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Essay / Analysis of Wuthering Heights - 1296
Wurning Heights is a story written by Emily Bronte featuring a group of families living in and around the place called Wuthering Heights on the isolated moor of 'England. The timeline of the story is written between 1801 and 1802. The main character of the story is Heathcliff since most of the events revolve around him. He is depicted as a swarthy orphan boy chosen from Liverpool by Mr. Earnshaw, owner of Stormwind. The story is told by Nelly to Lockwood who is the new tenant of Thrushcross Grange owned by Heathcliff. Out of curiosity at the austere nature of his owner, Lockwood attracts Nelly, his housekeeper, to tell him the story of Wuthering Heights. Therefore, the story is told through flashbacks where Nelly recounts her life and experiences at Wuthering Heights since she was a child and a servant. The thesis of this novel is the different nature of love that exists between families and lovers and what this love brings out in each individual. Heathcliff is the main character of the novel. He is an orphan son brought by Mr. Earnshaw from Liverpool. He is described as a romantic hero in the novel with other characteristics such as brooding, vengeful and obsessive. His love for Catherine Earnshaw is definitely unrelenting and unconditional in that he begs her spirit to haunt him after her death. Catherine also confirms the same thing by noting that they are identical. However, due to their different interests and desires, they do not end up together as it should be. Catherine is slowly attracted and infatuated with Edgar to marry him in preference to Heathcliff, mainly due to his desire for wealth and social status (Bronte 12). Heathcliff is pictured in middle of paper...... ng class such as that of the Hareton family was being destroyed by the economic coalition of newly wealthy capitalists such as Heathcliff as well as the traditional ruling gentry represented by the Lintons. This change is very significant in the novel and gives a clear picture of the timeline set for the historical and political revolution in England. We notice in the novel that love and hatred are clearly pronounced throughout the story. The traditional beliefs of the time are also well highlighted in the novel. This is evident in the spiritual aspects associated with the belief in the existence of ghosts, as seen in the case of Catherine and Heathcliff wandering the moors. The economic and political struggle between the middle class and the upper class is also well highlighted in the novel to show what was happening at the time Bronte was writing the novel..