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.
I agree with you Savannah, I like that we get so much information about the novel in this edition. I feel that it has given me a much deeper understanding of why Bronte wrote "Wuthering Heights".
ReplyDeleteEagleton's remark about romance and realism was interesting, I believe it is what makes Bronte's novel a Gothic novel because she uses realism to display how the romance between Heathcliff and Cathrine was unable to exist in the environment where they lived.
Dear Savannah,
ReplyDeleteYou are right--the documents, photographs, and other information added another dimension to my understanding of the time and place in which Bronte wrote. That's why I keep harping on using restraint when judging a piece of literature from a different period or culture than our own. Respect for the norms of that culture should be respected.
Concerning the love triangle among Catherine, Edgar, and Heathcliff, for that era, Edgar is by far the better choice for Cathy. Only fairly recently the notion of marrying for love has become the primary reason for matrimony. As a pragmatist, I can see the benefits of using your head, along with your heart, when choosing a spouse. My mother always said, "It's easier to marry for money and make love, than it is to marry for love and make money." Maybe SHE was the Marxist!
I hate this website! I can't see the entire blog before I post so my remarks aren't edited properly--see above for the use of "respect" twice in the very same sentence! Also, I can't italicize or underline! It's so frustrating but I think you can muddle through and understand the gist of want I am trying to say!
ReplyDeleteI, too, found the cultural documents interesting, but I feel they may have skewed our class discussion with regard to Heathcliff. It is interesting to speculate his potential role in the Irish famine, but I feel it is important to keep in mind that his heritage and origin are left undefined on purpose. A definite answer in any direction would greatly change the impact of the piece.
ReplyDeleteAlso, Deborah, I really like the way you relate your mother's comment to the Marxist theory of criticism. That particular comment sums up a great deal of the plot of the novel!