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ФИЛОЛОГИЧЕСКИЕ НАУКИ
ОПРЕДЕЛЕНИЕ ЧЕЛОВЕЧЕСКИХ ПРИНЦИПОВ МОРЯКА В «СИЛАС МАРНЕР» ДЖОРДЖА ЭЛИОТА Арипова Ш.Д. Email: Aripova661@scientifictext.ru
Арипова Шоира Джуракуловна - преподаватель, кафедра языков,
Ташкентский государственный аграрный университет, г. Ташкент, Республика Узбекистан
Аннотация: в статье анализируются взгляды английской писательницы Джордж Элиот (Мария Анна Эванс) на характеристику моральных человеческих принципов в романе «Сайлес Марнер». Через образ главного героя - ткача Сайлеса автор показал недостатки того времени. Изображая несправедливое отношение духовенства к беспомощным, автор показал, как простые люди, оставаясь верными своим моральным принципам, стойко выдерживают мучения. Мы считаем, что в образе Сайлеса Дордж Элиот отражает личные жизненные трудности. В конце произведения автор ещё раз подчёркивает мысль о важности моральных принципов в жизни человека. Ключевые слова: человеческое счастье, реальные чувства, метафизические проблемы, индивидуальность, человеческие отношения, гордость, моральные принципы.
THE DEPICTION OF HUMAN MORAL PRINCIPLES IN "SILAS MARNER" BY GEORGE ELIOT Aripova Sh.D.
Aripova Shoira Djurakulovna - Lecturer, DEPARTMENT OF LANGUAGES, TASHKENT STATE AGRARIAN UNIVERSITY, TASHKENT, REPUBLIC OF UZBEKISTAN
Abstract: the article analyzes the views of the English writer Georges Eliot (Maria Anna Evans) on the characterization of moral human principles in the novel "Marles Marner". Through the image of the main character weaver Silas, the author showed the shortcomings of that time. Slandering the unjust attitude of the clergy to the helpless, the author showed how ordinary people, while remaining faithful to their moral principles, stand firmly in their torment. We believe that in the image of Silas, Georges Eliot reflects personal life difficulties. At the end of the work, the author once again emphasizes the idea of the importance of moral principles in human life.
Keywords: human happiness, real feelings, metaphysical problems, individuality, human relations, pride, moral principles.
УДК 82091
George Eliot or Mary Ann Evans was the assumed name of the English novelist, poet, essayist, and translator. She was brought up near Coventry and in her early years attended a school run by a fervent evangelical mistress. From this woman she acquired intense religious beliefs, but she gradually lost her faith. In 1842 she wrote that she thought Christian dogmas "dishonorable to God" and pernicious to human happiness. Within a few months, however, she had come to regard the dogmas in themselves as of little importance. "Speculative truth begins to appear but a shadow of individual minds, agreement between intellects seems unattainable, and we turn to the truth of feeling as the only universal bond of union," she wrote in a letter in October 1843; a belief in the importance of feeling remained central to her life and work [2].
It's known that Eliot was not only a remarkable intellectual, but in every respect a warmhearted and honest person. During her lifetime she created a number of works. The mixture of good and evil in personality are constantly displayed in her novels. One of her notable stories, Silas Marner, was published in 1861. Silas is the main character and protagonist of the story [1].
When shunned from his town and church after being falsely accused of robbery, Silas is forced to migrate to another town, Raveloe, where he lives as a hermit weaver. Soon his small fortune of gold becomes an obsessive endeavor. The monotony and repetition of weaving helps Silas forget his old, unpleasant life, leaving him with nothing but his gold. This all changes, however, when a blond-haired girl finds her way into his home and heart. In his solitude and forsakenness Silas Marner has become obsessed by saving what little he can of his meager earnings. He changes the pennies into gold coins by and by. When he is robbed of them, no one could be more destitute, half-blind due to his profession, all alone in the world and fearful of his neighbors after the shunning experience as he his. As a consequence of another strain of the story-line, a small girl-child happens to come to his cottage in a blizzard, after which the child's mother is found dead. The advent of Eppie, the little girl, transforms Silas's life, as for him she becomes a miracle. She grows up to be a lively, diligent girl with a great deal of pluck and pride. The story of her up-bringing by Silas is a defense of bringing up children by means of loving kindness rather than discipline. Eppie herself looks upon Silas as her father. But her real father, who out of egotistical reasons doesn't acknowledge her until he thinks there's something to gain by it, lives not at all far away from the happy but very modest home, much improved by Eppie's new loving circle of plain but reliable people. In her description of the way of life in the cottage and the village Eliot shows us an unspoiled England that she deeply loves and admires. As a main character, Silas' personal traits changes throughout the story. While analyzing his character, we can define him as a dynamic character. At the beginning of the novel he is described as a quiet obedient weaver who is never able to hurt anyone. Yet, due to the events which happen during his life, he changes into a person who can demand his rights and defend himself from cruelty. His character traits are described in the following chart.
Analyzing this story we came across a great many situations where moral principles are the main subject. Eliot begins the novel with an overview of the society in which her story takes place. She describes the hermit-like lifestyle of those like Silas Marner, who she jokes, "looked like remnants of a disinherited race." Eliot also addresses the suspicion surrounding these solitary weavers and collectors of herbs, saying, "all cleverness...was in itself suspicious." Silas, too, a linen-weaver who had emigrated to Raveloe fifteen years ago, is similarly thought to possess quasi-demonic powers due to his solitary nature and ability to cure others with herbs. To further support the town's people's claims that Silas is possessed, the author describes sudden times when the weaver would have "cataleptic fits," in which it seemed his soul had left his body [1].
Yet, Marner's whole life hasn't been spent in this manner. Before he fled to Raveloe, he was a quite normal person, active in his church in Lantern Yard and eagerly awaiting his wedding day. Soon, however, Silas is suspected of having the devil's influence when he has his cataleptic fits during the church service prayers. Eventually he is set up by William Dane (who he thought was his best friend) and is said to have stolen money from the dying deacon whom he was suppose to watch. Soon his wife-to-be is married to William and Silas is found guilty by the church council following a drawing of lots. Silas decides to isolate himself from his inner pain, taking up weaving as a means of escape. Though Silas had unusual characteristic features, he is a man with strong moral principles and that is the main reason why he fled to another region of England.
The trust which Silas had previously had in his faith and in the church had now been turned to bitterness. No longer was his faith or personal relations important to him since they had betrayed him. Gold now became the object of his work, and nothing else but weaving his loom day and night in order to get more of this gold mattered. Money had stood
to him as the symbol of earthly good, and the immediate object of toil... His life had reduced itself to the mere functions of weaving and hoarding, without any contemplation of an end towards which the functions tended.
Silas Marner attempts to prove that love of others is ultimately more fulfilling than love of money. This theme is shown throughout the book, though the manner in which it is revealed leaves a bit to be desired. Often Silas Marner is criticized for being such a simple, unrealistic story. It seems odd that after fifteen years of almost solitary confinement, Silas can trade his love of gold for his love of a daughter overnight. Despite Eliot's attempt to portray Silas's reawakening to society as a slow transition, we can interpret his change of heart as a direct and immediate result of Eppie's arrival. Despite these flaws in the story, the overall theme that man cannot live in a vacuum is portrayed by Eliot very well. Though Silas finds some satisfaction in his tenacious weaving and hoarding of gold, he only discovers true happiness after he dedicates himself to inter-personal relationships. Though his exile from Lantern Yard proves devastating to his self confidence and trust in others and God, fifteen years later Silas makes a full recovery, adopting Eppie to replace his love of money with love of a daughter. The fact that Lantern Yard has disappeared years later when Silas and Eppie go to visit it suggests that this town is no longer dear to Silas. In fact the removal of the town serves as a metaphor for Silas's ability to find happiness outside his past. Also, near the conclusion of the story, the "fits" of Silas seem to have subsided. This makes sense because since the bachelor weaver has recovered and Eppie has opened his eyes to the reality of the world again, his soul is no longer separate from his body. While before, his soul was exiled and held in a purgatory of sorts before he found Eppie, now his spirit is alive and well, living in the present. Yet he still has relapses, suggesting that the fifteen years of self-torture have left permanent scars on his troubled soul.
There is another theme of the book is religion. It is showed to be unjust and hypocritical during the casting of lots which finds Silas guilty. Yet, the face of faith is recovered towards the end, following Silas's return to church and baptism of Eppie. No matter what the circumstances, Silas learns that his faith and moral principles can always be a pillar of strength. At the end of his life Silas is given total happiness for being so strong and patient with all the difficulties he comes across in his life. In spite of all difficulties, he tries to be a man with strong moral principles. The principles which he followed for bringing up Eppie.
References / Список литературы
1. Eliot G. Silas Marner. [Electronic resource]. URL: Novelguide.com/ (date of acces:
16.04.2019).
2. Bennett Joan F., George Eliot: Her Mind and Her Art. Cambridge, U.K.: Cambridge
University Press, 1948.
3. Hubbard Elbert. Little Journeys. Vol. 1: Good Men and Great.
