Wuthering Heights is described as very different and not like places of that time. “of the atmospheric tumult to which” There is a definite gothic influence to the description of the house “grotesque carving lavished over the front,” This gothic influence supports the idea of Wuthering Heights being very different, as at the time this book was set gothic ideas were frowned on and considered as very demonic. “gaunt thorns all stretching their limbs…alms of the sun” The use of personification here reinforces the idea that Wuthering Heights is very bleak and desolate.
At the beginning of the chapter supernatural themes are subtly introduced in dialogue and small remarks, “The Lord help us!” and “divine aid!” But, ideas of evil are introduced along with gothic ones, “villainous old guns and a couple of horse-pistols.” The supernatural themes develop more as Lockwood finds out more about Wuthering Heights and as his conversation develops. “What the devil is the matter?” However, it is not only the residents of Wuthering Heights who make references to the supernatural, as towards the end of the chapter Lockwood is cursing and mentioning the supernatural, “What the devil indeed!” and “the herd of possessed swine.” It is almost as if they are drawing him in, which comes across as very supernatural itself.
Lockwood at the beginning of this chapter is very virtuous and polite, at the end he is still polite bit he has this fascination with Wuthering Heights and wants to return. This makes the reader question because it seems very peculiar that he wants to return to somewhere where the people aren’t socially acceptable and show him no kindness.
Emily Bronte builds up ideas of enclosure and the supernatural by using them side by side. She uses spectral images “misty and cold” which are also physical barriers that try to stop Lockwood from getting to Wuthering Heights. “this spectacle drove me back” She uses natural aspects to create barriers and isolate Wuthering Heights away from everywhere else. “wading through heath and mud to Wuthering Heights.” The mud makes Wuthering Heights difficult to reach, “straggling gooseberry bushes,” she uses these plants to show that Wuthering Heights is neglected and wild. Even the weather she chooses is a form of isolation because snow restricts communication and is another barrier. The social attitudes towards Lockwood are again very cold and create an unnerving atmosphere which isolates them from Lockwood, “she kept her eyes on me in a cool regardless manner,” The physical description given of them implies that they look unnatural as well as acting in that way “sentiment they evinced hovered between scorn and a kind of desperation, singularly unnatural”. Emily Bronte introduces the idea of supernatural presences in the people by calling Mrs Heathcliff a “beneficent fairy” and then to describe her position there is a use of animal imagery which shows that she isn’t respected “good fairy; her mate is dead.” “devil, like yer mother afore ye!” She introduces curses in the dialogue changing the tone of the conversation to a supernatural one. “may the Lord deliver us from evil!” this referral to the devil would’ve scared a lot of people as it was set in the days of the Old Testament and people had a fear of excommunication and were superstitious.
At the time Wuthering Heights was written there was a struggle for women, so Emily Bronte subtly makes the women of her story slightly superior by giving Mrs Heathcliff knowledge of performance of the Black Arts, “I’ve progressed in the Black Art:” this, also grants her with some form of power and authority over others. Emily Bronte, also has the women taking control of situations, “Mrs Heatchliff, however, checked me by her answer.” And “I see this house will never do…Come in, and I’ll cure that. There now, hold ye still.”
Emily Bronte begins this chapter in an enclosed room and then she builds her other themes around this. “it formed a little closet, and the ledge of a window, which it enclosed,” She appeals to the senses and uses a simile as she begins to introduce supernatural ideas, “white letters started from the dark, as vivid as spectres.” “the air swarmed with Catherine’s;” This metaphor puts an emphasis on the way that Lockwood is feeling enclosed in this room and in the books. However, because this book he is reading is speech written down dialect act as a barrier “T’maister nobbut just buried, and Sabbath nut oe’red,” Yet in this piece of text she uses a lot of sacrilegious and blasphemous language “hurled it into the dog-kernel, vowing I hated a good book.” This would’ve shocked people because the church and religion was regarded very highly by people. Emily Bronte used this to reiterate and emphasise how different her characters, Heathcliff and Cathy were from the rest by showing disrespect to the holy text and wanting the Devil to come for them. “owd Nick would fetch us as sure as we were living: and, so comforted, we each sought a separate nook to await his advent.” Lockwood also appears to be under some form of supernatural power, as he begins to lose control, “I began to nod drowsily over the dim page: my eye wandered from manuscript to print.” She again uses the weather as a barrier and shows that life could easily be determined by the weather then “the snow lay yards deep in our road;” By also having the church isolated “it lies in a hollow, between two hills: an elevated hollow,” she shows the social thinking and position of people then as people were just beginning to move away from the church because of progress and improvement in science and technology.
“my fingers closed on the fingers of a little, ice-cold hand” This is where the supernatural presence is introduced and Lockwood just wants to get rid of her. “hurriedly piled the books up in a pyramid against it,” this is symbolic because the books he is using to block out the supernatural presence are books of God and religion, so he is using God to defend and protect himself; use of religious traits. However, even though he does this he can’t escape her or exit his dream, which is the same as the ghost because she is unable to leave her situation.
Lockwood shows supernatural views “it is – swarming with ghosts and goblins!....den!” and feelings of enclosure towards the room. Heathcliff shows he is isolated from others and rarely socialises by expressing his routine, “Always at nine in winter, and always rise at four,” he, also doesn’t allow Lockwood to be free in the house “you can only ramble about the steps and passages”.
The reader is effectively involved in the story by a heavy reference to the senses, “ice-cold hand!”, “rattled its dry cones against the panes!” The use of imagery “mildewed book” and emotive language to the reader allows them to become part of the story because they feel they are there. The reader is in a very intimate position with Lockwood because they are involved in his dram through his subconscious and the use of direct speech. This is also helped by the use of internal monologue “And what was it that had suggested the tremendous tumult?” Also, the use of hyphens and short sentences make the story tense, which keeps the readers attention, “hastened to add-”
At the end of the chapter the reader has a lot of empathy for Lockwood because he is an outsider to Wuthering Heights and its people like the reader. Also, at the beginning he visits Wuthering Heights out of good will and manners, but the more he is involved there the worse things become for him. As he is treated extremely badly, haunted by a ghost and is slowly being drawn into their blasphemous ways.
Emily Bronte subtly builds up themes of enclosure and supernatural. She does this through description and uses natural aspects of life to elaborate ideas of enclosure and supernatural. As, she uses weather and physical location a lot to create an image in the reader’s mind.
Wuthering Heights was the only one of Emily Bronte’s books which was published and it is a metaphysical novel because she recognised the problems of her time and used these along side some of her personal experiences and created Wuthering Heights which reflects the social upheaval in England at the time Wuthering Heights was set. I think Emily Bronte effectively introduces the two themes by involving the reader. Also, the description and imagery makes the reader feel as if they’re part of the story.
