Assumption and the Destructiveness of Love in Wuthering Heights

Transcription

1 Kimmons i Kayci Kimmons Mrs. E. Richardson University English II 13 November 2017 Assumption and the Destructiveness of Love in Wuthering Heights Thesis: Through narrowed perceptions, damaged relationships, and repeated forms of gossip, assumption coupled with the destructiveness of love creates unnecessary conflict in Wuthering Heights. I. Narrowed perceptions A. Lockwood s narration/diary entries B. Nelly Dean s narration C. Past and present view of story 1. Nelly as a bridge between past and present 2. Lockwood as a bridge between past and present II. Damaged relationships A. Heathcliff and Catherine 1. Catherine as a cause of Heathcliff s assumption 2. Heathcliff and Catherine s falling out B. Heathcliff and Isabella s relationship C. Heathcliff and Linton s relationship III. Repeated forms of gossip A. Storytelling B. Gossip between Nelly and Catherine C. Quick judgements and harsh comments

2 Kimmons ii 1. Nelly s interruptions 2. Effect on Lockwood s narration

3 Kimmons 1 Kayci Kimmons Mrs. E. Richardson University English II 13 November 2017 Assumption and the Destructiveness of Love in Wuthering Heights Emily Brontë s Wuthering Heights portrays the tragic romance between Heathcliff and Catherine Earnshaw. In the novel, love acts as a destructive force, driving Heathcliff and Catherine insane and to death, which renders them unable to tell their own story in the present time period of the novel. Brontë allows their romance to be re-told by the old housekeeper, Ellen Nelly Dean, and the book is mostly written in the perspective of a narrator, Heathcliff s new tenant Lockwood. While Nelly may be a reliable witness to the events that occurred between the lovers, and while Lockwood may serve as the connection between the past and the present events of the novel, each of these characters and others carry bias into their narration. The amount of storytelling and gossip throughout the novel troubles the plot because the excess of storytelling creates a whirlwind of misinformation which leads to assumption. Through narrowed perceptions, damaged relationships, and repeated forms of gossip, assumption coupled with the destructiveness of love creates unnecessary conflict in Wuthering Heights. The first instance which ties assumption to the destructiveness of love occurs through the narrowed perception of the primary narrator, the new tenant Lockwood, whose time at Thrushcross Grange propels the retelling of the doomed romance through his diary entries. Literary critic Beth Newman claims narration in Wuthering Heights is both foregrounded and linked repeatedly and emphatically to visual phenomena--in fact, to a gaze (1030). This claim is verified in the first few sentences of the novel when Lockwood and Heathcliff meet for the first

4 Kimmons 2 time. Lockwood misjudges the brooding Heathcliff and somehow misses Heathcliff s cold and dark nature, describing Heathcliff as a capital fellow first, then subsequently stating of Heathcliff, He little imagined how my heart warmed towards him when I beheld his black eyes withdraw so suspiciously under their brows, as I rode up, and when his fingers sheltered themselves, with a jealous resolution, still further in his waistcoat, as I announced my name (Brontë 3). Lockwood somewhat contradicts himself in this description and his apprehension of Heathcliff sets up a softer, incorrect view of the dark Heathcliff which would not be there if not for Lockwood s narration. Further implications against the reliability of Lockwood s perspective occur throughout the novel, such as Lockwood s first gaze on Catherine through her diary and the supernatural encounter of her, describing her as a little minx with a wicked soul (27), another contradiction which splits views of Catherine s character. Newman s assertion and the characterization of the curious yet gullible Lockwood both prove to deny the reliability of the primary narrator, with his false assumptions being the first of many within the narrow frame of the novel. The next instance of narrowed perception that ties assumption to love s destruction occurs in Nelly Dean s narration of the story of Heathcliff and Catherine. Nelly seems to be reliable when recounting the past to Lockwood, but her narration proves to be more detrimental than Lockwood s false judgements. Critic Andrea Kirchknopf states that an illusion is created by the author of the neutral attitude of an omniscient and trustworthy narrator, but, in fact, the narrative voice s reliability is limited to the particular scene it narrates, and shifts perspectives even there (31-32). When Nelly is introduced as the housekeeper of eighteen years for Catherine s family and then Heathcliff s, she is characterized by Lockwood as a worthy woman who is all too willing to reveal the story of her master (35). From then until Lockwood

5 Kimmons 3 begins his narration, Nelly Dean s story serves as a narrow frame for readers and does not reveal the actual thoughts and feelings of many of the main characters. In the beginning, Nelly s reliability is not subject to doubt, because she is presented as a trustworthy witness to the events that occurred between Catherine, Heathcliff, and others. But as the story progresses and important events are retold, readers have no choice but to believe that Nelly s version of things is true, creating shifted perspectives of characters. For example, during Catherine s conflict over Edgar Linton s proposal, Nelly has doubt whether Catherine truly loves Edgar or not, as apparent when she asks Catherine harsh questions such as Where is the obstacle in marrying [Edgar]? or How do you love [Edgar] (79). This causes readers to doubt Catherine s decisions and her character, because according to Nelly s story, Catherine should be doubted. This attempt at identification creates disorder throughout the novel that would not exist if not for both Nelly and Lockwood s narration (Kirchknopf 32). Assumption contributes to the destructiveness of love once more within the past and present periods of the novel, which create a narrowed perception of time. Nelly is entrusted to relay the past view of the story, but because she still lives in the present, her opinions may change at any moment. Critic Philippa Tristram notes that Nelly s memory has astonishing precision, extending back some thirty years (184). This precision, while it may seem impressive, may not always be accurate. Tristram also suggests that the effect of Nelly s precision is to make of the past a here and now more vividly present than the winter fireside of 1801, where she entertains the convalescent Lockwood ( ). Nelly can report easily that Cathy Earnshaw was born about twelve o clock that [Sunday] night (166), and she even recalls that this was the fourth day after Nelly s visit to Isabella and five days before the summer weather is broken (184). Essentially the way in which Nelly tells the story makes the past

6 Kimmons 4 events seem more important than the present in which Lockwood lives. This argument could also make Nelly seem more reliable; because she can remember events down to the last detail, her character must also be great at recounting those details truthfully. But this cannot be the case because of the disorder created by her perception of other characters. Lockwood is another bridge between the past and present events of the novel, making him equally subject to false perception and therefore disorder. Of Lockwood, it is argued that most of the narrative is entrusted, not to the convinced, but to the sceptical, and is disenchanted in Lockwood s view with which the novel begins and ends (Tristram 188). Lockwood s present point of view skews the events of the present, and because Nelly s past point of view, while packed with detail, is filled with bias and possible misinformation, Lockwood, while listening and building characterizations, will apply this bias and misinformation to his characterizations. Literary critic Samantha Przybylowicz believes that at an undetermined point, we as readers must establish the boundary between reality and fantasy for ourselves (11). In order to draw the line between reality and fantasy, readers must establish the extent to which our narrators can be trusted to tell the truth and readers must decide whether or not to listen and characterize based on the assertions of our narrators. Thus far, the narrators have proven to possess little to no credibility. By examining the characterization of Catherine, it can be concluded that Catherine is a cause of Heathcliff s assumption, meaning that Catherine herself is a cause of unnecessary conflict created by assumption. Both main characters feel strongly about each other, yet they remain parted because of unwillingness to communicate true feelings. Catherine misleads Heathcliff in this way. Apter agrees, asserting that Catherine thinks only of her reassurance of her own feelings. She does not consider Heathcliff s need for proof of those feelings. She does

7 Kimmons 5 not believe she needs to behave in accordance with her feelings, and so, blind to the meaning of her action, she marries Edgar (213). This can be proven during Heathcliff and Catherine s final conversation before Catherine s death. Catherine claims that Heathcliff denies her love, saying, He would not relent a moment, to keep me out of the grave! That is how I am loved (161). She wishes him to suffer just as she has, claiming Heathcliff has killed her and thrives from it (160). Catherine behaves in a selfish manner and also reveals her inability to sympathize with Heathcliff. Przybylowicz comments on the irony of this, stating, Her identification with Heathcliff does not enable her to consider his feelings as in any way autonomous (12). By viewing Catherine in a darker light, a conclusion can be drawn that Catherine holds control over Heathcliff and other male characters, such as Edgar, this conclusion explains Heathcliff s need to form assumptions about Catherine s feelings for him. But even if the cause of Heathcliff s assumption can be explained, his actions thereafter remain unacceptable. The damaged relationship between Heathcliff and Catherine reveals further that assumption worsens conflict created by the consequences of love. Literary critic T. E. Apter declares, Wuthering Heights contains a serious study of the destructive elements within the magnetism of anguish and passion (208). This proves true when examining the story of Heathcliff and Catherine, because their love story ends in death, despair, and insanity. But love is not the only cause of this destruction. After Heathcliff overhears Catherine say that it would degrade me to marry [Heathcliff] but misses the rest of her sentence, the mood of the story slopes in a negative direction (81). After this moment, a wave of conflict spreads throughout the remainder of the novel as Heathcliff s sorrow and revenge overcome him. Przybylowicz suggests that Each character lies in his/her own isolated world and their feelings for each other are not always based on actions or empirical evidence (11). Heathcliff is quick to shun Catherine

8 Kimmons 6 because of a sentence he believes he hears correctly, but had he lingered for a few more moments, he would have heard Catherine profess his love for him. Because of impatience and quick judgement, their love becomes doomed from that moment on. The relationship between Heathcliff and Isabella Linton, based solely upon Heathcliff s revenge, begins and ends with conflict caused by Heathcliff s assumption. Heathcliff and Isabella have no chance of being a genuine couple. Isabella falls victim to misjudgement and blind passion, believing Heathcliff to be an honourable soul and deeming Catherine a poisonous friend for coming between the two (103). But once married, Heathcliff reveals his true intentions, treating Isabella like nothing more than a pawn in his own cruel game. Despite this, Przybylowicz argues against the notion that Heathcliff is the ultimate villain, believing Heathcliff is merely placed in this position through the Nelly/Lockwood narration frame, which causes him to appear to exceed the villainy of other characters (7). This is likely true, since it has been established that Nelly carries bias within her narration and Lockwood is subject to misjudgement and gullibility. Heathcliff is also placed in the villain position by Isabella. Upon first meeting Heathcliff, Isabella calls him a frightful thing and requests that he be put in the cellar (50), characterizations which Heathcliff ironically lives up to in the future. This characterization adds to the notion that reputations of characters in Wuthering Heights are built from the words of outside sources rather than characters themselves. After Isabella realizes the extent of Heathcliff s atrocity, she flees Wuthering Heights, but their son Linton automatically becomes Heathcliff s next victim. The whirlwind of damage that destroys the relationship between Isabella and Heathcliff equally destroys the relationship between Linton and Heathcliff. The unfortunate Linton inherits many traits from Isabella, such as her paleness and fragile emotions, and lacks Heathcliff s traits,

9 Kimmons 7 which makes him a target for Heathcliff s wrath. Heathcliff refers to Linton as his property (207) rather than his child, and refers to Isabella as a wicked slut to Linton s face (208). According to Nelly, after Linton took residence at Wuthering Heights, Heathcliff couldn t stand the sound of Linton s voice nor to be in the same room as Linton (211). As for Nelly s role during this conflict, Newman asserts that Nelly s supervision proves ineffective...nelly s actions further the events that bring Cathy and her property into [Heathcliff s] possession (1035). The fact that Nelly, both knowledgeable about Heathcliff s false assumption and Heathcliff s evil nature, does not intervene though she knows Heathcliff s plan for revenge further incites conflict. The drive for revenge has overcome Heathcliff, as apparent from his inability to love his own son. Critic Robert C. McKibben agrees, as one soul in torment can find relief only in the reproduction of its agony in those around it (35). By forcing a sick and dying Linton into marriage to satisfy his personal vendetta, Heathcliff commits the ultimate evil, and he never accepts his son because of his personal sorrow driven by determination to wrong those who he believed wronged him. Storytelling, the most prevalent form of gossip in the novel, deepens conflict by creating means for assumption. Most of the novel s events are told by the main narrator Nelly, with Lockwood picking up and relaying Nelly s dialogue halfway through, and there seems to be no contradiction between the two narrators. Newman confirms that Lockwood s diary does not cast doubt on what Nelly says; instead, it corroborates her story, with one crucial exception: his attitude toward Catherine, a difference eliminated by the end of the novel (1033). Lockwood carries no negativity and bias toward Catherine as Nelly does until the end of the story. But though Lockwood serves as a less problematic, less biased narrator, his reliability can be questioned. When a drowsy Lockwood is reading Catherine s diary entries, he leaves out certain

10 Kimmons 8 passages of her writings, apparent from his nodding drowsily over the dim pages and from his eyes wandering from manuscript to print (22). Readers are left to believe that these passages are unimportant, though they may reveal certain characteristics of Catherine herself. Brontë may have intended this to prevent the true characterization of Catherine and of other characters. Also questionable is the fact that Lockwood takes over narration from Nelly in the second half, claiming to continue it in her own words, only a little condensed (157). Readers have no notion of how condensed the rest of the novel is, and while Lockwood is not drowsy, he is recovering from illness, only so many days nearer health (157). So essentially trust of the reader is placed with the ill, gullible Lockwood, in the hopes that he will retell the whole truth. Gossip between Nelly and Catherine creates conflict in one of the most pivotal scenes of the book. Before considering this scene, Przybylowicz claims Nelly is not an omniscient narrator and cannot comment on Catherine s and Heathcliff s truest feelings or about their intimate moments on the moors; nor does she understand their relationship (11). If this is true, any advice given by Nelly to Catherine and Heathcliff is solely based on observation, because she only knows about their relationship from being around them. But when Catherine comes to Nelly with a secret--her confliction over Edgar s marriage proposal--and asks of the housekeeper, Now, before I tell you whether it was a consent, or a denial--you tell me which it ought to have been (78), Nelly is put in a position of judgement. Her opinion becomes the basis for Catherine s next action, though she doesn t understand Catherine s true feelings for Heathcliff or for Edgar. This is problematic, because Catherine cannot understand Nelly s reasons for going against her marriage with Edgar, when to Catherine marrying Edgar makes perfect sense because of the economic and social advantages which come with him. But Nelly also cannot defend Heathcliff, because she doesn t understand what draws Catherine to

11 Kimmons 9 Heathcliff and vice versa. It finally becomes apparent that Catherine does possess feelings for Heathcliff, but it never truly became apparent to Heathcliff himself. Nelly knows the truth, that Heathcliff had listened till he heard Catherine say it would degrade her to marry him, and then he staid no farther (81). This frustrating conversation ends up being worthless because Nelly never gave an answer to Catherine, and Catherine s confliction continued until the end of her life. Their gossip never produced any positivity. Nelly allows for assumption to cause conflict through her interruption of scenes; her interactions with Catherine are the most troubling. Newman highlights this fact by stating that Cathy suffers most from Nelly s habits of supervision--especially since they are tied to Nelly s propensity to play the stool pigeon, to see and tell, and to exercise an often decisive influence over Cathy s fate (1035). Though Catherine may not realize it, sometimes Nelly s narrative interventions affect the plot negatively. Newman explains that Nelly s telling is enabled by her habit of looking, which authorizes a threefold telling: she narrates, informs on, and advises all at once (1035). This means when Nelly intervenes, she intends to keep order within the household by giving advice along with information. But this method can cause problems rather than prevent them; readers can see this by reviewing Nelly s dialogue and how it affects Catherine directly. For example, when Nelly is instructed by Hindley to watch over Catherine whenever Edgar comes around, she is placed in a position to intervene, and Catherine is overcome with violence. She pinches and slaps Nelly with a stinging blow that filled both eyes with water (71), then she seized Hareton s shoulders and shook him till the poor child waxed livid (72) all in front of a greatly shocked Edgar. After, Nelly still makes it her place to speak, telling Edgar to Take warning and begone! It s a kindness to let you have a glimpse of her genuine disposition (72). Brontë may have intended to show readers the negativity with which Nelly s speech is associated

12 Kimmons 10 by revealing the negative effects it has on Catherine. Nelly s interventions carry an underlying harm to the plot of the story, as evident through the negativity with which these interventions are associated. Lockwood, already deemed a victim of false judgment, begins to participate in the disapproval and criticism of others after listening to Nelly. Przybylowicz contends villainy in the novel stems, at least in part, from social condemnation of certain characters early on in the novel (7). Nelly expresses her mastery at social condemnation towards the beginning of the story, such as when she calls Heathcliff incurable (51) or Catherine an unfeeling child (60). Lockwood s characterization of Cathy Heathcliff, after hearing much of Nelly s story, reflects Nelly s criticism. He reminds himself to beware of the fascination that lurks in [Cathy] s brilliant eyes, and stating that I should be in a curious taking if I surrendered my heart to that young person, and the daughter turned out a second edition of the mother! (153). Lockwood s choice to believe Nelly reveals his gullibility, and since Lockwood is entrusted to narrate the remainder of the novel, readers can guess that Lockwood will try and imitate Nelly s storytelling methods accordingly, especially considering his deeming her a very fair narrator (157). The cycle of misinformation and assumption continues to no apparent end for the remainder of the story, and readers have no choice but to hope for the whole truth in the narration. When considering the prevalence of assumption amongst certain characters in Wuthering Heights, a trend of unnecessary conflict always follows behind, especially when coupled with the destructive nature of love. Conflict occurs first through narrowed perceptions; readers can conclude these narrowed perceptions of characters and time are almost always created by the narrators, Lockwood and Nelly Dean. Next, conflict occurs through damaged relationships. By studying the relationship between Heathcliff and Catherine, the root of Heathcliff s revenge, and

13 Kimmons 11 the effects of Heathcliff s revenge, readers may conclude that the destructive nature of love may not be the single cause behind an explosive relationship. By choosing to listen to false information rather than hear from a genuine source, assumption may be the decisive factor to end a relationship. Finally, readers can conclude that conflict occurs through gossip, presented in Wuthering Heights in the form of storytelling, harsh comments, and quick judgements. Overall, assumption serves as the match to a flame in Wuthering Heights.

14 Kimmons 12 Works Cited Apter, T. E. Romanticism and Romantic Love in Wuthering Heights. The Art of Emily Brontë, edited by Anne Smith, Harper, 1976, pp Brontë, Emily. Wuthering Heights. Penguin, Kirchknopf, Andrea. "Character Constitution in Heinrich Von Kleist's Der Findling and Emily Brontë's Wuthering Heights." Anachronist, vol. 10, Jan. 2004, pp EBSCOhost, libprxy.muw.edu/login?url= &AN= &site=ehost-live. Accessed 21 Oct McKibben, Robert C. The Image of the Book in Wuthering Heights. The Brontës, edited by Ian Gregor, Prentice-Hall, 1970, pp Newman, Beth. The Situation of the Looker-On : Gender, Narration, and Gaze in Wuthering Heights. PMLA, vol. 105, no. 5, 1990, pp JSTOR, Accessed 21 Oct Przybylowicz, Samantha. "(Dys)Function in the Moors: Everyone's a Villain in Wuthering Heights." Iowa Journal of Cultural Studies, vol. 14, 2013, pp EBSCOhost, libprxy.muw.edu/login?url= &AN= &site=ehost-live. Accessed 21 Oct Tristram, Philippa. Divided Sources. The Art of Emily Brontë, edited by Anne Smith, Harper, 1976, pp