Wuthering Heights Emily Brontë Jeremy Barlow

Background Emily Brontë was born on July 30, 1818 in Yorkshire, England Began writing Wuthering Heights in October of 1845, then released in June of 1846 Initial reception of the novel, despite few supporters of Brontë’s creativity, was horrific Critics claimed it was incredibly morbid, violent, and indelicate Theorized to be based on fictional instances of Brontë’s imagination, as well as deeply controversial characteristics of her family Now considered a distinct masterpiece of the 19th century Emily Brontë died on December 19, 1848, at the young age of 30

Overview Set in Late 1700s’ and Early 1800s’ England Characters “Thrushcross Grange” “Wuthering Heights” Characters Narrators- (Lockwood) Heathcliff’s tenant; (Nelly Dean) Catherine’s servant Heathcliff- gypsy raised by Earnshaws, loves Catherine; dark, brooding, cruel Catherine Earnshaw- love triangle between H and E; impetuous and selfish Edgar Linton- loves Catherine, despises Heathcliff, loses Grange; gentlemanly Catherine Linton- daughter of C.E., “diluted” version of mother; strong-willed Hareton Earnshaw- son of Catherine’s brother, mourned when H died; proud Linton Heathcliff- son of H., used by H. to marry C.L., dies early; “weak”

Story Progression “Vengeful Man lusts after dead woman “ Lockwood’s arrival at Wuthering Heights Lockwood’s supernatural encounter Heathcliff (a.k.a. the gypsy child) Catherine and Heathcliff sitting in a tree… Enter: Edgar and Isabella Linton! Edgar and Catherine, at last! Enter: Heathcliff, Master of Revenge! Fatality! Reunion of Lovers

Theme: Love vs. Hate The connection between Catherine and Heathcliff expresses an almost ethereal-like love, almost completely absent to the rest of the world However, when they marry people other than each other, they strain their relationship and hate is created Both love and hate motivate Heathcliff into his actions, and then his eventual hysterical death at the end of the novel Brontë suggests that Love and Hate are interconnected, and are much closer than one may be led to initially suggest “She was much too fond of Heathcliff. The greatest punishment we could invent for her was to keep her separate from him: yet she got chided more than any of us on his account” (Ch. 5, 44.) (Nelly)

Theme: Revenge Heathcliff’s vast stockpile of hatred towards anyone and everyone standing in his way between Catherine and him agitates him enough to exact revenge upon his “opponents” Catherine’s Brother, Edgar, Catherine’s Daughter, etc. Selfishness also assists revenge, and all actions produced henceforth Lashing out, and behaving in vehemently cruel manners when one’s desires are prevented is a conclusive sign of revenge “Quarrel with Edgar , if you please, Heathcliff, and deceive his sister; you’ll hit on exactly the most efficient method of revenging yourself on me” (Ch. 11, 123.) (Catherine)

Passage: “Let me in!” “I muttered, knocking my knuckles through the glass, and stretching an arm out to seize the importunate branch; instead of which, my fingers closed on the fingers of a little, ice-cold hand! The intense horror of nightmare came over me: I tried to draw back my arm, but the hand clung to it, and a most melancholy voice sobbed, ‘Let me in- let me in!’ Who are you?’ I asked, struggling, meanwhile, to disengage myself. ‘Catherine Linton,’ it replied, shiveringly (why did I think of Linton? I had read Earnshaw twenty times for Linton) ‘I’m come home: I’d lost my way on the moor!” (Ch. 3, 25-26.)

Famous Passage: “Crooked Tree” “He had the hypocrisy to represent a mourner: and previous to following with Hareton, he lifted the unfortunate child on to the table and muttered, with peculiar gusto, ‘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!” (Ch. 17, 205.)

Famous Passage: “Head-stones” “I sought, and soon discovered, the three head-stones on the slope next the moor- the middle one grey, and half buried in heath; Edgar Linton’s only harmonized by the turf, and moss creeping up its foot; Heathcliff’s still bare. I lingered round them, under that benign sky; watched the moths fluttering among the heath and hare-bells; listened to the soft wind breathing through the grass; and wondered how anyone could ever imagine unquiet slumbers for the sleepers in the quiet earth” (Ch. 34, 369-370.)

Concluding Thoughts