Guided Questions for Chapters I-IX
Why did Charlotte Bronte feel the need to write a second preface? On what grounds had reviewers criticized Emily’s work? (anonymous, unfeminine, immoral)
What explanations of her sister’s life are needed? (explanation of her solitary, unsophisticated existence) What had been reviewers' responses to the sisters' efforts?
In her earlier preface, what does Charlotte Bronte seem to believe about her sister's character? (fiercely independent, high-minded) Her book? (a work of inspired, irresistible genius)
What features does she feel the need to explain, and on what grounds? (character of Heathcliff)
What features of the novel does she admire? Would Emily have agreed with her characterizations of Nelly Dean and Heathcliff?
What may have prompted Emily Brontë to choose Mr. Lockwood as her first narrator? How is his temperament suited to inspire the reader's trust? What do we learn of his tastes and thoughts? His past behavior? (forms a contrast with the unconventional and malicious inhabitants of Wuthering Heights; like the reader, he views them from the outside)
Do any of the novel’s names carry associations?--e. g., Heathcliff or Wuthering Heights? Is it significant that the former bears no “Christian” name? What do you make of such names as Joseph and Zillow?
How does the isolation and location of the novel's northern Yorkshire setting influence the tone and events of the story? Are there symbolic elements to the descriptions of the houses and their landscapes? (e. g., guns)
What are some striking features of Lockwood's first encounter with the Heathcliff/Wuthering Heights family? Who is living there, and what forms of rudeness does each display? What unusual forms of behavior does he witness? Do they seem attached to one another?
What are advantages to the choice of Nelly Dean as the narrator of much of the family’s background? What are some of the ways in which she herself has been a participant in the tale?
To what extent is Nelly Dean a reliable narrator? A believable narrator? How does she judge some of her own past actions? At this early point in the tale, which behaviors of her employers does she favor? Does she seem fair-minded? Conventionally-minded?
What sequence of events causes Lockwood to be placed in Catherine Earnshaw Linton’s bedchamber? What are some important elements of the scene in the old bedchamber--for example, what seems the significance of the names scrawled on the windowpane? The dream in which Lockwood shatters the windowpane?
In what form does Catherine's voice enter the story? (enters through her diary--a story within a story within a story, and thus deeply true at a psychological level) What incidents and thoughts does the child-Catherine describe?
What seems the significance of the repeated forms of violence manifested by the characters?
What are some unusual structural features of the novel--its frames, multiple narrators, time gaps, and dreams? In these regards, does it remind you of other novels you have read?
Under what circumstances does Lockwood first notice that Heathcliff has shed a tear? Is this surprising, given his earlier behavior? What may have caused his pain?
How does the novel present religion? (chiefly used for purposes of repression and judgment; many references to the devil and witchcraft suggest evil rather than benign forces)
What purpose is served by the character of Joseph? What is significant about his social class and language? (speaks in Yorkshire dialect; in life the middle-class characters would also have had a regionally-inflected speech, if not as extreme a one, but their speech has been normalized, as was the custom.
What do Cathy and Hindley each desire that their father bring them from town? Are these choices symbolic? (a whip, a violin)
Why do you think Mr. Earnshaw brought home Heathcliff to his family? What does the novel indicate about Heathcliff's origins? (an orphan found in streets of Liverpool)
Do you think his account is credible? What alternate explanations could be suggested? Could Heathcliff could be an illegitimate child?
How do the other family members respond to him? (Hindley marginalizes him; Nelly mistreats him) How can you explain the negative reactions of others to him?
What do you make of the fact that he is often referred to as a "gypsy," and described as dark? Why isn’t he given a second name?
How does Nelly characterize Heathcliff’s life? (a “cuckoo’s story,” 37) What does this mean?
How does Nelly later explain her behavior to Heathcliff? Does she later change? Does she feel regret at her previous behavior?
What do we learn about Catherine’s childhood? How does she behave toward others? Who becomes her chief companion, and what do you think prompts this?
What events follow Mrs. Earnshaw’s death? (her husband dies soon after) How does the family’s life change after Mr. Earnshaw’s death soon afterwards? (Hindley marries a woman described as frail and frivolous)
How does the new Mrs. Earnshaw (Hindley’s wife) behave toward Heathcliff, and with what consequences? (deprived of education, forced to be a menial)
Under what circumstances does Catherine first visit Thrushcross Grange? Why isn’t Heathcliff permitted to enter with her? How do the Linton and Earnshaw young people respond to one another during their first visit?
What incident confirms the hostility between Heathcliff and Edgar? Who is more responsible? (Edgar first insults him; Heathcliff is first to be violent)
What does Heathcliff confide in Nelly that he regrets? What factors have caused Heathcliff's degredation? Does the novel imply that these could have been remedied? When he complains to Nelly, does she give him good advice?
Why do you think the author presents Lockwood’s praise of Nelly’s reading habits? (confirms her intelligence and reliability as narrator; literacy a class marker)
What fate is suffered by Frances Earnshaw? (dies in childbirth, giving birth to Hareton) Does this event seem consistent with other events in the novel? (outsiders don’t seem to thrive at Wuthering Heights) Do women seem to flourish in its atmosphere?
What are some consequences of her death? (Hindley degenerates into alcoholism and violence) How does Catherine behave during a visit from Edgar? (pinches Nelly, strikes Edgar) What do you make of these responses?
How does Edgar react? (forgives her) Are these events symbolic? (union begins with violence) Does the reader expect that this will be a happy union?
How does Hindley behave to his son Hareton? Had his father behaved in this way toward him? (no)
What sequence of events causes Heathcliff to leave Wuthering Heights? (Catherine’s lack of regard; he overhears her statement that to marry him would degrade her) What natural event occurs on his departure? (fall of a great tree)
What are Heathcliff's feelings toward Catherine, and to what extent are they reciprocated?
What does Catherine tell Nelly are her reactions to the thought of marriage to Edgar? Why does she intend to accept his proposal? Does she intend to separate from Heathcliff after her marriage? (assumes he will not leave her or marry) Does this seem realistic?
How does Nelly respond to Catherine’s confession? (impatient)
According to her speech to Nelly, what are her emotions toward Heathcliff? (“I am Heathcliff”) How would you interpret her speech in Freudian terms--does she feel love? Sisterhood? Possessiveness? Obsession?
How does Catherine respond to the news of Heathcliff’s departure? (falls sick) What sad event occurs when Catherine is taken to Thrushcross Grange to recuperate? (Mrs. Linton catches sick and dies) Does this outcome seem symbolic?
How does the novel treat themes of parenting and motherhood? (mothers seem weak and absent, fathers arbitrary and violent) Are there good parents in the novel? Which characters suffer from childhood neglect? What consequences follow harsh and arbitrary child-rearing practices?
Mr. Lockwood arrives at Wuthering Heights and isn’t welcomed nicely by Mr. Heathcliff, the landowner, and the family. “He evidently wished no repetition of my intrusion...I dine between twelve and one o’clock… my request that I might be served at five” (5). I find it very interesting that he spent a good time with Heathcliff talking about a variety of topics that he wasn’t welcomed as a true guest. “My name is Hareton Earnshaw;’ growled the other; ‘and I’d counsel you to respect it” (9). “No, no. A stranger is a stranger, be he rich or poor - it will not suit me to permit any one the range of the place while I am off guard!” (11). This from Heathcliff is very interesting as he is allowing Lockwood to stay in his house only if he sleeps with Hareton or Joesph showing that Heathcliff doesn’t seem to trust Lockwood even after they have spent all of this time together, getting to know one another. “You may come and wish Miss Catherine welcome, like the other servants” (38). Catherine says that he is dirty in comparison with the Linton children, the ones she has grown accustomed to. Shortly after this, there is a little fight between Edgar and Heathcliff, making Catherine unhappy with Hindley’s treatment of Heathcliff. “My love for Linton is like the foliage in the woods: time will change it, I’m well aware, as winter changes the trees. My love for Heathcliff resembles the eternal rocks beneath: a source of little visible delight, but necessary. Nelly, I am Heathcliff! He’s always, always in my mind: not as a pleasure, any more than I am always a pleasure to myself, but as my own being. So don’t talk of our separation again: it is impracticable; and—’ (60). Catherine decides to marry Edgar Linton as Heathcliff is leaving Wuthering Heights. At this point she is talking to Nelly about the conflicts between her love for Heathcliff and Edgar, saying Edgar is handsome, rich, and graceful, and saying Heathcliff shares the same soul like her.
ReplyDeleteTo understand how Heathcliff and the others living at Wuthering Heights, you have the understand Wuthering Heights as a place. Emily Bronte paints this image for the reader about how Wuthering Heights is extravagant. “One end, indeed, reflected splendidly both light and heat from ranks of immense pewter dishes, interspersed with silver jugs and tankards, towering row after row, on a vast oak dresser, to the very roof. The latter had never been under-drawn: its entire anatomy lay bare to an inquiring eye, except where a frame of wood laden with oatcakes and clusters of legs of beef, mutton, and ham, concealed it. Above the chimney were sundry villainous old guns, and a couple of horse-pistols: and, by way of ornament, three gaudily-painted canisters disposed along its ledge. The floor was of smooth, white stone; the chairs, high-backed, primitive structures, painted green: one or two heavy black ones lurking in the shade. In an arch under the dresser reposed a huge, liver-coloured bitch pointer, surrounded by a swarm of squealing puppies; and other dogs haunted other recesses” (2). Everything from the kitchen to the floor was furnished with high quality materials, you could tell that this is a family with serious wealth. The first time Mr. Lockwood visits Wuthering Heights, he is greeted by Mr. Heathcliff, who wasn’t all the used to guests, for he directed negative energy towards Lockwood, yet was still trying to act polite, “I found him very intelligent on the topics we touched; and, before I went home, I was encouraged so far as to volunteer another visit, to- morrow” (5).
ReplyDeleteNext time Lockwood decides to go over is the following chapter, when his maid was cleaning out the fireplace and he wanted to go to a fire for some place to study. During arrival, someone greets him at the door, which he assumes is Heathcliff's son, and sees a woman when entering the house, which he thinks is Heathcliff's wife. Lockwood later learns that the woman is Hindley and the man is the brother of Hindley. As you start the read farther into the story, you start to find out that there is an internal conflict between Hindley and Heathcliff. We learn that Heathcliff and his sister, Caroline, were very close and almost on a team against Hindley. I’m definitely interested to see how the people living in Wuthering Heights will act later on in the story, and if Lockwood every takes a side in what seems to be this ongoing family feud.
During the first nine chapters of the chapters of the novel, Emily Bronte does an exceptional job with bringing the reader in by creating confusing yet intriguing characters out of Heathcliff, Catherine, and Hindley, as well as introducing an inconsistent timeline for the reader to follow. By beginning with Mr. Lockwood’s first encounter with Heathcliff, who is currently the owner of Wuthering Heights, the reader is able to witness the final product of a life full of torment and mystery for Heathcliff, as he comes off as very sinister and menacing. Lockwood stresses this very soon in chapter one of the novel when it is stated that, “the ‘walk in’ was uttered with close teeth, and expressed the sentiment, ‘Go to the Deuce’”(1). The phrase Go to the Deuce is the modern day equivalent to go to hell, which creates a rude and stubborn character trait for Heathcliff. The excellence in this being so early in the novel is that Emily Brontë is already addressing the fact that Heathcliff has been changed over the years due to mistreatment and traumatic experiences as a child and young man, causing him to be bitter. Next, Emily Brontë brings the reader in even closer by compelling them to ask a large list of questions that they must read further in order to answer. She does this by making the relationships between friends and family extremely hard to follow, as well as adding many stories of people dying so the reader is not sure who is related to who and who is even alive at this point. Not only does this confuse the reader, but it also causes quite a confusion in Mr. Lockwood as he realizes, “Perceiving myself in a blunder, I attempted to correct it. I might have seen that there was too great a disparity between the ages of the parties to make it likely that they were man and wife”(9). Along with some other misunderstandings of the relationships between the characters at Wuthering Heights, the reader is left with such a confusion that all they want to do in order to satisfy this confusion is to read on and further dive into the already confusing plot. Finally, Emily Brontë puts the icing on the metaphorical cake of an introduction by adding the aspect of violence in large quantities so early in the novel. Hindley, Catherine’s brother, has grown to hate a young Heathcliff over the years and when it comes time for him to gain control of Wuthering Heights, he treats Heathcliff very poorly. The first signs of Hindley turning to violence to deal with his anger with Heathcliff begin in chapter six when the narrator says, “...Hindley became tyrannical. A few words from her, evincing a dislike to Heathcliff, were enough to rouse him all his old hatred of the boy”(33). With an inevitable buildup of violence set for Heathcliff, the reader begins to realize that this is the beginning of the end for the kind young Heathcliff. Also, the reader recognizes that this is the turning point that leads to the character development Heathcliff undergoes in order to become the grumpy owner of the estate that he is today. With all of this information so very close, the reader has no choice but to continue reading to find out everything they want to know about the characters and the plot. So, Emily Brontë created such a wonderful introduction to Wuthering Heights by the use of confusion, violence, and an altering in the timeline of the story.
ReplyDeleteThe opening nine chapters of Wuthering Heights gives the reader a good description and understanding of what this story is about When Mr. Lockwood arrives he visits his new landlord named Mr. Heathcliff. He isn’t welcomed as he would have hoped but he still describes him as a nobleman. “The ‘walk-in’ was uttered with closed teeth, and expressed the sentiment, I felt interested in a man who seemed more exaggeratedly reserved than myself” (3) Mr. Heathcliff resides at an estate called Wuthering Heights. When Lockwood returns to Wuthering Heights the next day it begins to snow. We are greeted by a servant named Joseph who tells Mr. Lockwood that Mr. Heathcliff will be away. Lockwood is welcomed by Jospeh to dine. Mr. Lockwood learns that the young woman he saw before is the widow of Mr. Heathcliff’s son. Emily Bronte is showing us early in the novel that Mr. Heathcliff has been mistreated over the years which has changed his persona. Bronte gives the reader a lot of information about the relationships between characters. This makes the reader have to critically think to make sense of these complex relationships. This causes confusion not only for the reader but for Mr. Lockwood himself “Perceiving myself in a blunder, I attempted to correct it. I might have seen that there was too great a disparity between the ages of the parties to make it likely that they were man and wife”(9) We see tension begins to rise when Hindley grows a strong hatred for Heathcliff’s son. When it is his turn to take over control of Wuthering Heights, he treats him with great disrespect. As we continue reading we see violence start to outburst which sets up a downhill path for Heathcliff. Overall Emily Bronte has created a strong character set up for us which will make this novel very interesting to read.
ReplyDeleteAfter beginning Wuthering Heights, it has already started to be a very interesting novel. I found it very interesting how Emily Bronte describes Wuthering Heights. “It includes kitchen and parlor, generally; but I believe at Wuthering Heights the kitchen is forced to retreat altogether into another quarter: at least I distinguished a chatter of tongues, and a clatter of culinary utensils, deep within; and I observed no signs of roasting, boiling, or baking, about the huge fireplace; nor any glitter of copper saucepans and tin cullenders on the walls.”I find this very interesting how she describes it because it makes it seem like it was something real that she may have seen during her lifetime. When Mr.Lockwood arrives at Wuthering Heights he is not treated very well by the family “He evidently wished no repetition of my intrusion...I dine between twelve and one o’clock… my request that I might be served at five”. Mr. Lockwood spent a lot of time trying to help the family and still wasn’t accepted by them. “Perceiving myself in a blunder, I attempted to correct it. I might have seen that there was too great a disparity between the ages of the parties to make it likely that they were man and wife”(9). So far this book has been very confusing and it leaves the reader no choice but to continue reading to figure out what happens. A little bit later there is an argument between Heathcliff and Edgar witch makes Catherine very unhappy as she says “My love for Linton is like the foliage in the woods: time will change it, I’m well aware, as winter changes the trees. My love for Heathcliff resembles the eternal rocks beneath: a source of little visible delight, but necessary. Nelly, I am Heathcliff! He’s always, always in my mind: not as a pleasure, any more than I am always a pleasure to myself, but as my own being. So don’t talk of our separation again: it is impracticable; and—’ (60). After this when Heathcliff is leaving Wuthering Heights Catherine decides to Marie Edgar because he is handsome and rich, even though Heathcliff is very similar to herself. After reading this section I am still a little confused and look forward to reading the rest of the book.
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