Emily BRONTE
BIOGRAPHY |
Emily Bronte, the sister of Charlotte and Anne Bronte (also novelists), was born
on July 30, 1818 Yorkshire, England. Emily was the fifth child of Reverend Patrick Bronte and his wife, Maria Branwell Bronte. Their father was an Anglican priest who outlived them all and also published several works throughout his lifetime. Their mother died in Emily's infancy and at the age of 6 she was sent to a clergy daughters' boarding school. At home in Haworth, Bronte enjoyed her quiet life. She read extensively and began to make up stories with her siblings. The surviving Bronte children, which included brother Branwell, had strong imaginations. They created tales inspired by toy soldiers given to Branwell by their father. In 1835, the shy Emily tried leaving home for school. She went with Charlotte to Miss Wooler's school in Roe Head where Charlotte worked as a teacher. But she stayed only a few months before heading back to Haworth. Coming from a poor family, Bronte tried to find work. She became a teacher at the Law Hill School in September 1837, but she left her position the following March. In 1842, Emily and Charlotte went to Brussels to study languages. Returning to Yorkshire after the death of her Aunt Elizabeth, she published, with her sisters, 'Poems by Currer, Ellis and Acton Bell' in 1846. These were the pseudonyms the sisters used for their poetry and novels. "Wuthering Heights" followed in 1847. |
WUTHERING HEIGHTS
SUMMARY OF PLOT
Wuthering Heights opens with Lockwood, a tenant of Heathcliff's, visiting the home of his landlord. At Thrushcross Grange, 4 miles away, and recuperating from his illness, Lockwood begs Nelly Dean, his housekeeper, to tell the story of Wuthering Heights and the mysterious Heathcliff.
Nelly recounts her years as a young servant at the Heights, and narrates most of the plot of the novel.
Mr. Earnshaw, a Yorkshire Farmer and owner of Wuthering Heights, brings home an orphan from Liverpool. The boy is named Heathcliff and is raised with the Earnshaw children, Hindley and Catherine. Catherine loves Heathcliff but Hindley despises him out of jealousy. After Mr. Earnshaw's death, Hindley does what he can to destroy Heathcliff, but Catherine and Heathcliff grow up playing wildly on the moors, oblivious of anything or anyone else — until they encounter the Lintons.
Edgar and Isabella Linton live at Thrushcross Grange and are the complete opposites of Heathcliff and Catherine. The Lintons welcome Catherine into their home but shun Heathcliff. Treated as an outsider once again, Heathcliff begins to think about revenge. Catherine, at first, splits her time between Heathcliff and Edgar, but soon she spends more time with Edgar, which infuriates Heathcliff. When Heathcliff overhears Catherine tell Nelly that she can never marry him , he leaves Wuthering Heights and is gone for three years.
While he is gone, Catherine continues to court and ends up marrying Edgar. Their happiness is short-lived due to their differences in social class, and their relationship is strained further when Heathcliff returns. When Heathcliff returns, he immediately sets about seeking revenge on all who have wronged him. Having come into a vast and mysterious wealth, he deviously lends money to the drunken Hindley, knowing that Hindley will increase his debts and fall into deeper despondency. When Hindley dies, Heathcliff inherits the manor. He also places himself in line to inherit Thrushcross Grange by marrying Isabella Linton, whom he treats very cruelly. Catherine becomes ill, gives birth to a daughter, and dies. Heathcliff begs her spirit to remain on Earth—she may take whatever form she will, she may haunt him, drive him mad—just as long as she does not leave him alone. Shortly thereafter, Isabella flees to London and gives birth to Heathcliff’s son.
Thirteen years pass, during which Nelly Dean serves as Catherine’s daughter’s nursemaid at Thrushcross Grange. Young Catherine is beautiful and headstrong like her mother, but her temperament is modified by her father’s gentler influence. Young Catherine grows up at the Grange with no knowledge of Wuthering Heights; one day, however, wandering through the moors, she discovers the manor, meets Hareton, and plays together with him. Soon afterwards, Isabella dies, and Linton comes to live with Heathcliff. Heathcliff treats his sickly, whining son even more cruelly than he treated the boy’s mother.
Three years later, Catherine meets Heathcliff on the moors, and makes a visit to Wuthering Heights to meet Linton. She and Linton begin a secret romance conducted entirely through letters. When Nelly destroys Catherine’s collection of letters, the girl begins sneaking out at night to spend time with her frail young lover, who asks her to come back and nurse him back to health. However, it quickly becomes apparent that Linton is pursuing Catherine only because Heathcliff is forcing him to; Heathcliff hopes that if Catherine marries Linton, his legal claim upon Thrushcross Grange—and his revenge upon Edgar Linton—will be complete. One day, as Edgar Linton grows ill and nears death, Heathcliff lures Nelly and Catherine back to Wuthering Heights, and holds them prisoner until Catherine marries Linton. Soon after the marriage, Edgar dies, and his death is quickly followed by the death of the sickly Linton. Heathcliff now controls both Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange. He forces Catherine to live at Wuthering Heights and act as a common servant, while he rents Thrushcross Grange to Lockwood.
Through all of this, though, the ghost of Catherine haunts Heathcliff. What he truly desires more than anything else is to be reunited with his soul mate. At the end of the novel, Heathcliff and Catherine are united in death, and Hareton and Cathy are going to be united in marriage.
Nelly’s story ends as she reaches the present. Lockwood, appalled, ends his tenancy at Thrushcross Grange and returns to London. However, six months later, he pays a visit to Nelly, and learns of further developments in the story. Although Catherine originally mocked Hareton’s ignorance and illiteracy (in an act of retribution, Heathcliff ended Hareton’s education after Hindley died), Catherine grows to love Hareton as they live together at Wuthering Heights. Heathcliff becomes more and more obsessed with the memory of the elder Catherine, to the extent that he begins speaking to her ghost. Everything he sees reminds him of her. Shortly after a night spent walking on the moors, Heathcliff dies. Hareton and young Catherine inherit Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange, and they plan to be married on the next New Year’s Day. After hearing the end of the story, Lockwood goes to visit the graves of Catherine and Heathcliff.
Nelly recounts her years as a young servant at the Heights, and narrates most of the plot of the novel.
Mr. Earnshaw, a Yorkshire Farmer and owner of Wuthering Heights, brings home an orphan from Liverpool. The boy is named Heathcliff and is raised with the Earnshaw children, Hindley and Catherine. Catherine loves Heathcliff but Hindley despises him out of jealousy. After Mr. Earnshaw's death, Hindley does what he can to destroy Heathcliff, but Catherine and Heathcliff grow up playing wildly on the moors, oblivious of anything or anyone else — until they encounter the Lintons.
Edgar and Isabella Linton live at Thrushcross Grange and are the complete opposites of Heathcliff and Catherine. The Lintons welcome Catherine into their home but shun Heathcliff. Treated as an outsider once again, Heathcliff begins to think about revenge. Catherine, at first, splits her time between Heathcliff and Edgar, but soon she spends more time with Edgar, which infuriates Heathcliff. When Heathcliff overhears Catherine tell Nelly that she can never marry him , he leaves Wuthering Heights and is gone for three years.
While he is gone, Catherine continues to court and ends up marrying Edgar. Their happiness is short-lived due to their differences in social class, and their relationship is strained further when Heathcliff returns. When Heathcliff returns, he immediately sets about seeking revenge on all who have wronged him. Having come into a vast and mysterious wealth, he deviously lends money to the drunken Hindley, knowing that Hindley will increase his debts and fall into deeper despondency. When Hindley dies, Heathcliff inherits the manor. He also places himself in line to inherit Thrushcross Grange by marrying Isabella Linton, whom he treats very cruelly. Catherine becomes ill, gives birth to a daughter, and dies. Heathcliff begs her spirit to remain on Earth—she may take whatever form she will, she may haunt him, drive him mad—just as long as she does not leave him alone. Shortly thereafter, Isabella flees to London and gives birth to Heathcliff’s son.
Thirteen years pass, during which Nelly Dean serves as Catherine’s daughter’s nursemaid at Thrushcross Grange. Young Catherine is beautiful and headstrong like her mother, but her temperament is modified by her father’s gentler influence. Young Catherine grows up at the Grange with no knowledge of Wuthering Heights; one day, however, wandering through the moors, she discovers the manor, meets Hareton, and plays together with him. Soon afterwards, Isabella dies, and Linton comes to live with Heathcliff. Heathcliff treats his sickly, whining son even more cruelly than he treated the boy’s mother.
Three years later, Catherine meets Heathcliff on the moors, and makes a visit to Wuthering Heights to meet Linton. She and Linton begin a secret romance conducted entirely through letters. When Nelly destroys Catherine’s collection of letters, the girl begins sneaking out at night to spend time with her frail young lover, who asks her to come back and nurse him back to health. However, it quickly becomes apparent that Linton is pursuing Catherine only because Heathcliff is forcing him to; Heathcliff hopes that if Catherine marries Linton, his legal claim upon Thrushcross Grange—and his revenge upon Edgar Linton—will be complete. One day, as Edgar Linton grows ill and nears death, Heathcliff lures Nelly and Catherine back to Wuthering Heights, and holds them prisoner until Catherine marries Linton. Soon after the marriage, Edgar dies, and his death is quickly followed by the death of the sickly Linton. Heathcliff now controls both Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange. He forces Catherine to live at Wuthering Heights and act as a common servant, while he rents Thrushcross Grange to Lockwood.
Through all of this, though, the ghost of Catherine haunts Heathcliff. What he truly desires more than anything else is to be reunited with his soul mate. At the end of the novel, Heathcliff and Catherine are united in death, and Hareton and Cathy are going to be united in marriage.
Nelly’s story ends as she reaches the present. Lockwood, appalled, ends his tenancy at Thrushcross Grange and returns to London. However, six months later, he pays a visit to Nelly, and learns of further developments in the story. Although Catherine originally mocked Hareton’s ignorance and illiteracy (in an act of retribution, Heathcliff ended Hareton’s education after Hindley died), Catherine grows to love Hareton as they live together at Wuthering Heights. Heathcliff becomes more and more obsessed with the memory of the elder Catherine, to the extent that he begins speaking to her ghost. Everything he sees reminds him of her. Shortly after a night spent walking on the moors, Heathcliff dies. Hareton and young Catherine inherit Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange, and they plan to be married on the next New Year’s Day. After hearing the end of the story, Lockwood goes to visit the graves of Catherine and Heathcliff.
MAIN CHARACTERS
HEATHCLIFF - Victorian paradigms of class are challenged in the chronology of Heathcliff’s life: homeless waif, pet, outcast servant. Far more complex than Romanticism’s Byronic hero, the mutual love between him and Catherine transcends romance, shapes their identity and conquers death.
EDGAR LINTON - A positive two dimensional character, weakling compared to Heathcliff’s strength and savagery. A structural device, Edgar’s love for Catherine is sincere but limited.
- Nelly’s juxtaposition of Catherine’s lovers and divided loyalties encourage the reader to empathise with him even at his most cruel. Represents Romanticism’s valuing of the individual.
- Catherine and he are victims of her naive error in marrying Edgar to improve Heathcliff’s future. Bronte suggests Catherine, identifying with Heathcliff, fails to understand the rivalry, betrays herself and precipitates destruction by choosing a life of ease and status with Edgar at Thrushcross Grange.
- Nelly’s biased but detailed accounts of Catherine’s actions reveal spite, violence, duplicity and self interest.
- Catherine’s efforts to conform to social paradigms represented by the Lintons are abortive
- Lockwood’s anecdote of the sobbing child at the lintel synthesizes the power of elemental forces and the Gothic convention of the supernatural.
- Nelly’s narrative influences reader responses to characters and authenticates the intensity of Catherine and Heathcliff’s sufferings.
- Nelly too is an agent for unity and balance by uniting Edgar and Heathcliff’s hair in Catherine’s locket.
- Isabella is a plot device in Heathcliff’s ascendency to power and represents the inadequacy of conventional social mores opposed to Nature’s elemental forces.
- Her characterisation is realistic in childish revulsion at the uncouth boy intruder shifting into infatuation, loathing and terror.
EDGAR LINTON - A positive two dimensional character, weakling compared to Heathcliff’s strength and savagery. A structural device, Edgar’s love for Catherine is sincere but limited.
- Part of Bronte’s doubling of characters, he is presented through Nelly’s shifting perspective, first as spoiled wealthy darling, next Catherine’s willing victim and lastly the pawn in Heathcliff’s revenge.
- Class prejudice and weakness lead him to underestimate the affinity between Catherine and Heathcliff.
- Edgar’s failure to protect his daughter and her inheritance reflects Romanticism’s rejection of conventional patriarchal society.