Compare the way Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange

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Compare the way Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange are presented in the opening of Emily Brontë's novel 'Wuthering Heights'.

The novel ‘Wuthering Heights’ is set in Yorkshire in 1801, which is the start of a new century. Emily Brontë was influenced by the genre of the Gothic novel. It is set on the bleak, wild, austere Yorkshire Moors. Brontë uses pathetic fallacy to enhance the setting. The Gothic Genre in the novel includes nocturnal scenes in graveyards, ghosts, visions, violence, obsession, horror, the supernatural, peasants and the Gentry, love and revenge, all set against the dramatic backdrop of Penistone Craggs, an isolated region of the Yorkshire Moors. We, also, have a dark mysterious stranger and a powerful demon-like character. All of these are features of the Gothic Genre and can be found in Brontë’s Wuthering Heights.  

        Wuthering Heights is isolated on the summit of a bleak moor four miles from Thrushcross Grange. It is exposed to the elements as the quote “The power of the north wind” states. It is, also, said that “The architect has foresight to build it strong” suggesting that there are high winds and severe weather. The Heights has grotesque carvings of gargoyles to ward off evil spirits, this does not make it very welcoming and also quite gloomy. The Heights is a practical working farm that has no luxuries and is very austere, “The apartment and furniture would have been nothing extraordinary”, this shows that it has only got the basics of what is needed and no money is spent on lavish items.

        The Heights is also very “rustic” and earthy in colour, “There was no glitter of copper saucepans”; it is dark and mysterious. There are no carpets on the floor, just “smooth white stone floors” and the furniture is described as “The chairs were primitive structures”, again reinforcing that there are no wasteful objects. With the house being so dark and cold there are ghosts that show their presence on occasion, this relates back to the Gothic Genre. There are five people living in the house and the master being Heathcliff. Heathcliff is in his forties, is a widower and is a mysterious individual. He was adopted when found on the streets of Liverpool by Mr and Mrs Linton. Heathcliff is not of British origin and had a “morose” look about him. As Mr Lockwood finds out, when he visits The Heights, Heathcliff is not a conversationalist; he is anti-social and is inhospitable to him. It is said that Heathcliff “is a dark-skinned gypsy in aspect, in dress and manners a gentleman”, this means that he dresses like a gentleman but looks like a gypsy. He is a real misanthropist yet he is extremely wealthy and owns not just Wuthering Heights but also Thrushcross Grange.

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        Heathcliff mirrors the house in which he lives, in that they are both dark and mysterious. He is living in an isolated location because he is anti-social and he is angry with society. His gypsy appearance also relates to the house in the way that it is dark and murky. In The Heights, the dogs are not kept as pets and Juno is described as “a liver coloured bitch pointer”. The dogs are feral and are kept only to guard and be bred. This can be seen when Lockwood attempts to stroke the dog and she snarls at him. They ...

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