Assignment On Wuthering Heights As A Gothic Novel

Wuthering Heights as a gothic novel
Wuthering Heights can be considered as a Gothic novel because the reader finds
supernatural elements in it. A novel can be consider as gothic if the reader finds
the elements like awful weather, death, mystery, tangled family trees,
nightmares, ghosts, madness, intense emotions, isolation, damsel in distress and
a gloomy setting. Basically gothic novel, combines the element of horror and
romanticism.
All these elements are present in Wuthering Heights. Emily begins her novel in a
strange atmosphere, depicting Wuthering Heights as an old, dark and isolated
mansion with “grotesque cravings”; that is the usual setting of a gothic novel.
Wuthering Height is also surrounded by moors that means any sound would be
inaudible which adds the impression of loneliness and despair.
Awful weather in the novel also depicts gothic setting in the Wuthering Heights. In
the novel, the reader can observe that the atmosphere of Wuthering Heights is
surrounded by “stormy weather”. The weather suddenly changes. For instance
when Mr. Earnshaw died “high wind blustered around the house and roared” and
when Heathcliff ran away, after hearing the half confession of Catherine “there
was a violent wind as well as thunder” and it’s been raining all the night. So, the
unpleasant weather is a kind of bad omen associated with some tragedy.
Tangled family trees can also be seen in the novel, which is another element of
gothic tradition. When Lockwood visits Heights, Heathcliff invites him to tea.
Lockwood “perceive (himself) in a blunder” because of their interwoven family
relationships. For this purpose, Emily Bronte often recycles names in order to
confuse the reader, also to create some sort of mystery.
Supernatural elements like nightmares, ghosts, death are also found in the novel.
During Lockwood’s stay at Wuthering Heights, he encountered a supernatural
element in which he had a nightmare in which “(his) fingers closed on the fingers
of a little, ice-cold hand!”. Lockwood also heard the voice of Catherine Linton
saying “Let me in-Let me in!” and that she had been “(waiting) for twenty-years”.
Disturbing visions create mystery as well as ambiguity. Lockwood had been
witnessing these visions while staying at Wuthering Heights as he heard “First of
the Seventy-first”. Another gesture of mystery is shown in the novel when
Catherine takes “a dark book from the shelf” and mentions that she has
progressed in “Black Art”.
The gothic element of ghost is also found in the novel. Heathcliff is being haunted
by the ghost of Catherine, which he always wanted. Then in the end of the novel,
local villagers also witnessed the ghosts as they say “he walks on church, on
moors”. The old man in the Heights also affirms the presence of ghosts by saying,
“he has seen two on them looking out of there chamber”. A young boy also
encounters as he reports “There’s Heathcliff and a woman yonder”. Death is also
a feature of gothic novel. In Wuthering Heights, the reader observes nine deaths
including Mr. and Mrs. Earnshaw, Mr. and Mrs. Linton, Isabella Heathcliff,
Catherine Linton, Linton, Linton Heathcliff and Heathcliff.
Mystery and suspense is a notable feature of gothic novel. Emily Bronte has used
this a lot in her book. Heathcliff appearance as a mysterious man, whom the
reader is uncertain of his past and origin. Heathcliff being an orphan, his
appearance was like “a dirty, ragged, dark haired child” and sudden gain of wealth
and elegance after his disappearance also creates mystery as“nobody knows what
money and every year it increases”. Also, Heathcliff plotting for revenge by saying
“I’m trying to settle how shall I pay back Hindley” also creates mystery.
Element of madness and isolation can be found in the novel. When both
Heathcliff and Catherine become hysterical and almost insane before their death
and cuts off their connection with the world and establish unusual habits such as
“eating once in twenty-four hours”, it emphasizes the despair and darkness in the
novel. We can also observe damsel in distress, because the both Catherine as well
as Isabella are mistreated throughout the novel.
Intensity of emotion is also evident in it. When Catherine tells Nelly that “he is
more myself than I am. Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are same”,
which shows her love. She not only considers him a part of herself but according
to Catherine, “(she) is Heathcliff”. This shows her intense and passionate feelings
of love towards Heathcliff.
The element of fear and horror is also present in the novel. “The grim shaggy
sheep-dogs” and their aggressive nature specifies the element of fear. Also, when
Heathcliff disturbs the dead Catherine by “(bribing) the sexton”. Both Heathcliff
and Hindley extreme authority and behaving like tyrant adds the fear in the novel.
Emily Bronte uses common gothic techniques to grab the attention of her readers.
Hence, by considering all the above points, Wuthering Heights can be seen as an
example of gothic novel. Because we can find all the elements of a gothic novel in
it.

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What gothic elements are discussed in the text?

How does the author develop mystery and suspense in the novel?

Wuthering Heights as a gothic novel

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