Destructive Love in Novel Wuthering Height

"In the novel, Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte, two families, the Lintons and the Earnshaws, are forced together which causes conflict described as destructive love, mostly caused by the raging love Heathcliff has for Catherine throughout the novel. Emily Bronte was born July 30, 1818 in Yorkshire, England she was one of three english sisters. Her and her sisters had books published in the mid-1800’s. She is the daughter of Maria Barnwell and Patrick Bronte. She was a poet and an english novelist, who is best known for her only book published, Wuthering Heights, which is considered now, an English Literature Classic.

Wuthering Heights was first published in London in 1847 by Thomas Newby. Emily used the pen name, Ellis Bell, Emily’s real name did not appear until 1850. Emily grew up in Haworth in the dreary West Riding area of Yorkshire. At home, Emily enjoyed her peaceful life. She broadly read and began to make up stories with her sisters. She had a pretty horrible time at her private christian school. Her father, who let his children read freely and treated them as scholarly equals, provided her education at their home. The early death of their mother and two older sisters brought the remaining children closer than they had ever been. At the age of seventeen, she tried normal schooling and had a complete breakdown after three months had done by. Later in life, coming from an underprivileged family, she began to find a job.

Emily received a position as a teacher at Law Hill School in September of 1837, but she left the following March. Emily Bronte and her sister, Charlotte, traveled to Brussels to study. The death of their aunt caused them to come back home. Emily soon realized that what she had been writing were poems. Emily and her sisters put the poems that they wrote under fake names that were published in 1846. None of these poems attracted any attention. Then the sisters decided to begin writing novels. Emily submitted a well known novel, Wuthering Heights. Some of Emily’s earliest known works include a fictional world called Gondal which was imagined by her and her sister, Anne. Emily wrote many poems about this imaginary place. Her sister found some of Emily’s poems, published some of them and a few of her own works as well. At first, Wuthering Heights was not selling very well. People were saying it was too “inappropriate.” Now, it is an English Literature Classic. Emily Bronte passed away of tuberculosis on December 19, 1848. Wuthering Heights is the only book Emily Bronte actually published. The book shocked everyone and was poorly sold until after her death.

Wuthering Heights was published in 1947. This novel explores in the winter of 1801 which two families, the Lintons and the Earnshaws, across two generations and their homes, Thrushcross Grange and Wuthering Heights. Although there are many characters described in this novel, Wuthering Heights, these characters are the few who take an important role in the story. Nelly Dean, the housekeeper for the Lintons and the Earnshaws. Nelly grew up with most of the kids. Hindley Earnshaw, hardcore drinker and gambler. He is the son of Mr. Earnshaw and the brother of Catherine. Hindley soon inherits Wuthering Heights. Catherine Earnshaw Linton is the daughter of Mr. Earnshaw, and the sister of Hindley. She has dark curly hair and beautiful eyes. Heathcliff is the foster brother of Hindley and Catherine, he is also not only the hero, but also the villain of the novel. Catherine “Cathy” Linton Heathcliff Earnshaw is the daughter of Edgar and Catherine. She is the wife of Linton Heathcliff and Hareton Earnshaw. There are many minor characters who take a small role in the novel but these few characters are the main ones portrayed in the novel. Here, a man by the name Lockwood meets his stern landlord Heathcliff, a wealthy man who lives in Wuthering Heights. In this stormy countryside, Lockwood asks Nelly Dean, his maid, to tell him the story of Heathcliff and the mysterious people of Wuthering Heights. Nelly tells the story, and Lockwood writes down notes of her tale in his diary. Nelly’s story begins as Lockwood listens greatly. Heathcliff was brought to Wuthering Heights by Mr. Earnshaw. He is romantic, jealous, arrogant, and even intelligent. Heathcliff has fallen deeply in love with a woman by the name Catherine. Heathcliff's love for Catherine causes many problems with every character throughout the novel. Linton is Heathcliff’s blood related son, but Heathcliff does not treat him in that way.

Symbolism is the use of symbols to represent ideas or qualities. Most symbols take a part in major parts of novels. In the novel, Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte, there are many forms of symbolism that Emily Bronte uses. One in particular is weather. Weather can be calm or violent just like people and especially peoples thoughts or actions. In this case, violent storms take place in the novel. In the novel, hectic events are described by storms and help to symbolize the characters enraged emotions. The first major storm of the novel is when Lockwood visits Wuthering Heights during a blizzard. Lockwood gets stuck there where he comes across the “ghost of Catherine”. This scary moment is symbolized by a strong storm. Also, as Nelly tells Lockwood the story of how Heathcliff came to Wuthering Heights, she describes a storm on the night that Heathcliff's father died. ''A high wind blustered round the house, and roared in the chimney it sounded wild and stormy, yet it was not cold, and we were all together…” Symbolism helps the reader to better understand how serious these moments or actions are in the novel. The storms symbolize most of the major events in the story. She uses the storms to catch the reader's attention throughout the book.

Destructive love takes place in the novel between Heathcliff and Catherine. Heathcliff is in a deep, passionate love with Catherine. Heathcliff’s raging, fiery love, it causes many difficult problems. This love drove people away and created hatred between others, mostly family. Heathcliff never gives up, no matter how much damage his persistence has caused. His persistence even caused Hindley, who is Catherine's brother, to hatred towards Heathcliff, and even caused him to go away for schooling. The reason for this being that Hindley’s father had more love for and favored Heathcliff more than his own son, Hindley. Although Hindley was not a good person, because of his cruelty, he became the master of Wuthering Heights soon after his father passed away.

The center of attention in Wuthering Heights is the passion that Heathcliff and Catherine share. It is the strongest and most lasting emotion shown in the novel. It is also the source of major conflicts in the novel. In Wuthering Heights, Nelly criticizes Heathcliff and Catherine, describing their passion as “immoral,” although it is the most memorable aspect of this novel. The book is structured around two coextensive love stories. The first, and most dramatic love story, is shared between Heathcliff and Catherine. The second love story is shared between Catherine and Hareton. The second story between Catherine and Hareton, ends happily and restores peace and tranquility to Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange. Heathcliff, unexpectedly, falls madly in love with Catherine. Heathcliff and Catherine share the most romantic love story of all time, yet they do not even end up getting married and rarely show physical affection towards one another. Heathcliff plays a great part in the theme, Destructiveness of Love, or Destructive Love.

At first, Catherine despised Heathcliff but soon became to adore him in all of his ways. Hindley, however, hated Heathcliff from the beginning and never accepted him into the family. On the other hand, Earnshaw is very fond of Heathcliff and makes sure to treat the boy with kindness. It becomes obvious that Hindley and Heathcliff will never learn to get along. Later on, Earnshaw sends Hindley away to school. Earnshaw treated Heathcliff as if he were his own and favored him over Hindley. This angered Hindley even more than before. He considered Heathcliff a member of their family. When Earnshaw died, things changed. Hindley returns to Wuthering Heights with his new wife and proceeds to make Heathcliff’s life unbearable. He mistreats Heathcliff and makes him a servant. Heathcliff vows to seek revenge one day. Towards the end of the novel, Catherine inherited something from Hindley which cause Heathcliff to steam up and get into an argument with Catherine. After this argument, Heathcliff requests to be left alone. At this point he did not eat very much. He became more solitary as time went by because he was so upset with Catherine. As time passes, Heathcliff unintentionally kills himself by not eating. Catherine ends up marrying Hareton which makes peace between Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange.

Destructive love can be a dangerous thing. The love one has for another can completely rip a family into pieces just like it is portrayed in this novel. The marriage of Catherine and Hareton made a peaceful ending. Catherine and Hareton made peace in Wuthering heights and Thrushcross Grange. Regardless how much effort Heathcliff put in to be with Catherine, the community would never be the same. There would still be hatred toward each other, unlike how Emily wrote the ending, peaceful and tranquility towards Wuthering Heights."

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