Essay, Research Paper: Wuthering Heights

A controversial novel since the time it was written, Wuthering Heights, by Emily Bronte, has left readers perplexed for over one hundred years. One of the most arguable topics, is the true nature of the main characters. Another issue gripping readers is the fervent emotions that run through the members of both households. The theme of conflict between the stormy and calm sides of life is well supported by character development and style issues.
Heights is about two households, the first being Wuthering Heights, a strongly built and fierce-looking farmhouse. When Linton first sees it the "carved front and lowbrowed lattices, the straggling gooseberry bushes and crooked firs" frightens him. The building is battered by severe winds during the frequent storms. The second household, Thrushcross Grange, is a large estate, much more protected from the elements. It lies in a valley, and a stone wall encloses the park around it. When Heathcliff first glimpses the drawing room through a window, he thinks it's heaven- all crimson, gold, and silver. The story revolves around the love of Catherine, and Heathcliff. The two characters grow up together, running free side by side on the misty moors of North Yorkshire, England. Her brother, Hindley, has always mistreated Heathcliff, who was raised by Catherine's father. When Catherine chooses to marry Edgar Linton from Thrushcross Grange, because he is wealthy, educated, and handsome. Heathcliff hears her reasoning, and disappears from sight for three years. When he returns, he is wealthy, educated, and vengeful. For the rest of the novel Heathcliff's only goal is to punish Hindley for abusing him as a child, Catherine for picking Edgar over him, and Edgar for winning Catherine. Heathcliff is so centered on his goal of revenge, that he carries over his personal vendetta to the next generation at Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange. The novel is a bittersweet tale, with an ending that sheds light on the real emotions that lay dormant in even the cruelest soul.
The two main characters of the novel, are Heathcliff, and Catherine. Heathcliff, an orphaned gypsy boy, was taken in by Catherine's father was he was young. Heathcliff is dark in every aspect. His expression, attitude, appearance, and clothing all show the darkness that shrouds him. His name is generally surrounded with words like hell, devil, diabolical, infernal, and fiendish. And, even at the end of the novel, he is unrepentant stating "I've done no injustice." It is also quite uncertain whether Heathcliff actually loves Catherine, or is just obsessed with the idea of having her. Catherine, the other main character in the novel, is a wild spirit. It was not until she lived in Thrushcross Grange while being treated for a dog bite that she began to become lady like. It is almost as if there are two different Catherine's. Heathcliff's Catherine was wild, free, and unaware of social stature, while Edgar's Catherine is the proper lady of her time, with the makings of a wonderful socialite. She admits in the novel the Heathcliff is "more herself" and Edgar is "as a moonbeam from lightning or frost from fire." It is obvious through the novel that Catherine is torn between her two sides. Without being able to choose within herself whom she truly loved, it made it difficult for both Heathcliff and Edgar. "You loved me-then what right had you to leave me?" (144) Heathcliff asked Catherine this question shortly before she died, because he was truly confused. She treated him as if he was the love of her life, but left him anyway. Catherine and Heathcliff are the two intrical characters in the novel. Without these two the history of Wuthering Heights, and Thrushcross Grange would have been as gloomy as the landscape. It is their powerful emotions toward each other that seem to light up the novel.
Much of Bronte's style lies in the similarities it has with poetry. "For every thought she spends on Linton, she spends a thousand on me." In this quote, you can feel the rhythm of Bronte's writing. Every page has a rhythm to it, usually violent and abrupt. And the words she uses seem to form the scene. It is not until the end of the novel that she begins to use words like "flutter" and "breathe". Bronte used nature and the supernatural as her sources of imagery. "My love for Heathcliff resembles the eternal rock beneath; a source of little visible delight, but necessary. Nelly, I am Heathcliff." (81) Here Bronte used the nature imagery speaking of the rocks. What is also unique about the novel, is the way in which it is told. Instead of one narrator, there are many, although mainly Mr.Lockwood, and Ellen Dean, the stories come from all the characters. The novel is also told as stories-within-stories-within-stories. One piece of information is passed through many different people's points of view, making for extremely interesting reading. Writing in this style only made sense since the novel is full of doubles. To name a few, two generations, two houses, and two pairs of children are examples of the doubles that appear.
Bronte wrote a complex story, with many complex issues. Throughout the book there are extremes at war with each other. Passion battles reason Heathcliff plans to seek revenge on Hindley. Heathcliff states "I'm trying to settle how I shall pay Hindley back. I don't care how long I wait, If I can only do it at last. I hope he will not die before I do." (64). Love battles obsession throughout the entire novel, as Heathcliff tries to get revenge. Heathcliff says to Catherine as she is dying "Be with me always-take any form-drive me mad! Only do not leave me on this abyss, where I cannot find you! Oh god! It is unutterable! I cannot live without my life! I cannot live without my soul!" (148) Dark challenges light on every page of this novel. The two houses, Wuthering Heights being dark, and Thrushcross Grange being light. Heathcliff being dark and Edgar being light is another example of dark versus light.
You could read Bronte's novel half a dozen times, and still find another double sided issues. Good versus evil, dark versus light, whatever it may be. Every character and every event in their lives is double faced. Just as in life, Wuthering Heights shows the good and bad sides of life. Bronte makes you look at both sides of the spectrum, and realize that both are justified in their own way.