Y13 TEXTS AND GENRES LITB3 - THE GOTHIC - 'WUTHERING HEIGHTS'

An absolutely essential resource is the Norton Anthology of English Literature, it can be used across the whole of the A' Level Lit curriculum, so I will be referring to it on other text notes, but for the moment let us focus on the Gothic generally and Wuthering Heights in particular.


http://www.wwnorton.com/college/english/nael/welcome.htm

 http://www.wwnorton.com/college/english/nael/romantic/topic_2/welcome.htm

  

 There is also a very readable article which provides a useful perspective here:

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/14359/gothic_literature_an_indepth_look_at_pg6.html?cat=38 


 Another very useful site for Wuthering Heights, with some interesting notes on suicides in the novel:
http://www.litgothic.com/index_html.html

I may have written about the narrative aspect of Wuthering Heights in previous notes, but it is important, so once again:   Wuthering Heights has a narrative 'frame'.  Nelly Dean, a servant, tells the by now almost 40 year old story to the gentleman, Mr Lockwood, a tenant of Thrushcross Grange, with Heathcliff as his landlord.  Lockwood as first person narrator is actually at one remove from the experiences of the other characters that make up the story.  Lockwood only meets three of the main protagonists (Hareton, young Catherine and Heathcliff), during which (Chapters I and II ) he reveals himself to be singularly unperceptive:

       'I know, by instinct, his reserve [Heathcliff's] springs from an aversion to showy displays
        of feeling - to manifestations of mutual kindness.   He'll love and hate, equally under

       cover, and esteem it a species of impertinence to be loved or hated again.' 

       '... many could not imagine the existence of happiness in a life of such complete

       exile from the world as you spend, Mr Heathcliff; yet, I'll venture to say, that, 

       surrounded by your family, and with your amiable lady as the presiding genius 

       over your home and heart -' 

        'My amiable lady!' he interrupted, with an almost diabiolical neer on his face. 'Where is

        she - my amiable lady?'

Lockwood's confusion over the relationships in this rather brutal world of the house on the moors, reflects that of the readers, whilst as a man of manners and refinements, he contrasts tellingly with Heathcliff.


This form, the narrative frame, created by Emily Bronte, should raise a number of questions regarding the whole concept of what a 'story' really is, what it involves, and how we then need to analyse the relationship between different narrative accounts, from very different story-tellers - in gender, background and class, opinions, prejudices and language.


The complex narrative strucutre of WH, with its double frame: the outer frame narrative being Lockwood's and the inner frame being Nelly Dean's story (which in its turn involves the the narrative components of many of the other characters, many of whom Lockwood never meets) makes us look more closely at the whole issue of storytelling.  We need to understand the influence that these primary narrators have and how Bronte plays them off against each other and to what effect. 



For any of you who are near enough to Bradford, then these could be very useful:
http://www.nationalmediamuseum.org.uk/

 http://www.nationalmediamuseum.org.uk/Events/GothicWomenWutheringHeights.aspx

 

    Thanks again for all the comments and requests,  I will respond to the latest  in the next few days - just keep them coming!  It would also be helpful if you would all become followers, see box top right.
: