Major Works Data Sheet
Author: Emily Bronte
Date of Publication: December 1847
Genre: Gothic
Title: Wuthering Heights
Historical/Biographical Information Bronte taught at an institution named Law Hill, a nearby estate named Waterclough Hill belonged to a family named the Walkers. Some say this is where she got the inspiration for Wuthering Heights. John Walker, who loved there had two sons, but favored his adopted nephew, Jack Sharp (resembling the relationship between Mr. Earnshaw and Heathcliff). When Mr. Walker died, Sharp had full control, but was ousted by John Walker II. Jack Sharp proceeded to destroy the home and build his own, named Law Hill.
Characteristics of the Genre The characteristics of a Gothic novel include a gloomy, haunted setting and supernatural creatures. All of which Wuthering Heights has, with the gloomy setting of the manor, and Catherine’s ghost haunting Withering Heights.
Plot Summary (1)In Wuthering Heights, we see Lockwood, a tenant of Heathcliff’s visit Wuthering Heights, while there, he becomes ill and is getting better at Thrushcross Grange, Nelly who grew up with Heathcliff, tends to him, he asks her to tell him the story of Wuthering Heights. (1)Heathcliff was adopted by Mr. Earnshaw and raised alongside Hindley and Catherine; his eventual romantic interest, who betrays him and marries Edgar Linton of Thrushcross Grange, Heathcliff leaves, not to return for many years. (2)Heathcliff returns a refined man, swearing vengeance against Catherine and Edgar, marries Edgar’s sister, then treats her cruelly, she eventually moves away to London after Catherine dies in childbirth. (2)Heathcliff is now the owner of Wuthering Heights and young Catherine is being raised by Edgar, who is keeping her away from Heathcliff, but fails to once young Linton comes into the picture. (3)Edgar dies and Linton and Cathy are being forced into marriage by Heathcliff, however, Linton dies and Heathcliff descends into madness. (4)Heathcliff, is being haunted by Catherine and is starving himself, he eventually dies of this and is united with Catherine in death, Cathy and Hareton eventually are set to marry, while Lockwood wants nothing more to do with this place.
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Style
The point of view in the story is indirect 1st person, with the shift between narrators and the way that the story unfolds from a second hand source.
The structure entails 34 chapters all of which are between 10 and 20 pages. Paragraphs usually start with dialogue, then detail the circumstances of the dialogue or descriptions. This helps to build imagery that compliments the tone of the story.
The diction of the story shows a depressed word choice conveying different emotion, such as the use of “sorrowful” to describe the shift from day to night. It can also shift with the tone such as “the summer shining with full prime” on Cathy. This helps to immerse the reader with each word.
Syntax
The tone of Wuthering Heights is dynamic; it goes between hopeful and tragic. This tone shift is shared by both Heathcliff and Cathy, who go from having hopeful arcs to tragic ones. This is what manipulates the reader’s emotional connectivity to the narrative.
Imagery is primarily decrepit throughout the novel, with it’s abundant fixation on sickness and locations that are just as visually damaged.
Example
“Wuthering Heights is the name of Mr. Heathcliff’s dwelling. ‘Wuthering’ being a significant provincial adjective, descriptive of the atmospheric tumult to which its station is exposed in stormy weather.” – Page 4
This passage gives us our first narrator, and entails the structure of starting with a statement then explaining that statement. The word choice of “tumult” conveys the depressed diction. The details of stormy weather, foreshadow the tone of the novel, and give us our first look at decrepit imagery.
Significance of Setting(s) There are two main settings in this novel, Thrushcross Grange and Wuthering Heights. They serve as a writer’s tool to contrast the tone of the story. Thrushcross Grange is seen as finely manicured and clean, while Wuthering Heights is compared to stormy weather, and has imagery of rats running around and dust-inhabited floors. These two settings somewhat dictate what happens at each site. For example, while Edgar and Catherine spend time together at the Grange, Hindley is on the verge of murdering Heathcliff over at Wuthering Heights. This contrast continues with how Cathy feels at home at the Grange, and her demeanor while she is kept at Wuthering Heights by Heathcliff. This has a strong effect on the symbolism used throughout the story.
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Opening scene Heathcliff welcoming Lockwood to Thrushcross Grange, and the suspicion and uneasiness he begins to feel, whenever he learns more about Wuthering Heights, transfers over to the reader, and is what engages the reader to continue past each page.
Ending scene The ending scene reintroduces contrast as it takes place in the same location, only 7 months later. We see the tombstones of the three who propelled the story and just how much things have changed since the beginning of the novel. Imagery of moths fluttering around introduce a new era of peace with the love triangle at an end.
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Symbols
1. Wuthering Heights- The unkept demeanor of the Wuthering Heights is reflective of the residents who are embroiled in chaos and disorder.
2. Thrushcross Grange- The refined, civilized nature of the residence makes its way into the residents who also are tame, refined, civilized people, just as the Grange looks down on Wuthering Heights, so do the residents of Thrushcross Grange.
3. Weather- The weather throughout the novel tends to reflect the way characters feel. The rain and wind when Catherine is bitten by a dog and left under the care of the Linton’s. The sunny fields when Cathy is perusing the Grange with Nelly.
Thematic statements
1. We don’t get to choose when the past comes back to haunt us.
2. Love is almost never linear.
3. Missed opportunities do not always return.
Characters
• Heathcliff- Major character, serves as a representation of mental damage done to the characters. He shifts from protagonist to antagonist.
• Catherine- Major Character, serves as the main love interest of Heathcliff and Edgar Linton and the origin of Wuthering Heights’ conflict, is a protagonist.
• Edgar Linton- Major character, is used to initiate the story’s main conflict (love triangle). Shifts from antagonist to protagonist.
• Nelly- Major Character, is the narrator for the majority of the novel, is a protagonist.
• Lockwood- Major Character, is a narrator for the present day sections of the novel, is a protagonist.
• Young Catherine- Major character, becomes focal point of the conflict of the story after Catherine is gone, is a protagonist.
• Hareton- Minor character, is used to demonstrate Hindley’s madness and Heathcliff’s cruelty, is a protagonist.
• Hindley- Major character, is Heathcliff’s first challenge he has to face, is an antagonist.
• Isabella- Minor character, is used to demonstrate Heathcliff’s cruelty and pettiness, is a protagonist.
• Mr. Earnshaw- Major character, introduces our main protagonist, Heathcliff, initiates the conflict between Heathcliff and Hindley, is a protagonist.
• Joseph- Minor character, used to antagonize our protagonists, is an antagonist.
• Frances- Minor character, used to introduce Hareton, and cause Hindley’s insanity, is an antagonist.
• Mr. Linton- Minor character, sets example of the refinery and civilization of the Lintons, is an antagonist.
• Zillah- Minor character, is used to relay information of Wuthering Heights to Nelly, is a protagonist.
• Mr. Green- Minor Character, serves as the reason Heathcliff was able to take over the Grange, is a protagonist.
Memorable Quotes
• “He's more myself than I am. Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same.” Said by Catherine to Nelly, admitting she loves Heathcliff more than Edgar. We get to see just how Catherine feels about Heathcliff.
• “Be with me always – take any form – drive me mad! only do not leave me in this abyss, where I cannot find you! Oh, God! it is unutterable! I can not live without my life! I can not live without my soul!” Said by Heathcliff to Catherine, after she dies. We can see just how painful it is for Heathcliff to watch Catherine die.
• “I have to remind myself to breathe — almost to remind my heart to beat!” Said by Heathcliff to Nelly, when he has a breakdown. The reader can learn just how damaged Heathcliff is.