Ajay Patel 10G
3rd February 2002
Discuss the use of shifting narrative view points and the effects achieved in “Wuthering Heights” and “The tenant of Wildfell Hall” and compare and contrast the main characters.
There were two Bronte sisters, which two of them had written two very unusual books. They had adapted the notions for the books which they wrote from the environment which surrounded them, the cold bleak Yorkshire moors and the ethics of life which was established in the Victorian times. The two books which that had written were ‘Wuthering Heights’ and ‘The Tenant of Wildfell Hall ’. Both books were extremely unusual because they were written by two women who had not seen or experienced brutality and corruption, yet, these were the features in both of the books. They were the daughters of a clergy man who parted from them when their mother had died. It was curious were many of their ideas had originated from, since they lived in an isolated area and in a strict household. The notion of divorce was totally unacceptable in those days, and the idea of women running away and being disobedient towards their husband was unbearable. These are some of the topics which the two stories revolve around. The two Bronte sisters who wrote their books were very brave to publish them, because they were the first books which disagreed with the ethics of the period of time when it was written. The Bronte sisters all had to write under a male name because it wasn’t acceptable for women to be writing books.
In both of the stories, ‘The Tenant of Wildfell Hall’ and ‘Wuthering Heights’ there is a lot of shifting narrative used. Shifting narrative viewpoints is used in the two novels because; we can get the feelings of different characters involved because of the shifting. The effects created are, we can now tell how the different characters feel about the situation and compare their thoughts and ideas to other characters who is also narrating. Both of the stories are usually being told to someone either through a memo, a diary or a letter. The stories can now be interpreted differently by the reader. A quote in ‘Wuthering Heights’ to show that the story is being told from a narrative point of view, which is said by Nelly Dean, is “ Before I came to live here, she commended”. Mrs. Dean is saying this to Mr. Lockwood. A quote in ‘The tenant of Wildfell Hall’ which is narrated by Helen to show that the story is being told from a narrative point of view is, “September 23rd. Our guests arrived three weeks ago.” That is a quote from a diary which was written by Helen but is now being said by Helen after she has written the diary in the past. . They are told in the first person. As they are written in this way, the reader gets the emotions of the people who wrote the diaries and can compare their feelings towards the characters in the book to how others feel about the same character. Also, we can see if their opinions change towards each of the characters as time passes on it the story. In “Wuthering Heights” there are two places which are used in the story. These two places are “Thrushcross Grange” and “Wuthering Heights.” Both are two different places, and the story uses both of the places in a very different way. “Wuthering Heights” is described as: “The narrow windows are deeply set into the wall and the defended with large jutting stones… Instead of wading through heath and mud to “Wuthering Heights.”” It is places were it is hard to get to and where the wind blows around and howls outside it, causing the “stunted” fir trees to “excessively slant.” Nothing is cared for and everything is inhospitable. There is no warmth or nurturing. Thrushcross Grange is described in a different manner compared to Wuthering Heights. Wuthering Heights is in total contrast to Thrushcross Grange. The latter is a park, down off the moors enclosed by walls and parklands. The former however is in the open and subject to the harsh moor land weather. This environment has purposely been created so that it gives the characters in the story places to run to and from. The characters in the book can escape from their fears because two different environments have been created.
