Part 1. Story- analysis. Edited by David Daiches. The book is published by Penguin Books, 1993, London. First published in 1847. Published in the Penguin English Library 1965 and reprinted in Penguin Classics 1985. Printed in England by Clays Ltd., St. Ivespic. Set in Linotype Granjon. Title - explanation. Wuthering Heights was the name of a farmhouse built on a hill- top; 'it's name descriptive of the atmospheric tumult to which its exposed position subjected it in stormy weather', and is owned by Mr. Heathcliff. Summary. Wuthering Heights is owned by Mr. Heathclif, a dark- skinned, gloomy man of handsome but stern appearance. He had lend another house in the valley below, named Thuscross Grange, to Mr. Lockwood. Mr. Lockwood visited Mr. Heathcliff and was forced to stay the night, because of a snowstorm. During the night, he had a terrible dream about a young girl, whose name was Catherine Linton, cut her little hands trying to enter his room through the window. When he returned to Thuscross Grange, he told his dream to his housekeeper Nelly Dean. She told him that many years ago, old Mr. Earnshaw picked up a dirty, hungry gypsy child and brought it home with him. He named the boy Heathcliff and reared him as one of his own children Catherine and Hindley. He liked Catherine, but her brother Hindley hated him. When old Mr. Earnshaw died, Hindley tried to ruin Heathcliff's life. Heathcliff grew to love Catherine more and more. But he heard her say to Nelly Dean that it would degrade her to marry him, and after hearing that Heathcliff disappeared. Returning after three years as a wealthy man, Catherine was married to Edgar Linton. Heathcliff made a plan to destroy the Lintons and the Earnshaws. He married Edgar's sister Isabella and made her life miserable. After a long illness Catherine died, partly as the result of Heathcliff's behavior. She left a daughter behind, named Catherine Linton. He forced her, when she was older, to marry his repulsive son to get all the Linton property. Heathcliff, tired of life, deliberately starved himself to death. When Catherine and Hareton were happily married, peace and harmony were restored between the Lintons and the Earnshaws. Writersinformation. Emily Jane Brontë was born in 1818 at Thornton in Yorkshire. Two years later they moved to a town near Bradford, and Charlotte, Emily, Anne and Patrick were brought up by their aunt. They were left to themselves much and they formed their own imaginary world. Emily was the author of the cycle Gondal, which imagined country inspired
some of her most passionate poems. Writing for publication, she used the name of Ellis Bell. She tried to make a living as a teacher, but her poor health forced her to give up. It is only for the novel Wuthering Heights that she is best remembered. Published a year before her death of tuberculosis in 1848. Genre. The book is a romantic and passionate novel, influenced by the Gothic novel. Theme. The book has several themes, namely the combination of the themes passionate love and revenge. Motives. The motives are the supernatural and the symbolism. Structure. Wuthering Heights counts 373 pages, and when you read 30 pages an hour, you can finish the book in a good 12 hours. The story is not told in a chronological order. The book has 32 chapters, which are numbered, an introduction by David Daiches, a biographical note of Ellis and Acton Bell, an editor's preface to the new 1850 edition, some notes and bibliography. Characters. The main characters are Heathcliff and Catherine. Heathcliff is a strongly passionate romantic hero, but he is rather a symbol of terrible primitive energy than a human being. The frustration of his love for Catherine Earnshaw makes him destroy everything he finds in his path, including the woman he loves. Catherine is a daring, independent spirit and has strength of character. In this Heathcliff finds his complement. Time. The told time is shorter than the telling time. The story is not told in a chronological order. Room. The story mainly plays at Wuthering Heights and Thuscross Grange. Where I got my information from. The book 'Wuthering Heights'. The book 'Survey One'. The dictionary. Part 2. Personal perception. I've read this book with great admire for the author. I cannot believe that a person with that little experience can write such a good book. Though she uses a difficult way of expressing herself, she is very clear in her intentions. And when you do not understand the words she writes, you'll understand it when you've read the whole line or page. And when you still don't understand you can always look it up in the dictionary. But that doesn't happen very often, so the book is quite easy to read. Wuthering Heights is Emily's only novel, but her style and backgrounds look a lit like her sister's Jane Eyre. In both books passionate love between two extremely individualistic characters is the theme . You also find in both books the influence of the Gothic novel. And since I've also read Jane Eyre, I can see the same themes and subjects, and that surprised me. But that was also very nice to read. I've always liked reading books with a good story. My favorites are the mysterious ones, with a lot of symbolism, because I use a lot of symbolism in my own poems. Because of that it was also very nice reading Wuthering Heights. Like the two houses, Wuthering Heights and Thuscross Grange represent two ways of life. Wuthering Heights represents the principle of motion, energy and passion. Thuscross Grange represents rest, peace and calm. What I also love about the book is the way Emily Brontë describes the moors. She's making me feel that I almost want to go there and see the moors for myself. I also like the way the supernatural is woven into the very fabric of the story. Emily Brontë created for us a world of spiritual values in which there is no essential difference between the living and the dead. The supernatural is made more than acceptable; it is made inevitable. What I found most confusing though, was that the point of view between the characters was different. First it is the visitor Mr. Lockwood, then it is the housekeeper Nelly Dean. Later on it is by Catherine Linton, through Nelly Dean and Mr. Lockwood. So this is very confusing, but also makes it possible to understand all the angles of the story and the feelings from the characters. So from that point of view the story is made more understandable. I would certainly recommend this book to everybody that I know and don't know. This is certainly a book that everybody should have read seriously.