Introduction
Emily Brontë, along with her sisters Charlotte and Anne, are celebrated figures in English literature, known for their profound contributions to the literary world. Among Emily’s most famous works are “Wuthering Heights” and “Jane Eyre” (though it should be noted that “Jane Eyre” is actually penned by her sister Charlotte Brontë). These novels, set in the rural moors of Yorkshire during the late 18th and early 19th centuries, resonate with deep emotional and gothic elements, painting a vivid picture of love, tragedy, and the complexities of human nature.
Born in 1818, Emily Brontë lived a life marked by creativity and imagination, which was fostered within the confines of the Brontë family home in Haworth. Her work is often characterized by its innovative use of narrative structures and its exploration of the darker sides of the human psyche. “Wuthering Heights,” Emily’s only novel, is particularly noted for its raw intensity and the intricate portrayal of its characters, particularly the tortured figure of Heathcliff and his love for Catherine Earnshaw.
The genre of these novels often blends gothic elements with romanticism, creating a unique and intense atmosphere that has captivated readers for generations. Despite the initial mixed reviews, today these works are celebrated for their depth of emotion, intricate characters, and vivid descriptions of the bleak, windswept landscapes of the Yorkshire moors.
So, buckle up as we journey into the stormy weathers and passionate tales of the Brontë sisters, where every page turn is a step into the depths of human emotions and timeless narratives. 📚💖
Plot Summary
“Wuthering Heights” and “Jane Eyre” by Emily Brontë (noting that “Jane Eyre” is actually the work of her sister Charlotte Brontë) are two towering works of 19th-century literature, each with its own intricate plot and deeply drawn characters.
Wuthering Heights — The novel begins with Mr. Lockwood arriving at Wuthering Heights, where he meets the mysterious and brooding Heathcliff. Through the housekeeper Nelly Dean’s narrative, we learn about the tragic love story of Heathiff and Catherine Earnshaw. The novel’s plot is a complex tale of passion, revenge, and the destructive nature of unfulfilled love. The story escalates to the climax where Heathcliff, driven by his longing for Catherine and desire for revenge, ends up causing misery to everyone around him. The resolution comes with the deaths of Heathcliff and Catherine, and the eventual union of the younger Catherine and Hareton, suggesting a cycle of redemption and hope.
Jane Eyre — Starting with Jane’s unhappy childhood as an orphan living with her cruel aunt, the novel follows her journey to adulthood. The exposition leads to her time at Lowood School, then her position as a governess at Thornfield Hall, where she meets the mysterious Mr. Rochester. The rising action sees Jane falling in love with Rochester, reaching a climax when their wedding is thwarted by the revelation that Rochester is already married to a madwoman hidden in his attic. The falling action follows Jane’s departure and her inheritance of a fortune from a previously unknown uncle. In the resolution, Jane returns to Rochester, now blinded and maimed from a fire set by his wife, and they marry and find happiness.
These stories, rich with emotional depth and social critique, not only provide enthralling narratives but also offer insight into the challenges and norms of Victorian society.
Character Analysis
Heathcliff — Heathcliff, the protagonist of “Wuthering Heights,” is an enigmatic character of intense emotions and passionate extremities. His origins are mysterious, and he is adopted into the Earnshaw family, where he forms a deep, complicated bond with Catherine Earnshaw. Heathcliff’s character is driven by love and revenge; his love for Catherine defines his entire being, yet it also fuels his vengeful actions against everyone he perceives as having wronged him. Over the course of the novel, he transforms from a passionate, if somewhat wild, young man into a bitter, cruel, and vindictive individual, showing both the depth of his love and the darkness of his soul.
Catherine Earnshaw — Catherine is the wild and spirited daughter of the Earnshaw family and Heathcliff’s soulmate. Her personality is marked by a fierce temperament and a deep, if somewhat capricious, love for Heathcliff. Catherine is torn between her passionate love for Heathcliff and her desire to improve her social status, which ultimately leads her to marry Edgar Linton. This decision creates a turmoil of emotions and consequences that ripple throughout the novel. Catherine’s character embodies the conflict between societal expectations and true emotional desire, making her a complex and tragic figure.
Jane Eyre — As the protagonist of “Jane Eyre,” Jane is portrayed as strong-willed, moral, and independent. From her early years, Jane faces adversity and mistreatment, yet she consistently remains true to her principles and seeks a life of dignity and respect. Her journey from an orphaned child to an assertive and compassionate woman, who finds love and respect on her own terms, illustrates her development and strength of character.
Mr. Rochester — Edward Rochester is the brooding and complex master of Thornfield Hall in “Jane Eyre.” He initially appears as a typical Gothic hero, with a dark past and a mysterious disposition. As Jane’s employer and later love interest, Rochester’s character is revealed to be deeply flawed, tormented by past decisions, and the secret of his insane wife hidden in the attic. Despite his imperfections, Rochester is capable of deep love and eventually seeks redemption and a new life with Jane.
| Character | Personality Traits | Motivations | Development |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heathcliff | Passionate, vengeful, dark | Love for Catherine, desire for revenge | Transforms from a troubled orphan to a vengeful, tormented man |
| Catherine Earnshaw | Spirited, capricious, conflicted | Desire for social status, love for Heathcliff | Struggles with her choices, leading to tragic outcomes |
| Jane Eyre | Moral, independent, strong-willed | Search for dignity, love, and belonging | Grows from a mistreated orphan to a self-assured, loving woman |
| Mr. Rochester | Brooding, complex, tormented | Search for redemption and love | Evolves from a dark, secretive man to a loving, repentant partner |
Themes and Symbols
Themes in Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre
Love and Passion — Central to both “Wuthering Heights” and “Jane Eyre” is the intense portrayal of love and passion. In “Wuthering Heights,” the passionate love between Heathcliff and Catherine transcends death, shaping the entire narrative and its characters. This love is all-consuming and destructive, leading to jealousy, revenge, and ultimately tragedy. In “Jane Eyre,” love is portrayed more as a redemptive force, with Jane and Rochester’s relationship evolving through mutual respect, equality, and understanding, highlighting the transformative power of love and emotional connection.
Social Class and Inequality — The novels delve into the rigid social class structures of the 19th century, illustrating how characters are trapped by their social status. In “Wuthering Heights,” Heathcliff’s mistreatment due to his ambiguous social position fuels his desire for revenge and social ascent. “Jane Eyre” addresses class issues as Jane, an orphaned governess, navigates the social hierarchies, ultimately asserting her sense of self-worth and rejecting the oppressive social norms.
Symbols in Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre
The Moors — The wild and untamed moors surrounding Wuthering Heights symbolize the tumultuous and passionate nature of Heathcliff and Catherine’s relationship. They represent freedom and wildness, contrasting with the oppressive societal constraints of the time.
The Red Room in Jane Eyre — The Red Room, where Jane is locked as a punishment in her aunt’s house, symbolizes Jane’s suffering, isolation, and the emotional and physical confinement she experiences early in life. It foreshadows her struggles for independence and self-respect.
Fire and Ice — Fire and ice imagery is prevalent in “Jane Eyre,” representing the characters’ emotions and inner conflicts. Fire symbolizes passion, as seen in Jane’s and Rochester’s relationship, while ice represents the suppression of emotion and rigid social norms, often associated with St. John Rivers and his cold, missionary zeal.
These themes and symbols are integral to understanding the depth and complexities of “Wuthering Heights” and “Jane Eyre,” offering insights into the human condition and the societal constraints of the Victorian era.
Style and Tone
The novels “Wuthering Heights” and “Jane Eyre” by Emily Brontë and her sister Charlotte Brontë, respectively, are renowned for their distinctive writing styles and tones that contribute significantly to their narrative depth and emotional intensity.
Wuthering Heights — Emily Brontë’s writing style in “Wuthering Heights” is marked by:
- Gothic and intense: The tone is dark, mysterious, and foreboding, with the gothic elements of the supernatural and the eerie setting of the Yorkshire moors contributing to the novel’s intense atmosphere.
- Emotional depth: The narrative conveys deep and turbulent emotions, reflecting the complex inner lives of the characters, particularly the passionate and tortured love between Heathcliff and Catherine.
- Complex narrative structure: The story is told through multiple narrators, primarily through Nelly Dean’s recounting to Mr. Lockwood, creating a layered and multifaceted perspective on the events.
Jane Eyre — Charlotte Brontë’s “Jane Eyre” is characterized by:
- Personal and introspective: The first-person narrative gives an intimate and personal view of Jane’s thoughts, feelings, and experiences, creating a strong connection between the reader and the protagonist.
- Moral and psychological depth: The novel explores themes of morality, social justice, and the psychological development of Jane, from her childhood to adulthood, highlighting her moral convictions and emotional growth.
- Romantic and gothic elements: While the romance between Jane and Rochester is central, the novel also includes gothic elements like the mysterious Thornfield Hall and the secret of Rochester’s mad wife, adding suspense and intrigue.
Both novels utilize detailed descriptive language, creating vivid imagery and a strong sense of place that immerses the reader in the moorland setting and the interior worlds of the characters. The use of symbolism and metaphor is prevalent, enhancing the thematic complexity and emotional resonance of the narratives.
Literary Devices Used in The Brontë Sisters: Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre
- Symbolism — In both novels, symbolism is used extensively to convey deeper meanings and themes. In “Wuthering Heights,” the moors represent the wild and untamed nature of Heathcliff and Catherine’s love, while in “Jane Eyre,” items like the “Red Room” or the depiction of fire and ice symbolize Jane’s emotional states and inner conflicts.
- Foreshadowing — Both Brontë sisters employ foreshadowing to hint at future events, creating suspense and building anticipation. For instance, early in “Jane Eyre,” Jane’s isolation in the Red Room foreshadows her continued struggle with confinement and societal constraints.
- Gothic Elements — The use of gothic elements like supernatural occurrences, eerie settings, and a mood of doom and gloom in “Wuthering Heights” and “Jane Eyre” serves to heighten the emotional intensity and underscore the characters’ inner turmoil.
- Irony — Both novels use irony to critique social norms and expectations, such as the ironic twists in Heathcliff’s fortunes in “Wuthering Heights” and the unexpected revelations about Mr. Rochester’s past in “Jane Eyre.”
- Metaphor and Simile — Metaphoric language in both books enriches the narrative, such as comparing characters to natural elements to symbolize their personalities and internal states.
- Frame Narrative — “Wuthering Heights” is notably structured as a frame narrative, with Mr. Lockwood’s experiences at Wuthering Heights enclosing Nelly Dean’s recounting of the past, adding layers and perspectives to the story.
- Stream of Consciousness — While not as prevalent as in later literary works, elements of stream of consciousness appear in “Jane Eyre,” particularly in the expression of Jane’s thoughts and feelings, providing a deeper psychological insight.
- Pathetic Fallacy — The Brontës often use weather and natural settings to reflect the emotional states and dynamics of their characters, such as the stormy weather mirroring the tumultuous events in “Wuthering Heights.”
- Characterization — Deep and complex characterization is a hallmark of both novels, with the authors developing intricate and multifaceted personalities that evolve over time, reflecting broader themes of growth, decay, and transformation.
- Allusion — Both novels contain allusions to other literary works, the Bible, and mythological sources, enriching the text with deeper cultural and philosophical resonances and connecting the characters’ experiences to broader human conditions and narratives.
Literary Devices Examples
Symbolism
- Wuthering Heights
- The moors: Represent the wild and untamed nature of Heathcliff and Catherine’s relationship.
- Ghosts: Symbolize unresolved past conflicts and the haunting nature of love and memory.
- Dogs: Often represent the threat of violence and the instinctual, untamed side of human nature.
- Jane Eyre
- The Red Room: Symbolizes Jane’s feelings of isolation, punishment, and fear, setting the stage for her lifelong struggle against oppression and injustice.
- Fire and Ice: Represent the dual aspects of passion and reason, respectively, characterizing Jane’s and Rochester’s relationship as well as Jane’s internal conflicts.
- Bertha Mason: Serves as a symbol of Rochester’s hidden past and the repressed Victorian ideals of femininity and madness.
Foreshadowing
- Wuthering Heights
- Lockwood’s dream about Catherine’s ghost foreshadows the turbulent history of Wuthering Heights and its inhabitants.
- Heathcliff’s introduction as a dark, brooding character foreshadows his complex role and the dramatic events that follow.
- Jane Eyre
- Jane’s early experiences in the Red Room foreshadow her lifelong struggle with captivity, freedom, and seeking a place where she belongs.
- The mysterious laughter and strange occurrences at Thornfield Hall foreshadow the hidden secret of Bertha Mason.
Gothic Elements
- Wuthering Heights
- The setting of the isolated, stormy moors and the ancient, gloomy Wuthering Heights mansion enhances the gothic atmosphere.
- Supernatural events, like Catherine’s ghost appearing to Lockwood, add a mysterious, eerie quality to the story.
- Jane Eyre
- The gothic atmosphere of Thornfield Hall, with its hidden secrets and eerie occurrences, sets the tone for the novel’s dramatic developments.
- The character of Bertha Mason, as the “madwoman in the attic,” embodies the gothic element of hidden scandal and darkness.
This table format showcases how these literary devices are used in “Wuthering Heights” and “Jane Eyre,” providing concrete examples that illustrate the authors’ techniques and thematic intentions.
The Brontë Sisters: Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre – FAQs
Q: Who wrote “Wuthering Heights” and “Jane Eyre”? A: “Wuthering Heights” was written by Emily Brontë, and “Jane Eyre” was penned by her sister, Charlotte Brontë.
Q: What are the main themes in “Wuthering Heights” and “Jane Eyre”? A: Major themes include love and passion, social class and inequality, morality, and the struggle for identity and independence.
Q: How do the settings of “Wuthering Heights” and “Jane Eyre” contribute to the stories? A: The wild and desolate moors in “Wuthering Heights” reflect the tumultuous and passionate story, while Thornfield Hall in “Jane Eyre” provides a mysterious and oppressive backdrop that mirrors Jane’s internal struggles and the gothic elements of the plot.
Q: Can “Wuthering Heights” and “Jane Eyre” be considered feminist novels? A: Yes, both novels can be seen as early feminist works, portraying strong, independent female characters who challenge the social norms and restrictions of their times.
Q: How does the narrative structure affect the storytelling in “Wuthering Heights”? A: “Wuthering Heights” uses a frame narrative structure, where the story is told through the eyes of a secondary character, adding complexity and multiple perspectives to the narrative.
Q: What role does social class play in “Jane Eyre”? A: Social class is a significant barrier in “Jane Eyre,” affecting the characters’ relationships and life choices, and is a central factor in Jane’s development and her pursuit of self-respect and personal freedom.
Q: How are the characters of Heathcliff in “Wuthering Heights” and Rochester in “Jane Eyre” similar or different? A: Both are complex male protagonists with dark pasts and turbulent emotions, but while Heathcliff is driven by revenge and a consuming love, Rochester seeks redemption and genuine love despite his flawed nature.
Q: What is the significance of the supernatural elements in “Wuthering Heights”? A: The supernatural elements, like the ghost of Catherine, underscore the deep, unresolved emotions and the theme of eternal love and haunting past in the narrative.
Quiz
1. Who is the author of “Wuthering Heights”?
- A) Charlotte Brontë
- B) Emily Brontë
- C) Anne Brontë
- D) Jane Austen
2. What is the main setting of “Jane Eyre”?
- A) London
- B) Thornfield Hall
- C) Wuthering Heights
- D) Lowood School
3. What theme is common to both “Wuthering Heights” and “Jane Eyre”?
4. In “Wuthering Heights,” who is Heathcliff’s great love?
- A) Isabella Linton
- B) Catherine Earnshaw
- C) Jane Eyre
- D) Nelly Dean
5. How does Jane Eyre become financially independent?
- A) Winning the lottery
- B) Inheriting money from a relative
- C) Marrying Mr. Rochester
- D) Starting her own business
6. What literary device is heavily used in “Wuthering Heights” to create a sense of mystery and suspense?
- A) Irony
- B) Foreshadowing
- C) Hyperbole
- D) Onomatopoeia
7. Who narrates the majority of “Wuthering Heights”?
- A) Heathcliff
- B) Mr. Lockwood
- C) Nelly Dean
- D) Catherine Earnshaw
8. What is a significant aspect of Jane Eyre’s character in “Jane Eyre”?
- A) Her sense of humor
- B) Her supernatural powers
- C) Her moral and ethical principles
- D) Her musical talent
9. What is the Gothic element in “Jane Eyre”?
- A) The setting in a modern city
- B) The use of advanced technology
- C) The presence of a madwoman in the attic
- D) The focus on family comedy
10. How does the social class affect the characters in “Wuthering Heights”?
- A) It determines their success in business
- B) It influences their romantic relationships and social interactions
- C) It affects their choice of hobbies
- D) It has no effect at all
Exercise
Read the following paragraph from “Wuthering Heights” and identify the literary devices used. Then, check your answers below.
Heathcliff had knelt on one knee to embrace her; he attempted to rise, but she seized his hair, and kept him down. “I wish I could hold you,” she continued, bitterly, “till we were both dead! I shouldn’t care what you suffered. I care nothing for your sufferings. Why shouldn’t you suffer? I do!”
Answers:
- Simile: Not explicitly present in this excerpt, but the intensity of emotions can be likened to extreme situations in descriptive analysis.
- Metaphor: The idea of holding until death metaphorically represents the depth and destructiveness of Catherine’s love for Heathilliff.
- Irony: Catherine expresses a desire to keep Heathcliff close in a loving embrace, yet speaks bitterly, showing the contradictory nature of her love and hate.
- Hyperbole: Saying she wishes to hold him until they are both dead exaggerates the depth of her feelings and the extremity of her emotional state.
- Personification: Not directly used in this excerpt, but the personification of suffering as something that can be distributed or shared is implied in Catherine’s disregard for Heathcliff’s pain.
- Pathetic Fallacy: This device is more contextually relevant to the setting and mood around the characters, not directly in this text but often present in the broader narrative.
This exercise helps in understanding how Emily Brontë uses various literary devices to convey complex emotions and themes in “Wuthering Heights.”