Wuthering Heights

A detailed Summary of Wuthering Heights

Emily Bronte's most famous piece of writing, Wuthering Heights is a detailed description of contrasting houses, which embody the two major principles of life in the novel: storm and calm. Gradually depicted is a story of two families, two generations, and two houses located four miles apart over a time lapse of forty years. The novel discloses complex characters such as Heathcliff and Catherine who are affected greatly by their surroundings. Wuthering Heights is the residence of the Earnshaw family who represent the storm and the Lintons, originally from Thrushcross Grange, represent the calm. Emily Bronte uses two contrasting places to show that extremes of emotions are destructive and happiness is found in balance. Discord and hostility are thrust into the lives of those at Thrushcross Grange. The one side of the spectrum with passive, more civilized, and calm tendencies are not safe from the destructive behavior of extreme opposites. However, the Heights and its inhabitants, transpire to have strong, passionate, and stormy qualities. Theses qualities bring about an excess of emotion, which consequently results in violence and conflict as well. A resolution cannot be reached until these two extremes can come together at a mid-p

Emily Bronte's masterfully constructed novel of character inciting emotions of passions. Love, hatred, and revenge were major themes throughout Wuthering Heights. Two contrasting places are used to show that extremes of emotions are destructive and happiness is found in balance. Thrushcross grange is a sheltered house where superficial characters develop. Their lack of emotions hurts them in the end. As spoiled children they did not receive love and because of that are not able to give it so freely. Wuthering Hirghts on the other hand has emotions, extreme and intense, getting in the way of true happiness. Harmony is achieved when the second cross generation of Lintons and Earnshaws come together. Cathy and Hareton exemplify the good and true essence of both houses, which have so much to offer. Therefore balance is only achieved when a mid-point between two extremes can be discovered.

oint with Hareton and Young Catherine.

Although Thrushcross Grange has beauty and decorum to offer, its lack of emotion complements the type of characters it creates greatly contrasting to Wuthering Height. At first glance, Thrushcross Grange is the ideal dwelling. It is "...a splendid place carpeted with crimson, and crimson-covered chairs and tables, and a pure white ceiling bordered by gold, a shower of glass-drops hanging with silver chains from the center and shimmering with little soft tapers." The Lintons adorn their household with ornaments and paint a picture portraying their pleasant yet shallow life. From this house pampered, delicate children emerge. "Isabella...lay screaming at the farther end of the room, shrieking as if witches were running red-hot needles into her. Edgar stood on the hearth weeping silently, and in the middle of the table sat a little dog, shaking its paws and yelping, which, from their mutual accusations, we understood they had nearly pulled in between them." Edgar and Isabella illustrate precisely the character of one from the Thrushcross Grange, spoiled and superficial. This absurd behavior, which occurred over the family pet, gives emphasis to the type of children reared in the house. However as learned from Catherine, just being in the presence of the Grange can change the most bold and saucy girl into a young lady. "Cathy [Earnshaw] stayed at Thrushcross Grange five weeks...so that, instead of a wild, hatless little savage jumping into the house, rushing to squeeze us all breathless, there lighted from a handsome black pony a very dignified person, with brown ringlets falling form the cover of a feathered beaver, and a long cloth habit, which she was obliged to hold up with both hands that she might sail in." Catherine's unexpected stay at Thrushcross Grange has transformed her into a dignified lady. She has been influenced by the superficiality and high-class, worldliness of the Lintons, and the fashion and courtliness of Mrs. Linton. Thrushcross Grange in essence masked Catherine's tru

Some common words found in the essay are:
Thrushcross Grange, Wuthering Heights, Despite Heathcliff's, Hareton Earnshaw, Earnshaw Catherine, Edgar Catherine, Heathcliff Catherine's, Emily Bronte's, Grange Edgar, wuthering heights, Heathcliff Catherine, thrushcross grange, true love, thrushcross grange wuthering, emotions destructive happiness, bold saucy, eyes lintons', heathcliff catherine, perfect blend, destructive happiness found, stormy weather, contrasting extremes emotions, extremes emotions, extremes emotions destructive, found balance,

Approximate Word count = 1978
Approximate Pages = 8 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English