The Juxtaposition Between Nature and Man in Wuthering Heights

Since its publication, Wuthering Heights has intrigued its readers; a love story gone wrong, twisted by vengeance and heartbreak. Many important factors of the novel are displayed in the portion of the novel narrated by Ellen. The passage in Wuthering Heights in which Catherine Linton’s funeral is described is vital in explaining important relationships in the novel, particularly the relationship between Heathcliff and Edgar Linton.

The complex and furious creation of Emily Brontë, Wuthering Heights is a powerful novel that fiercely combines many of the greatest themes in literature, such as love and its intricacies, revenge and the its terrible effects, and the contrasts between nature and society. One of the most prevalent themes in this celebrated work is that of crime and punishment, or sin and retribution. One character in particular, Heathcliff, stands apart as a conduit for both of these, es-pecially his sins. His past crimes, both worldly and metaphysical, coincide with his punishments.

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’.

Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights display of cultural and physical features of an environment affecting one’s character and moral traits is showcased through the first Catherine’s development throughout the novel. Catherine is forced to “adopt a double character”, as she lives as a rebellious, passionate woman on the turbulent Wuthering Heights, while behaving politely and courtly on the elegant Thrushcross Grange(Bronte, 48). Each of these environments also contains a love interest of Catherine’s, each man parallel with the characteristics of their environments: Heathcliff, the passionate and destructive, residing in Wuthering Heights, while the civilized and gentle Edgar inhabits Thrushcross Grange. Catherine’s development in character due to her setting significantly contributes to the theme that pursuing passionate love is dangerous, such as the love shared by Heathcliff and Catherine.

But far from presenting them as innocent children, Emily Bronte uses Nature to depict wild characters trapped into their infancy by savage passions. Thus, the first appearance of a child in the novel, Catherine Earnshaw in the form of a child- ghost who wants to come into the house. (……) is surrounded by a snow storm with a gelid wind. This introduction of the character reveals the connection between her and Nature, the same as Heathcliff, in a similar maner, as Nelly tells, they were only happy in the moors, (….) and both of them are connected with the extreme weather and the wildness of the landscape (…). Furthermore, the lack of adult references, since the premature death of the mother and the distant figure of a father, makes it possible that far from being educated, the children in Wuthering Heights grow up surrounding by wilderness and the wind and as a result their characters are as reflection of those wild elements. Furthermore, in many occasions the characters are described by natural elements such as (….) and on her death bed Catherine asks return to the moors, in a desperately trying to find her lost childhood. As a result, children are presented as savage beings abandoned to their nature and far to be tamed. Only the second generation (Cathy and Hareton) will be tamed and overpass the savage of the childhood by the influence of

However, despite changes, the literary world remained predominantly male, and women writers not encouraged, or taken seriously. Consequently, to counteract this Emily Bronte published her novel Wuthering Heights, under the male pseudonym of Ellis Bell. Wuthering Heights is the story of domesticity, obsession, and elemental divided passion between the intertwined homes of the Earnshaw’s residing at the rural farmhouse Wuthering Heights, and the Linton family of the more genteel Thrushcross Grange. This essay will discuss how the language and narrative voices established a structural pattern of the novel, and how these differing voices had a dramatic effect on the interpretation of the overall story.

Much of the charm and allure of Wuthering Heights stems from Heathcliff, one of the main characters and the destined lover of Catherine Earnshaw. He is passionate and short-tempered, and he is also very prideful of himself despite the fact that he was considered a “dirty, ragged, black-haired child” and a “gipsy brat” (Bronte 37). Heathcliff is insecure as a young boy. At first, Heathcliff believes himself to be inferior to Edgar Linton, a light-skinned, dapper boy that was his rival for Catherine Earnshaw’s love. He wishes that he had “light hair and a fair skin, and was dressed and behaved as well, and had a chance of being as rich as [Edgar Linton] [would] be,” (Bronte 56).

Heathcliff is introduced in Nelly's narration as a seven-year-old Liverpool foundling (probably an Irish famine immigrant) brought back to Wuthering Heights by Mr. Earnshaw. His presence in Wuthering Heights overthrows the prevailing habits of the Earnshaw family, members of the family soon become involved in turmoil and fighting and family relationships become spiteful and hateful. Even on his first night, he is the reason Mr. Earnshaw breaks the toys he had bought for his children. "From the very beginning he bred bad feelings in the house". Heathcliff usurps the affections of Mr. Earnshaw to the exclusion of young Hindley-: "The young master had learnt to regard his father as an oppressor rather than a

If Linton dies, Heathcliff will be in possession of Thrushcross Grange. Not only does he want to be the mater of Thrushcross grange, he wants to upset Edgar to get revenge on him for marrying his one true love. One day Nelly and Catherine venture to Wuthering Heights so that Catherine can see Linton. To further his plan, Heathcliff imprisons Nelly and Catherine and won’t allow them to leave Wuthering Heights until Catherine agrees in to marry

Earnshaw almost forces to conform to the disorderly system, like an ill-fitting puzzle piece. He is raised in a civilization that delegates him as the lowest of the low, and it causes him to develop resentment toward those in power. It is important for the reader to take note of Emily Bronte’s belief in the natural organization of social class – one that morphs in disorder. Therefore, Heathcliff can be viewed as the antagonist as he tries to construct a social class system that puts him at the top of the food chain around the previously natural Wuthering Heights. Rather than forcing himself into the puzzle of Wuthering Heights, he tries to build a new puzzle around himself. When Mr. Earnshaw establishes Heathcliff as his favorite child, Hindley is appalled by this disruption to the status quo. As a result, Hindley tries to gain power for himself by bullying Catherine and Heathcliff into positions lower than him; Heathcliff caused the inhabitants to fight for the social class structure that they had previously ignored. This is shown again when Catherine longs to be part of the upper class, saying “if I marry Linton, I can aid Heathcliff to rise and place him out of my brother’s power” (82). Heathcliff’s application of a new social structure does not help him have power over

The social classes in Wuthering Heights are an insight to the society that  Emily Bronte experienced. The British society of 1770 wasn’t accepting of a person with darker features which is reflected in how Heathcliff is treated in the novel. Orphans were also never meant to rise from their station below the servants. This is an insight into why Hindley Earnshaw hated Heathcliff and referred to him as a usurper of his father’s affections. When Hidley became master of Wuthering Heights he returned Heathcliff to his “rightful” place.

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.

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

It had, “.... a few stunted firs at the end of the house….” and, “the corners defended with large jutting stones” (Brontë 4). The ruins of Wuthering Heights made the household seem less noble and respected. A ruined home and structure compared them to the winsome Thrushcross Grange. The differences of the houses amplified the difference in class, stature, and ways of life. The ruins of Wuthering Heights made those living there have a different mindset and look as if they couldn’t reach the Thrushcross standards. Also, those who lived at Wuthering Heights had a much different attitude, this because Wuthering Heights nurtures those into whom they become. For instance, Catherine, after leaving Wuthering Heights came back Nelly describes her as, “ a very dignified person….” as opposed to, “a wild, hatless little savage” (Brontё 52). Her time at the ruined Wuthering Heights made her into a ruined and hateful girl herself. If Wuthering Heights resembled that of Thrushcross Grange then there would not be a shift in Catherine’s or anyone's character. In fact, the novel wouldn’t have a difference between the two settings, making both households equal.

The novel ‘Wuthering Heights’ (1847) by Emily Brontë and the film adaptation ‘Wuthering Heights’ (2011) by Andrea Arnold each convey respective values and perspectives reflective of the contrasting contexts and forms of each text. The novel, set in the Romantic period, is centred around two families living on the isolated, Yorkshire moors, and the explosive interactions between them. The concept of confinement contrasts against the freedom of nature throughout the novel. Nature is another key theme and a fundamental aspect of the Romantic period, used to present ideas such as rebellion and freedom. Finally, passion within human relationships is thoroughly explored through Catherine and Heathcliff’s relationship within the novel. However, as the film adaptation is a product of a contemporary post-feminist, post-colonial time period, these themes can now be explored through lenses such as racial discrimination, feminism, and human connection.