ENGL 1102 Lecture Notes - Lecture 12: Edgar Linton, Emily Brontë, Hareton Earnshaw
Title/Author: Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
Background info: Bronte, who lived in Yorkshire, used her everyday environment to write
Wuthering Heights, which also took place here. Bronte used Wuthering Heights to highlight
social issues, such as the contrast in social class, the rights of women, and human equality. The
use of child beggars and orphans, such as Heathcliff, was common during this era because of the
parents’ inability to feed their children.
Type of Writing: Narrative (Fiction), Gothic
Literary Period/Country: Victorian and the American Revolution. The American Revolution
symbolizes the ability of the common man to prevail over old established power. In Wuthering
Heights, Heathcliff (the main character), stages a “revolution” by eventually bringing down two
very powerful and wealthy families.
Setting: Yorkshire, England (1771-1862). The book takes place mostly in Wuthering Heights,
where Heathcliff lives in, and Thrushcross Grange, where Lockwood stays in.
**Why is the setting important? Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange are very different in
many ways: While Wuthering Heights is dark, cold, and located on a high hill, Thrushcross
Grange is more warm and inviting. Although the houses are only 4 miles apart, there are many
differences between the two. Also, the house of Heathcliff (Wuthering Heights) represents his
nature which is also dark, cold, and uninviting.
Main Characters:
•Heathcliff: He was an orphan who was brought home to Wuthering Heights by Mr.Earnshaw.
He is in love with Mr.Earnshaw’s daughter, Catherine. He is very vengeful and obsessive. He is
seen as an antagonist. He is dynamic because he changes from an innocent curious boy to a
vengeful man and back to a peaceful person at death.
•Catherine: Catherine, who is also in love with Heathcliff, is very arrogant, beautiful and spoiled.
Although she claims that she and Heathcliff are the same person because of her love for him, she
marries Edgar Linton instead for social advancement. Catherine is miserable because of the
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Document Summary
Background info: bronte, who lived in yorkshire, used her everyday environment to write. Bronte used wuthering heights to highlight social issues, such as the contrast in social class, the rights of women, and human equality. The use of child beggars and orphans, such as heathcliff, was common during this era because of the parents" inability to feed their children. The american revolution symbolizes the ability of the common man to prevail over old established power. Heights, heathcliff (the main character), stages a revolution by eventually bringing down two very powerful and wealthy families. The book takes place mostly in wuthering heights, where heathcliff lives in, and thrushcross grange, where lockwood stays in. Wuthering heights and thrushcross grange are very different in many ways: while wuthering heights is dark, cold, and located on a high hill, thrushcross. Although the houses are only 4 miles apart, there are many differences between the two.
