Another Silas Marner Question?

Question: Another Silas Marner Question!?

What does it mean to have "defeated its own end"!?

Excerpt:
"At that moment Godfrey felt all the bitterness of an error that was not simply futile, but had defeated its own end!."

please explain simply!. thank you!Www@QuestionHome@Com

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:

The "error!.!.!.defeated its own end" or, he followed a certain course of action, because he thought it would bring him result X but, instead, that action caused result X to be impossible!.

This is written after Dunstan's body was found, and they knew that he had stolen Silas' money!. After Godfrey tells Nancy about this, he confesses the fact that the gypsy woman had been his wife and Eppie was his child!. Godfrey had hidden both from Nancy!.

This was an error in judgment on his part!. The secret was futile because he felt compelled to own up to it at last, and "defeated its own end" because Nancy couldn't have the children they had wanted and neither do they have the comfort of at least raising his child as their own!.

I'm not sure how well I'm putting this!. Let's see: the one thing Nancy wanted at this point was a child; the one thing Godfrey could have given her at this point - had he not concealed the truth - was a child!. Does that make sense!?

BTW: When it says "defeated its own end," it means that the very reason for something being done (or not done) was thwarted by that thing that was done (or not done)!. You do A to get result B, but, instead, A stops you from getting result B!. Or, you do something to get a desired end but an error in your calculations causes your goal to be impossible to reach!.Www@QuestionHome@Com