Emily Bronte, born in 1818 at Thornton, a bleak village near Bradford, is the author of the controversial book Wuthering Heights, a story that focuses on the light and dark sides of life, a story of love and hatred, kindness and malevolence. The author, Emily Bronte, focuses on the story of the passionate but foul Heathcliff and how he rose from poverty to the richest man in the neighbourhood. Bronte lived in the moors and I believe this inspired her to write Wuthering Heights and its settings.
I believe she would also have been inspired by the make-believe world of Gondal, which she and her sisters created as children. They wrote many poems and stories about Gondal and its magical surroundings.As a child Bronte had many sisters and a brother, so she was never in need of extra excitement or playmates. She was often to be seen walking to moors with her brother and sisters, as Cathy was often seen roaming the moors with Heathcliff.
Bronte was happiest at home in Haworth, she had the freedom to roam the moors, and think with only her beloved dogs to bother her. She immersed herself in her imagination.When her brother, Bronwell, died at the age of 30, in 1848, Bronte caught a cold that rapidly turned to tuberculosis and she died 3 months later. After Bronwells death Bronte seemed to give up on life and lost the irreplaceable ability to immerse herself in her imagination, without this she had no will to live.
Wuthering Heights was first published in 1847 and under a pseudonym because the book would not have been accepted as written by a woman. Bronte’s novel is structured like a gothic novel, the darkness and secrecy and Cathy could be contrived as the damsel in distress when she marries Edgar and loses all excitement in her life, although there is some controversy over whether it falls into this column. Wuthering Heights, the residence, is show as a very gothic building from the outset as Lockwood sees the dilapidation and the untended hedges and plants.As soon as the story begins Bronte reveals two things, Heathcliff’s acerbity and Lockwood’s inability to judge people’s character, as he thinks Heathcliff is a pleasant man.
Heathcliff’s lack of respect becomes apparent as he is constantly rude to Lockwood. Bronte also shows us that the servants in Heathcliff’s house are undisciplined as Joseph has a little respect saying on sight of Lockwood, “The lord help us”. In the following chapters Bronte reveals Heathcliff’s dark and unwelcoming nature.Next Bronte shows us Heathcliff is untrusting as he tells Lockwood he may not spend the night alone, implying Lockwood may steal valuables.
Heathcliff’s servants reveal Heathcliff uses violence, as no-one will cross him and the way he addresses them.After returning to the Grange, Lockwood’s rented residence, Lockwood falls ill and Nelly Dean, a former servant of Heathcliff, tells Lockwood the Heathcliff’s story. Bronte reveals Heathcliff came from poverty, an orphan on the streets of Liverpool, found and raised by Mr. Earnshaw, Cathy’s father.
She goes on to explain how, after a brief period of solitude; Cathy and Heathcliff become good friends. Although Hindley, Mr. Earnshaw’s oldest son, loathes Heathcliff but Bronte shows Heathcliff’s resilience as Hindley takes to beating Heathcliff. Heathcliff wards this off with Cathy’s help, this shows the determination Heathcliff must have obtained from the streets of Liverpool.
Bronte shows early on how Heathcliff plans for the future, he becomes cunning and manipulative. In one instance Heathcliff tries to con Hindley out of a colt, as Heathcliff’s had gone lame, He tells Hindley, cunningly, if he does not forfeit his horse then Heathcliff will tell Mr. Earnshaw about the beatings Hindley gives Heathcliff.Cathy and Heathcliff’s friendship increases, giving Heathcliff some stability, they become like brother and sister, although it is the opposite for Hindley and Heathcliff, the become arch-enemies.
Soon Hindley is sent away, Bronte does this to increase Hindley’s hate for Heathcliff, as Hindley will blame Heathcliff for being sent away.Sadly Mr. Earnshaw dies while Hindley is away; he dies with Cathy in his arms and Heathcliff by his side. The writer shows us that even though Cathy and Heathcliff disregarded the rules set down by Mr.
Earnshaw when playing, they still love him as they weep until late at night when they are found comforting each other. In this Bronte shows us how powerful the friendship between Cathy and Heathcliff has become.When Hindley returns to Wuthering Heights to claim his inherence he brings a wife, although she is very short lived – she comes into the story and dies in two pages. Bronte, however, does give her some significance – her death turns Hindley even more bitter and twisted.
The servants start to leave Wuthering Heights, Bronte shows here how bad living at Wuthering Heights has become, and only two stay – Joseph and Nelly Dean.As soon as Hindley returns he stops Heathcliff’s education, this is the worst thing possible that Hindley could do, as now Heathcliff would not be able to get a job or be respectable later in life, it’s even worse than the beatings or making Heathcliff a stable boy. Although Heathcliff and Cathy’s friendship still stays strong throughout this, Cathy even tries to teach Heathcliff what she learns for a short time. The only real punishment Hindley can find for Cathy and Heathcliff is that they are separated.
One day, as Cathy and Heathcliff were roaming the moors, they come across The Grange. Cathy and Heathcliff looks in though the window and see two small children; two small children fighting over a puppy, in this moment Bronte shows us the wildness of Cathy and Heathcliff – laughing at young Edgar and Isabella for arguing over an insignificant thing. But Bronte shows us that Edgar and Isabella represent civilisation and social life – something Cathy and Heathcliff know nothing of.Inside the Grange is very spectacular and grand, very different from Wuthering Heights; Bronte makes a point of showing us how dilapidated Wuthering Heights has become under Hindley’s reign.
Here Cathy is taken ill and stays at the Grange for some weeks.When Cathy returns she approaches Heathcliff. Heathcliff, expecting a warm welcome from Cathy after the torment Hindley has put him though in her absence, is greeted by a snotty well dressed child, her hair in ponytails. She says to Heathcliff, “oh, aren’t you dirty”.
Bronte here shows the influence higher class has had on Cathy, and Heathcliff does not like it. He has become more menacing and dark in Cathy absence and has vowed revenge against Hindley.At this point Edgar comes into the story, a small, blonde haired, pale skinned boy, who has never been overworked. Bronte shows how different they two boys are, in comparison Heathcliff is a strong, dark, dirty boy with a dark complexion.
Bronte gives these two boys a very different background too, she gives Edgar everything, money, security and a big house, Heathcliff, however, was born into poverty and has had to work his way in the streets and under Hindley’s reign. The Grange is a civilised manor, full of life and colours, while Wuthering Heights is a run down household, managed by an ogre-like man.As the story progresses Bronte reveals Edgar has his whole life planned out for him, he will one day become a magistrate and be the richest man in the neighbourhood. Heathcliff’s future, however, is unplanned and unknown, he though, will surely never become magistrate or the richest man in the neighbourhood after Hindley has taken his education away.
Even if Cathy did love Heathcliff more, Edgar was the right person to marry in those times, Heathcliff would be unable to provide, and could Cathy ever live with that?Bronte shows us that Cathy really does love Heathcliff in her conversation with Nelly; she tells Nelly that Edgar has asked her to marry him, and although she tells Nelly that it would demean her to marry Heathcliff now, Cathy says how she believes they are soul mates. Heathcliff, listening until Cathy says it would demean her to marry him now, leaves Wuthering Heights and goes off to find a fortune for him and Cathy.After Heathcliff’s disappearance Cathy agrees to marry Edgar. Edgar and Cathy’s marriage is anything but glamorous, Cathy is able to do anything she wants – Edgar has ordered all the maids and servants not to cross her – even Isabella is forbidden to cross her.
Here Bronte shows us another difference between Edgar and Heathcliff, in Heathcliff’s presence Cathy would be able to do many things, but she would never be allowed to do anything she wanted.Heathcliff, as he promised, eventually returns to the Grange to complete his revenge. As Heathcliff is announced Cathy goes into hysterics, she is more excited than she has ever been in her relationship with Edgar; she is full of life and excitement. Although she is not the only one to have drastically changed – Heathcliff returns, not as the stable boy he left as, but as a rich, well built, well dressed, gentleman, he towers over Edgar and Bronte shows us how physically advanced Heathcliff is to Edgar.
Heathcliff has clearly become more deadly, he openly speaks of death and killing himself. When Heathcliff is first presented Edgar is in disbelief, while Heathcliff seems smug and very confident. After Heathcliff announces his love for Cathy Edgar takes a civilised route, he bans Heathcliff from the Grange, Heathcliff, however, responds with scorn and threats, showing us that Heathcliff is more brutal and confident than Edgar.Heathcliff realises that unless he act quickly he will not inherit the Grange, he deploys a cruel plan to ensnare Isabella and marry her.
This way when Edgar dies he will inherit the Grange and take Cathy for his own. This plot is foiled however, by Cathy herself. She is now carrying Edgar’s baby. Heathcliff who now has no use of Isabella, begins to beat and torture her, he forces her to run away, Bronte shows us here how sadistic and evil Heathcliff really is.
Cathy is now showing signs of a major illness and Bronte shows the different reactions the men have to her illness, Edgar becomes withdrawn and is calm and quite, but Heathcliff is passionate and roars at Cathy showing his never-ending love.Before Isabella leaves she comes back for one last confrontation with Edgar, to beg for forgiveness. She is greeted by a cold harsh man, not unlike Heathcliff in his vocal manner. Edgar dismisses her, and Bronte shows us that Edgar can be as harsh and cruel as Heathcliff too.
Edgar cuts all bonds between Isabella and himself.When Cathy Eventually dies, giving birth, both Edgar and Heathcliff react in different ways, Heathcliff wails and rampages about, while Edgar becomes very quite and secluded. Cathy is buried in the moors by Bronte, this shows us where her heart truly was, roaming with Heathcliff and playing all day long.This book is focused upon one man, Heathcliff, and all the opposites around him.
Edgar and Heathcliff are clearly two opposite men. Heathcliff was born into poverty and has had to crawl in gutters and live like a slave under Hindley’s rule; Edgar however has lived like a prince all his life and has always got everything he asked for. The only thing these two men have in common is their love for Cathy, both men clearly despise the others love for her. These two men could never become friends as they are too different mentally and physically, they were destined to loath each other and fight over Cathy’s love.
