Wuthering Heights. Free Essay Example

1. Wuthering Heights breaks into two narratives with extensive doubling or mirroring - a "first generation" story of Heathcliff, Catherine, and Edgar Linton and a "second generation" story of Hareton, Cathy, and Linton. Sickly Linton and Cathy gradually form a parallel relationship with Edgar and Catherine. Compare the stances of Catherine and Edgar in Chapter 11 (pp. 90 - 91) and Cathy and Linton in Chapter 27 (pp. 203 - 204). What similarities and differences do you see?

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In both chapters, the stances of Catherine and Edgar and the supposed union between Linton and Cathy are depicted in the realm of a marriage based on the driving forces of convenience and contract but not love. Here, it is clear that she loves Heathcliff and not her husband Edgar, no wonder she locks herself in her room and refuses to eat for some time, coupled with becoming ill after the fight between Heathcliff and Edgar. Her actions in this chapter are informed by Edgar's ultimatum on her forbidding her from seeing Heathcliff again. She is sick and expects Edgar to b wild and passionate, just like Heathcliff, as opposed to being civilized and burying his grief in books like Edgar was doing. Her excess wilderness characteristics baffle the civilized Edgar. Cathy's union with Linton in chapter 27 is informed by the driving forces of Heathcliff's revenge and greed for Edgar's wealth. Just like the deterioration of Catherine's health in chapter 11, Linton's health in chapter 27 is in bad shape. Unlike in section 11, where Edgar does not care much about Catherine's health and instead buries his grief in his books, in chapter 27, Cathy remains by Linton's side when his health deteriorates and consistently agrees to meet with him. Unlike in chapter 11, where Catherine is implored by love when ill, section 27 is characterized with violence from Heathcliff, Linton's very own father, who should pity him. Instead is filled with selfish motives and forces him to marry Cathy before he dies, making Linton afraid of what he would do to him if he disobeyed.

2. In Chapter 27, Heathcliff conspires to keep Cathy a prisoner at Wuthering Heights until she agrees to marry Linton (as Heathcliff wishes to take over Thrushcross Grange after Linton and Edgar Linton's deaths). On pages 209 - 210, Heathcliff confronts Cathy over his desire that she marry Linton immediately. What evidence is there on these pages that the conflict between them here resembles a thematic conflict between the dark Romantic (Heathcliff) and the pastoral (Cathy)?

The conflict between Heathcliff and Cathy is exemplified with the dark romantic Heathcliff and the dark pastoral Cathy in the sense that just as Hindley locked him in the quest of coercing him not to marry his sister Catherine, Heathcliff also locks Cathy to compel her to marry her son. Just like the dark romance between Catherine and Heathcliff, characterized by the love that was never meant to be, the conflict here between Cathy and Heathcliff is vested on the fact that Heathcliff is determined to ensure that Cathy becomes his daughter in law. Even if it means slapping her and locking her in his home.

3. In Chapter 30 (p. 224), Linton's death is narrated. Cathy now lives at Wuthering Heights with Hareton and Heathcliff, and the narrative of Wuthering Heights has nearly arrived at the point where the novel begins. In Chapter 32 (especially pp. 234 - 35 and 239 - 41), thrown together now, Hareton and Cathy gradually develop a relationship. What clues are there in this chapter that their relationship is pastoral and not romantic? Do you see any parallels to As You Like It?

The relationship between Cathy and Hareton in chapter 32 is merely pastoral and not romantic in the sense that Cathy is only interested in teaching Hareton how to read, albeit picks on him most of the time. Still, she is only interested in his attention. Additionally, it is Hetreton's accidental shoot that brings them together. Cathy has to tend to him as they make amends with Cathy declaring, "...am glad you are my cousin..." and Hareton equally informs her of taking her side against Heathcliff. The relationship is pastoral, as the two enjoy looking at books and reading together. Cathy ceases to look down on Hareton for the status that was forced on him. Instead, she sees him for is a potential, sees him beyond class as the two of them find a balance between civilization and nature.

4. In Chapter 32, the narrative is now in the present. Returning in September 1802 (p. 232), after an absence from Thrushcross Grange of several months, Lockwood returns to hear from Nelly that Heathcliff has died the previous April. On p. 246 (Chapter 33), Nelly observes to Lockwood that Cathy and Hareton both have Catherine Earnshaw's eyes, and she describes an occasion on which this resemblance particularly strikes Heathcliff. Is it relevant that this scene is immediately followed by a scene in which Heathcliff tells Nelly he feels a "strange change approaching"?

Yes, the relevance of that narrative underscores the fact that Heathcliff, unlike in the past, is not able to hit Cathy during an argument just by looking at her eyes which resemble Catherine's, her mother's. Heathcliff's visions inform that for Catherine, that is changing him and blunting his revenge desires. His earlier plot on taking revenge on Cathy and Hareton is no longer a priority to him just at the look of the eyes of the two and how the two have eyes that resemble Catherine's. That is since he is being tormented and hunted by Catherine, precisely what he has always wanted. The torments, therefore, parallel his vengeance needs, thus allowing Cathy and Hareton to live peacefully.5. In Chapter 34, the death of Heathcliff is narrated. Unlike all the other deaths in the novel, this novel is not presented as a seamless transition from life to the end. What features of Nelly's narration of Heathcliff's death and what follows (pp. 254 - 257) strike you as the most important in terms of your sense of the book's vision?

Heathcliff's death, unlike other ends, is a seamless transition owing to his desire to be reunited with Catherine, his lover. His torments and hunting emanating from Catharine, coupled with the visions he sees of her foreshadows his impending death. Seemingly, the more he fixates on her, the less he is tethered to the human world. Perhaps his desire to die and reunite with Catherine superseded his ambitions to continue living following the wild joy he had after a supernatural experience he had with the spirits of Catherine. He had envisioned a better life with Catherine after his death in their next life and could not wait to get there or die. That is evidenced by his refusal to eat, locking himself in his room, refusing to see the doctor, and letting the cold freeze him o death. It is arguably right that he was more willing to embrace death, and had rejected the mortal world by locking himself in his room, a clear indication of shutting himself from human company. This book's vision is aimed at explaining how far and deep the extent of love can go. That is primarily demonstrated through Heathcliff's love for Catherine that he is willing to surpass all odds to be with her. Even in death, he believes that they would be reunited, uniquely when he expresses his will to Nelly to be buried next to Catherine's grave.

Reference

Bronte, E. (1847). Wuthering Heights. The Literature Network. Chapters 25-34.Retrieved fromhttps://www.online-literature.com