Literary Analysis Essay on Wuthering Heights

Introduction

1.Wuthering Heights opens with narration by Mr. Lockwood; a man recently relocated in the north of England who is renting a property called Thrushcross Grange from its owner, Mr. Heathcliff, who lives at Wuthering Heights. The world of Wuthering Heights could not be less like that of Austen's Persuasion. Reflecting on the definition of "wuthering" provided on p. 4 and any other details in chapter 1, explain what you see as the most apparent differences between Bronte's world and Austen's?

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Bronte and Austen's world underscores significant differences in chapter one. Bronte presents a world of isolation, whereby the protagonist of the story, Heathcliff, is living in a separated society. The only inhabitants of Wuthering heights are Heathcliff, his servant Joseph and cook. That is unlike Austen's world in Persuasion, who presents a world full of life, including Sir Eliot, his three daughters Elizabeth, Anne and Mary, Mary's husband Charles, family friends Lady Russell and Anne, all who inhabit Walter's estate, Kellynch Hall. Additionally, Bronte presents an unfriendly, violent, and a world full of inconsideration for others. That is evidenced by Lockwood's experience when he visited Heathcliff and was treated with minimal friendliness and welcome by dangerously looking dogs. Contrary to his pleas for help, the landlord rudely cites that Lockwood had tried to steal something, and worse, the landlord is not concerned whether or not the dogs attack his guest. That is contrary to Austen's world in Persuasion, where Eliot lavishly entertains his guests in his estate Kellynch Hall, he also expresses love towards his guests, daughters, and family friends. Similarly, there are shows for concern, especially from their family friend Russell who persuades them to rent out Kellynch Hall and relocate to rented accommodations in the Bath in the quest to defeat their debts. There are also concerns by Sir Eliot and Lady Russell towards Anna, Eliot's daughter when they persuade her to marry Captain Went Worth, which was for her good. Wuthering is defined as windy and stormy, meaning that the world there is characterized by violence and instability, stemming from the landlord Heathcliff who is mannerless and rude, coupled with his unfriendly dogs. That is contrary to Persuasion, which inhibits friendly people, with concern for each other, albeit the lavish spending from Eliot that leads them to debts.

2. Lockwood finds out quickly enough that he is in a unique environment in which basic manners are absent, and violence of one sort or another threatens to break out at any moment. In chapter 2 (pp. 10-11), Lockwood witnesses several distinct stances by Mr. Heathcliff all in a few minutes. First, Lockwood asks a favor of Heathcliff. Second, Heathcliff addresses his teenaged daughter-in-law, Cathy Heathcliff, on the subject of offering Lockwood tea. Thirdly, Lockwood, wrongly assuming Cathy is Heathcliff's wife, engages him on the issue of his "amiable lady," meaning "likable wife." What character qualities are in evidence in each of these three exchanges? What is the first picture of Heathcliff that emerges on this page?

The chapter underscores the snowstorms and harsh nature of Wuthering Heights, which is not a mere geographic accident but a mirror of the roughness of its inhabitants. That is evidenced by Heathcliff's stances, as witnessed by Lockwood in this chapter. The first stance presents a character quality of unfriendliness and violence evident from the way Heathcliff welcomes Lockwood, scaring him with the harsh dogs and refusing to rescue him from the cruel dogs citing that he wanted to steal. The second exchange between Heathcliff and his daughter in law depicts the quality of fright by the daughter in law to Heathcliff as she refuses to make Lockwood a cup of tea unless Heathcliff authorizes her to do so. It depicts her subversive who unwillingly stays in the house, albeit she lacks freedom and respect. As illustrated from the desperation in her eyes. The third exchange presents the impressive personality and manner less nature of Heathcliff as he rudely corrects Lockwood. Heathcliff's picture on this page is the use of his superior physical strength to bully his household members since his assertion of force wins over human pretentions and intellects.

3. In chapter 2, Lockwood visits Mr. Heathcliff on a subsequent day to his first visit. Snow falls, and Lockwood is prevented from returning home. He spends the night in a room once occupied by Catherine Earnshaw. He reads some of a diary of hers he finds. He has a vivid dream as narrated on pp. 19 - 21. What elements in this scene strike you as being "dark Romantic" in nature, and why?

The scene is depicted as dark romantic as envisioned in Catherine's diary when they were kids with Heathcliff. The two were undoubtedly childhood lovers as they spent most of their childhood together after Heathcliff, a vagabond had been taken by Catherine's father. It is no wonder Catherine ran to Heathcliff's defense when her brother Hindley who had made him (Heathcliff) a servant, threatened to throw him out after her father's death. The Dark romance is also invoked by Heathcliff's reaction when he learns about the reappearance of Catherine Linton's ghost on Lockwood's dream. He desperately sermons her in, a clear indication of his consuming love and passion for Catherine, a bond that existed since childhood yet never grew to its maturity as they never grew up. That in spite of the adult forces of oppressions and authority, their solidarity, emotional, and commitment bonds that existed since childhood, as described in Catherine's diary, were still intact, and Heathcliff had kept that in its original state.4.Mr. Lockwood's housekeeper at Thrush cross Grange is Mrs. Nelly Dean, who narrates most of the rest of the novel. In chapter 4 (pp. 30 - 31), Mrs. Dean describes Heathcliff's first appearance at Wuthering Heights when he is brought back to the house by the then owner, Mr. Earnshaw, on his return from a trip to Liverpool. What are the first impressions that Mrs. Dean has of Heathcliff? What distinctive language does she use to convey her stance toward the child?

When she starts narrating her story to Lockwood, Mrs.Dean's first impression on Heathcliff is that Heathcliff is a mean and a miser who has no family ever since the death of his son. She conveys Heathcliff as an innocent orphan child who was found on the street by Mr.Earnshaw on his return from his business trip to Liverpool. She uses the distinctive language of the pit towards the child, citing that Heathcliff's orphan position as a child in Earnshaw's family put him in a peculiar situation as he appeared low among the family of high class. She says that the child was an outsider in the family who took Hindley's place of ownership, fatherhood love, and sister's love since both Mr. Warsaw and Catherine were both fonds of Heathcliff. So the child had to bear with Hindley'd bullying coupled with Mrs. Catherine's hatred since he was not only a foster child but also an outsider who was never entirely welcome as he threatened Hindley's position in the family.

Reference

Bronte, E. (1847). Wuthering Heights. The Literature Network. Chapters 1-4.Retrieved fromhttps://www.online-literature.com