Wuthering Heights: Gothic Elements

Houses on the moors are far away from one another and far away from the rest of population as well.

It is set in the late 1700s - early 1800s in Liverpool, England, and the story mainly takes place between Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange.

The story starts off with an introduction to the setting. “I have just returned from a visit to my landlord- the solitary neighbor that i shall be troubled with.” “In all England, I do not believe that I could have fixed on a situation so completely removed from the stir of society.” “A perfect misanthropist's Heaven!” (V1, Ch.1, pg 1)

Weather is quite erratic ( thunderstorms) which disturb the foundation of the house at times. The weather is a major resemblance towards the book since Wuthering Heights is named from the fact that the house shakes so much.

Heathcliff - Comes in from the streets of Liverpool and taken in by the Earnshaws. Immediately he is not wanted (main reason being that he is black). Constantly abused by Hindley because of envy and isolated from most family affairs. His main desire is to seek revenge for all Hindley has done.

Hareton - He is an outsider, as the other adolescent characters in the novel (Cathy and Linton) are both taught proper etiquette in a high-class lifestyle, while Hareton lacks education and resorts to foul, and unintelligent language. This demonstrates his exclusion from the two.

Young Cathy - Edgar wants to keep her away from Wuthering Heights, as he is aware of the darkness present there. He also wants to protect her from those who live there (especially Heathcliff). However, this becomes quite difficult, as Cathy is a curious young girl, who wishes to explore the world beyond the Grange.

Linton - He is forced to live at Wuthering Heights, where those who live there are extremely different from himself (e.x their lack of manners contrasts with Linton’s proper etiquette)

Hindley - Can be considered an outsider/isolated once his wife, Frances, dies. This worsens when his sister, Catherine gets married. These events lead him into constant drinking and bereavement.

Nelly- Throughout the whole book, as the innocent maiden, Nelly is trusted by the reader as she recounts her experiences through her point of view, with hero opinions. She seems to be the only sane character as everything unfolds.

Joseph - Joseph is a strange, stubborn, and a fanatically religious elderly servant. He is the only one throughout the novel who speaks differently than the others because of his Yorkshire accent.

• Lockwood “dreams” of seeing Cathy’s ghost. “Knocking my knuckles through the glass, and stretching an arm out to seize the importunate branch: instead of which, my fingers closed on the fingers of a little, ice cold hand! The intense horror of my nightmare came over me; I tried to draw back my arm, but the nad clung to it, and a most melancholy voice sobbed, ‘Let me in-let me in!’ ‘Who are you?’ I asked, struggling, meanwhile, to disengage myself. ‘Catherine Linton,’ it replied, shiveringly.” (Vol. 1, Ch 3, Pg 20)

• “I suppose that she wanted to get another proof that the place was haunted,at my expense- Well, it is- swarming with ghosts and goblins!” (Vol. 1, Ch 3, Pg 22): Lockwood fears from having encountered a creepy, life like entity. The usage of the words like “ghosts” and “goblins” imply the idea of the supernatural.

• Towards the end of the book. there are claims from a young boy that he has seen the ghosts of Heathcliff and Catherine walking. "'There's Heathcliff and a woman yonder, under t'nab,' he blubbered, 'un' I darnut pass' em'." (Vol. 2, Ch 34, pg 299)

• Growing up, Heathcliff was constantly abused and bullied by Hindley, being that Hindley’s father showed affection to the young gypsy, and this eventually led into Heathcliff running away. Revenge motivates him to come back; thwarting property and inheritance laws. If it weren’t for the revenge of getting back at Hindley, Heathcliff wouldn’t have much to do but continue to pine after Catherine.

• Hindley takes revenge upon Heathcliff for taking his position at Wuthering Heights. He does this by eventually treating Heathcliff like a servant, abusing and isolating him.

• Heathcliff disposes Hindley from Wuthering Heights, and denies to provide Hareton education as a form of revenge against Hindley.

• Heathcliff gets back at Edgar by marrying his sister, Isabella. Heathcliff informs Nelly of his fake love for her, and explains how he could never love her. Isabella also tells Nelly of his plan to use her to get revenge on her brother, Edgar. “‘Only, Ellen, promise you’ll not mention a syllable of his infamous conversation to my brother or Catherine--whatever he may pretend, he wishes to provoke Edgar to desperation--he says he has married me on purpose to obtain power over him; and he shan’t obtain it’” - Isabella Heathcliff (Vol 1, Ch 14, Pg 134)

• After Heathcliff finds out that Catherine has died, he is angered that Catherine did not mention his name in her dying moments. He says “Catherine Earnshaw, may you not rest, as long as I am living! You said I killed you- haunt me, then!” (V.2, Ch.2, pg 147-148) Heathcliff wants revenge on her, even in the afterlife, as he is upset and despondent over losing her.

• Heathcliff throws apple sauce at Edgar, Catherine slaps Nelly, Edgar punches Heathcliff.

• Hindley begins to drink a lot after Francis’ death, wants to kill Heathcliff, carries a gun with a knife.

• Heathcliff threatens Nelly to help him see Catherine.

• Catherine slaps Nelly when she wouldn’t leave during Edgar's arrival .

• Hindley puts a knife between Nelly’s teeth and forces her to swallow it. Also refers to his son as “evil” and “wretched”.

• Heathcliff and Hindley gamble, Heathcliff takes his money for revenge.Heathcliff marries Isabella to get back at Edgar.

• Hindley attempts to murder Heathcliff. However, Heathcliff ends up severely hurting Hindley, as well as piercing Isabella’s ear.

• Heathcliff hurts himself after finding out that Catherine had died.

• Hindley decides to kill Heathcliff but Isabella warns Heathcliff not to stay at Wuthering Heights.

• Heathcliff beats tramples, Hindley, tramples, kicks him

• Isabella tells Heathcliff that he was the reason Catherine died, he throws a knife at her.

In this novel, Joseph ridicules the “Super-Christians” of the time, displaying the extremity of his belief in religion. Joseph’s strong religious beliefs contrast with his personality, as he remains an unmerciful and judgemental person.

• “‘The Lord help us!’ he soliloquised in an undertone of peevish displeasure, while revealing me of my horse: looking, meantime, in my face so sourly that I charitably conjectured he must have need of divine aid to digest his dinner, and his pious ejaculation had no reference to my unexpected advent.” (Vol. 1, Ch 1, Pg 2)

• Many references to God and the devil are made “‘Oh, damn my soul! but that’s worse than I expected--and the devil knows I was not sanguine!’”

-Heathcliff (Vol. II, Ch 6, Pg 183)

When Heathcliff is first introduced to the family, the author and the characters make sure it is evident how unwanted and insignificant he, as a human, is to the family.

Mrs Earnshaw does not like the idea of Mr Earnshaw bringing Heathcliff to Wuthering Heights.

• “Mrs Earnshaw was ready to fling it out of doors: she did fly up-asking how he could fashion to bring that gipsy brat into the house” (Vol. 1, Ch 4, Pg 31)
• Mr Earnshaw makes Nelly clean Heathcliff up and refers to him as “it”. “Mr Earnshaw told me to wash it, and give it clean things, and let it sleep with the children” (Vol. 1, Ch 4, Pg, 31)

When Heathcliff is first introduced to the family, the author and the characters make sure it is evident how unwanted and insignificant he, as a human, is to the family.

• Mrs Earnshaw does not like the idea of Mr Earnshaw bringing Heathcliff to Wuthering Heights.

“Mrs Earnshaw was ready to fling it out of doors: she did fly up-

asking how he could fashion to bring that gypsy brat into the

house” (Vol. 1, Ch 4, Pg 31)

• Mr Earnshaw makes Nelly clean Heathcliff up and refers to him as “it”. “Mr Earnshaw told me to wash it, and give it clean things, and let it sleep with the children” (Vol. 1, Ch 4, Pg, 31)

• Mrs. Earnshaw dies less than two years after Heathcliff is brought to Wuthering Heights (d. 1773)

• Mr. Earnshaw begins to grow weak and frail. (d. 1777) “But the hour came, at last, that ended Mr. Earnshaw’s troubles on earth. He died quietly in his chair one October evening, seated by the fireside.” (Vol. 1, Ch 5, Pg 37)

• Frances becomes sick after giving birth to Hareton and dies (d. 1778) “a fit of coughing took her-a very slight one-he raised her in his arms; she put her hands about his neck, her faces changed, and she was dead.” (Vol. 1, Ch 8, Pg 57)

• Mr & Mrs Linton catch the fever from Catherine and die (d. 1780) “she and her husband took the fever, and died within a few days of each other.” (Vol.1, Ch 9, Pg 78)

• Catherine fainted and later gave birth to little Catherine but died shortly after (d. 1784) “About twelve o’clock, that night, was born the Catherine you saw at Wuthering Heights, a puny, seven month’s child; and two hours after the mother died, having never recovered sufficient consciousness to miss Heathcliff, or know Edgar.” (Vol. 2, Ch 2, Pg 145)
• Hindley dies six months after Catherine dies (d. 1784) “The end of the Earnshaw was what might have been expected: it followed fast on his sister’s, there was scarcely six months between them.” (Vol. 2, Ch 3, Pg 163)

• Isabella dies 13 years after Catherine and when Linton is 12 (d. 1797) “Fortunately, its mother died before the time arrived, some thirteen years after the decease of Catherine, when Linton was twelve, or a little more.” (Vol. 2, Ch 3, Pg 162)

• Edgar eventually begins to grow weak and dies (d. 1801)

• Linton is born frail and thin, his condition becomes worse and dies (d. 1801)

• Heathcliff (d. 1802)

Throughout the novel, various characters make several, mysterious disappearances, some of which are followed by their sudden reappearance.

• Heathcliff disappears to Gimmerton and reappears.

• Heathcliff runs away with Isabella and they elope.

• Isabella leaves the Grange for Wuthering Heights due to her strange, and sudden marriage to Heathcliff. She later returns to Thrushcross Grange in desperate need for help to run away from Heathcliff. Nelly shares how she believes Isabella settles in the south, somewhere near London.

Isabella finds herself troubled soon after marrying Heathcliff. She describes how her first day at the Heights contained many unwelcoming confrontations. Isabella also explains to Nelly how she grows to hate Heathcliff, as she continually questions his humanity. “‘I do hate him--I am wretched--I have been a fool!’” -Isabella Heathcliff (Vol 1 Ch 13, Pg 128)

• Hindley is jealous of Heathcliff because Mr. Earnshaw favors Heathcliff more.
• Heathcliff is jealous of Edgar because he had changed the carefree, reckless Cathy he had grown up with and loved; he is also jealous because of Edgar’s looks and wishes to .

• Catherine first experiences madness once her father dies. This is further developed when witnessing Hindley’s harsh actions towards Heathcliff.
• Heathcliff’s love for Catherine impacts him deeply, as her and Edgar’s engagement spark insanity in him
• Heathcliff’s need for revenge drives him to madness
• Hindley also goes mad, due to his father’s affection for Heathcliff
• After Frances dies, Hindley becomes more cruel and starts drinking. Eventually, his only goal is to kill Heathcliff

• In the beginning of the book, Lockwood is trapped at Wuthering Heights because of a severe snowstorm. "On that bleak hill-top the earth was hard with a black frost and the air made me shiver through every limb……, till my knuckles tingled and the dogs howled..” (V1 ch.2, pg 9)
• When Heathcliff ran away, Cathy waited in the pouring rain for him to come back. “The storm came rattling over the Heights in full fury. There was a violent wind, as well as thunder, and either one or the other split a tree off at the corner of the building; a huge bough fell across the roof, and knocked down a portion of the east chimney-stack, sending a clatter of stones and soot into the kitchen fire.” (V1, Ch.9, pg 75)
• The extreme weather is significant to Wuthering Heights in terms of its name, not only physically as the building itself endures constant stormy weather, but emotionally as well because of the constant problems between who reside there.

• The decay of something which once thrived; Wuthering Heights used to be a beautiful place, but when Isabella returns she shares how it is now dusty, and very different from how Nelly would remember it. “There never was such a dreary, dismal scene as the formerly cheerful house presented!” (V1 ch. 14, pg 129)

• Decay is also present in the characters as Catherine’s decay occurs once she leaves Wuthering Heights and moves in with Linton. Once she leaves Heathcliff, her personality is tormented with the fact he is not with her. She becomes ill and eventually dies, that being the ultimate sign of her decay.

• The fall of the Earnshaw-Linton family tree is also another example of decay.

• In Wuthering Heights, the love of Linton and Cathy doubles that of Heathcliff and Catherine.

• When the booked is looked at from a bigger perspective, Volume 1 doubles Volume 2.

• When Hindley was the master of Wuthering Heights, he did not allow Heathcliff and Catherine to see each other. Linton and Cathy write letters to each other and fall in love but, Nelly catches them doing so and does not allow Cathy to write anymore or else she will tell Edgar. Both of these couples mirror each other as they are not allowed to communicate with each other.

• When Hindley becomes the master of Wuthering Heights, Heathcliff is treated poorly and has to work on the farm. When Heathcliff becomes the master, Hareton is given a job and is treated like one of the servants. Heathcliff and Hareton mirror each other as they are both experiencing the same thing. Another example of doubling between these two characters are in their love interests. Heathcliff has feelings for Catherine but Edgar and Catherine love each other. Hareton begins to like Cathy but Linton and Cathy fall in love with each other. Heathcliff and Hareton both loved someone who loved someone else.

• Volume 1 = Volume 2
• Linton and Cathy = Heathcliff and Catherine
• Heathcliff = Hareton