Methods Emily Bronte uses to engage the interest of the reader in the early chapters of the novel Wuthering Heights.

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Methods Emily Bronte uses to engage the interest of the reader in the early chapters of the novel Wuthering Heights.  

Written in the Victorian Age, Wuthering Heights caused a stir in society.  This novel has received both criticism and acclaim since it was first published in 1847.  “For the Victorians, Wuthering Heights was inarguably an immoral and uncivilized book”.

(York Notes,  p106).

Emily Bronte uses a variety of methods to engage the interests of the reader throughout her novel, Wuthering Heights.  I will be discussing these as seen in the early chapters of the book.

Bronte chose to open her novel with the use of a first person narration in the present tense.  Lockwood, one of the main narrators in the book is used as a multi-faceted device introducing the reader to many aspects of the novel.  Immediately the reader is made aware of the time period, with a diary entry, ‘1801’ and the setting, ‘a perfect misanthropist’s heaven’.  This narrator also introduces the main protagonist of the novel whom he describes as his ‘solitary neighbour’, ‘a man who seemed more exaggeratedly reserved’ than himself (Wuthering Heights, ch1, p1) with the appearance of ‘a dark skinned gypsy’ yet ‘in dress and manners a gentleman’.  (Wuthering Heights ch1, p5).  The details given of the setting and of Mr. Heathcliff are stimulating, maintaining the interest of the reader.  Lockwood delivers the narrative in the first three chapters as a static character not intrinsic to the plot.  This style of narrative allows the plot to develop with an eyewitness account retold by means of Lockwood’s diary which enables the reader to share Lockwood’s experiences as they occur.  The reader feels involved and gains a desire to learn more about the characters and households.  Lockwood also introduces the reader to Cathy, the second protagonist, young Catherine Linton, Hareton Earnshaw, Nelly Dean, Joseph and Zillah the housekeeper.  

The disadvantages of this narrative method include uncertainty as to weather the accounts given are accurate.  The reader can deduce from the early chapters that Lockwood’s interpretations are not always reliable and may lose interest, ‘A capital fellow’ (Wuthering Heights, ch1, p1) and ‘the missis’ (Wuthering Heights, ch2, p10) are just two examples of his incorrect assumptions.  Bronte adds humour to maintain the interest of the reader, ‘Ah, your favourites are among these!’  (Wuthering Heights, ch2, p11), this breaks the tension and softens Lockwood’s ‘farcical’ actions and words.  However, these miscalculations by Lockwood give an insight into his character and allow the reader to familiarize himself or herself with him as a person.  Bronte portrays Lockwood as a pompous man with his many uses of Latinate words.  Bronte employs these characteristics purposely to ensure the reader is aware that he is an outsider, distancing him from the main plot of the story and uses his ‘romantic encounter’ as a contrast to the intensity and passion that the reader meets within the novel.

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Bronte makes use of interpolated narratives giving the reader different view points to consider.  This technique keeps the reader’s attention as it changes the tempo and tone of the narrative.  The discovery of Catherine Earnshaw’s diary in chapter two is an example of this and Bronte uses this to full advantage with vivid images relayed of Catherine’s childhood.

The second main narrator is articulately brought in, in Chapter four, Nelly Dean, the housekeeper at the Grange.  This narrator adds credibility to Lockwood’s story making it more believable as Nelly was and is an eyewitness to past and current ...

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