Karina Galvan Hannah Ramos Valerie Truong Aileen Zhou Period 3. Publication Date: Author: Emily Bront ë. Nationality: English

Transcription

1 Publication Date: 1847 Karina Galvan Hannah Ramos Valerie Truong Aileen Zhou Period 3 Author: Emily Bront ë Nationality: English Author s Birth/Death Dates: July 30, December 19, 1848 Distinguishing Traits of the Author: Born in Yorkshire, Emily Brontë was born into a family which would total six children. When she was three, her mother died of cancer and at age seven two of her oldest siblings died of consumption. Her aunt, Elizabeth Branwell, took responsibility for helping raise the children. She would read to them from newspapers, and alongside their freedom to explore their father s library they became acquainted with the issues of their time at a young age. She had very little in terms of formal education, only attending various schools for brief stints as a student and teacher. Her only novel, it did not gain popularity until 1850 when it was republished. Since Emily lived among the moors her whole life, much of the descriptions of setting in the novel are influenced by the desolate and quiet landscape. Setting: Lockwood s story-1801 to 1802; Nelly s story-1770 to 1802 Wuthering Heights is a frame narrative. It begins when Lockwood, a man seeking to rent out Thrushcross Grange, arrives in the present time of However, when Nelly, the primary narrator, begins her tale, she goes back in time a few decades earlier, around the 1770 s. During this time, the first generation of the families was still young. Due to the Industrial Revolution, a rigid social structure became predominant in England. Traditionally, people claimed their power and status as their birthright, depending on what level of class they belonged to. This idea was beginning to devolve with the uprising of a new group of wealthy capitalists who called for more social acceptance. Reflecting this shift, social differences is a prominent topic of the novel. Wuthering Heights- Wuthering Heights originally belongs to the Earnshaw family. Since it is located on the moors, it is often stormy, windy, and dark, which contributes to a gloomy mood. The inhabitants of Wuthering Heights are of the respectable farming class, but they are not the wealthiest nor the most elite social class. The house is on the

2 moors, ostracized from the city and civilization. The house and its abysmal inhabitants are unwelcoming when Lockwood visits, the servants do not welcome him in, the dogs attack him, Cathy and Hareton are indifferent to Lockwood s presence, and Heathcliff distrusts Lockwood enough to defend the snarling dogs rather than Lockwood. Wuthering Heights is the location for Heathcliff s acts of revenge and hatred. Thrushcross Grange- Located 4 miles away from Wuthering Heights, the Grange originally belongs to the Linton family and serves as a contrast to Wuthering Heights. The weather is sunny and warm, unlike that of Wuthering Heights. It is located in the valley below Wuthering Heights, so it is closer to the city. The inhabitants of the Grange belong to the gentry, which is the highest and most well-respected social class. Edgar Linton and his daughter Cathy, who both represent calmness and blissful prosperity, live there. Even their housekeeper Zillah is a caring woman, bringing Lockwood into a bed when everyone else ignores him. Moors- Moors are areas of open, uncultivated land. It is the place where Catherine and Heathcliff love to roam in their youth and thus symbolizes their relationship. They are wild and uncharted. Since no crops can be grown on the moors, the area is infertile. Likewise, Heathcliff and Catherine s affair is infertile: it does not come to fruition due to the rigid structures of society s rules. Plot: The novel Wuthering Heights explores the far reaching and damaging effects of obsession. In 1801 a man by the name of Lockwood rents Thrushcross Manor and decides to visit the owner, Heathcliff, but finds him to be cold and rude. Upon returning to the Manor right before the harshest part of the winter, Lockwood falls sick and asks the housekeeper, Nelly, to tell him more about Heathcliff. Nelly begins by telling Lockwood that previously in the Wuthering Heights home everything was happy until Mr. Earnshaw brings home a ragged boy, Heathcliff, after one of his trips. While his daughter Catherine eventually becomes very close to Heathcliff, his eldest son, Hindley, hates and becomes quite cruel to him. He goes off to college but returns with a wife, Frances, to take his place as master of Wuthering Heights after his father s death. Treated as a servant, Hindley makes life unbearable for Heathcliff at the Heights. One day when Catherine and Heathcliff run off, they spy on the Linton children at Thrushcross Grange. However they get caught and in the process Catherine damages her ankle forcing her stay at the Grange for five weeks. In the meantime she catches the affections of one of the children, Edgar, and becomes refined and unlike her previous rambunctious and stubborn self. In the meantime, Frances gives birth to a son,

3 Hareton, but dies in the process turning Hindley into an unstable drunk. Catherine becomes engaged to Edgar, prompting Heathcliff to leave for the next few years. When Heathcliff returns he visits the married couple, and slowly puts Hindley in debt placing inheritance of the Heights under Heathcliff s name. After swooning and marrying Isabella, the other Linton child, ownership of Thrushcross Grange is also placed in his hands. His cruelness towards her prompts her to flee to London where she gives birth to Linton and raises him alone. Catherine in the meantime gives birth to her daughter, Catherine (Cathy), and dies as well. Nelly takes care of Cathy, who has features of her mother softened by her inheritance of her father s temperament. She has no knowledge about Wuthering Heights or of her family until she makes a trip to Pennistone Crags on her own. She must stop at Wuthering Heights, finding the travel too hard and learns about her family. After Isabella s death Linton comes to stay with his uncle, but Heathcliff finds out and takes the boy with him the day after Linton s arrival. Linton is sickly and after a few years Catherine comes to see him back at the Heights where they begin a love affair under Heathcliff s pressure on his son. As Edgar approaches death, Heathcliff kidnaps Nelly and Cathy until Cathy agrees to marry Linton. This way Heathcliff can secure rights to Thrushcross Grange. After the death of both Linton and Edgar, Cathy is kept as a servant at the Heights, bringing Nelly s story to the present. Lockwood ends his time at Thrushcross Grange, but half a year later he returns to find that both Hareton and Cathy are getting married on the next New Year s Day. Heathcliff, having become more obsessed than ever with Catherine, died shortly after walking out on a dark night at the moors. Lockwood visits the graves of Heathcliff and Catherine after the conclusion of Nelly s updates. Characters: Heathcliff Heathcliff is the orphan child Mr. Earnshaw found on the streets in Liverpool and his daughter Catherine Earnshaw s soul mate. He has been hardened by neglect and abuse on the streets. Heathcliff knows how to use his advantages as Nelly notes how she is able to persuade him easily to let [her] lay the blame of his bruises on the horse: he [minds] little what tale [is] told since he [has] what he [wants] which is Hindley s colt (40). Instead of expressing his scorn and hatred, he keeps them in and holds grudges. The man is the focus of the novel. Although Heathcliff earns sympathy in the beginning, his strong desire for revenge makes a villain. Heathcliff is obsessed with Catherine and seeks revenge against Hindley who makes him unworthy of her and Edgar who marries her. Driven by his selfish hunger for revenge, he decides to use his son Linton because

4 [he wants] the triumph of seeing [his] descendant fairly lord of [Hindley and Edgar s] estates (204). He is willing to use anyone to achieve his goal of revenge. Hareton Earnshaw Hareton is the son of Hindley Earnshaw and his wife Frances. After Nelly leaves Wuthering Heights, he is raised like a servant by Joseph and Heathcliff and neglected by his father. However, he has an honest, warm, and intelligent nature [that shakes] off rapidly the clouds of ignorance and degradation in which it [has] been bred (311). With the help of Cathy Linton, Hareton is able to quickly pick up the proper manners and education suitable for someone of his class. Hareton is naturally good-natured and a gentleman, but his admirable traits have been hidden under his poor upbringing. He is able to improve himself as he begins to set his mind to it. Hareton is an individual with incredible magnanimity, kindness, and love. He is truly an incredible individual in that he is able to love Heathcliff so deeply even though he has mistreated him. After Heathcliff dies, Hareton goes to Heathcliff s corpse and [presses] its hand, and [kisses] the sarcastic, savage face that everyone else [shrinks] from contemplating (324). Unlike everyone else, Hareton harbors no bitter feelings against Heathcliff and shows his affection for him. Heathcliff is the only father figure Hareton has known and he does not care what Heathcliff has done to him. Catherine (Cathy) Linton Cathy is the daughter of Catherine Earnshaw and Edgar Linton. After her mother s death, her father has raised her with great care and caution. Both Edgar and Nelly love her tenderly. Even though she is an embodiment of her parents best qualities, she is not without flaws and is secretive and bold. Despite disapproval from Nelly, she secretly goes to visit Linton at Wuthering Heights and Nelly mistakes the fresh colour in her cheeks and pinkness over her slender fingers as a result of the hot fire in the library (236). Cathy does not tell Nelly anything about her trips and acts in the most angelic way to conceal her actions. She is fearless and willing to take risks. Cathy is also strong-willed and defiant. She does not back down easily and is unwilling to admit defeat. When Heathcliff comes to make her his prisoner at Wuthering Heights, she tells him that she and Linton shall still have the revenge of thinking that [his] cruelty arises from [his] greater misery and loneliness (277). Even in her desolate situation, Cathy finds the will to resist.

5 Ellen Dean (Nelly) Nelly is the main narrator of the story and she has lived at both Wuthering Heights and at Thrushcross Grange as housekeeper. She has bias against the characters, but she is still quite objective and acknowledges her bias thus making her a credible narrator. Unlike the other servants, she has no marks of the manners which [Lockwood is] habituated to consider as peculiar to [her] class (62). The reason for this is because Nelly is studious and has read from the Earnshaw library. She is thus reasonable and has an intelligent nature about her. Nelly is a loyal housekeeper who works with the pure desire of wanting to help and protect the people she cares about. Cathy is one of them and she [begs] for Zillah s place at the Heights, offering to resign [her s] to [Zillah] when Heathcliff comes to take Cathy away as his prisoner (277). She sincerely cares about Cathy and would rather suffer with her than to leave her alone with Heathcliff. In this way, she is selfless. Linton Heathcliff Linton is Isabella and Heathcliff s son. He is born in London and does not know his father until Isabella s death. Linton has been badly spoiled by his mother. Completely unlike his father Heathcliff, Linton is a pale, delicate, effeminate boy, who might have been taken for [Edgar s] younger brother, so strong [is] the resemblance: but there [is] a sickly peevishness about him (196). Just as Nelly observes when she first meets Linton, he is sickly and hard to satisfy. In addition, he is also incredibly selfish and greedy. He resembles Edgar only in appearance. Catherine Earnshaw Linton Catherine is the daughter of the original Mr. Earnshaw and she marries Edgar despite her passionate love for Heathcliff. She is arrogant, selfish, deceptive and greedy. One of her reasons for wanting to marry Edgar is so that she may aid Heathcliff to rise, and place him out of [her] brother s power (81). Edgar does not know of such intentions and they are hidden from him because Catherine wants to live in the luxury that he can provide for her. However, she is also incredibly attached to Heathcliff and hopes to keep him by her side. She wants both men and she is too naive to realize that such is impossible.

6 Hindley Earnshaw Hindley is Catherine s older brother who extremely dislikes Heathcliff. He degrades Heathcliff after his father s death, making him a target of Heathcliff s revenge. After his wife Frances dies, Hindley is like the captain [who] abandon[s] his post; and the crew, instead of trying to save her, rush[s] into riot and confusion, leaving no hope for their luckless vessel (181). Instead of taking care of Hareton, Hindley becomes an alcoholic and a gambler who eventually loses all of his fortune to Heathcliff. Hindley is shown as mentally weak and unable to cope with grief. Instead of focusing on the present, he dwindles in the past and loses his ability to think clearly. Edgar Linton Edgar Linton is Cathy s father and Catherine s husband. He is a gentleman and a loving man who would shower these two women with love. After her death, Edgar pays special attention to Cathy and he never speak[s] a harsh word to her and also [takes] her education entirely on himself, and [makes] it an amusement (185). He is protective and wants the best for his daughter. Unlike Hindley, Edgar is able to prevent his grief from getting the better of him and makes sure his daughter is well taken care of. Isabella Linton Heathcliff Isabella is Edgar s sister that has the misfortune of marrying Heathcliff. After going to live at Wuthering Heights, she suffers a variety of abuses and it is made clear to her that her husband scorns her rather than loves her. Despite her ill treatment, when Hindley attempts to kill Heathcliff, Isabella [runs] to a lattice and [warns Hindley s] intended victim of the fate which [awaits] him (173). Isabella hates Heathcliff s behavior and even though she wishes to escape her dreary situation, she still has her morals. Thus, she warns Heathcliff instead of letting him get killed. As an original inhabitant of Thrushcross Grange, Isabella is civilized and righteous. Thus, she is able to put aside her injuries to do what is right. Mr. Earnshaw Mr. Earnshaw is Hindley and Catherine s father and the one who brings Heathcliff home from Liverpool. After seeing the desperate situation young Heathcliff is in, he could not bear to leave him. Unable to help him directly in Liverpool, Mr. Earnshaw has thought it better to take it home with him at once, than run into vain expenses as he has become determined he would not leave it (37). Heathcliff becomes a favored child of Mr.

7 Earnshaw and this fuels Hindley s spite for him. Mr. Earnshaw is a caring and kind-hearted man who does not hesitate to help others. He prioritizes those who are in need. Lockwood Mr. Lockwood is the tenant for Thrushcross Grange and the listener of Nelly s story. He becomes curious about Heathcliff after visiting Wuthering Heights. When he sees Cathy there, he believes that he has [caused] her to regret her choice in Hareton because compared to him, Lockwood thinks [he is] tolerably attractive (14). At the time, matters are still ill between Hareton and Cathy and Lockwood makes the false assumption that they are married. Lockwood s thoughts reveal his conceited nature and tendency to make assumptions. He can also be seen as being overconfident in himself. Joseph Joseph is the servant who has always been at Wuthering Heights. He is not well liked and his barely coherent speech reflects his social class. Joseph is always quick to reveal other characters secrets and [catch] an opportunity from [others ] hesitation to thrust in his evil tongue (87). Whenever a person of supreme power is present, he becomes fearless and speaks foul of the others. Joseph has an ill temper and is always grumbling in dissatisfaction. Symbols: Moors- The Wuthering Heights estate is located on top of English moorland. The moors is a wide expanse of infertile land, covered with high hills and deep wet marshes. It is a precarious place to get lost in, yet it is practically Heathcliff and Catherine s playground. As young children, they would freely venture out into the moors and explore the vast realm together without a care in the world. In the moors, the lovers are free to be themselves, stripped of any predisposed labels that separated them by class. Here, they can finally be together. It is their literal and figurative middle ground, located between the estates and simultaneously the drama of the two families. This is why even as ghosts, the couple return to this setting in order to reunite with one another in their special place. Ghosts- Catherine s ghost haunts both Lockwood and Heathcliff, and she drives the latter mad. Her ghost serves as a reminder of the interweaving of the past and the present. Towards the end of the novel, a young boy claims that he sees Heathcliff s

8 ghost on the moors. Bronte uses ghosts in her Gothic novel to show that people cannot stop thinking about the past because it is constantly a part of who they are. Windows- Throughout the novel, the windows represent a barrier between one world and another. When Catherine stays at Thrushcross Grange with the Lintons, Heathcliff spies on them through a window on the outside. He wants to break the panes on the window which signifies the rigid social structure that is keeping the two of them apart. During the time Catherine is sick, she asks for the window to be opened, and longingly gazes outside of it, reminiscing her childhood at Wuthering Heights with Heathcliff. When Nelly discovers that Heathcliff is dead, a window is open by his bedside. Heathcliff s soul has left this world and is finally together with Catherine s as they roam the moors, which can be overlooked from the window. Motifs: Dogs- Dogs represent the animalistic behaviors of Heathcliff and other characters. In the very beginning of novel, Lockwood is greeted by Heathcliff s growling dogs when he enters Wuthering Heights, a greeting Heathcliff seems to imitate. When Catherine and Heathcliff sneak around the Linton house, Catherine gets bitten by their dog, Skulker. Right after Heathcliff and Isabella get married, Heathcliff hangs her dog, which shows his violent side and the way he treats others. Cycles- Catherine Earnshaw marries Edgar and becomes Catherine Linton. Her daughter is Cathy Linton and first marries Linton Heathcliff. After he dies, she marries Hareton and becomes Cathy Earnshaw. This complete cycle of the characters and families of Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange show that the story and their lives have come full circle. Doubles- There are many doubles in the novel, whether it is through similar characters such as Catherine and her daughter Cathy, or resembling relationships between people. It seems as though the first generation is completely mirrored with the second generation, as Edgar is like Linton, Hareton is as Heathcliff, and how the two fight over young Cathy as the older men did for Catherine. However, there are certain qualities of the second generation that are significantly different than their ancestors, and it prevents the story from repeating itself. Although the older characters had many flaws that led to their irrational behavior and irreparable mistakes, the newer set of children learn from them. There is redemption for the first set of families as their offenses are corrected by their successors, much like how Cathy is more selfless and caring than her mother. Through the improvement of the second batch of kids, the story is allowed a happy ending.

9 Books- Books are present constantly in both Cathy and Catherine s lives. Cathy teaches Hareton how to read, and Lockwood finds Catherine s diary detailing instances of her time with Heathcliff. Books are not only a symbol of knowledge, but of friendship as well. Cathy reconciles her friendship with Hareton through initially giving him a book. Names- Initially, Lockwood stumbles upon inscriptions of Catherine s name alongside crossed out last names of other characters such as Earnshaw, Heathcliff, and Linton. Catherine also marries Edgar because of what the meaning of the name could bring to her in terms of wealth and esteem. Name symbolize the social class, which propels one of the main thematic topics in the novel. Weather- Weather plays an important role in the novel as it sets the mood for the events that occur. Stormy weather and rain is usually related to an unpleasant event such as the night the Lintons refuse to let Heathcliff into their house along with Catherine. This event makes it especially clear to Heathcliff that he is seen as inferior. The weather is clear and beautiful at the end of the novel as Lockwood observes the pleasant interaction between Cathy and Hareton. The two genuinely care for each other and there is nothing that can prevent their blooming love. With their union, the Linton and Earnshaw households will be in harmony. Archetypes: Light vs. Dark- This archetype appears in the descriptions of setting and characters. Wuthering Heights is a dark and gloomy estate while Thrushcross Grange is usually described as light and cheerful. The light and dark archetype also contrasts Heathcliff and Edgar as individuals. While Heathcliff has dark skin and an angry attitude, Edgar has fair skin and is a gentle man. The contrast between light and dark in the novel represent the clash between good and evil. Star-crossed lovers- In life, Heathcliff and Catherine are not meant to be. Social class, wealth, and different backgrounds divide them. Although each loves the other with pureness and passion, fate acts against the couple when Catherine chooses the renowned Edgar over Heathcliff then dies shortly after giving birth to his child. Only in death are Heathcliff and Catherine reunited and at peace. Nelly as the Loyal Retainer- Although at times switching sides when she does not like another character s actions, when Nelly cares for someone, she is faithful to them. Always protective of young Cathy and feeling responsible for whatever happens to her, Nelly acts like a mother to her master, throwing her letters from Linton into the fire in order to shelter her from Heathcliff s vengeful plans. Nelly cannot bear to see the girl even mildly forlorn, therefore she goes along with Cathy s decisions no matter how risky

10 in order to give Nelly peace of mind. Nelly is more than just a servant, it is as though she is a part of the family because she has lived through the good and bad times of the characters. Unlike other housekeepers who keep their business to themselves, Nelly will boldly intervene if it means saving a character from making a bad decision. Everyone seems to easily put their faith in her and she is valuable to them. Heathcliff as the Byronic Hero- In the beginning of the novel, Heathcliff is introduced as an intimidating and rude man, provoking Lockwood to inquire more about him. Although Nelly has known the man nearly her entire life, she only has the capability of beginning when Heathcliff was an older child, for even she does not know where he truly comes from. Throughout the novel, Heathcliff is portrayed as being mysterious and evil, his motives always unclear due to his heightened passion overtaking his actions. He has many obvious flaws because he is physically and emotionally abusive to others around him without ever showing remorse. However, the reader can still empathize with him as they see that his rage stems from the sadness he experienced from being a poor and lonely orphan who is rejected by the love of his life due to his social standing. As Heathcliff self-destructs, the reader can take pity on him because he understands the troubled life Heathcliff has led. Allusions: Milo- After Nelly warns Catherine that choosing to marry Edgar would result in a separation and loss of friendship between Catherine and Heathcliff, Catherine tells her that anyone who tries to separate them shall meet the fate of Milo. According to legend, Milo was a talented athlete who tried to tear a tree apart with his bare hands. The tree closed on Milo s hand and trapped him. He was eaten alive by wolves. Ironically enough, it is Catherine who chooses to create a divide between herself and Heathcliff in the same way that Milo traps himself by attempting to do something he should not have. Hercules- After Heathcliff loses his desire to further exact revenge, he compares himself to Hercules. Heathcliff is superior, and he is both physically and mentally strong now, a moment he has worked up to his entire life. Just at the peak of his advantages as an avenger, Heathcliff seems to have been halted by his own Achilles heel, Catherine. Besides getting back at his oppressors, all Heathcliff really wants is to be reunited with his soulmate. He sees the image of her everywhere he looks, keeping himself from enacting any more cruel acts and giving him a slight change of heart. Although he does not regret anything that he has done, the sight of her pervades his thoughts, and his obsession over this ultimately destroys him.

11 Paradise Lost- When Heathcliff argues with Catherine about Isabella, he swears that he will get revenge and the intensity of his speech reminds one of John Milton s Satan from Paradise Lost. Satan is often associated with Heathcliff and he often uses language that alludes to hell. In the novel, Heathcliff is indeed seen as the devil by the other characters because he is cruel and brings them great misery. He is not afraid to use trickery and force to get what he wants. Just like John Milton s Satan, Heathcliff is absorbed in carrying out his plans for revenge. Heathcliff s Satan-like personality causes most of the grief in the novel. Hareton, Cathy, Hindley, Linton and Edgar are all victims. Theme #1: Obsession- One s excessive obsession leads to his self-destruction, causing him to develop delusions and eccentric behaviors. Heathcliff's excessive love spurs within him behavior which causes him to look beyond his own safety. When Lockwood spends the night at Wuthering Heights, he is woken up by nightmares of a girl asking for help in being freed from the Heights. When Heathcliff finds out about the disturbance, he assumes its Catherine s spirit and becomes amiable toward Lockwood and asks Catherine s spirit to haunt him as well. Though it is a situation to be avoided and disturbing to many, Heathcliff begs to be haunted by a spirit which may or may not exist. This fixation on his love causes Heathcliff to look beyond the negative implications of torment and disatisfaction a ghost may bring, and kindles in him a personality not characteristic of his normal self. Heathcliff disregards his health with his behaviors stemming from his excessive love. Heathcliff s obsession causes him to set aside his morals for his desires. When Edgar dies, Heathcliff has the gravedigger remove the top off of Catherine s grave so that he may see her. Even though she has been buried for months he still sees her face unchanged and beautiful. Heathcliff does not acknowledge he is disrupting the dead as he is so far gone that the action is hardly troublesome to him. While she would have been rotted away, Heathcliff looks beyond the obvious grotesque implications to see the illusion of the perfect Catherine the way he wants to see her. Setting aside his morals, Heathcliff s obsession ruins his soul. Obsession causes Heathcliff to take on abnormal behaviors even for himself. After accepting he is done with finding revenge with Cathy and Hareton, Heathcliff goes out to walk the moors by himself until the late hours of the night. Though he has given up his obsession with revenge he still maintains his obsession with trying to find Catherine s supernatural presence. While the weather may be inadequate and he is a man that keeps to himself, he is restless to accomplish his goal even if he sacrifices

12 sleep in the process. Obsession leads to the development of odd mannerisms in Heathcliff. Theme #2: Revenge- Cruelty and believed injustice can breed bitterness and a strong desire for revenge. Heathcliff is a victim of abuse and this triggers the antagonistic character within him. After disappearing for some time, Heathcliff returns upon the gambling-obsessed Hindley and takes advantage of his situation by making Hindley mortgage his estate to him. Hindley degrades Heathcliff when he is young and Heathcliff holds a grudge against him for making him unfit to marry Catherine. Heathcliff has a strong character and not having his soul mate makes him bent on revenge. Hindley only aggravates Heathcliff s irritable character by treating him poorly. Hindley is not Heathcliff s only victim. Swearing revenge upon the man who takes away his love, Heathcliff harbors no soft feelings for Edgar. He only wishes to ruin Edgar and see his demise. Thus he marries Edgar s sister Isabella even though he absolutely despises her for her resemblance to Edgar. Heathcliff relishes in Isabella s suffering because he knows that it will be reflected in Edgar even if he denies it. For the sake of revenge, Heathcliff knows no limits and plays with other people s feelings. A man who has determined to seek revenge will not stop until all of his plans have been executed successfully. As such, Heathcliff exaggerates and lies about Linton s situation when he meets Cathy and makes her guilty of not visiting her cousin. Heathcliff wishes to obtain Thrushcross Grange through the marriage of Linton and Cathy and he is willing to deceive to do so. In Heathcliff s mind, Edgar does not deserve Cathy and Heathcliff wants revenge for taking her away from him. Revenge is a strong driving force for wrongdoing. Theme #3: Class Structure- Fixation on ingrained class structure leads to unfounded hostility and impedes fulfillment. The barriers of social class greatly impact Heathcliff because they constantly remind him that he is beneath everyone. Seeing only arrogance and pomp with the lifestyle of the affluent, Heathcliff wants to break Catherine free from the social structure she is isolating herself from him with. As Catherine is treating her injury at Thrushcross Grange among the wealthy Lintons, Heathcliff waits outside, angrily wanting to shatter the window panes of the house. Both a literal and figurative barrier between the two lovers, Heathcliff wants to save Catherine from what he perceives to be a wretched house by once again using his physicality, the only option he is left with since he lacks

13 money and power. Catherine chooses Edgar over Heathcliff in order to maintain her status, and she dismisses her love for Heathcliff. Both Catherine and Heathcliff are devastated by this decision, as the strict social implications are the only thing keeping them apart. Catherine s preference to high status forces Heathcliff to attempt to woo her through appearance, yet his hope is diminished as he fails. When Catherine returns to Wuthering Heights after having been changed into a snobbish socialite at Thrushcross Grange, Nelly pushes Heathcliff to clean himself up to look presentable to her. Heathcliff is only embarrassed as Catherine laughs at him and dismisses any contact with his dirty hands. Heathcliff is shocked by this interaction for this is the girl who is supposed to be his best friend, his one true honest companion. He was already skeptical of the power of money before, but now he is left stunned at how quickly it changes people. The falsehood of Catherine s attitude only gives him further reason to despise those of a higher class, further igniting his need for revenge against them for they have also corrupted Catherine. Heathcliff is only truly fulfilled once he breaks free of the social barriers that divide him and Catherine. After he has died, a little boy sees Heathcliff roaming the moors with a female ghost, presumably Catherine. The moors has always been like home for the two lovers, for it is the one place they can be themselves, devoid of the rules that society uses to strain their relationship. For Heathcliff to be able to return to this special location and be reunited in spirit with his soulmate leaves the reader the impression that he has finally achieved a sense of peace. Others may believe that roaming the Earth as souls instead of ascending into heaven may signify that there is unfinished business and that the ending is unhappy. However, Heathcliff s own heaven is wherever Catherine s soul is, and therefore his wish has been granted. Theme #4: Jealousy- Irrational actions solely driven by jealousy can lead to a self-destructive path that ruins other s lives in the process. Heathcliff tries to get back at Hindley by degrading his son Hareton, forcing the poor boy to do manual labor and denying him a proper education. Stemming partly from the jealousy of Hindley s pure-born status and ability to inherit Wuthering Heights, Heathcliff s actions ruin Hareton s upbringing. Heathcliff hurts Hareton not because of something the boy did himself, but because of his unfortunate relationship to Hindley. When Heathcliff locks Nelly and Cathy up in Wuthering Heights, he refuses to let them go until Cathy marries Heathcliff s son Linton. He does this because he is envious of Edgar Linton, Cathy s father. Edgar is everything Heathcliff wishes he had: a part of the wealthy gentry class and husband to Catherine. Out of spite, Heathcliff s kidnapping once again does not attack the person he wants to get back at, but rather affects the offspring of Edgar.

14 Due to his constant jealousy and obsession for revenge, Heathcliff ultimately drives himself mad when he pays the gravedigger to remove one side of Catherine s coffin so that he can lay next to her when he dies. He destroys himself by making erratic and irrational choices. In fact, he drives himself to an early grave by losing his purpose in life, even feeling unsatisfied after his revenge is complete. Theme #5: Violence- One s violent and cruel tendencies may be evoked by a troubled past. After Hindley s weapon backfires on him during a fight against Heathcliff, Heathcliff takes advantage of his opponent s injured state and pounds Hindley s head repeatedly against the flags. Heathcliff s violent outburst takes place because he wants to get revenge on Hindley for treating him so miserably after Mr. Earnshaw dies. The two men did not get along throughout their childhood and they do not get along as adults. In his frustration with Cathy who mocks him for his illiteracy, Hareton hits Cathy across the face and throws her books into the fireplace. To stoop so low as to hit a young woman shows how much anger Hareton has been holding in. However, Hareton resorts to physical violence because of the way Heathcliff raised him: as a brute and as an uneducated laborer. At the end of the novel, as Heathcliff and Cathy argue about inheritance rights, Heathcliff grabs Cathy by the hair and raises his hand to smack her like he normally would. However, this time, he puts his hand down and releases her. His cruel tendencies change because he sees Catherine in her eyes and reminds him of his past with his lover. Memorable Quotes: Now, my bonny lad, you are mine! And we ll see if one tree won t grow as crooked as another, with the same wind to twist it! (XVII) In my soul and in my heart, I m convinced I m wrong! (IX) My love for Linton is like the foliage in the woods: time will change it, I m well aware, as winter changes the trees. My love for Heathcliff resembles the eternal rocks beneath: a source of little visible delight, but necessary. (IX) He's more myself than I am. Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same. (134).

15 Treachery and violence are spears pointed at both ends; they wound those who resort to them worse than their enemies. (158). The entire world is a collection of memoranda that she did exist, and that I have lost her. (256). It would degrade me to marry Heathcliff (59). Nelly, I am Heathcliff--he s always always in my mind (60). Oh God! it is unutterable! I cannot live without my life! I cannot live without my soul! (124). But there s this difference, one is gold put to the use of pavingstones; and the other is tin polished to ape a service of silver (161). so I struck one side of the coffin loose, and covered it up: not Linton s side, damn him! I wish he d been soldered in lead. And I bribed the sexton to pull it away when I m laid there, and slide mine out too; I ll have it made so: and then by the time Linton gets to us he ll not know which is which! (277). The lattice, flapping to and fro, had grazed one hand that rested on the sill; no blood trickled from the broken skin, and when I put my fingers to it, I could doubt it no more: he was dead and stark! (323). Distinctive Characteristics of the Work: The novel is a frame story. Lockwood is the narrator of the whole thing but when he becomes sick, Nelly the housekeeper tells her narration. Throughout Nelly s story, she has characters such as Heathcliff and Cathy narrate to supplement what she could not witness. Wuthering Heights is a romantic novel. There are descriptions of the countryside and the moors, it contains strong emotions and passions, death, elements of the supernatural, and both emotional and physical isolation. The novel is also gothic. Often throughout the work there are feelings of gloom, mystery, suspense, and fear. There are extreme landscapes and weather, in addition to death, madness, and the supernatural. The villain hero Heathcliff is driven by passion while the heroine is wooed by a dangerous suitor seeking revenge.