Exposition and Other Mechanics
Title:
How might the title relate to the text?
The novel’s title Wuthering Heights is known by the text as “the name of Mr. Heathcliff’s dwelling” (Brontë 4). The adjective “wuthering” appears to illustrate the environment (literally and figuratively). Literally, it is “descriptive of the atmospheric tumult to which its station is exposed, in stormy weather” (Brontë 4). This further explains that figurative meaning of the title, suggesting and foreshadowing much chaos and conflicts, adding a gloomy tone and bleak image, which are main characteristics of gothic novels.
Why might the author have chosen it over any other title?
The author chooses this title as a metaphor for the plot of the book. The term “wuthering” refers to a fierce and violent wind. This refers to the conflicts that occur within the house. However, the whole title is “Wuthering Heights,” which refers to Heathcliff’s home. The text states “Happily, the architect had foresight to build it strong”, which could indicate the perseverance that the characters have to withstand the “wuthering” conflicts (Brontë 4).
The first few pages:
Discuss how the book begins (first few pages)
The first few pages begin with Lockwood introducing us to Heathcliff, Joseph, and their unwelcoming attitudes. When Lockwood is attacked by the dogs, both are unmoved and react coldly to his pleas for help. Heathcliff leaves Wuthering Heights, knowing that his hosts do not like visitors, but insists on
Wuthering Heights is a novel whose main character is said to have a double significance. He is said to be both the dispossessed and the dispossessor, victim of class hatred and arch – exploiter, he simultaneously occupies the roles of working class outsider and brutal capitalist. Heathcliff has all these characteristics because of his experiences. He is a character moulded by his past.
The Development of Heathcliff’s Character in Wuthering Heights Heathcliff is a character who is ever present in “Wuthering Heights” and throughout the novel his character changes. At first he is a poor, homeless child, then he becomes a loved and neglected victim, then he is a degraded lover, and finally he transforms into a vicious, lonely master. Heathcliff is introduced into the novel as a homeless child. He is a ‘“dirty, ragged, black-haired child”’ who Mr. Earnshaw brings to Wuthering Heights from Liverpool. He is constantly referred to as ‘it’ and a ‘gypsy’.
2. “Wuthering” is descriptive of the atmospheric tumult of the novel in that it describes the violent winds that blow during storms on the moors. Wuthering Heights is removed from society. The adjective not only describes the setting itself, but the inhabitants as well, who are fierce, strong, and fervent.
Wuthering Heights is a novel which deviates from the standard of Victorian literature. The novels of the Victorian Era were often works of social criticism. They generally had a moral purpose and promoted ideals of love and brotherhood. Wuthering Heights is more of a Victorian Gothic novel; it contains passion, violence, and supernatural elements (Mitchell 119). The world of Wuthering Heights seems to be a world without morals. In Wuthering Heights, Brontë does not idealize love; she presents it realistically, with all its faults and merits. She shows that love is a powerful force which can be destructive or redemptive. Heathcliff has an all-consuming passion for Catherine. When she chooses to marry Edgar, his spurned love turns into a
The manor Wuthering Heights is described as dark and demonic. In the English moors, winter lasted three times as long as summer and the Heights and the land adjacent to it can be compared to winter, while Thrushcross Grange can be described as the summer. Bronte describes the Heights as a
“In vapid listlessness I leant my head against the window, and continued spelling over Catherine Earnshaw – Heathcliff – Linton, till my eyes closed; but they had not rested five minutes when a glare of white letters started from the dark, as vivid as spectres – the air swarmed with Catherines; and rousing myself to dispel the obtrusive name, I discovered my candle wick reclining on one of the antique volumes, and perfuming the place with an odour of roasted calf-skin.”
Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte was published in 1847 and received many contradictory judgements. One main judgement that criticized the novel was how multiple characters can have a change in characterization depending on the reader. Many of the novel's characters, such as Heathcliff, possess positive values, but readers tend to focus on their negative qualities which allows these characters to change. Growing up poor and homeless, Heathcliff’s character changes many times throughout the novel as he grows older and possess negative qualities towards other characters. Later residing as an old, lonely master, Heathcliff’s change in character at the end of Wuthering Heights signifies that he has gone mad and leads to intentions that Heathcliff has not committed suicide, but lost all will after all he has been through.
The description of the setting of Wuthering Heights is described so thoroughly, which emphasizes the gothic tradition in this book. It is 1801 and Mr. Lockwood, a new tenant at Thrushcross Grange, writes in his diary that he has rented a house in the Yorkshire countryside, or New England. After he arrived there, he visits his landlord, Mr. Heathcliff. Heathcliff lives
In her novel Wuthering Heights, Emily Brontë uses a formal style of writing to portray the language of those used during the early 1800s. Throughout the majority of the novel, Nelly Dean is telling the story of how Wuthering Heights came to be the place that it currently is. Throughout Dean’s narration, characters are voiced differently due to their role in society. An example of this is shown when Brontë would use fragments of words to represent the speech of Hareton, one of the servants of Wuthering Heights. In contrast, Catherine, being well educated, would use sophisticated grammar and an extensive vocabulary whenever she spoke. Heathcliff was revealed as a two-sided character in this reading. On one hand, the author would use negative
The gothic and often disturbing Wuthering Heights is Emily Bronte’s classic novel that contains undeniably powerful writing that created her timeless love story. Andrea Arnold transformed her masterpiece into a cinematic rendition to recreate the wild and passionate story of the deep and destructive love between Catherine Earnshaw and Heathcliff.
Wuthering Heights is depicted as a cold, threatening, and dark manor, situated on a "bleak hilltop." In the novel, "wuthering" is the local adjective to describe the "atmospheric tumult" present in the region. The rugged manor, Wuthering Heights, represents a "storm", characterized by the wild emotions and harsh behaviors of the inhabitants. The depressing atmosphere causes people to "shiver through every limb" at the "sorrowful sight" of the Heights. In deep contrast, Thrushcross Grange is described as a "splendid place" of elegance and comfort. The peaceful dwelling of the Grange represents higher values and morals, and is considered the "calm" residence of the novel. The author creatively reveals the theme of good versus evil, or the calm versus the storm, through the pronounced symbolic differences in the houses.
Love is a strong attachment between two lovers and revenge is a strong conflict between two rivals. In the novel Wuthering Heights, Emily Bronte uses setting to establish contrast, to intensify conflict, and to develop character. The people and events of Wuthering Heights share a dramatic conflict. Thus, Bronte focuses on the evil eye of Heathcliff's obsessive and perpetual love with Catherine, and his enduring revenge to those who forced him and Catherine apart. The author expresses the conflict of Wuthering Heights with great intensity. Hence, she portrays a combination of crucial issues of romance and money, hate and power, and lastly
When Heathcliff ran off, Bronte describes that evening as “a very dark evening for summer: the clouds appear[ing] inclined to thunder” (Bronte, 84). The impending thunderstorm introduces that chaos that is about to ensue when Heathcliff cannot be found that evening. The storm finally arrives and all hell is about to break loose. The “violent wind, as well as thunder,…split a tree off” of a building just as Catherine was getting more and more anxious about her split from Heathcliff (Bronte, 85). The symbolism that weather represents in Wuthering Heights carries on throughout the first volume of the
The Wuthering Heights estate is first introduced to a fit of mental illness with the bringing of Heathcliff onto the property as a young boy. From an early age Heathcliff is shaped into the later psychopath he becomes, evident in his childhood treatment of the Wuthering Heights household:
The novel suggests that the building is far from civilised places, on page twenty-four, chapter two; “..On that bleak hill top the earth was hard with a black frost, and the air made shiver through every limb..” This says that Wuthering Heights is isolated on a bleak hill top, it is dull and miserable and the earth is “..Hard..” and contains “..Black frost..”. The use of “..Black frost..” is Gothic as it describes even the frost as evil. Normal frost is white but “..Black frost..” symbolizes evil. This is very Gothic. Emily Brontë uses a lot of imagery to create tension for the reader. For example on pages thirty-one and thirty-two, chapter three when Lockwood is shown to his chamber in Wuthering Heights by Zillah, Emily Brontë uses a lot of images to create the feeling that the room and the surrounding is coffin like. This makes the building, Wuthering Heights feel supernatural and very Gothic. The house itself is very Gothic, containing tall dark arches and gargoyle statues. There are lots of shadows. Emily Brontë chooses realistic descriptions of the building/house, Wuthering Heights; “..One or two heavy black ones (chairs) lurking in the shade..“. “..Black..” reoccurs frequently in the novel as it suggests evil. The word “..Lurking..” is interesting because it suggests that something does not belong in a place , it is mysterious, as in his case the chairs have no place in Wuthering Heights. Almost as is the chairs are alive and they have thoughts and