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Silas Marner

A simple, honest, and kindhearted weaver. After losing faith in both God and his fellow man, Silas lives for fifteen years as a solitary miser. After his money is stolen, his faith and trust are restored by his adopted daughter, Eppie, whom he lovingly raises.

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Godfrey Cass

The eldest son of Squire Cass. Godfrey is good-natured but selfish and weak-willed. He knows what is right but is unwilling to pay the price for obeying his conscience.

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Eppie

A girl whom Silas Marner eventually adopts. Eppie is the biological child of Godfrey Cass and Molly Farren, Godfrey’s secret wife. Eppie is pretty and spirited, and loves Silas unquestioningly.

Nancy Lammeter

The object of Godfrey’s affection and his eventual wife. Nancy is pretty, caring, and stubborn, and she lives her life by a code of rules that sometimes seems arbitrary and uncompromising.

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Dunstan Cass

Godfrey’s younger brother. Dunsey, as he is usually called, is cruel, lazy, and unscrupulous, and he loves gambling and drinking.

Squire Cass

The wealthiest man in Raveloe. The Squire is lazy, self-satisfied, and short-tempered.

Dolly Winthrop

The wheelwright’s wife who helps Silas with Eppie. Dolly later becomes Eppie’s godmother and mother-in-law. She is kind, patient, and devout.

Molly Farren

Godfrey’s secret wife and Eppie’s mother. Once pretty, Molly has been destroyed by her addictions to opium and alcohol.

William Dane

Silas’s proud and priggish best friend from his childhood in Lantern Yard. William Dane frames Silas for theft in order to bring disgrace upon him, then marries Silas’s fiancée, Sarah.

Mr. Macey

Raveloe’s parish clerk. Mr. Macey is opinionated and smug but means well.

Aaron Winthrop

Dolly’s son and Eppie’s eventual husband.

Priscilla Lammeter

Nancy’s homely and plainspoken sister. Priscilla talks endlessly but is extremely competent at everything she does.

Sarah

Silas’s fiancée in Lantern Yard. Sarah is put off by Silas’s strange fit and ends up marrying William Dane after Silas is disgraced.

Mr. Lammeter

Nancy’s and Priscilla’s father. Mr. Lammeter is a proud and morally uncompromising man.

Jem Rodney

A somewhat disreputable character and a poacher. Jem sees Silas in the midst of one of Silas’s fits. Silas later accuses Jem of stealing his gold.

Mr. Kimble

Godfrey’s uncle and Raveloe’s doctor. Mr. Kimble is usually an animated conversationalist and joker, but becomes irritable when he plays cards. He has no medical degree and inherited the position of village physician from his father.

Mr. Dowlas

The town farrier, who shoes horses and tends to general livestock diseases. Mr. Dowlas is a fiercely contrarian person, much taken with his own opinions.

Mr. Snell

The landlord of the Rainbow, a local tavern. By nature a conciliatory person, Mr. Snell always tries to settle arguments.

The peddler

An anonymous peddler who comes through Raveloe some time before the theft of Silas’s gold. The peddler is a suspect in the theft because of his gypsylike appearance—and for lack of a better candidate.

Bryce

A friend of both Godfrey and Dunsey. Bryce arranges to buy Wildfire, Dunsey’s horse.

Miss Gunns

Sisters from a larger nearby town who come to the Squire’s New Year’s dance. The Misses Gunn are disdainful of Raveloe’s rustic ways, but are nonetheless impressed by Nancy Lammeter’s beauty.

Sally Oates

Silas’s neighbor and the wheelwright’s wife. Silas eases the pain of Sally’s heart disease and dropsy with a concoction he makes out of foxglove.

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