How Does Bront's use of Setting Help us to Understand Heathcliff in the First Half of the Novel?

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How Does Brontë's use of Setting Help us to Understand Heathcliff in the First Half of the Novel?

Wuthering Heights is the story of the love between Catherine Earnshaw and Heathcliff. The story is set in the nineteenth century on the Yorkshire moors. The story takes place on the Yorkshire moors and in two contrasting houses, Wuthering Heights, the home of the Earnshaw's and Heathcliff and Thrushcross Grange, the home of the Linton's. It is a story of love, hate and passion. It could also be seen as a ghost story, as there are elements of a gothic ghost story in the novel.

We learn much about Heathcliff in the novel from Brontë's us of setting, metaphors and irony. These techniques create a lot tension in the novel.

From the beginning of the novel the setting is established. 'Yesterday afternoon set in misty and cold.' This reference in chapter two could reflect both the novel and Heathcliff being dark and cold. In this chapter Mr. Lockwood visits Wuthering Heights in 'the thick of a snow storm'. Mr. Lockwood describes Wuthering Heights with an 'immense fire' that 'glowed delightfully'. The inside of Wuthering Heights is a contrast to the outside weather, however the people are inside are similar. They are too, dark and cold. Mr. Lockwood says 'I began to feel unmistakably out of place in that pleasant family circle.' This is ironic because there is a definitely not a 'pleasant family circle' there is much hatred within the family.

In chapter three Lockwood stays at Wuthering Heights, due to the snowstorm. Lockwood stays in a room that Heathcliff would not want him to stay in. Zillah says 'her master has an odd notion about the chamber she would put me in, and never let anybody lodge there willingly.' While Lockwood is trying to get to sleep, a branch is constantly tapping on the window. This creates a lot of tension which climaxes when the branch breaks through the glass, Lockwood reaches out for the branch and his hand is grabbed by ' a little ice cold hand'. It is the hand of Catherine, she says 'twenty years, I've been a waif for twenty years'. This could mean that Catherine has been wandering the moors for twenty years, since she died.
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In chapter sixteen when Nelly tells Heathcliff of Catherine's death, he says 'Catherine Earnshaw, may you not rest as long as I am living! You said I killed you - haunt me then.' Catherine has come back to haunt him as he asked her to do twenty years ago.

Mr. Lockwood shouts and Heathcliff comes to see why he made such a 'Horrid noise'. Lockwood explains what happened and leaves Heathcliff in the room alone. We then see Heathcliff's passionate reaction. He bursts into ' an uncontrollable passion of tears' He calls Catherine his 'Hearts Darling' ...

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