Wuthering Heights

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Wuthering Heights: Intramural Inequality

Wuthering Heights is one of the most popular Victorian Novels of all time, well known for it’s fiery heroine and twisted love triangle that explore the conflicts between Nature and Society. Set in the moors of Yorkshire, Wuthering Heights follows the lives of several characters, creating a frame story about love, revenge and the faults of social class. Written by Emily Bronte, the novel was inspired by her teenage years on the moors. Born on July 30th, 1818 Bronte spent most of her early life with her three sisters, Wuthering Heights was her first and only novel published in 1847 under the pseudonym “Ellis Bell”. When the true author was revealed, readers refused to believe that a woman could ever write such a passionate and thought provoking novel. Wuthering Heights portrays the wildness of nature and the desolating affect that society has on it, the book brings to light the conflicts of the human condition using characters and their inability to coexist as representation.

Heathcliff a sardonic man is the very depiction of nature. Throughout the novel, Heathcliff defies anything to do with society, this is mentioned in the first chapter, when Mr.Lockwood notices how out of place Heathcliff seems: “But Mr. Heathcliff forms a singular contrast to his abode and style of living. He is a dark-skinned gypsy in aspect, in dress and manners a gentleman, that is, as much a gentleman as many a country squire.” (5) Heathcliff spends a lot of time on the moors, preferring to be outside than in. In the beginning of Heathcliff and Catherine’s story, they both defied society together by constantly being outside together. “They both promised fair to grow up as rude as savages.” (40). In the story...

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.... Because of this, the conflict of nature and society is the very creators of society itself, humans.
Despite it’s slightly unnerving plot line, Wuthering Heights is a story of intrigue and ardor and what happens when you step step over the line between both. It is oddly realistic as it brings focus too many aspects of human thought. Because of it’s wild and relatable storyline, Wuthering Heights has proved to be a spectacularly unique novel on not only the faults of society , but also on the puzzling human mind. Emily Bronte brought to life a world with Wuthering Heights that was so raw and vivid, it became impossible to forget. The conflicts of society and it’s twisted love triangle resulted in a book almost as unpredictable as the moors it was set in.

Works Cited

Bronte, E., Nestor, P., & Miller, L. (2008). Wuthering Heights. London: Penguin Classics; Print

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