NAME: Sophia Clemmensen Period: 6
MAJOR WORKS DATA SHEET
Title: Withering Heights
Author: Emily Brontë
Date of Publication: 1847
Genre: Fiction
Biographical Information about the Author
Who is the author? Include the author’s birth/death (if applicable) dates, educational background, occupation, awards, etc. What are the author’s qualifications for writing on the subject? Is the author an authority in the subject area? How does the author present the subject and his/her expertise?
Emily Brontë was born July 30, 1818 in Thornton, Yorkshire, England. Her and her four siblings were educated at home for their life except for one year when they attended Clergy Daughters' School at Roe Head. Emily was a teacher for six months at Miss Patchett's Law school at Law Hill, but she grew tired of this job and quit. Her and her sister Charlotte wrote books together full of poems. When writing she went under the name Ellis Bell. Wuthering Heights was her first and only published novel. Emily died a year after the book was published in 1848 because of tuberculosis. There is now a museum dedicated to the Brontë sisters.
Historical Information about the period of publication
The book was published in 1847, but takes place between the late 1770’s and 1801. The book and the time of publication have no relation to each other, however here are a few events that happened during the period of publication.
• The U.S. Post Office issues the first postage stamp.
• Jane Eyre was published.
• The first telegraph company was established.
• The donut was created.
• The first theater was opened in Hawaii
Plot Summary
Identify the major plot elements (introduction, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution).
In the winter of 1801 a man named Lockwood rents a home to him. His landlord, Heathcliff who lives in the Wuthering Heights estate is very bitter and rude. When Lockwood is staying in the Wuthering Heights home he finds Catherine Earnshaw’s diary, which explains the past of Heathcliff and the owner of the diary. Nelly who is Lockwood’s housekeeper grew up with Heathcliff, which causes Lockwood to explain the tale of his landlord and the lady named Catherine. A story is told about when Heathcliff was first brought in by Mr. Earnshaw. Hindley, Mr. Earnshaw’s son, hated Heathcliff with all of his might because he had to compete for attention from his father. Catherine the daughter of Mr. Earnshaw had adored Heathcliff and they became friends, but their friendship had turned into something more. A small accident, which led to Catherine not being able to live at home for five weeks, caused her to start to “fall” for Edgar Linton. Catherine is in love with Heathcliff, but she accepted Edgar’s proposal because she wanted social advancement. Her engagement caused Heathcliff to become very upset, which led him to leave the manor. He returns a few years later very bitter and angry wanting justice and revenge. Heathcliff inherits the estate, but Catherine dies. Heathcliff is completely heartbroken. Heathcliff starts caring for his own son, Linton. Cathy, Catherine’s daughter, falls in love with Linton right after she meets him, so Heathcliff forces Nelly and Cathy to stay at the Wuthering Heights estate because he wanted Cathy and Linton to get married. Linton soon dies after and Cathy remains at the estate as a servant. Lockwood then enters the story, which is when Nelly’s story ends. Heathcliff and Catherine are reunited when he dies.
Quotations – Your choices should be SIGNIFICANT and REPRESENTATIVE of the book and your explanation should include discussion of this significance. Include literary devices and explanations. Use page #s.
Memorable Quotes
5-10 Important Quotes Identify the speaker of the quote and explain the quote’s significance
“I have not broken your heart – you have broken it: and in breaking it, you have broken mine.” P158
“It was not the thorn bending to the honey suckles, but the honeysuckles embracing the thorn” p. 102
“It would degrade me to marry Heathcliff now: so he shall never know how I love him: and that, not because he’s handsome, Nelly, but because he’s more myself than I am. Whatever our souls are made of his and mine are the same: and Linton’s is as different as a moonbeam from lightning, or frost from fire” p. 80
“He leant his two elbows on his knees, and his chin on his hands and remained rapt in dumb mediation. On my inquiring the subject of his thoughts, he answered gravely ‘I’m trying to settle how I shall pay Hindley back. I don’t care how long I wait, if I can only do it at last. I hope he will not die before I do.” P. 59
“Catherine Earnshaw, may you not rest as long as I am living. You said I killed you- haunt me then. The murdered so haunt their murderers…. Only do not leave me in this abyss, where I cannot find you! Oh, God! It is unutterable! I cannot live without my life! I cannot live without my soul!” p. 165
Heathcliff is explaining to Catherine that she has no one to blame but herself for her actions of marrying Edgar.
Catherine is using a metaphor to compare her personality to the thorns and Edgar to the honeysuckles. The Linton’s did not make her adapt to how they lived they embraced her.
Catherine is confessing to Nelly that she does love Heathcliff with all her might, but she still accepted Edgar’s proposal because she believed it would not affect Heathcliff and Catherine’s relationship. Heathcliff overhears Catherine’s explaining this, which causes him to become heartbroken and leave the estate.
This is when Heathcliff states that he will have his revenge on Hindley for being a horrible person towards him. This quote settles the plot for the rest of the novel because it shows what is to come and adding mystery to the novel.
Heathcliff is expressing his feelings to Catherine’s corpse. Heathcliff is claiming himself to be Catherine’s murderer, which will help him be connected to her even in the afterlife. He cannot believe that she is dead. HE feels that part of his soul is gone. This shows his romantic, loving side instead of the bitter and angry one in the novel.
Major Characters
Name Role in the Story Character’s significance to the plot or theme
Catherine Earnshaw
Heathcliff
Edgar Linton
Cathy Linton
Linton Heathcliff
Hindley Earnshaw
Mr. Earnshaw
Isabella
Nelly
Lockwood
Cathy’s mother, Edgar’s wife, and Heathcliff’s “true love”
Taken in by Mr. Earnshaw. He is in love with Catherine but married to Isabella. Isabella and Him are the parents of Linton Heathcliff.
The husband of Catherine, the father of Cathy, and the brother of Isabella.
The daughter of Catherine and Edgar.
The son of Isabella and Heathcliff.
Catherine’s brother
The father of Catherine.
Edgars sister, Heathcliff’s wife, and Linton’s mother
The main narrator for about half of the novel. She was Catherine’s servant.
The second main narrator, who is a tenant at the Thrushcross Grange.
Catherine is one of the most important characters in the entire book. She is the primary instigator of Heathcliff’s revenge and torment.
Heathcliff is the main character of the book. Causes most of the conflict in the entire story because of the betrayal from Catherine and his need for revenge and justice.
One of the people that causes Heathcliff to become a horrible person as Heathcliff feels abandoned and threatened with him because Edgar “took his love of his life, Catherine.”
Cathy is basically a reflection of Catherine, her mother.
His character shows how horrible of a person his father is.
The way he acts and treated Heathcliff developed Heathcliff’s character.
He was the only person that actually truly cared for Heathcliff, excluding Catherine. The loss of Mr. Earnshaw helped the true colors of his children and Heathcliff to come out.
Falls for Heathcliff, which results in her becoming a victim of Heathcliff’s justice. She also suffers horribly for Linton
She is more of a reliable narrator because of how caring and frank she is. However, her kindness causes her to be more biased as she truly cared for Catherine.
Lockwood is the cause for the entire story about Heathcliff to be explained by Nelly. He also tells and experiences the story when Nelly catches up to the present.
Style and Language
Discuss the author’s style and use of language. Include the following: Is there clarity to the style of writing? Is the material fairly easy to follow and understand? Identify literary devices the author uses to convey mood, tone, and meaning (metaphor, simile, personification, repetition, allegory, allusion, imagery, etc.)
Give an example that demonstrates this style, and explain how it does so – cite w/page #.
Emily develops the story through dialogue. The book has a gothic style to it. The book is not very clear and is a bit confusing but the author does do a great job explaining the characters and explaining events/action with great detail. The descriptions sometimes leave the reader to great understanding and sometimes leave the reader very confused with many questions. Emily’s writing flows very nicely and helps the reader understand what is going on some of the time.
The two, to a cool spectator, made a strange and fearful picture. Well might Catherine deem that heaven would be a land of exile to her, unless with her mortal body she cast away her mortal character also. Her present countenance had a wild vindictiveness in its white cheek, and a bloodless lip and scintillating eye; and she retained in her closed fingers a portion of the locks she had been grasping. As to her companion, while raising himself with one hand, he had taken her arm with the other; and so inadequate was his stock of gentleness to the requirements of her condition, that on his letting go I saw four distinct impressions left blue in the colorless skin.” P. 157
Setting
Describe the setting(s) and the mood the setting(s) create Describe the significance of the OPENING scenes from the text.
Wuthering Heights: Most of the story takes place in the Wuthering Heights estate. The manor is the complete opposite of Thrushcross Grange. The place has so much passion and strength for many reasons. Catherine’s brother Hindley represents why the estate is so strong, gloomy, and passionate. Wuthering Heights enhances how bitter the characters are but it also enhances how much love the characters have for each other. Everything at the Wuthering Heights estate is always described as being uncomfortable and challenging.
Thrushcross Grange: The complete opposite of the Wuthering Heights estate. This house is an example of what people believed houses in this society were like. The entire estate is explained to have a snobbish feeling about it. The Lintons and Catherine all lived here and were expected to be very proper and have class. Everything is not challenging or uncomfortable, it is descried as safe and easy.
The first opening scene shows how rude and cruel Heathcliff actually is. It shows his true character and it makes the readers wonder why Heathcliff is such an awful person.
Describe the significance of the CLOSING scenes from the text.
The closing scene is completely different from the rest of the book. It is peaceful and happy while the rest of the book is miserable and sad. It is significant because it shows that the positive qualities of the parents live in children. The book has a lot of negative characteristics in it, but the end shows that life can be positive and there is happiness.
Themes – Purpose
Explain the author’s purpose in telling this story. Why is he/she telling it? Is there some greater motive? What is it? Additionally, what are you supposed to get out of this work? What are the overall themes developed in this work? (Use quotations to support your themes. Themes should be written as “messages” in sentence form).
Themes Explain how this theme ties to the book
Love
Class
Revenge
Love is a big part of the story and it applies to almost all of the characters, minor or major. The relationships ruin people’s lives, but it also creates most of the problems in the entire novel. The book is a story of love, which concludes as to why it is such a prominent theme. The entire book is centered on Heathcliff and Catherine’s love for each other. Love is a big part of the plot between every character. It is not completely obvious if the author wants the readers to see them as responsible or romantic heroes. “It would degrade me to marry Heathcliff now: so he shall never know how I love him: and that, not because he’s handsome, Nelly, but because he’s more myself than I am.” P. 80 This quote expresses how much Catherine loved Heathcliff.
This is a theme because it controls many of the actions in the story. The Linton’s were a very snobbish upper-class family, while the Earnshaw’s where middle class. Catherine marries Edgar instead of Heathcliff to show that she has class to the civilians around her. This shows that class has a larger role than marrying someone for love. “Linton’s is as different as a moonbeam from lightning, or frost from fire” p. 80 This quote is from the speech Catherine gave to Nelly to explain why se was not going to marry Heathcliff just because she loved him.
Revenge is a ginormous part of the book. Most of the story revolves of not letting go and not forgetting. Everything that has happened is because of something that happened in the past. Most of the reason that Heathcliff came back is to get revenge on Hindley and on Catherine for breaking his heart. “He leant his two elbows on his knees, and his chin on his hands and remained rapt in dumb mediation. On my inquiring the subject of his thoughts, he answered gravely ‘I’m trying to settle how I shall pay Hindley back. I don’t care how long I wait, if I can only do it at last. I hope he will not die before I do.” P. 59 This quote is when Heathcliff expresses that he is going to have revenge on Hindley.
Possible Topics/Questions for Discussion (create at least 5):
• Emily Brontë makes the story very complicated by making the names very similar. The two Catherines, The Lintons and Linton Heathcliff, the Earnshaws and the Heathcliffs. Why do you think that the author made all of the characters very similar?
• Both Lockwood and Nelly are biased narrators. Do you think their sides of the stories are actually what happened or what they both wanted to see?
• Catherine was in love with both Edgar and Heathcliff. Do you think she should of married Heathcliff or do you think her marrying Edgar was a good idea?
• Heathcliff turns out to be a horrible and hated person. Do you think his life before being taken in by Mr. Earnshaw also explains why Heathcliff is so horrible?
• Hindley had a very strong hatred toward Heathcliff and Catherine adored him. If the roles were switched and Hindley loved Heathcliff and Catherine hated him, then how do you think Heathcliff’s character would of turned out