Essay on The Suffering of the Women in Wuthering Heights

The culture of set societal rules and conventions urges Catherine to be with Edgar, compelling her to be ‘the greatest woman of the neighbourhood’ due to them being relatively firm in their gentry’s status. This suggests the importance of her social status against the nature of her love for Heathcliff stating, ‘we would be beggars’, through employing the word ‘beggars’ the reader crafts the idea of her belief that she won’t survive without her status. Catherine admits ‘It would degrade me to marry Heathcliff now; so he shall never know how I love him’ Thus implying a swelling sense of her vanity and pride; enough to enjoy the position she gains from being married to Edgar despite her admiration for Heathcliff, being ‘more than (herself) than (she is)’and

In Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë, Heathcliff’s strong love for Catherine guides his transformation as a character. While Heathcliff enters the story as an innocent child, the abuse he receives at a young age and his heartbreak at Catherine’s choice to marry Edgar Linton bring about a change within him. Heathcliff’s adulthood is consequently marked by jealousy and greed due to his separation from Catherine, along with manipulation and a deep desire to seek revenge on Edgar. Although Heathcliff uses deceit and manipulation to his advantage throughout the novel, he is never entirely content in his current situation. As Heathcliff attempts to revenge Edgar Linton, he does not gain true fulfillment. Throughout Wuthering Heights, Brontë uses Heathcliff’s vengeful actions to convey the message that manipulative and revenge-seeking behaviors will not bring a person satisfaction.

Catherine was bitten and Heathcliff was sent back to Wuthering Heights. According to the Linton’s he was uncivilized and his bad behavior was not accepted in their household. Catherine was accepted into their house and welcomed even though she was not respectful. Luckily for her she knew when to turn it off and not let them see that side of her, but are polite. Thrushcross Grange is actually a house where its members of the Linton family are civilized. The Linton’s are rich and have many luxuries that Catherine is not using to but she wants to become a esteemed lady. Thrushcross is an elegant house that the Linton’s own and love to hang out in the parlor. Later on when Catherine returned home to Wuthering Heights the Linton’s came over but Edgar had spoken to Heathcliff, which was not part of the agreement. Hindley had sent Heathcliff away for his actions with Edgar. Edgar saw how Hindley treated Heathcliff and he was fearful of him. Edgar was fond of Catherine but he was not willing to visit Wuthering Heights because of Mr. Earnshaw. Edgar was eager to marry Catherine and move her to the ThrushCross Grange, which is more lavish then the callous, dreary, and desolate Wuthering

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

Her every need is taken care of. Later, when she is confronted by Heathcliff, she is reminded of Wuthering Heights and begins to miss the place she once was so eager to leave. Catherine begins to see the Grange as superficial and confining, and at first she is only annoyed by this, but eventually the suffocating enclosure causes Catherine to lash out at her husband and all the Grange represents. Catherine, aware of her incestuous attraction to Heathcliff, believes the Grange is destroying her, and because of her disgust of the Grange and her sense of guilt, it does. In the process, Edgar too must suffer Catherine's pain because of his love for her.

Throughout Wuthering Heights, there are multiple symbols employed to enrich the overall narrative, many of which have a multitude of meanings in order to elevate the text to a higher literary standard. One of the less obvious motifs is books. However, when reviewing their role in both Catherine and Cathy’s lives it is not clear to what degree it would be fair to claim they have a central role in the overall narrative, especially because of the “plurality” and “ambiguity” of each individual instance where the symbolism of books is introduced.

Catherine determines that it will be more practical to marry Edgar. She explains her reasoning to Nelly, and Heathcliff overhears part of the conversation. He is heartbroken and leaves Wuthering Heights. Catherine goes into a fit, demanding that everyone search for Heathcliff and bring him home. She is quite upset and angry (even beating her young nephew, Hareton).

Another aspect which is relevant today and forever it shall remain relevant is selfishness. Catherine's selfish character was depicted when she wanted both Edgar and Heathcliff at the same time. In the beginning, she was introduced as a 'high spirited' character who was wild. However, she drastically changes throughout the book. When she hurts her leg and is forced to stay at Thrushcross Grange, she returns to Wuthering Heights as a well dressed and dignified lady. She was easily swayed to the superior lifestyle of the Lintons and began to look down upon Heathcliff. She even laughs at his rough and dirty appearance and says "I didn't mean to laugh at you. I could not hinder myself Heathcliff. Shake hands at least! What are you sulky for? It was only that you looked odd. If you wash you face and brush your hair, it would be alright. But you are

In the tragedy, Macbeth the women were the main power holders over the men. And in every relationship in this story their relationships failed because they didn’t have equal communication and trust. No one came to an agreement; it was always Lady Macbeth to be in control over Macbeth. Just like in Macbeth, the characters in wuthering heights were no different. Catherine and Heathcliff were the same as Macbeth and Lady Macbeth because when Catherine saw that Heathcliff was back she tried so hard to get back with him. And Nelly Dean and Edgar are no better because Edgar listened to Nelly Dean when she said “There’s nothing in the world to matter” and he didn’t go into the room to check on his wife, later after she passed away.

In the novel, Wuthering Heights, Emily Bronte discloses the plight of her characters through contrast. Bronte uses a mix of situations from the past and the present to relay to her readers the juxtaposition of her characters, most notably, between older and younger Catherine. Despite the apparent contrast of the timeframes, Bronte’s disclosure of older and younger Catherine situation gives insight into their contrasting results, which brings to surface the suppositional question of what if. Catherine is the blood daughter of Mr. Earnshaw, which gives her a position of some status within the social hierarchy of the Wuthering Heights estate. Heathcliff, a love interest of Catherine, was neglected by Hindley, Catherine’s brother, and essentially

Upon his arrival back he now has money and he tries to join the ‘society’ that Catherine is in. Heathcliff accuses Catherine of hurting and betraying him but after he does this he just blames it on her disloyalty to herself. Heathcliff is so blinded by his love for Catherine that he will make up any excuse for her. After Catherine gives birth to her and Edgar’s baby, Cathy, Catherine dies. To get his revenge on Edgar Linton, Heathcliff wants to take over and control Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange.

As Isabella is in “the firm clutch of Catherine, (100)” it is clear that Catherine has not changed for the sake of her marriage and still harbors the same pull towards Heathcliff and forceful inclinations that she possessed at the Heights. At this point in her life, her struggle between passivity and violence is manifested in her feelings toward both Edgar and Heathcliff. She is inexplicably drawn to both of them and does not endeavor to choose between them because she finds them both integral to her survival. This results in dynamic changes that alter the Grange itself. While married to Edgar and living in Thrushcross Grange, an inhabitance that once seemed characterized by its peace, Catherine brings strife between the inhabitants, especially when she reunites with Heathcliff. Isabella and Edgar, who once represented the epitome of passivity, are drawn to violence at the intrusion of Heathcliff into their own home, as encouraged by Catherine. While the Lintons are products of Thrushcross Grange, Catherine exhibits control over their natures by drawing out violent actions from characters that are otherwise known for their frailty. This reveals that Isabella and Edgar exhibit this same duality and can be persuaded to reveal their violent tendencies because it is opposing forces are a defining aspect of humanity. As a result of

In the novel Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte, the character Catherine portrays the action of injustice by being justice to her feelings. The reason for that is because she had to choose between two male figures in her life, Edgar Linton and Heathcliff. She is confused for a while, until she realized who she truly desires. Catherine was conflicted about whom to be with.

Bronte, The author of the Wuthering Heights, expresses many themes and morals in her book. The one most important in the Wuthering Heights is the theme of love and cruelty. The main characters, Catherine and Heathcliff, show these actions time and time again. They occur because of the other, much like the yin and the yang. Love leads to cruelty and cruelty leads to love. In Wuthering Heights, there are two different types of love shown: platonic and passionate. Both of these types of love lead to cruelty to other characters. As Heathcliff states boldly within the first few chapters of the novel, love’s cruelty survives even beyond death. “Cathy, do come. Oh do – once more! Oh! My heart’s darling; hear me this time, Catherine, at last!”

When Hindley takes over Wuthering Heights he basically turns Heathcliff into a poor slave that wasn’t aloud an education. This classification is one of the main reasons that Catherine choose to marry Edgar instead. After she married she soon became pregnant. She gets very sick and 2 hours after the baby is born, Catherine dies. This is when Catherine truly becomes a forbidden love. Heathcliff is so devastated by her death that he shouts “Catherine Earnshaw, may you not rest, as long as I am living! You said I killed you – haunt me then! The murdered do haunt their murderers. I believe – I know that ghosts have wandered on earth. Be with me always – take any form – drive me mad! Only do not leave me in this abyss, where I cannot find you! Oh god! It is unutterable! I cannot live without my life! I cannot live without my soul!”