"Feminist Criticism" Review

I can honestly say that I enjoyed this criticism the most of the three that we have read.  I believe it is because it was the easily relate-able to the text itself (not to mention, I do love any "powerful women" ideals :) ).  While the Marxist and Cultural criticisms were interesting and made some valid points, this Feminist criticism actually allowed me connect its ideas to the very plot of Wuthering Heights and explained some of Catherine's reasoning in the novel.

Most of the essay describes Catherine's power domineering over the men in her life throughout Wuthering Heights.  She ultimately escapes Hindley's harsh rule, marries a wealthy man who loves her more than anything, and drives Heathcliff mad with ideas of what might have been.  She is, clearly, a very headstrong woman who gets what she wants.  However, Lyn Pykett argues, it is this power that drives her to her death.  Pykett talks about how Catherine holds such power over the men in her life, but how she must "ultimately submit to the legal control of her father, her brother, and subsequently her husband" (Pykett 472), and then Pykett goes on to say, "Caught uneasily between these conflicting subject positions, Catherine is ultimately broken by the pressures of the contradictions" (Pykett 473).  It is because Catherine is so much of a controlling character, that she simply cannot stand the pressures of her feminine role. 

It is definitely interesting to focus on Catherine as a female character.  She has so much power behind her that she certainly makes for a compelling character within the novel.   I enjoyed reading Pykett's ideas about how Catherine's being a woman affected the story line and themes of Wuthering Heights.  The plot would have unfolded most contrastingly had Catherine been a male.

"Marxist Criticism" Review

I know that this post is supposed to be about the Maxist Criticism, but I just wanted to take a moment to express my appreciation for the Cultural Documents and Illustrations.  It was most helpful to be able to gain a deeper understanding of the time in which Wuthering Heights was written.  It was definitely interesting to see some photographs and paintings of what Wuthering Heights and the moors may have looked like so that we can have a mental image to go with the story.  It was also fascinating (in a depressing sort of way) to see the illustrations from the Irish Potato Famine to see where Heathcliff may have come from.

But as far as the Marxist essay, I found that the following quote was quite true: "Wuthering Heights fastens thematically on a near-absolute antagonism between [romance and realism] but achieves, structurally and stylistically, an astonishing unity between them" (Eagleton 396).  It not only important that Emily Bronte has running themes of romance and realism in Wuthering Heights, but it is also important that she stylistically allows both to exist in the novel as opposites and in unity.

The realist aspect of Wuthering Heights is seen in the everyday lives of the characters within in.  There is nothing really extraordinary about the lives that they live, and Bronte simply depicted a plot that is, for the most part, very realistic.  The romantic aspect of the novel, obviously, comes from the failed (for the lack of a better word) romance between Heathcliff and Catherine.  Their relationship, alone, depicts the gothic romance genre that Wuthering Heights is considered.  While these two theme may be quite different, Bronte, as Eagleton suggests, allows both to effectively exist in the story, whether working together or as two separate ideas. 

Wuthering Heights #2

I finally finished this wonderful book, and it was significantly better than I had originally anticipated.  My knowledge of the book had consisted of a testimonies from a handful of whiny high school students who had no idea how to read (let alone understand and then interpret) Bronte's style.  All they could tell me was that there were "like a billion" Catherines and incest galore.  Needless to say, I had mixed feelings when I heard we were going to read it.  All of this to say, it was an absolute delight to read, and I am so glad that I read it.  Onwards to actual interpretations :)

This was the first novel I have actually read that is legitimately classified as "gothic fiction."  It was definitely not what I was expecting.  There can be romance. There can be horror.  But, certainly, you cannot effectively (being the key word) mix the two!  Needless to say, I have been proved very wrong.  Bronte takes this genre and makes it into to something quite entertaining.  From the very beginning, she introduces the paranormal when Cathy haunts Lockwood at Wuthering Heights as a child ghost.  After that, she expands the dark, "romantic" story of Cathy and Heathcliff.  Their love is never able to truly prosper, only intensifying the gothic quality of the novel.  Throughout the story, Heathcliff grows more bitter and caustic trying to selfishly obtain everything he can.  Thus becoming the "tyrant" of this gothic fiction.

We are again faced with paranormal activity near the end of the book when Heathcliff seems to be loosing his mind and talking to ghosts.  "He began to pace the room, muttering terrible things to himself [...] conscience had turned his heart to an earthly hell" (Bronte 278). 

There is overwhelming evidence of gothic fiction adorning this story.  Bronte certainly succeeded in creating a chilling, unethical love story.

Wuthering Heights

So far, I am quite enjoying my time reading Wuthering Heights.  It's beautiful, intellectual, and emotional.  All those wonderful things that girls love!  Emily Bronte is a brilliant author.  She brings forth emotions in me that I am finding difficult to put into words.  She also raises intricate questions that I don't suppose I'll ever know the answers to.  Am I supposed to feel bad for Heathcliff, or am I supposed to see him as a bad influence on Cathy?  Do I think that Edgar Linton is a better match for Cathy?  It is no doubt that he is a better influence, but does she really, truly love him?  If she does not truly love him, then isn't she wasting both Edgar's and her time?  These, and so many more, are the questions I will attempt to answer with further reading and analyzing.  

Now, I'm just going to point out a couple passages that I have really enjoyed and that have some notion as to the meaning of the story.

Lockwood says, "A sensible man ought to find sufficient company in himself" (Bronte 45).  For one reason or another, I found this statement quite odd.  The more I read into the story, the more I realized that Lockwood may not have actually believed that.  Why else would he constantly pester Nelly to be in his company and tell him the story?  Though he may have thought that he wanted to be by himself, he soon finds that solidarity just becomes loneliness.  Perhaps that is what Heathcliff (in Nelly's story, before Cathy married Edgar) came to find.  He may have abandoned Cathy to find company in himself, but he realized that it was not what he wanted at all.

Another line that stood out to me was when Nelly said, "and it ended when circumstances caused each to feel that the one's interest was not the chief consideration in the other's thoughts" (Bronte 96).  This was foreshadowing (quite blatantly, however) of what was about to happen between Edgar and Catherine.  They were living such a quaint and content life together, and there was only one thing that could truly turn them against each other-- Heathcliff.  It was interesting to see how obvious the course of the story became.  I found that quite tactical on Bronte's part.