Who Is Martha Nussbaum The Romantic Ascent

Martha Nussbaum introduces her essay “The Romantic Ascent” by reminding the reader of the first hint of romance in the book, Lockwood’s crush on Cathy, with the claim that “the entire story is made possible because Lockwood is afraid and ashamed of love” (398). This statement contains multiple faults. To start, it is a logical fallacy that oversimplifies the entire plot of Wuthering Heights. It explains the book by relying on one causal factor that is insufficient to account for the occurring of the entire and overemphasizes the role of that factor.

Another fault is mechanical. It is wrong to say that “the entire story” is made possible due to Lockwood’s shame for it ignores the fact that an entire story was developed before Lockwood was placed

To begin, we have to acknowledge the setting of the scene prior to Lockwood’s arrival. Over about almost two decades of time, Heathcliff had exhausted his resources and spent extensive time attempting to take a stab at the two families who had caused his downfall, the Linton and Earnshaw family, by seizing their land and power. He had specifically hooked up Linton with Catherine, rather than Hindley, because he knew that Linton’s death was approaching, and when he was to die, he would become the sole heir of Thrushcross Grange through his daughter-in-law, Catherine. This was strategically done and well thought out. Heathcliff ushered Linton to connect himself with Catherine when he had heard word of Edgar Linton’s illness and slowly deteriorating health and he utilized every chance to fondle a relationship between the two youths, revealing his thirst for power. For example― Heathcliff takes advantage of Catherine’s ever growing curiosity and forces her to meet Linton. One day, Catherine ventured further than she normally did during her daily hikes with Nelly and Heathcliff spotted her before Nelly manages to drag her away from the site. When Nelly attempts to redirect Catherine’s attention to going home, Heathcliff “pushes [her] aside,” “states that he “wants her to see Linton,” and “beckons them up the

Firstly, such a scenario cannot exist. Actual love does not involve tormenting in any shape, size, or dimension. Love doesn’t involve dark or hateful sentiments. So it is wrong to say that Heathcliff is acting out of love. While his relationship with Cathy is valid, what is between them can’t be described as love. If love were to exist between them, Heathcliff wouldn’t have spent many years of his life working to destroy the environment she lived in. He was aware of the consequences, becoming owner of Thrushcross Grange and Wuthering Heights would do nothing to better his situation. No matter how much land he acquired, Cathy was not his woman, she was Edgar’s. If “love” existed between the two, he would’ve been considerate of Cathy’s feelings and allowed her to enjoy the life she was cast in. Not only does this statement promote an unhealthy form of love, but to say that he was taking stabs at the Earnshaw family by gambling Hindley out of his property out of his love for Cathy misses the plot of the book completely. When one does something for someone else out of love, in the outcome, that someone else reaps a benefit out of that something. Cathy is reaping no benefits from Heathcliff’s acts… because they are not made for her and they are not out of love. They are for Heathcliff and his ego alone. They are built upon hate and