Wuthering Heights
Themes – look at spark notes online
Social Class/ setting /symbolism
Socially The Earnshaws and the Lintons are on same footing in terms
of social class. Both landowners, upper class, separate from servant
class.
Servant class – Joseph speaking in dialect.
To confuse matters, Heathcliff has unknown parentage therefore
would suffer prejudice in “society” from a rule bound elite desperate
to preserve their status.
Hindley exemplifies this – fear Heathcliff will steal his inheritance.
Heathcliff degraded – forced into role of servant, deprived of
education, social skills, religious and moral guidance.
Hareton treated in the same way by Heathcliff – revenge/parallel plot
structure.
Nelly – more educated than most and therefore can cross social class
– still a servant but can comment on the families.
Interesting idea that Cathy seeks to escape Wuthering Heights at the
beginning.
Desperate to improve her social standing. Marriage to her cousin will
improve her status, The Lintons are wealthy and their home is
beautiful. (Imagery- Edgar – fertile valley.) But children appear spoilt.
Civilised, tamed, nurtured, cultivated
Nevertheless TG – superficial – Edgar is infatuated by Cathy – not
capable of profound feelings. “veins like frost” Lack depth of
character/emotion
Isabella infatuated with Heathcliff , has no understanding of the man.
Wuthering Heights, neglected, lacks mother figures (Mrs Earnshaw
and Frances die prematurely) who would nurture inhabitants and
create a home. Situated on a bleak spot on moors – uncultivated,
harsh “atmospheric tumult” – wild, stormy
Characters at WH emotionally immature yet act on base instincts –
powerful elemental forces that are unrefined by society and moral
education.
Love, anger, hate, revenge, all taken to extremes.
“stunted firs” symbolise emotional immaturity. Nothing grows or
develops.
When love blossoms between Catherine Linton and Hareton
Earnshaw, the grounds of WH are described as blossoming also.
Gardens tended, cultivated, cared for, fires burning, warm and
welcoming within
Catherine seeks to escape Thrushcross Grange – “my dreams appal me”
Internal conflict/turmoil/torment Revealed through dreams and
hallucinations
Sees herself as a child again – running free on moors
Illustration of the Romantic genre – innocence of childhood, close to
nature, away from corrupting influence of society and the adult
world.
“wife of a stranger: an exile, an outcast henceforth from what had
been my world”
Sense of loss and alienation
In her madness she realises what she has done – honesty, no longer
hiding under a superficial layer of social nicety – rejected her soul
mate for social standing.
Has rejected her true love – Heathcliff to live a lie but improve her
social standing.
Not in harmony
Marriage to Edgar – pressure of society to marry well
Parallel drawn in marriage between Isabella and Heathcliff and
Catherine Linton and Linton Heathcliff. Women had no power and in
a loveless marriage are deprived of any personal wealth.
Enables us to explore Catherine’s difficult choice – living like a pauper
with Heathcliff.
Nelly’s working class position might make her gloss over Catherine’s
decision. Also she favours Heathcliff and disapproves of Catherine’s
decision to marry Heathcliff.
Hethcliff once degraded by Hindley and later banished by Edgar
pursues a course of revenge which shocks the reader. True to the
Byronic ideal he reacts on an instinctive and emotional level which is
out of harmony with society. We find it unacceptable to dig up bodies
and gaze upon rotting remains. For Heathcliff it provides peace and
tranquillity. Respite from Cathy’s constant presence, haunting him
day and night.
Byronic Hero /Romantic Genre/Heathcliff’s character/Revenge
Does this mean that Bronte’s message to us is that Heathcliff is the
strongest and bravest character remaining true to himself
throughout?
He acts on instinct – frequently described as an animal, but he is true
to his passions.
He horrifies the reader by acting instinctively –
Disappears after hearing Cathy’s words “It would degrade me”
Vows revenge on Hindley for degradation suffered
Saves Hareton - accidentally
Almost kills Hindley – in self defence
Tormented by grief as Cathy dies – revealed only through Nelly’s
observations
Knows Cathy has died before he is told – spiritual bond
Hates Isabella – a cypher for Edgar
Hates Edgar and vows revenge for banishment form Cathy at
Thrushcross Grange
Lies tormented on Cathy’s grave after her funeral
Bribes sexton to open her coffin to see her body again (when Edgar is
buried)
Bribes sexton to remove panel from Cathy’s coffin and his; so their
remains decay and merge together.
Though horrified by the extremes of his behaviour, do we respect his
honesty?
OR – element of parody?
Could Bronte be exploring the Byronic ideal. Using hyperbole to take
Heathcliff beyond the limits of human pity; could she be mocking the
Byronic hero?
Contrast Lockwood – aspiring “Byronic Hero” who lonely on first night
at TG feels obliged to visit WH.
Positive spin on Heathcliff’s surly nature; suggesting their characters
both seek isolation.
Revisiting the opening; Lockwood’s pathetic example of lost love,
painting himself as a heartless individual is laughable compared to the
elemental nature of Heathcliff’s violent passions.
Is Lockwood the object of her humour? – perhaps she came across
the Byronic type and is poking fun at half hearted attempts to be a
dark, brooding, isolated, sensitive male.
I think you could argue this point quite well – looking at the
behaviours above. However, there is not much in online notes in this
respect.
Narrative Structure
Narrative structure enables Heathcliff’s character to be portrayed in
a positive light. Nelly – moves between families, houses, social class,
generations, confidante, nurse and surrogate mother.
Unique position as narrator and character
Admits bias towards Heathcliff
Disapproves of Cathy’s motives for accepting Edgar’s proposal
Facilitates Heathcliff’s final moments with Cathy – last time she is
conscious.
Reveals intensity of Heathcliff’s emotions provoking empathy in the
reader.
Heathcliff’s confidante – tells reader his story in his words – only right
at the end of novel – We have heard same story from Isabella,
Heathcliff described as a devil.
From his perspective, he has been tortured for twenty years, can recall
Cathy’s death vividly, extremes of his passion are revealed in his
confessions; lying on her grave, bribing sexton, etc.
Understanding novel as a whole; empathy for character of Heathcliff
– power of his love for Cathy forced him on an unremitting path of
vengeance.
His love has been corrupted through rejection.
Only in death, is Heathcliff satisfied – punished by his own strong
constitution, healthy physique- roaming moors with Cathy.
True Love/society/conflict
Key scene: Cathy discusses proposal with Nelly.
“In my soul and in my heart I know I am wrong”
Bowing to pressure of society
Character – Cathy destroys herself when Edgar forces her to choose
Refer in detail to her destructive madness – symbolically trapped at
TG
Her true feelings/ spirit break free, her physical body is destroyed –
she must be buried out in the open over looking the moors.
Heathcliff pursues a course of vengeance against those who thwarted
his love
Nelly’s narrative prompts empathy
Silent despair- eaves dropping
Utter grief – holding Cathy’s dying body
He knows she has died – soul mates
Connected in death – physically and spiritually
Only in ecstasy of death is he united with his soul mate
Rejection of Christian vision of heaven in favour of the Romantic
ideal.
Parallel Plot Structure
Cleverly constructed by Bronte
Elements of parents infect the second generation
Linton combines the worst feature of Isabella and Heathcliff
Catherine Linton is most like her father in appearance but has her
mother’s eyes and vitality
Hareton symbolises Heathcliff but lacks the bitterness /cold nature/
protective shell of the urchin from Liverpool despite his harsh
childhood as an orphan. Hareton dotes on Heathcliff, loyalty
reminiscent of Heathcliff’s loyalty to Catherine.
Catherine Heathcliff (nee Linton) and Hareton Earnshaw marry and
neutralise the corruption and disruption to the families.
Look at family tree, remove Heathcliff and the negativity is gone.
Heathcliff’s Rejection chain of events
Heathcliff – unknown parentage – lack of status and income,
mistrusted by outsiders
Nelly’s narrative paints Heathcliff as resilient, sympathetic, bullied yet
can manipulate Hindley.
Cathy loves Heathcliff but rejects him for Edgar – society
“It would degrade me to marry Heathcliff”
Hindley’s cruel intention of lowering Heathcliff’s status leads to this
rejection
Incites Heathcliff to revenge which develops main themes in novel.
Is this a romance or a gothic horror
Love between Cathy and Heathcliff is cruel, tortured, depraved – but
you’ll never forget it!
Edgar Linton’s challenge – Cathy forced to choose – internal conflict
–torment - death
Nelly’s narrative – Edgar humiliated
“It is impossible for you to be my friend and his at the same time; I
absolutely require to know which you choose.”
Revenge focused on Edgar Linton as well as Hindley Earnshaw
Elopement of Isabella – realisation she is trapped in loveless marriage
with Heathcliff – Causes Edgar to reject his sister
- Child Linton Heathcliff manipulated by Heathcliff to secure
inheritance of TG and to create another loveless marriage to
punish Edgar Linton further.