out, where do I feature????
ReplyDeleteIt's a slow and painstaking process, Athena, this development from "people" to "human being". There are occasions when my humanity is challenged painfully and I'm faced with the temptation to succumb...
DeleteYou are facing the temptation and haven't succumbed yet, with me its an every day battle and I am sure I must be faltering here and there.
Deletethought provoking!:)
ReplyDeleteGlad to see you here.
DeleteI have read the novel too. And believe me I often read it again and again as Silas never fails to touch my heart. :)
ReplyDeleteI'm also reading it again and again now, Anu, since I have to teach it to class 12.
DeleteSo true! People should try to become human being rather than aiming to achieve other material things!
ReplyDeleteLet's keep hoping...
DeleteI fully agree with you.....so many people so less human beings!
ReplyDeleteDon't you think there's something seriously wrong with our social systems if the situation is so worrying, so pathetic?
DeleteTrue. We need to accept the fact that there are too many people but very few human beings. We do have the habit of alienating those people who do good things to the society! We need to change and the change should start from within ourselves.
ReplyDeleteThe genuinely good people are often seen as threats by the majority. One reason is that the majority feel they cannot achieve the standard set by the 'good'. Another reason may be that being good has no 'fun'. What I have observed is that most people have ulterior motives which the 'good' people don't usually support...
DeleteI truly am a believer of whatever happens is for good! I myself have faced this that when i try and not get something i am dejected but later i realise it was for my betterment! Faith gets stronger only with experience!
ReplyDeleteThat 'Whatever happens is for good' is a good psychological boost especially in times of trouble. It sustains us, motivates us to go on, and gives us hope. But I don't think it's a universal natural law. Ask the thousands of Palestinians killed in Israeli bombings, for example. Or going back a little, ask the millions of Jews thrown into concentration camps by the Nazis...
DeleteI haven't read the novel, but the way you put it, I think I'll read it.
ReplyDeleteBut well, what does happen, is for the good right? Or so I believe.
I have taken this from the first two chapters of the novel. There's a lot more to the novel than this. Wish you good reading.
DeleteI'd also like to believe that whatever happens is for good. But experience always does not corroborate that belief.
I appreciate and endorse the viewpoint expressed herein. Human nature has not altered in any manner even after passage of centuries.
ReplyDeleteJitendra Mathur
great
ReplyDeleteThank you sir..It did help!
ReplyDelete