Essay - Withering Hights. E.Bronte

Parshakova Kate

Emily Bronte  “Wuthering Heights” – essay.

I read this novel in the summer, as a book that was recommended to us as one that "all women of the world  should read". To be honest, I expected more, than obtained.

I found it quite relevant, though it is considered as “world’s classics”. Moreover, it seemed me that all characters are quite “one-sided”. While I was reading it, I understood that it had been written by woman and for women. And, most of all for those women whose fate was not the best one: she must have an unhappy marriage, a husband - tyrant, her true love was not realized because of class prejudice. And if the female characters are depicted more or less true (although those heroines seemed me all hysterical and weak), men are just worse (except Edgar).

I'd like to analyze them individually (I’ll take only the main characters, with no secondary), namely - Heathcliff, Catherine Earnshaw, Isabella and Edgar Linton:

1. Heathcliff - as I mentioned earlier he is quite feminine in his way to behave. He is quite hysterical, too passionate for a man and full of lust and revenge, which is more suitable for women. Moreover, there is nothing good in his soul , so the character is rather monotonous. Some may say that he is brave and attractive in his role of lover and a loving person, but to be honest, I did not see him as a man capable of love. His feelings for Catherine - a thirst of possession, passion and lust, madness, which usually does not last long. And if he had no obstacles that prevented him to love her, he would have likely sated by it and lost interest. If not - it's just a paranoid personality type. He is obsessed with this woman. He decided to become an educated person, to earn money and to become a fully formed person not because of his own motives, but for the desire to prove something to her and to others. That means that he is weak inside. And if he had not this motivation, he would have remained uneducated and rude man.

2. Catherine - also an hysterical person. She is weak and vulnerable to. If she had no external factors, she would have lived happily running around the field with that gypsy. But, as we have seen, her vanity took over and she condemned herself to eternal suffering near educated, but so “bland and unfeeling” Edgar. For him - a separate comment.

3. Edgar – this character, in my opinion, more than all demands attention and respect! I resent the way that others related to him, and most of all - Catherine. Electing him as her husband, she therefore declared him the best among other men. Emily Bronte completely deprives poor man an ability to feel passion. That sort of passion which lacked Catherine in those relationships. Otherwise, he can be considered positive in every sense: blue-eyed blonde, rich, intelligent and thoughtful. And he is also not without sense of honor and dignity. As much as he could, to the last breathe he protected his wife from death and shame. Yes, he is not capable of being emotional, but that's what was supposed to complement Catherine. Emily Bronte clearly falsifies facts. Catherine would never have been happy with Heathcliff just because of the fact, that their happiness would not have least long; they would burn each other like two matches. Moreover, her ideal only superficially changed for her. Inside, he stayed a yokelish plebe.

...