MARLEY
MARLEY is a central figure in Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol," known as Ebenezer Scrooge's deceased business partner. Marley has been dead for seven years at the start of the story, and his death is pivotal to the narrative's opening. He was not only Scrooge's business associate but also his sole friend and mourner, highlighting the depth of their relationship. The name "Marley" remains on the warehouse door alongside Scrooge's, signifying the enduring legacy of their partnership under the firm "Scrooge and Marley."

Marley's presence in the story is marked by supernatural phenomena. His ghostly face first appears to Scrooge on the door knocker, described as unsettling and foreshadowing his later role as a spirit. This apparition haunts Scrooge's thoughts, serving as a precursor to Marley's full ghostly visitation. When Marley’s ghost appears, he is depicted with distinctive features: a pigtail, waistcoat, tights, and boots. He is also famously associated with heavy chains, which symbolize the consequences of his and Scrooge's greed and lack of compassion during their lifetimes.

Marley's ghost plays a crucial role in the narrative by visiting Scrooge early in the story. He comes to warn Scrooge about the fate that awaits him if he does not change his ways, drawing a direct comparison between his own suffering and the potential future that Scrooge faces. Through his haunting and warning, Marley sets the stage for the transformative journey that Scrooge undergoes, acting as both a harbinger and a catalyst for the supernatural events that follow.

In summary, MARLEY is Scrooge's deceased business partner, dead for seven years, whose ghostly manifestations and warnings are central to the plot of "A Christmas Carol." His enduring presence, both in name and spirit, underscores the themes of regret, redemption, and the consequences of a life led without compassion.