Emily Bronte; (1818-1848)
Emily Brontë was an English novelist and poet, best known for her only novel, Wuthering Heights. Although she wrote just one novel, it is considered one of the greatest works of English literature. Emily was also a talented poet, and her poems show the same deep feelings and imagination found in her novel. Wuthering Heights is not only a novel but also has the quality of a long poem because of its powerful emotions and beauty of expression. The French critic Legouis says: “There is no other book which contains so many of the troubled, tumultuous, and rebellious elements of Romanticism.” This means Emily’s novel is full of strong feelings like passion, rebellion, and wildness, which are central to Romantic literature. She mixed spiritual depth and intuitive understanding. That is why one critic described her as “a Byron in petticoats.” Like Lord Byron, she expressed wild passion and rebellion, but she did so as a woman, with her own sense of spirituality.
There is also a strong element of mysticism in Emily Brontë’s work. Walter Allen observes: “The central fact about Emily Brontë is that she is a mystic.” This mysticism appears when the dead Catherine seems to call Heathcliff from her grave, which feels like the hidden forces of the universe speaking. It is also found in Catherine’s famous words: “Nelly, I am Heathcliff! If all else perished, and he remained, I should still continue to be: and if all else remained, and he were annihilated, the universe would turn to a mighty stranger: I should not seem a part of it.”
Critic Samuel C. Chew says: “There is no evidence that she was deeply read in the literature of mysticism, but there is equally no doubt that she was a mystic.” This means Emily did not study mystical books deeply, but she naturally had a mystical spirit. Sadly, Emily Brontë lived a very short life. She died in 1848 at the young age of 30. But in her short time, she gave the world a novel and poems that continue to move readers with their passion, spirituality, and mystery.
Plot Summary
Setting and Introduction
The story of Wuthering Heights happens in Yorkshire, England, during the early 19th century. It is told mainly through a narrator named Mr. Lockwood, who comes from the city to live quietly in the countryside. He rents a house called Thrushcross Grange, a beautiful and peaceful estate. The owner of Thrushcross Grange is Heathcliff, a dark, mysterious man. Heathcliff himself lives in a different, nearby house called Wuthering Heights. The word wuthering means strong, stormy winds this name already tells us the house is wild, harsh, and gloomy. When Lockwood first visits Wuthering Heights, he finds it an uncomfortable place cold, stormy, and unfriendly. On his second visit, he meets strange people: Heathcliff, Hareton Earnshaw (a rough young man), and young Cathy Linton (a bright but sad girl). Lockwood becomes curious to know the history of Heathcliff and these families. So he asks Nelly Dean, the old housekeeper, to explain everything. Nelly knows the whole story of two connected families:
- The Earnshaws of Wuthering Heights.
Hindly son of Earnshaws.
Heathcliff adopted son of Earnshaws.
Catherine daughter of Earnshaws. - The Lintons of Thrushcross Grange.
Edgar Son of Linton.
Isabella daughter of Linton.
The Earnshaw Family and Heathcliff’s Arrival
The first master of Wuthering Heights was Mr. Earnshaw. He had two children:
Hindley Earnshaw (the son, elder child) Catherine Earnshaw (the daughter) One day, while on a trip to Liverpool, Mr. Earnshaw found a poor, homeless orphan boy. He brought him home and named him Heathcliff.
This single act changed the destiny of both families forever. Mr. Earnshaw loved Heathcliff like his own son. Catherine quickly became very close to Heathcliff, forming a wild and passionate friendship with him. But Hindley hated Heathcliff, feeling jealous and ignored. To reduce conflict, Mr. Earnshaw sent Hindley away to study at college. During this time, Catherine and Heathcliff became almost inseparable. They shared adventures on the moors (wild countryside), developed a deep emotional bond, and grew up wild and free.
After Mr. Earnshaw died, Hindley returned home with his new wife, Frances. He became the new master of Wuthering Heights. Out of his old jealousy, Hindley degraded Heathcliff, treating him as a servant instead of a family member.
Later, Frances gave birth to a son, Hareton Earnshaw, but soon after she died. Hindley was broken by grief. He drowned his sorrow in drinking and gambling. This made him cruel and irresponsible. Meanwhile, Heathcliff silently grew more bitter, storing anger and dreams of revenge for the way Hindley treated him.
The Linton Family and Catherine’s Choice
Near Wuthering Heights lived a rich, gentle family called the Lintons, in Thrushcross Grange. The Lintons had two children: Edgar Linton (kind, soft, and polite) and Isabella Linton (Edgar’sister, She is loving caring and romantic) One night, Catherine injured herself near Thrushcross Grange, so she stayed with the Lintons for five weeks. During this time, she enjoyed their rich lifestyle and became close to Edgar. She admired his wealth, good manners, and calm behavior.
Catherine was now torn between two feelings
Catherine is very confused in her heart. She feels pulled in two different directions at the same time. She has strong emotions for two men, but her feelings for each one are not the same. This makes her life full of struggle and inner conflict.
Her wild, passionate love for Heathcliff (a love of soul, but poor and socially low).
Catherine loves Heathcliff with deep passion. Their connection is not about money or beauty but about the soul. She feels that she and Heathcliff are made of the same soul and cannot be separated in spirit. But Heathcliff is very poor and has no high position in society. If she marries him, she will lose respect, wealth, and comfort, and this makes her worried.
Her desire for comfort and status with Edgar (a love of position, security, and respectability).
Catherine also feels drawn toward Edgar Linton. He is rich, gentle, and comes from a respected family. By marrying him, she can live in comfort, enjoy wealth, and gain social honor. But this love is not as deep and passionate as her love for Heathcliff. It is more about security, position, and respect in society rather than a strong soul connection.
When Heathcliff realized Catherine’s growing attraction toward Edgar, he felt deeply hurt and humiliated. He believed Catherine was abandoning him for wealth and social class. Unable to bear this pain, he left Wuthering Heights suddenly one night without telling anyone where he was going.
Catherine Marries Edgar; Heathcliff Returns
In Heathcliff’s absence, Catherine accepted Edgar’s proposal and married him. She moved into Thrushcross Grange, enjoying a rich and refined life. However, she never truly forgot Heathcliff, deep inside, she still loved Heathcliff with all her heart.
After about a year, Heathcliff suddenly returned. But now he was a changed man: he was wealthy, confident, and powerful. Nobody knew how he got his fortune (some say through gambling, others suggest illegal or secret work). Catherine was excited to see him again, and they continued to meet, even though Edgar strongly disapproved. Their old passion returned, although she was now married. Edgar was deeply unhappy with this, as Heathcliff often visited Thrushcross Grange, making the situation tense. Meanwhile, Hindley was almost destroyed by gambling. Seeing Heathcliff the weakness of Hindly took advantage. Hindley allowed him back into Wuthering Heights, hoping for helping money. But Heathcliff secretly had only one plan: revenge. He would ruin Hindley just as Hindley once ruined him.
Heathcliff and Isabella
Heathcliff began paying attention to Isabella Linton, Edgar’s sister. Isabella fell in love with him, but Heathcliff only used her feelings as part of his plan to hurt Edgar and take over the Lintons’ wealth. This situation caused serious conflict between Edgar and Heathcliff. At the same time, Catherine became very upset and sick, as she stopped eating and weakened herself in her emotional struggle. This inner struggle made her sick. Then, one night, Heathcliff and Isabella eloped (ran away together and got married).
Catherine’s Death and Isabella’s Escape
Isabella soon discovered the truth: married life with Heathcliff was miserable. He treated her with cruelty and hatred. At Thrushcross Grange, Edgar lovingly cared for his sick wife, Catherine, who was now pregnant. One day, Heathcliff secretly visited Catherine while Edgar was away. In this heartbreaking meeting, they both confessed / expressed their eternal love saying their souls were the same. This was their last meeting.
That night, Catherine gave birth to a baby girl, Catherine II (Cathy Linton) but soon after she died. Edgar was brokenhearted and buried Catherine at Thrushcross Grange, in the churchyard near the moors. Meanwhile, Isabella escaped from Wuthering Heights and went to live near London. There, she gave birth to Linton Heathcliff, Heathcliff’s weak and sickly son.
Later, Hindley died, ruined by debts. Heathcliff cleverly paid off all of Hindley’s debts and thus became the new master of Wuthering Heights. To continue his revenge, Heathcliff forced Hindley’s son Hareton into the same servant like life that Hindley had once forced on him
The Second Generation: Cathy, Hareton, and Linton
After twelve years, Catherine’s daughter Cathy grew up into a beautiful and curious young woman. Hareton, raised under Heathcliff’s cruelty, became rough and uneducated. Isabella eventually died, and Edgar brought her son Linton was sent from London to Thrushcross Grange with Edgar However, Heathcliff demanded custody of his son, and Linton was sent to live at Wuthering Heights
Heathcliff now had a new plan: he wanted Cathy Linton to marry his son Linton Heathcliff, so that both estates (Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange) would come under his control.
He encouraged a friendship between the two young cousins. Edgar, being very ill, allowed Cathy to meet Linton at Thrushcross Grange.
One day, Heathcliff forced Nelly and Cathy into staying at Wuthering Heights. He forced Cathy to marry Linton against her will. Soon after, Edgar Linton died and was buried beside Catherine. Not long later, weak Linton also died. Now Heathcliff had full control over both houses: Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange. Cathy was left alone, forced to live with Hareton and Heathcliff.
Conclusion: Love Restored
At this point, Mr. Lockwood’s narration connects back to the present. He realizes the history was filled with tragedy, revenge, and suffering. He leaves Thrushcross Grange for some time.
When he returns later, he is surprised to see a big change. Despite all the pain caused by Heathcliff, young Cathy Linton and Hareton have fallen in love. Their relationship is soft, caring, and hopeful the opposite of the destructive love between Catherine and Heathcliff.
Heathcliff, seeing their love, loses his desire for revenge. He becomes obsessed with the memory of Catherine and longs to be reunited with her after death. Finally, he dies, seemingly happy to join Catherine in the grave. Heathcliff is buried next to Catherine, with Edgar on her other side, forming a strange eternal triangle.
Now, with Heathcliff gone, Cathy and Hareton are free to start a new life. They plan to marry and live peacefully at Thrushcross Grange, symbolizing hope, renewal, and the possibility of healing after generations of pain.
Themes in Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
1. Love and Passion
The strongest theme of the novel is the deep, destructive, and eternal love between Catherine Earnshaw and Heathcliff. Their relationship is not just romantic it is spiritual and all consuming.
Catherine says about Heathcliff, “Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same.”
This shows that their bond is beyond physical attraction it’s about identity and soul connection.
But her choice to marry Edgar for social class breaks this pure bond, leading to tragedy.
2. Social Class and Status
The novel shows how class differences control people’s choices and destroy happiness. Catherine loves Heathcliff but refuses to marry him because he is poor and considered socially low. Catherine explains to Nelly, “It would degrade me to marry Heathcliff now.”
This proves how society’s standards forced her to choose Edgar instead of her true love.
Heathcliff’s later return as a rich man is also revenge against this same social system.
3. Revenge and Hatred
Revenge drives Heathcliff’s entire life. After being humiliated by Hindley and rejected by Catherine’s marriage to Edgar, Heathcliff dedicates himself to destroying both the Earnshaw and Linton families. Heathcliff declares, “I cannot live without my soul!” after Catherine’s death, showing how his pain fuels cruelty. He ruins Hindley by taking Wuthering Heights, mistreats Hareton, forces Cathy to marry Linton, and destroys Isabella’s life all part of his revenge plan.
4. Nature vs. Civilization
The novel contrasts wild, untamed nature (Wuthering Heights and the moors) with calm, polite civilization (Thrushcross Grange). Catherine and Heathcliff belong to the wild world passionate, stormy, and free.bEdgar and Isabella represent culture, refinement, and order. Catherine compares her love for Edgar to the “foliage in the woods: time will change it,” but her love for Heathcliff is like “the eternal rocks beneath.” Here Brontë uses images of nature (woods, rocks) to show passion’s permanence.
5. Suffering and Death
Almost every character suffers because of broken love, revenge, or social cruelty. Death is constant in the novel, but it also brings peace. Catherine dies giving birth to young Cathy, but her ghost is said to haunt Heathcliff. Heathcliff later dies longing for Catherine, and the villagers see them together on the moors.
This shows that death unites them when life could not.
6. The Cycle of Generations
The novel shows how hatred and revenge pass from one generation to the next but also how love can heal. The first generation (Catherine, Heathcliff, Edgar, Hindley, Isabella) is full of passion, conflict, and tragedy. The second generation (Catherine II (Cathy) Hareton, Linton Heathcliff) begins with suffering but ends with love and peace. Cathy and Hareton’s growing affection breaks the chain of revenge that Heathcliff created. Their union symbolizes hope for the future.
Conclusion
The themes of Wuthering Heights are deeply tied to love, revenge, social class, nature, and supernatural forces. Brontë uses the story of two generations to show how destructive passion can ruin lives, but also how love in the younger generation (Cathy and Hareton) brings hope, healing, and renewal.
Characters analysis in Wuthering Heights
1. Heathcliff
Major Character: Protagonist and central figure of the novel.
Round Character: Dark, passionate, rebellious, vengeful, and at times cruel. He plays many roles: lover, avenger, master, and father.
Dynamic Character: Changes from an innocent orphan to a revengeful, hardened man after Catherine’s death.
Critical View: A “Byronic hero” — wild(full of very strong feeling), destructive, yet fascinating. Symbol of untamed nature and the danger of uncontrolled passion.
2. Catherine Earnshaw
Major Character: Heathcliff’s soulmate and central female figure.
Round Character: Passionate, proud, wild, torn between love and social ambition. She plays roles of daughter, lover, and wife.
Dynamic Character: Marries Edgar for social status but maintains spiritual love for Heathcliff; her decisions drive the tragedy.
Critical View: Catherine represents the conflict between societal expectations and true passion. Her choices show the destructive power of pride and social rules.
3. Edgar Linton
Major Character: Catherine’s husband and son of Linton.
Round Character: Gentle, polite, refined, kind, but emotionally weak. Plays roles of husband, father, and master of Thrushcross Grange.
Static Character: Edgar remains kind and moral but lacks the strength to confront Heathcliff’s power.
Critical View:Symbol of civilization and social order; attractive but powerless before wild emotions.
4. Isabella Linton
Minor Character: Edgar’s sister; Heathcliff’s wife.
Flat Character: Romantic, naive, blind in love. Plays roles of wife and victim.
Static Character: Does not change; suffers because of her poor judgment.
Critical View: Isabella Shows the danger of blind romantic imagination.
5. Hindley Earnshaw
Minor Character: Catherine’s brother and Hareton’s father.
Round Character: Jealous, cruel, self-destructive, weak.
Dynamic Character: Starts cruel to Heathcliff and gradually loses wealth and power to him.
Critical View: Symbolizes jealousy, wasted potential, and human weakness. His actions trigger Heathcliff’s revenge.
6. Hareton Earnshaw
Minor Character: Hindley’s son.
Round Character: Rough, uneducated, but kind-hearted and loyal. Plays roles of nephew, friend, and lover.
Dynamic Character: Initially ignorant due to Heathcliff’s cruelty, later becomes educated and loving through Cathy’s influence.
Critical View: Symbol of hope, personal growth, and healing after tragedy.
7. Cathy Linton (CatherineII)
Minor Character: Daughter of Catherine and Edgar.
Round Character: Proud, intelligent, compassionate. Plays roles of daughter, niece, and wife.
Dynamic Character: Marries Linton forcibly but eventually finds love and reconciliation with Hareton.
Critical View: Represents renewal, reconciliation, and the possibility of happiness after past tragedies.
8. Linton Heathcliff
Minor Character: Son of Heathcliff and Isabella.
Flat Character: Weak, sickly, selfish, and spoiled. Plays roles of son and pawn in Heathcliff’s schemes.
Static Character: Does not change; dies young due to illness and cruelty of circumstances.
Critical View: Symbolizes corruption, weakness, and how circumstances shape and destroy people.
9. Nelly Dean (Ellen Dean)
Major Character: Housekeeper and primary narrator.
Round Character: Practical, moral, caring, interfering, sometimes biased. Plays roles of servant, confidante, and storyteller.
Static Character: Does not significantly change, though her perspective influences the story.
Critical View: Voice of society and morality but not fully reliable; shows how personal biases shape storytelling.
10. Mr. Lockwood
Minor Character: Tenant at Thrushcross Grange and outer narrator.
Flat Character: Curious, civilized, and outsider. Plays roles of observer and recorder.
Static Character: Does not change; mainly frames the story through Nelly’s narration.
Critical View: Represents the limited perspective of an outsider; cannot fully understand the passion and wildness of the main characters.
Wuthering Heights as a Social Critique
Critique of Class System
Emily Brontë shows how the class system controls people’s lives. Heathcliff, who is poor and seen as an outsider, is treated badly by Hindley and others. Even when he becomes rich, society still does not fully accept him. Through this, Brontë criticizes the unfair division between upper and lower classes.
Treatment of Outsiders
Heathcliff represents the outsider in society. He has no family name, no property, and no social respect. People judge him by his background, not his character. Brontë uses Heathcliff to show how cruel society can be to those who don’t fit in.
Women’s Position in Society
Catherine’s choice to marry Edgar Linton instead of Heathcliff is influenced by social pressure. She loves Heathcliff but knows that marrying him would lower her social status. This shows how women were forced to make choices for wealth and class, not for love or happiness.
Marriage and Property
Marriage in the novel is often shown as a tool for gaining power and land. For example, Isabella marries Heathcliff, but he uses her only to get closer to the Lintons’ property. Brontë criticizes how society treats marriage more like a business deal than a relationship of love.
Revenge and Social Injustice
Heathcliff’s desire for revenge comes from the way society wronged him. He was treated as less than others because of his unknown birth and lack of wealth. His cruelty later mirrors the cruelty he suffered. Brontë shows that social injustice creates bitterness and destruction.
Criticism of Gentlemen and Ladies
Edgar Linton is a rich gentleman, polite and educated, but weak in character. Heathcliff, though rough, has passion and strength. Brontë questions society’s idea of what it means to be a “gentleman” or a “lady,” suggesting that true worth is not in manners but in inner qualities.
Conclusion: Wuthering Heights is not just a love story but also a sharp critique of society. Emily Brontë exposes the cruelty of the class system, the limited role of women, and the emptiness of social pride. She shows how society’s rules often destroy real love and happiness.
Writer By Muzamil Ahmed
