Wuthering Heights is Emily Bronte's first and last novel. It is an extraordinary book, related in no way to the fiction of the time, which is not surprising having in mind the life that its author led. Emily was one of Rev. Patrick Bronte's six children, all of which, together with their mother died of consumption. They were a tightly knit family, they kept mostly to themselves, however, records show that all of them except for Emily were sociable. Emily was a shy and eccentric virile, who led a retiring humdrum life, and knew little of the people and the world. Therefore, many have thought it impossible for her to have written such a passionate and powerful book. However, these doubts are groundless since Wuthering Heights depict no actual experience of the world. It is a product of the workings of a wildly romantic mind. Its flig ...view middle of the document...
For example, the younger Catherine is an unsatisfactory character in comparison with her mother. She is silly, willful, ill-mannered, and one cannot greatly pity her sufferings. Young Hareton is a shadowy figure and we don't know much about him apart from the fact that he's sullen and handsome.On the other hand, given the fact that Wuthering Heights was her first novel, it is unusual that it wasn't told in first person singular as it is usual with most beginners and that the author seemingly didn't write about herself. The story is told from the viewpoint of Mrs. Dean, a Yorkshire maid, and her listener, a newcomer to the neighborhood, Mr. Lockwood. Mrs. Dean is an appallingly unconvincing character. Emily makes her speak as no one would. She doesn't send a letter but a missive. She doesn't leave a room, she quits a chamber. She dubs her day's work her diurnal occupation. People don't shout, they vociferate etc. However, she is a useful instrument of drawing a circle around the story: she was there at the beginning and saw it through to the end. Moreover, Nelly Dean isn't just a narrator. She also makes comments on the main characters' behavior thus functioning as the voice of common sanity. Lockwood, a gentleman from the city, represents the public and its sensationalist perception of the story.On the face of it the story may seem as a romantic history of a thwarted love, hellish hatred and revenge. The protagonists are poignant and incredible to the point where one has to ask oneself from where they emerged. It is a fact well known that writers build their characters on real life characters, taking as lmuch as they need and building up the rest. Some of Heathcliff's character traits could be traced back to Emily's father, an ill-mannered and difficult man. However, considering the fact that Emily herself was verging on homosexuality it is possible that she gave Heathcliff a bit of her fierce, sadistic, ruthless nature.
