Conflict in Wuthering Heights. The conflict between nature and culture which forms part of the thematic structure of Wuthering Heights, is played out in the relationship between the two houses: Wuthering Heights which represents nature and

The conflict between nature and culture which forms part of the thematic structure of ‘Wuthering Heights’, is played out in the relationship between the two houses: Wuthering Heights which represents nature and Thrushcross Grange representing culture. This conflict can be interpreted in many ways, for instance in historical terms as a rural way of life contends against industrialisation; in psychological ways as a struggle between the ego and the id and in sexual terms as a choice between experience and representation.

From the very beginning the narrator, Mr Lockwood identifies himself as a man of culture, he comes from a ‘civilised society’ and appropriately is living at the Grange. He, like the reader, is an outsider to the Wuthering Heights and his description of the ‘stunted firs’, ‘gaunt thorns’ and the ‘narrow windows’ creates a chilling and unwelcoming atmosphere. The name of the place also reflects this situation; ‘Wuthering’ meaning stormy hinting gothic elements. Mr Lockwood states the house is ‘completely removed from the stir of society’; it is surrounded by the moors which symbolise freedom posed by nature, were Mr Heathcliff and Catherine’s bond first developed. There is also almost a conflict among the house with the ill-tempered characters and its description; for instance, Mr Lockwood ‘detected’ that the name of the house is ‘Hareton Earnshaw’ yet it is owned by Mr Heathcliff, his landlord who also seems very suspicious.

Thrushcross Grange is described as a ‘beautiful, splendid place’ around which ‘the sky is blue, and the larks are singing, and the becks and brooks are all brim full’. ‘Unlike Wuthering Heights, it is elegant and comfortable, a splendid place carpeted with crimson, and crimson covered chairs and tables, and a pure white ceiling bordered by gold’.’ In chapter 6, the cultivated and civilised atmosphere of the Grange is compared with the rough indiscipline of the Heights. David Cecil has argued that the differences between the Heights and the Grange can be thought of as corresponding to a metaphysical conflict ...

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Captured, in fairytale manner, by the ‘civilised’ world of the Grange, Catherine yields to what she understands to be her destiny, even as she recognises this as an act of bad faith. In Catherine’s character as a child, Bronte presents early signs of later conflict, for example Nelly Dean describes her as a ‘little mistress’ and a ‘naughty delight’ although ‘she means no harm’, all these traits being linked to Heathcliff’s manipulation over her. She thinks she can do what she pleases and she, although her bond with Heathcliff wants a commanding position in society. When she meets Edger she thinks she can marry him and continue her relationship with Heathcliff although Heathcliff regards her marriage as betrayal and ‘takes off’. She describes her love for Edgar ‘like the foliage in the woods: time will change it’ and her love for Heathcliff as ‘resembl(ing), the external rocks beneath’ this contrast highlighting her internal conflicts, she can either decide to marry Edger and ‘escape from a disorderly comfortless home into a wealthy, respectable one’ or marry Heathcliff and be ‘degraded’ and ‘be beggars’ which for Women in this era was a big threat. Therefore, her choice to marry Edger show Catherine chooses culture over nature which directly contracts with the narrative insistence upon her love her nature and her love for Healthcliff but like most Victorian people, the view of marriage was one of a social contract and not the ultimate commitment between lovers. Because of this, Catherine’s inner conflict would be based on her survival in life, she rightly comments that her social and economic survival depends on Edger and if she was to marry Heathcliff neither she nor Heathcliff would be able to live. Her declaration for her love for Healthcliff, (‘I am Healthcliff!’), also highlights some of the central thematic conflicts in the novel; belonging and exclusion, constancy and transience, redemption and joy, and expediency and struggle. These oppositions contend against each other in an irresolvable tension throughout the novel.

In chapter 12, the ‘violent’ wind ‘blew strong from the north-east’, the ‘north-east’ being the location were the Wuthering Heights house stands. Catherine mood changes about the Grange and Edger and she believes the only way out is death. Literally she ‘catches her death’ by throwing open the window. The act of opening the window can be read as rupturing the fortifications of the civilised life at the Grange to let in the fresh air of the natural Wuthering Heights from which the wind blows. Edger’s ignorance of Catherine’s illness here has been commented upon as part of the conflict between experience and culture in Wuthering Heights. Edger counters his interaction with the real by ‘going to his books’ and submerging himself in literature. Such a critical position of course assumes that literature is not part of the ‘real’. At this point, Catherine and Healthcliff unbinding love have like the Wuthering Heights house, bought conflict upon it for instance, Catherine believes she is now being ‘tormented’ and ‘haunted’ a sheer contrast to the beginning were Catherine is described to be ‘as merry as can be’ among the Grange. Her relationship with Nelly also faces lots of conflict, through the novel we start to see how their relationship deteriorates due to her hysterical outbursts.

The presence of all these conflicts in the novel can be all linked back to Healthcliff and his mysterious arrival from Liverpool to Wuthering Heights. Described as a ‘dark-skinned gypsy’ and as an ‘un-reclaimed creature’, he has often been cited as a Byronic hero, though most of the novel is rise to power details the ascension of the romantic hero, with his intrusion into transformation of a conventional and socially limited world. His own conflict which is likely to have been created from being abandoned on the ‘streets of Liverpool’ where he was left to die and his violent relationship with Hindley as they were growing lead him to develop

Peer Reviews

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greeneyedgirl

27th of Mar 2012

Quality of writing

Overall there is a strong level of spelling and grammar although proof reading does need to be done. It is always key to make sure you can spell the character's names (Edgar not Edger). Also some basic errors such as where/were slip in. Furthermore a few sentences seem to not be full complete e.g. "She thinks she can do what she pleases and she, although her bond with Heathcliff wants a commanding position in society." This is often the case when writing under time pressure as your brain is jumping forward to the next thought, therefore proofreading will make sure that these errors are noticed and corrected. It would also be useful to use more critical terminology such as juxtaposition to show a more intellectual way of thinking about the text.

Level of analysis

The student demonstrates very good analysis in this essay; they cover the conflicts of Wuthering Heights and the Grange, civilised society and uncivilised society and go some way to look into why these conflicts arise in terms of plot. One thing they do not seem to show awareness of is the fact that as fiction this is made up, thus they could have talked about why Emily Bronte may choose to use these conflicts and how they help the story rather than merely accepting the conflicts. The use of quotations is mainly very strong here, the student uses short quotations to add to their points and also goes further than the quotation in their analysis. Where they describe the Grange however the quality falls as they use a quote for a whole sentence. It is important not to do this as it doesn't show the examiner anything other than the fact you are aware of the quote, you need to be able to demonstrate how it links to the topic and what is so important about that quote. The student also paraphrases a critics point of view. This is really useful as it shows that you have done reading apart from the text. It is much easier to learn roughly what the critic says and then paraphrase in the essay but if you can learn a short quote from a critic that is great as well.

Response to question

While some very good points are made in this essay the lack of a conclusion lets it down greatly. This essay goes a long way in tackling the issues of conflict in Wuthering Heights, the points are linked well together and the essay maintains a strong focus on conflict. One of the major problems is it doesn't have a clear introduction or conclusion. The introduction should set out the topic of the essay and the themes that are going to be covered and the conclusion should sum up the points made in the essay and reach a conclusion. This is essential as it shows an ability to make a judgement as well as an ability to synthesis points previously made. Even under time pressure it is better to miss out a point and have a conclusion than have an extra point but no conclusion.

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