A gothic novel that also contains aspects of romance, bildungsroman (coming-of-age narrative), and revenge tragedy.
The values of the Romantic and somewhat the Victorian periods are present in the novel. Some of the main characteristics of Romantic literature include a focus on the writer or narrator’s emotions and inner world and the celebration of nature, beauty, and imagination.
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“Born on July 30, 1818, in Thornton, Yorkshire, England, Emily Brontë is best remembered for her 1847 novel, Wuthering Heights. She was not the only creative talent in her family—her sisters Charlotte and Anne enjoyed some literary success as well. Her father had published several works during his lifetime, too. She would write under the name 'Ellis Bell.' At first, reviewers did not know what to make of Wuthering Heights. It was only after Brontë's death that the book developed its reputation as a literary masterwork. She died of tuberculosis on December 19, 1848, nearly two months after her brother, Branwell, succumbed to the same disease” (Biography.com).
The readers in the Victorian period were shocked and found the book inappropriate because of the depiction of passionate, ungoverned love, and cruelty. People, including “Emily Bronte’s sister Charlotte — an author whose works contained similar motifs of Gothic love and desolate landscapes —remained ambivalent toward the unapologetic intensity of her sister’s novel.” The setting of Wuthering Heights was made up of parts of Bronte’s real life and daily environment.
For a basic summary, we could say that in Wuthering Heights, Catherine falls in love with Heathcliff, a boy her father adopted, however, they both end up marrying other people. Catherine dies in childbirth, and Heathcliff joins her in death after enacting his revenge upon the next generation. Mr. Lockwood narrates his visit to Wuthering Heights and recalls dreaming of a ghostly child trying to come in through the windowpane. Nelly, Lockwood’s housekeeper, recalls working at Wuthering Heights and tells Lockwood how Mr. Earnshaw adopted a boy called Heathcliff. Mr. Earnshaw's daughter, Catherine, develops a close friendship with Heathcliff while his son, Hindley, envies Heathcliff’s close relationship with Mr. Earnshaw. After Mr. Earnshaw dies, Hindley becomes the master of Wuthering Heights and makes Heathcliff a servant. Catherine ends up marrying Edgar Linton, and Heathcliff marries Edgar’s sister to inherit her money. Catherine dies after giving birth to a daughter named Cathy. Edgar’s sister flees Heathcliff's abuse and gives birth to a son named Linton. Heathcliff gains ownership of Wuthering Heights. Edgar and Linton die, and Heathcliff dies after realizing that he wishes to rejoin his beloved Catherine.
Characters
Heathcliff: 'Catherine Earnshaw, may you not rest as long as I am living. You said I killed you - haunt me then'
Catherine Earnshaw/ Linton: 'My love for Linton is like the foliage in the woods: time will change it, I'm well aware, as winter changes the trees. My love for Heathcliff resembles the eternal rocks beneath a source of little visible delight, but necessary
Edgar Linton: “What, the gypsy - the plow-boy?' 'I must wish for Edgar Linton's great blue eyes'
Nelly Dean: 'I have undergone sharp discipline, which has taught me wisdom; and then, I have read more than you would fancy, Mr. Lockwood. You could not open a book in this library that I have not looked into'
Mr. Lockwood: 'I am now quite cured of seeking pleasure in society, be it country or town. A sensible man ought to find sufficient company in himself
Hindley Earnshaw:'He neither wept nor prayed; he cursed and defied: execrated God and man, and gave himself up to reckless dissipation. The servants could not bear his tyrannical and evil conduct long
Hareton Earnshaw:'My name is Hareton Earnshaw... and if council you to respect it!'
Cathy Linton/ Heathcliff: 'She was the most winning thing that ever brought sunshine into a desolate house: a real beauty in face, with the Earnshaws' handsome dark eyes, but the Lintons' fair skin and small features, and yellow curling hair.'
Isabella Linton: 'I never feel hurt at the brightness of Isabella's yellow hair and the whiteness of her skin, at her dainty elegance, and the fondness all the family exhibit for her.'
Themes
Revenge is a major theme of the novel. Heathcliff is plotting revenge, and it affects everyone in the novel.
Another theme of the novel is the supernatural. The novel is filled with supernatural events occurring.
Symbolism
Ghosts (they represent lost souls and things from the past): 'May she wake in torment ... I pray one prayer ... Cathy Earnshaw, may you not rest as long as I am living ... I cannot live without my soul!'
Wind and Trees(shapes characters’ disposition): 'Now my bonny lad, you are mine! And we'll see if one tree won't grow as crooked as another, with the same wind to twist it.'
Literary Devices
Paradox: “She was never so happy as when we were all scolding her at once”
- Alliteration: “The first feathery flakes of a snow shower.'
Dramatic Irony: “It would degrade me to marry Heathcliff now; so he shall never know how I love him: and that, not because he's handsome, Nelly, but because he's more myself than I am. Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same; and Linton's is as different as a moonbeam from lightning, or frost from fire.”
- Allusion: “A positive labor of Hercules”
Verbal Irony: “However miserable you make us, we shall still have the revenge of thinking that your cruelty arises from your greater misery.“
“Treachery and violence are spears pointed at both ends; they wound those who resort to them worse than their enemies.” Isabella chose not to be violent and exact revenge, unlike Heathcliff and Hindley.
“It is not in him to be loved like me: how can she love in him what he has not?” Heathcliff also confesses his love to Cathy and they are meant to be together.
“Here! and here! ... In my soul and my heart, I'm convinced I'm wrong!” Cathy is reconsidering her acceptance of Edgar’s proposal
“Proud people breed sad sorrows for themselves.” If Heathcliff is too prideful that could be one of his downfalls.
“Wish and learn to ... change the fiends to confident, innocent angels, suspecting and doubting nothing, and always seeing friends where they are sure of foes.” Nelly gives Heathcliff advice on choosing whether to be a good person or a bad person.
Bible character Jonah: 'The Jonah, in my mind, was Mr. Earnshaw; and I shook the handle of his den that I might ascertain if he were yet living.'
Bible character Judas: 'Judas! Traitor!' I ejaculated. 'You are a hypocrite, too, are you? A deliberate deceiver.'
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