Gothic Elements in Wuthering Heights

陳春麗

Abstract：Emily Bronte‵s only work Wuthering Heights receive high evaluation in the world of literature. we can identify many intriguing features of Gothic novel. This paper is devoted to interpreting the Gothic elements in Wuthering Heights ,especially on the aspects in settings ,characters and plot.

Key words：Gothic；Wuthering Heights；Gothic novel

Gothic novel, namely Gothic romance, is a type of popular novel that developed in the late 18th and early 19th century in England. Gothic romances were mysteries, often involving the supernatural and heavily tinged with horror, and they were usually set against dark backgrounds of medieval ruins and haunted castles (http://www.answers.com/topic/gothic-novel). Gothic novel features three main aspects: savagery，as the Goth tribe in medieval time，from whom Gothic novel gets its name; supernaturalism; horror，un-known，and mystery that follow after that. Emily Brontes Wuthering Heights was not accepted when it was first published in 1840 . It is Gothic tradition that explains novels failure at the beginning. But now it is chosen by William Somerset Maugham as one of the ten best fictions in the world and leads an essential position in worlds literature． Gothic elements appear so frequently in Wuthering Heights，and lets see together how the author was influenced and how Gothic elements presented in this novel.

The setting in Wuthering Heights is Gothic, including Earn Shaw s Wuthering Heights，Linton s Thrush cross Grange and the wilderness between them，which changes with seasons．The setting is so separated from the outside world that Lockwood considers this place as “a situation so completely removed from the stir of the society，a perfect misanthropists heaven”．As a typical Gothic building，the name “Wuthering Heights” is horror and trembling. “Wuthering” being a significant provincial adjective ,descriptive of the atmospheric tumult to which its station is exposed in stormy weather. Ghosts haunt around there．Lockwood dreams Catherines ghost when sleeping there，and since Heathcliffs death， the country folks swear that they have met him even within this house．The plant around the two buildings and the wilderness also bring a Gothic atmosphere．“One may guess the power of the north wind” by “stunted firs” and the “gaunt thorns all stretching their limbs one way，as if craving alms of the sun”，even the heather on the hill has a sense of depression．weather serves as an important element in creating the Gothic atmosphere too, especially when something bad happens，such as Lockwoods nightmare，Heathcliffs running away from Wuthering Heights and his death，which is a usual way in Gothic novel to add more horror and mystery to the story.

The characters in Wuthering Heights embody the Gothic aspect, just like Heathcliff and Hindley who are psychologically abnormal，violent ,crazy, brutal，rude，cruel and coarse．Heathcliff revenges in a very excessive way: marry Esabella who he never loves and just tortures; force Catherines daughter to marry his dying son in order to possess Thrush cross Grange; Deprive Wuthering Heights from Hindley． Nelly wonders whether he is “a ghoul，or a vampire”, and witnesses that “he caught her，and they were locked in an embrace from which I thought my mistress would never be released alive”． Hindley is so crazy to throw baby Hareton from upstairs and almost kills his son． Joseph is too stubborn and curses every day，even the dying little Linton，Heathcliffs son，is as indulgent as a tyrant.

The plot in Gothic novel is always full of violence and mystery and horror, which can be found anywhere in Wuthering Heights．For instance，Lockwood dreams that Catherines ghost wants to come into the house，when hes sleeping in Wuthering Heights． I pulled its wrist on to the broken pane，and rubbed it to and fro till the blood ran down and soaked the bed clothes．This is probably the most thrilling and touching scene in this novel．Not only nightmare but also death is often used to describe the mystery and horror．The presence of death is felt intensely in Wuthering Heights． At the end of the story，All people die in Earnshaw and Linton family except little Cathy and Hareton.

The fiction is Full of supernatural phenomenon— ghost．In Lockwood s nightmare，Catherine s child － looking ghost sobs，“Let me in … Its twenty years … Ive been a waif or twenty years! ”And before she dies twenty years ago，she promises to go back to Wuthering Heights，stay with Heathcliff and not to be alone．She makes it — a vivid picture of a little girl who loses her way and his sheep which are frightened by the ghosts of Heathcliff and Catherine.

Above is a Gothic analysis of Wuthering Heights on its settings, characters and plot. By infusing with other literature genres and devices, Emily Bronte empowers Gothic to be more than terrifying; it also helps to reinforce the theme of love and revenge, good and evil.

【References】

[1] Emily Bronte． Wuthering Heights[M]． Foreign Language Teaching ＆ Research Press / Oxford University Press, 1996.

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