Pinterest com WUTHERING HEIGHTS BY EMILY BRONT EMILY

Pinterest. com WUTHERING HEIGHTS BY EMILY BRONTË

EMILY BRONTË 1818 -1848 v v v v Born in northern England; grew up near the Yorkshire moors; one of six children Daughter of a reverend and his wife; her mother died when she was three Reclusive: had few friends outside of family, but was exposed to a microcosm of society through her father’s congregation Never had a career or married, and rarely left her home People in her home of Haworth, Yorkshire were characterized as being blunt, passionate, and using colorful speech; much of this language is reflected in Wuthering Heights Modern critics place Brontë among the best of Victorian writers. While her sister Charlotte was more popular during the time period in which they lived, Emily is now looked at as the more talented of the two

v Emily’s sisters were Charlotte and Anne Brontë; the three sisters published poems under the pseudonyms of Currer, Ellis, and Acton Bell v Emily wrote Wuthering Heights (1846) v Charlotte wrote Jane Eyre (1847) v Anne wrote Agnes Grey (1847) v Emily Brontë tended to her brother, Branwell, who was dying from alcoholism and drug abuse v She caught a severe cold at his funeral, which developed into tuberculosis. She died shortly after him in 1848

Setting - Yorkshire England Wuthering Heights is set in three locations: v Wuthering Heights v Thrushcross Grange v The Yorkshire Moors

THRUSHCROSS GRANGE

WUTHERING HEIGHTS AND THRUSHCROSS GRANGE v v v Brontë emphasizes the relationship of each house to the natural world around it Wuthering Heights is located on top of a hill where it is exposed to the harsh weather and is dark and gloomy Thrushcross Grange is located in a valley where it is protected by a stone wall; the Grange is also luxuriously decorated The contrasting houses also directly reflect the inhabitants who live inside Wuthering Heights- Earnshaws; Thrushcross- Lintons

YORKSHIRE MOORS v “Wuthering” means stormy or turbulent/wild v The moor is an essentially hostile environment but also beautiful; characterized by rugged hills with scattered, hard, black stones with little vegetation v A desolate and isolated part of England v The setting in Wuthering Heights reflects the area where Emily Brontë grew up

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND v v v The Victorian Age refers to the period in England when Queen Victoria reigned (1837 -1901) The British Empire had reached its height and ruled one quarter of the world During this time, the Industrial Revolution created profound economical changes in society England changed from a primarily agricultural country to an industrial one which created a great social upheaval While wealth had traditionally been measured by land ownership, the eighteenth century had begun a trend toward a cash-based economy, creating a middle class who were more economically powerful than its landowning superiors (gentry) The power of yeomen, or the respectable farming class, as well as the traditional power-holding gentry was challenged by the newly wealthy capitalists

INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION AND SOCIAL CLASS v Wuthering Heights was written in 1847, a time when Capitalism and the Industrial Revolution were the dominant forces of the British economy and society. It was a time of rapid, often confusing change that led to violence. As a result of the changing economy, the traditional relationships between classes and the social structure began to change v New class distinctions emerged from the growth of industrial production. A new middle class began to emerge. v Each of the classes is represented in the novel v v v Upper class and gentry – landowners; farming class Middle class – shopkeepers and the merchants Low class and the poor – factory workers or the unemployed

WOMEN’S RIGHTS During this time period women’s rights were changing v Emily Brontë wrote Wuthering Heights during the beginning of the women’s rights movement in England v The primary concerns of the movement were the lack of women’s right to vote and the lack of married women’s property rights. The latter issue arises in Wuthering Heights

ROMANTICISM AND GOTHICISM v v v The novel depicts the dark side of human nature through violence and obsessive love The novel deviates from the norm of the Victorian period and included: v sinister realism v dark overtones In the July 1848 issue of Graham’s Magazine , the novel was described as portraying “vulgar depravity and unnatural horrors” The novel was met with much criticism when first published Characters were classless, rough in nature, and angry, however, the characters are true-to-life and Brontë’s portrayal of the time period and laws are accurate

ROMANTICISM Elements of a Romantic novel: v nature as a powerful spiritual force v descriptions of the countryside v elevated emotional levels and passion v a desire to rise above the limitations of ordinary human existence v a strong interest in death v a portrayal of opposites – escape and pursuit, life and death v isolation, both emotional and geographical v elements of the supernatural

GOTHICISM Elements of a Gothic novel: v a castle, sometimes ruined or haunted v sinister, ruined buildings v extreme landscape and weather v death and madness v omens v ancestral curses v terrifying events v taboo and sensational topics v a suggestion of the supernatural v a villain or villain-hero (Byronic hero) driven by passion v a heroine wooed by both a good and a dangerous suitor v revenge

BYRONIC HERO v v Heathcliff is regarded as a classic Byronic hero. The Byronic hero was defined by Lord Byron’s epic narrative poem , Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage in 1812. Elements of the Byronic hero: v a distaste for social institutions and social norms v conflicting emotions or moodiness v high levels of intelligence and cunning v self-criticism v mysterious origins and a troubled past v self-destructive tendencies v a loner, rejected from society

THEMES v Spiritual love vs. superficial love v Constraint vs. freedom v Revenge and retribution for past sins v Destructiveness of a possessive love v Precariousness of social class v Impermanence of self and the permanence of something larger than self (impermanence means temporary or not lasting)

FRAMEWORK STORY v v Wuthering Heights is highly praised for the unique narrative technique Emily Brontë used to execute the novel, often referred to as a “frame narrative. ” The two main narrators are Lockwood and Nelly Dean, but other narrators arise throughout the novel when Nelly quotes what other characters have told her The frame narrative form of the novel adds complexity for the reader. Lockwood is the outer layer and Nelly the inner layer Since the story passes through layers, the reader must question the reliability of all that he or she reads. v Example: Nelly glosses over events to minimize her own guilt v Example: Lockwood is naïve and lacks good judgment

NOVEL STRUCTURE Wuthering Heights is told in medias res (Latin for "into the middle of things”). It usually describes a narrative that begins, not at the beginning of a story, but somewhere in the middle — usually at some crucial point in the action. The purpose in Wuthering Heights is to add a sense of mystery

CHARACTERS v v v Mr. Lockwood: first narrator of the story Nelly Dean takes over; Heathcliff’s tenant at Thrushcross Grange; well-educated but doesn’t like to be around people Mrs. Ellen (Nelly) Dean: second narrator of the story; once lived at Wuthering Heights, then became housekeeper at Thrushcross Grange for Earnshaws; sensible and trusted by most characters in the story (all characters confide in her); also referred to as Ellen Dean; grows up serving Catherine and later serves Heathcliff; narrates the past action of the story to Lockwood Heathcliff: brought to Wuthering Heights as a young boy by old Mr. Earnshaw; has a wild, uncontrollable nature; consumed by his love for Catherine Earnshaw

CHARACTERS v v Catherine Earnshaw: a wild girl growing up at Wuthering Heights; befriends Heathcliff as a child; attracted to the refined life at Thrushcross Grange; recognizes that she loves Heathcliff but is married to Edgar Linton: a pampered, somewhat spoiled boy living at Thrushcross Grange; polite and well educated; attempts to “civilize” Catherine but does not understand her passionate personality Isabella Linton: sister of Edgar Linton; raised at Thrushcross Grange; shallow and weak; later becomes abusive and vengeful after marrying Heathcliff Hindley Earnshaw: despises Heathcliff for being favored by his father Mr. Earnshaw; unkind and self-destructive; mistreats and humiliates Heathcliff

CHARACTERS v v Joseph: elderly servant at Wuthering Heights; prone to evangelical ravings about sin/religious fanatic; speaks with a thick Yorkshire accent (sounds Scottish) Hareton Earnshaw: son of Hindley and Frances Earnshaw; used as a pawn by Heathcliff to wreak revenge on Hindley; grows up to be big and strong with a bad temper Cathy Linton: daughter of Catherine Earnshaw and Edgar Linton; sheltered upbringing at Thrushcross Grange; eventually brings peace and happiness to Wuthering Heights Linton Heathcliff: the sickly son of Isabella Linton and Heathcliff; self-centered and unable to love anyone

LITERARY ELEMENTS AND TECHNIQUES Structure: The first half of the novel tells the story of Catherine Earnshaw, Heathcliff, and Edgar Linton. The second half mirrors the first by describing the actions of the children of the characters in the first half (Cathy Linton, Linton Heathcliff, and Hareton Earnshaw). v Symbols: Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange v Foreshadowing: the use of ghosts v You will read for GENDER, RHETORICAL LANGUAGE, and STYLE OF WRITING v

REFERENCES Power. Point created using: www. cinnaminson. com www. skitsap. ewednet. edu www. pennsburyk. 12. pa. us

FAMILY TREE Mr. Linton Mrs. Linton Mr. Earnshaw Mrs. Earnshaw d. 1780 d. 1777 d. 1773 Heathcliff Isabella Edgar Catherine Hindley Frances b. 1764 b. 1765 b. 1762 b. 1765 b. 1757 d. 1778 d. 1802 d. 1797 d. 1801 d. 1784 Linton Catherine b. 1784 d. 1801 Hareton b. 1778