I so far have found Wuthering Heights to be a very hard book for me to delve into, I this is happening because of the time in which it was written. It was first published in 1847 making it one of the oldest books I have ever read. I can admit that I tend to struggle with books that are pre-twentieth century. I have a hard time relating to the characters and the way of life that they live.
I find Heathcliff to be heartless and cold. I also find him to be very dry. I find this happens a lot for me in books that are from before the twentieth century, and I am trying really hard to break free from this preconceived notion that I have imbedded in my brain. I know that I should have some sympathy for Heathcliff, but I find it so hard because his character is just so unappealing to me. As for his relationship or I should say the lack there of with Catherine. I have a feeling that this drags on throughout the whole book as this is the main story line.
Heathcliff appears to me as a person who just cannot pull the trigger, his passion for Catherine is what is holding him back it seemed to me like he just lived for mediocrity because he could not have Catherine. This does make in essence a Byronic Hero, which can be defined as, an idealized, but flawed character. The reader may look up to Heathcliff and build him up for the things he has been through in life, but he still has been given everything he has and has not had to earn things on his own. He also has this persona of being an outcast. The reader can, however, keep finding ways to accept Heathcliff for something that he is not. The reader as I did may keep coming back looking for a way to see Heathcliff for other that he is on paper, that being a man out to make others feel bad. Heathcliff just is not a very good person based of the notion of what it takes to have good character.
I found Catherine as a push-over, and did not understand what if anything she saw in Heathcliff. When Edgar asked her to marry him, she told him yes and then second guessing herself after pledging herself to him. “ ‘ If you talk so, I won’t tell you anymore,’ she returned, peevishly, rising to her feet . ‘ I accepted him, Nelly. Be quick, and sat whether I was wrong!” (72). Why is she second guessing herself? Why does it have to portray the woman as weak? Why does it have to give Heathcliff power even if he does not know that he has it? It goes on to show Catherine as more that weak, but also vain. She says she loves Edgar because he is handsome, and rich. Nelly goes on to tell her that being handsome and rich will not last forever. I just hate the way Catherine’s character is put out for the reader, but again that has to do with the time frame in which it was written.
I think you give a great assessment of Catherine and actions in the novel. I’m not quite sure if it has to do with the time in which Wuthering Heights was written, or if Catherine is just that complex of a character -- I’m guessing it’s probably a little bit of both. Obviously she is superficial in her assessments of Heathcliff and Edgar, and shallow when it comes to love in general. As far as the time period goes, she certainly would have been pushed towards Edgar, but I think that she is more intelligent than is portrayed. Ellen states that “she’s a sly one” (123), indicating that while Catherine may seem fragile and without power, she knows exactly what she is doing. Throughout the novel, it seems as if Catherine is playing Edgar and Heathcliff against each other, as she obviously knows their disdain for each other.
ReplyDeleteI also agree with you that Heathcliff is a Byronic hero, as his tragic flaw is that he needs Catherine. Every action after his return is a reaction to Catherine and the choice she made, choosing Edgar over him. Heathcliff cannot live with or without Catherine, and what seems to irk him most is that Catherine does not feel sorry for him. He obviously has an ulterior motive when he marries Isabella, and the fact that Catherine is not jealous or angry about the situation seems to anger him most. Even if Heathcliff gets his revenge, it means nothing as long as he does not have Catherine.
I also agree with you when it comes to reading the text because of the way they lived back then during the nineteenth century in England. Yet I end up really liking the beginning part of the book. I really enjoyed how you talked about Healthcliff coming off as a dry person. I agree with that because he is very 'self-centered' yet he loves Catherine very deeply. I like how you said 'Heathcliff appears to me as a person who just cannot pull the trigger, his passion for Catherine...' because it gives off the sense that he isn't as heartless and cold as most people would think. He actually does have a heart.
ReplyDeleteI am in the same boat with you. I could not understand the language and it was also really hard for me to get into it based on the fact of when it was written. I also agree with the fact that it is hard for me to relate to the characters because of the time. I also agree with you when you say, “Heathcliff appears to me as a person who just cannot pull the trigger, his passion for Catherine is what is holding him back it seemed to me like he just lived for mediocrity because he could not have Catherine… Heathcliff just is not a very good person based of the notion of what it takes to have good character.” Throughout the first part of the novel it made me sick how selfish and inconsiderate both Catherine and Heathcliff are. I think that because he knew he could not have Catherine he wanted to make her and everyone else miserable. And to succeed in that he married Isabella which he knew Catherine and Edgar would hate. When you say that Catherine is a push-over I would have to agree yet disagree. I agree that he only reason she married Edgar was for money, but if she really was a push-over Heathcliff would have been able to say that he was better for her and she would believe him and go with him over Edgar. Also, when Catherine asked Nelly if she should marry Edgar, Nelly said no, but did Catherine listen? No because she aleady made up her mind.
ReplyDeleteI don't think it matters what time period it was written in. People go through the same struggles back then as we go through now. Maybe it's just because I've read it before but I didn't find it hard at all to read. The dialogue seemed authentic to the time and the types of people that were speaking.
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