Wuthering Heights

Since the dawn of human thought, man has sought to define the relationships between all things surrounding him. He categorizes every living creature, labels every natural element and names every phenomenon. He then connects each object to another with a line and draws the line back to himself. This way, he feels omnipotent, confidently grasping the 'essence' of his world in his hands. Such behavior seems to have peaked in the nineteenth century when many intellectuals around the world were pre-occupied with defining the relationships between man and the society, man and God, man and nature, and man and man. The preservation of order intrigued them and the concept of entropy frightened them. Many of the writers from the nineteenth century were also captivated by these relationships and Emily Brontл was no exception. Although Brontл's Wuthering Heights is best known as a tale of tragic love, it is also a very provocative study of relationships, especially those between social classes.

Brontл creates a microcosm of the upper-class English society within the estates of Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange. It is a relatively controlled environment until Brontл allows 'factors' from the outside world (and different social classes) to seep into the society. Immediately, the balance of the two families is disturbed and when the pillars of support (the parents) disappear, the entire society is thrust into complete turmoil. From this premise, Brontл begins to highlight contrasting, paradoxical and complimenting relationships between the characters. These pairs are formed and/or destroyed by the interjection of influence from the 'outside.' Wuthering Heights is an incredibly poignant suggestion of the dangers of disrupting equilibrium and in the story, serenity is only returned when the disturbing factors are destroyed and nature is allowed to run its course again.

Brontл's world revolves around two complimenting families, the Earnshaws and the Lintons. Both live on handsome estates, Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange respectfully. They are in the upper class and their daily lives are fittingly similar. There is an undeniable parallel between the families which in an 'undisturbed' world, would have been united in two generations. Hindley Earnshaw should have married Isabella Linton while Edgar Linton and Catherine happily wed. The offspring of those unions (Catherine and Hareton) would also marry and complete the concatenation of the families. This is the natural order and Brontл illustrates a society where the intended is strikingly obvious. In doing so, she increases the severity with which outside interference can cause imbalance. Therefore, Heathcliff's arrival into the Earnshaw family (as narrated by Nelly) becomes an immediate and striking threat.

Brontл's narrator, Lockwood, introduces us to the bleak world of Wuthering Heights many years after Heathcliff's interjection into the natural order. Details seem disagreeable from the very start of the narrative. After a completely inhospitable 'welcome,' Lockwood notes, "even the gate over which he leant manifested no sympathizing movement to the words" (3). In an estate such as Wuthering Heights, one would expect to find an army of caretakers and grounds men, constantly pruning and digging to beautify the property. However, immediately upon his arrival, Lockwood notices that "Here we have the whole establishment of domestics ... No wonder the grass grows up between the flags, and cattle are the only hedge-cutters" (3). Wuthering Heights is overgrown with weeds and lies uncared for. The interior of the house is no better off. The kitchen into which Lockwood is led is desolate and cold, much like the moors that surround both Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange. Lockwood "observed no signs of roasting, boiling, or baking about the huge fire-place; nor any glitter of copper saucepans and tin cullenders on the walls" (4). The vacuum of this room alone seems to suck all the life and warmth out of the house. Even the dogs that roam the house seem slightly devilish; Lockwood's caress only provokes further animosity from the animals. The other inhabitants of the house act much the same.

On his second visit, Lockwood meets Catherine Linton (the younger) and Hareton; both return his attempts at conversation and help with growing scorn and spite. Lockwood even notes that "the only sentiment [Catherine's eyes] evinced hovered between scorn and a kind of desperation, singularly unnatural to be detected there" (9). Although he ironically regards the residents of Wuthering Heights as a "pleasant family circle" (11), Lockwood's narrative strongly suggests an overall feeling of unease between them. There is very little conversation, and most of the talking comes as rash commands from Heathcliff. The temperament inside the estate mirrors the thundering weather that is causing turmoil on the outside. Heathcliff's presence is ultimately, disturbing nature.

Throughout Wuthering Heights, evil continually triumphs over goodness; the struggle between heaven and hell is constantly present in Brontл's world. This begins with Heathcliff's arrival at Wuthering Heights. Heathcliff possesses the dark features and personality commonly associated with hell or the devil. Devils are thought of as cunning and very deceitful creatures, tempting the weak to their own destruction, (i.e. Catherine, Isabella, young Linton). They bring to mind fear of evil and power; "If Hareton does not turn you out of the room, I'll strike him to hell" (pg. 259). Heathcliff appears, upon his arrival and throughout the first half of the book, to have purely evil intentions in many of his actions. With further inspection, however, one can argue that he, Catherine and Hindley all inflict on others only the pain that they each have suffered themselves.