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# The representation of home and its contrasting settings The representation of home in Wuthering Heights is intricately linked to the contrasting settings of Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange, each reflecting distinct character traits and atmospheric qualities. ## 1. The representation of home and its contrasting settings ### 1.1 Defining "home" through Wuthering Heights The concept of "home" within Wuthering Heights is explored through Lockwood's initial impressions and subsequent experiences in the house. #### 1.1.1 Lockwood's first impression of Wuthering Heights Lockwood's initial encounter with Wuthering Heights describes elements of rustic decency and prosperity, such as an abundance of food and clean stone floors. However, these seemingly homely details are juxtaposed with potentially ominous signs like old guns and a sleeping dog, hinting at an underlying tension. #### 1.1.2 The interior of Wuthering Heights Despite its appearance as a well-ordered home, the interior of Wuthering Heights is characterized by domestic chaos and a gloomy atmosphere, largely attributed to the presence of "the brutal master." Early reviews describe the house as a "prison" and the central stage for the novel's drama, emphasizing its role as a physical manifestation of the characters' internal turmoil. #### 1.1.3 The contrast between interior expectation and reality Lockwood's later visits highlight an extreme and often comic contrast between the expected domestic comfort and the rude reception by the inhabitants, including Catherine's hostility, Hareton's boorishness, and Heathcliff's savagery. This comedy can quickly turn brutal, as seen when Lockwood is attacked by Heathcliff's dogs. #### 1.1.4 Lockwood's overnight stay During his overnight stay, Lockwood experiences the gloomy interior and is subjected to physical cruelty when he mistakes a ghost for an intruder. This experience reveals a new, more complex side to Heathcliff. #### 1.1.5 The exterior of Wuthering Heights Early reviews noted the significance of Wuthering Heights' exterior landscape, connecting the events inside the house with the external weather and environment. Lockwood defines "Wuthering" as a provincial term for atmospheric tumult, and his description of the house on a bleak hilltop, with narrow, deep-set windows and gaunt, struggling thorns, prefigures the turbulence within and the chilly reception of its inhabitants. #### 1.1.6 The significance of exterior landscapes While film adaptations often focus on the moorland settings, the novel suggests that these landscapes are more symbolic of the story's events and emotions than direct locations for action. The exteriors serve as a spatial expression of themes and emotions, even when much of the dramatic action occurs indoors. ### 1.2 "Home" at Thrushcross Grange Thrushcross Grange is presented as a stark contrast to Wuthering Heights, explored through its landscape, interior, and inhabitants. #### 1.2.1 The interior of Thrushcross Grange The interior of Thrushcross Grange is depicted as brightly lit and sumptuously decorated, with crimson furnishings, a gilded ceiling, and shimmering glass chandeliers. Readers are exposed to this interior before the exterior, establishing an immediate impression of wealth and refinement. #### 1.2.2 The Grange through Heathcliff's childhood eyes Narrated by Nelly Dean, the Grange is remembered by Heathcliff as a "Heaven," representing an endearing memory of a childhood race with Catherine. The house itself embodies a contradiction: the wild exuberance of the race against the perceived glories and constraints of its domestic space. #### 1.2.3 Nelly Dean's account of the Grange Nelly Dean's lyrical descriptions of the seasons, weather, and landscape surrounding the Grange portray a poetic vision of green softness, protected by a silver mist, with Wuthering Heights standing exposed above it. However, Nelly also acts as a messenger of this perceived paradise, which is already disturbed by the presence of Heathcliff. #### 1.2.4 Thrushcross Grange versus Wuthering Heights Unlike Wuthering Heights, the Grange is revealed from the inside out. It stands in obvious contrast to the miseries of Wuthering Heights, where Heathcliff and Catherine endure harsh conditions while the Lintons enjoy comfort, food, and merriment. #### 1.2.5 Similarity and difference in inhabitants' behavior Despite the contrasting environments, the inhabitants of both houses exhibit similar behaviors, though they evoke different sentiments. The Lintons at the Grange are presented as marginally less ill-behaved than those at Wuthering Heights, though their actions, such as Isabella and Edgar's behavior and the Lintons' savage dogs, still highlight a form of savagery. ### 1.3 The inhabitants and their representation The characterizations of the inhabitants of both Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange are crucial to understanding the contrasting atmospheres of the two homes. #### 1.3.1 Wuthering Heights' inhabitants Lockwood finds the inhabitants of Wuthering Heights utterly disconcerting, unable to comprehend their relationships or behavior. Heathcliff, in particular, is presented as mysterious, with unexplained origins, wealth, and education, inspiring fear. #### 1.3.2 Heathcliff in Lockwood's account Lockwood's initial impression of Heathcliff focuses on his physical appearance and seemingly familiar "dress and manners," yet his "gypsy-like" appearance suggests a foreignness that contradicts conventional gentlemanly status. #### 1.3.3 Heathcliff's genealogy and literary context Heathcliff's dark, gypsy-like appearance marks him as foreign in a novel where genealogy is vital, as seen in the repetition of names like Catherine. His declaration, "I am Heathcliff," can be interpreted as a defiance against the centrality of genealogy. Furthermore, Heathcliff embodies characteristics of both hero and villain, fitting the mold of the Byronic hero – dark, mentally complex, and existing outside social and moral boundaries, as well as the gothic hero-villain. #### 1.3.4 Women in Wuthering Heights The female characters in Wuthering Heights defy typical representations in romance and gothic literature. Instead of being passive and modest, they are depicted as wild and immodestly revealing the "dark side of our depraved nature." ### 1.4 The structure of Wuthering Heights The novel's unconventional structure, narrative frames, and chronology contribute significantly to its thematic exploration of home and identity. #### 1.4.1 Unconventionality Wuthering Heights challenges conventional literary classifications. The "house" acts as a formal structure for character development, with individuals interconnected through genealogy and shared experiences. The narrative itself is conveyed through a complex frame. #### 1.4.2 Narrators and narrative frames The novel employs two primary first-person narrators: Lockwood and Nelly Dean. > **Tip:** Understanding the perspectives of these narrators is crucial, as their biases and limitations shape the reader's perception of events and characters. ##### 1.4.2.1 Lockwood Lockwood, a Southerner encountering the Northerners, feels like an outsider, alienated by their manners and speech. He represents the typical reader, experiencing estrangement and unfamiliarity. Charlotte Brontë emphasized the "alien and unfamiliar" nature of the inhabitants in her preface, noting how their customs might be repulsive to readers accustomed to different norms. ##### 1.4.2.2 Nelly Dean Nelly Dean, a servant at both Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange, recounts events from twenty years prior. She is familiar with both homes, possessing intimate knowledge of her masters. Like many first-person narrators, her account may not be entirely reliable. While often seen as wholesome and nurturing, Nelly can also be interpreted as a voice of convention and prejudice, though she also articulates the reader's skepticism regarding the romance between Heathcliff and Catherine and Heathcliff's behavior. #### 1.4.3 Other voices and multiple viewpoints The inclusion of Catherine's diary and Isabella's letter introduces an epistolary element, similar to Frankenstein. These multiple narrative viewpoints create a lack of authoritative stance, placing the "burden of interpretation firmly with the reader." #### 1.4.4 Chronology Lockwood's initial narrative is dated 1801, with his concluding section in 1802. Nelly Dean's retrospective narration covers a much longer period. The first twenty years focus on Catherine and Heathcliff, while the latter half details the second generation. The novel's structure is highly organized, with opposing locations and voices, as well as genealogical ties, contributing to its thematic coherence. ### 1.5 Romance and Realism in Wuthering Heights The novel defies easy genre classification, blending elements of romance, gothic literature, and realism. #### 1.5.1 What is a romance? In the Romantic period, "romance" referred to works of imagination engaging with characters' and readers' desires. It can also simply mean "novel" and relates to themes of melancholy and individual experience. Wuthering Heights fits this definition as a love story and a work of imagination deeply connected to the Romantic literary era. #### 1.5.2 Wuthering Heights as a Gothic Romance The novel possesses gothic characteristics: an atmosphere of terror, remote and rugged settings, storms, shadows, ghosts, and omens. The threat of violence is pervasive, exemplified by the imprisonment of women, such as Isabella and young Catherine, in Wuthering Heights. #### 1.5.3 Wuthering Heights NOT Gothic Romance? A feminist reading challenges the gothic romance classification because the heroines are not typically virtuous and passive. Catherine Earnshaw, like other Wuthering Heights residents, exhibits a stubbornness and lack of refined behavior, defying expectations for romantic heroines and ideal domestic roles. #### 1.5.4 What is realism? Realism aims to provide a faithful, rather than idealized, portrayal of life. Wuthering Heights draws its power from Brontë's transposition of various literary modes to represent reality, including the brutal truths of domestic life, social exclusion, and economic dispossession. #### 1.5.5 Wuthering Heights as a Realistic Novel The novel connects with other works concerned with the "condition of England," particularly those addressing the plight of homeless and displaced children. #### 1.5.6 The genre of Wuthering Heights Wuthering Heights is considered a hybrid, blending romance, gothic, and realist elements. Brontë combines romantic and gothic tropes with realistic depictions of character, dialogue, and behavior. Some critics suggest the novel might have been a more compelling "romance" if Heathcliff had been solely a figure of stormy passion. --- # Character analysis and Heathcliff's enigmatic presence This section delves into the complexities of Wuthering Heights' characters, with a particular focus on the enigmatic Heathcliff, exploring his origins, his 'Byronic hero' characteristics, and his place within literary and Gothic traditions. ### 2.1 Heathcliff's mysterious origins and identity Heathcliff's presence in Wuthering Heights is marked by a profound mystery surrounding his origins. He is introduced as a dark, "gypsy-like" foreigner, whose very presence challenges the novel's preoccupation with genealogy and family history. The importance of lineage is underscored by the repeated and interchangeable use of names like Catherine Earnshaw, Catherine Linton, and Catherine Heathcliff. In contrast, Heathcliff possesses only one name, a fact that, coupled with Catherine's declaration "I am Heathcliff," can be interpreted as a defiance against the centrality of inherited identity within the narrative. His unknown parentage and the mysterious source of his wealth and education after a period of absence contribute significantly to the fear and bewilderment he inspires. ### 2.2 Heathcliff as a 'Byronic hero' and Gothic figure Heathcliff's character aligns significantly with the archetype of the 'Byronic hero,' a figure popularized by Lord Byron. These heroes are often characterized by dark mentalities, brooding dispositions, and attractive yet repulsive qualities that set them apart from societal and moral norms. Heathcliff embodies this with his "erect and handsome figure" juxtaposed with his "morose" and savage nature. Furthermore, Heathcliff fits the profile of a Gothic romance's hero-villain. This genre typically features an atmosphere of terror, remote and rugged settings, and elements like storms, shadows, ghosts, and omens, all of which are prevalent in Wuthering Heights. The threat of violence is a key component, often involving the incarceration and potential escape of female characters, a trope echoed in the imprisonment of Isabella and young Catherine at Wuther Heights. > **Tip:** When analyzing Heathcliff, consider how his 'foreignness' and lack of established genealogy disrupt the social order of the novel, where family ties are paramount. ### 2.3 The enigma of Heathcliff's presence within literary traditions Heathcliff's 'foreign' status, while marking him as an outsider within the novel's social context, paradoxically makes him "at home" within literary traditions. His dual nature as both heroic and villainous, attractive and repellent, positions him firmly within the Romantic and Gothic literary movements. The novel itself, with Heathcliff as a central figure, challenges conventional literary classifications. While it contains elements of romance and Gothicism, it also incorporates strong realistic portrayals of character, dialogue, and behavior. Some critics suggest that the novel might have leaned more fully into romance if Heathcliff were solely a figure of stormy passions, implying that his multifaceted nature, encompassing realistic brutality, complicates a simple genre categorization. #### 2.3.1 Wuthering Heights as a romance and Gothic romance The novel can be described as a romance due to several factors: * It is a love story, albeit an unconventional and often destructive one. * It is a work of the imagination, engaging with the desires and imaginative lives of its characters and readers. * The term 'romance' is often used synonymously with 'novel.' * It shares thematic and stylistic links with the Romantic period in literature, emphasizing melancholy and individual experience. The Gothic elements are evident in the atmosphere of terror, the rugged and remote setting, and the presence of supernatural hints and omens. The incarceration of female characters, such as Isabella and young Catherine, further aligns it with Gothic conventions. #### 2.3.2 Questioning Wuthering Heights as a purely Gothic romance Despite the clear Gothic elements, a feminist reading can problematize Wuthering Heights' classification as a traditional Gothic romance. Gothic heroines are typically portrayed as virtuous and passive, qualities notably absent in Catherine Earnshaw. Instead of acting as a passive foil to Heathcliff's savagery, Catherine is depicted as a stubborn heroine, embodying the wildness and immodesty that challenge conventional notions of feminine behavior and idealized romantic heroines. #### 2.3.3 Wuthering Heights as a realistic novel The novel also possesses strong realistic characteristics, aiming for a truthful rather than idealized portrayal of life. Bronte achieves this by transposing various literary modes to represent her perception of reality. The novel unflinchingly depicts brutal truths about domestic life, social exclusion, and economic dispossession. > **Example:** The depiction of Heathcliff's brutal treatment of both Isabella and Cathy Linton in the second generation, and the harsh realities of their lives at Wuthering Heights, exemplify the novel's commitment to realistic portrayal, even within its heightened dramatic and emotional landscape. ### 2.4 The significance of Heathcliff's character in relation to the home and social structure Heathcliff's enigmatic presence profoundly impacts the concept of "home" within the novel. While Wuthering Heights is presented with an initial appearance of rustic decency and domestic order, this is starkly contrasted by the internal chaos and the presence of the "brutal master." The house becomes the central stage for a drama fueled by the inhabitants' savagery and the clash between social expectations and raw behavior, particularly evident in Lockwood's initial bewildered encounters. Heathcliff's own place within this domestic sphere is precarious; his foreignness and unknown origins make him an outsider even within the supposed "home" of Wuthering Heights, highlighting how identity and belonging are constructed and contested. His actions and presence destabilize the established social order and the very notion of a secure, harmonious domestic space. --- # Narrative structure and chronological organization This topic examines the unconventional narrative structure of Wuthering Heights, specifically its use of multiple narrators and framing devices, and how its chronological organization contributes to the novel's coherence. ### 3.1 Unconventionality and narrative frames The novel challenges conventional literary classifications by employing a complex narrative frame. This structure is built around two principal first-person narrators, Lockwood and Nelly Dean, and also incorporates other voices, contributing to a multiplicity of viewpoints. #### 3.1.1 The two main narrators * **Lockwood:** * A tenant at Thrushcross Grange, he is a southerner encountering northerners, perceiving them as "foreign" in manners and speech. * He introduces the second generation of characters and represents the perspective of the majority of readers due to his estrangement and unfamiliarity with the environment and its inhabitants. * His initial bewilderment and reactions are presented as understandable, mirroring the potential reader's response to the novel's setting and characters. * Charlotte Brontë, in her 1850 preface, emphasized the "alien and unfamiliar" nature of the inhabitants for readers, suggesting that their customs and language might be "repulsive." * **Nelly Dean:** * A servant and housekeeper at both Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange, she narrates the story retrospectively, taking the reader back approximately 20 years. * Unlike Lockwood, Nelly is "at home" in both locations and possesses intimate knowledge of her masters, making her narration potentially richer but also less objective. * As with many first-person narrators, her account is not entirely reliable, and her perspective is often seen as the voice of convention and narrow-minded prejudice by critics. * Despite this, she articulates readers' skepticism regarding the romantic union of Heathcliff and Catherine and Heathcliff's often repellent behavior. #### 3.1.2 Other voices within the novel Beyond Lockwood and Nelly Dean, other narrative elements contribute to the novel's layered structure: * **Catherine's Diary:** Provides a glimpse into Catherine Earnshaw's thoughts and feelings. * **Isabella's Letter:** Offers a perspective on her experiences and entrapment within Wuthering Heights. * **Epistolary elements:** The inclusion of letters, similar to novels like Mary Shelley's *Frankenstein*, creates multiple narrative viewpoints. This multiplicity of narrative viewpoints results in a lack of a single authoritative stance, placing "the burden of interpretation firmly with the reader." ### 3.2 Chronological organization Wuthering Heights features a highly organized and coherent chronological structure, despite its complex narrative layering. * **Explicit Timeframe:** Lockwood's initial narrative is dated 1801, with his closing section in 1802, explicitly defining the novel's immediate temporal frame. * **Retrospective Narration:** Within this frame, Nelly Dean's retrospective narration covers a much longer period. The first 20 years are dedicated to the story of Catherine and Heathcliff, while the second half of the novel focuses on the second generation's plot. * **Contributing Factors to Coherence:** * **Opposing Locations:** The contrast between Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange helps to structure the narrative. * **Voices:** The interplay and contrast between the different narrators and their perspectives also contribute to the organization. * **Genealogical Ties:** The repetition and interchange of family names (e.g., Catherine Earnshaw, Catherine Linton, Catherine Heathcliff) are central to the novel's thematic and structural unity. Critics often admire the formal unity of the novel, with some describing it as offering "a unified vision of brilliant clarity." > **Tip:** The interplay between Lockwood's outsider perspective and Nelly's insider knowledge is crucial for understanding the novel. Consider how their biases and limitations shape the reader's perception of events and characters. > > **Example:** Lockwood's initial impression of Wuthering Heights as a place of "rustic decency" is quickly challenged by the reality of its inhabitants, highlighting the discrepancy between appearance and the underlying chaos, a contrast that Nelly Dean then elaborates upon from her more intimate, yet still potentially biased, perspective. --- # Genre classification: Romance, Gothic, and Realism This topic investigates the genre of Wuthering Heights, examining its elements of romance, Gothic romance, and realism, and discussing how the novel blends these different modes of writing to create a unique portrayal of life. ### 4.1 Defining literary modes #### 4.1.1 Romance The notion of 'romance' emerged during the Romantic period to describe works of imagination. At its most fundamental level, 'romance' is used synonymously with 'novel' and generally denotes a mode of writing that engages with the desires and imaginative lives of its characters and readers. Wuthering Heights can be described as a romance due to several factors: * It is fundamentally a love story. * It is a work of the imagination. * It has a significant connection to the Romantic period in literature, exploring themes of melancholy and the individual experience. * Catherine and Heathcliff's declarations of romantic union convince many readers that theirs is a love story, despite the absence of explicit scenes of physical passion between them. #### 4.1.2 Gothic romance The novel exhibits Gothic characteristics, primarily through Heathcliff, and can be classified as a Gothic romance due to: * An atmosphere of terror, evoked by remote and rugged settings, and the use of storms, shadows, ghosts, and omens. * The pervasive threat of violence, a common element in Gothic novels where women are often incarcerated and in need of escape. Isabella and young Catherine's imprisonment within Wuthering Heights exemplifies this aspect. However, a feminist reading challenges the classification of Wuthering Heights as a pure Gothic romance. Traditionally, Gothic heroines are virtuous and passive, characteristics not shared by Catherine Earnshaw. Instead of a feminine contrast to Heathcliff's savagery, Catherine is portrayed as a stubborn heroine who, like other Wuthering Heights residents, displays a lack of refined behavior. Neither Catherine nor the other female characters align with the expected standards of a romantic heroine or ideal domestic role models. #### 4.1.3 Realism Realism is a literary movement characterized by novels that aim to provide a faithful, rather than idealized, portrayal of life. Wuthering Heights draws much of its power from Emily Brontë's startling transpositions of various writing modes to represent what she perceived as reality. The novel confronts brutal truths, including the realities of domestic life, social exclusion, and economic dispossession. Critic Lewes's analogy of the novel as a painting suggests its realistic depiction of life. In this regard, Wuthering Heights can be associated with other novels concerned with 'the condition of England,' particularly those addressing the plight of homeless and displaced children, such as Charles Dickens's Oliver Twist. ### 4.2 The genre of Wuthering Heights: A hybrid Ultimately, Wuthering Heights is considered a hybrid novel, blending elements of romance, Gothic literature, and realism. Brontë masterfully combines the romantic and Gothic aspects of these genres with realistic depictions of character, dialogue, and behavior. Some critics argue that the novel could have been a more successful 'romance' if Heathcliff alone had been portrayed solely as a being of stormy passions. > **Tip:** When analyzing Wuthering Heights, consider how Brontë uses the conventions of different genres not just to create distinct effects, but to contribute to a more complex and truthful representation of human experience and social realities. > **Example:** The stark contrast between the wild, untamed moors and the interiors of Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange highlights the novel's engagement with both romantic/Gothic elements (the sublime landscape) and realist concerns (domestic life and social stratification). --- ## Common mistakes to avoid - Review all topics thoroughly before exams - Pay attention to formulas and key definitions - Practice with examples provided in each section - Don't memorize without understanding the underlying concepts

| Term | Definition | |------|------------| | Wuthering Heights | A novel by Emily Brontë, known for its passionate characters, wild settings, and complex narrative structure, often debated in terms of its genre. | | Thrushcross Grange | The estate of the Linton family, serving as a stark contrast to Wuthering Heights, often depicted as more civilized and refined, though with its own internal complexities. | | Byronic Hero | A type of literary character, often portrayed as brooding, passionate, and rebellious, with dark and attractive qualities that set them apart from societal norms, exemplified by Heathcliff. | | Gothic Romance | A genre characterized by elements of terror, mystery, suspense, supernatural events, and remote, often decaying settings, aiming to evoke fear and awe in the reader. | | Realism | A literary mode that aims to represent life faithfully and accurately, focusing on ordinary people, everyday events, and social issues without idealization. | | Narrative Frame | A literary technique where a story is embedded within another story, often involving a narrator who recounts another person's tale, providing multiple layers of storytelling. | | Genealogy | The study of family history and the tracing of ancestry, a concept of significant importance in Wuthering Heights, highlighted by the repetition and interchange of character names. | | Epistolary Novel | A novel written in the form of letters exchanged between characters, allowing for multiple perspectives and a more personal, intimate narrative. | | Romantic Period | A historical period in literature (roughly late 18th to mid-19th century) emphasizing imagination, individualism, emotion, and the power of nature, influencing authors like Brontë. | | Unconventionality | Deviating from established norms or traditions; in literature, this can refer to narrative structure, character portrayal, or thematic exploration that challenges traditional literary conventions. | | Atmosphere of Terror | A pervasive feeling of fear, dread, and suspense created through the setting, plot events, and descriptive language, a key characteristic of Gothic literature. | | Domestic Life | The everyday activities, relationships, and routines within a household or family setting, often depicted with brutal truths and social realities in Wuthering Heights. | | Social Exclusion | The act or process of being shut out from participation in society or specific social groups, a theme explored through characters and their circumstances in the novel. | | Economic Disposition | Refers to the financial situation and material circumstances of characters, including issues of poverty, wealth, and inheritance, which significantly impact their lives and relationships in Wuthering Heights. |