Wuthering Heights- Author's Tone

By reading Wuthering Heights, a novel written by Charlotte Bronte, the reader may notice that the author values love between family members. Catherine loved her father and took care of him when he was sick (347). Since there was a loving atmosphere, the family was happy. On the contrary, Heathclitt never loved his nephew, Hareton, or his son, Linton. In fact, he was cruel to them. When Linton had the opportunity to leave Wuthering Heights and become an educated gentleman, Heathcliff made him stay to be a worker. The only reason why Heathcliff even took custody of Linton is so that Linton would marry Catherine, and thus gain control of the Linton estate. As a result of these things as well as a lack of care and concern on Heathcliff's part, the two boys did not live very happy lives at Wuthering Heights. Another attitude which the author seemed to posess is the belief that a person is always better off to marry their true love. Most of what Heathcliff does in the story is to take revenge on Edgar for having "taken away" his love. By reading the story, it is obvious that although Catherine married Edgar Linton, she was really in love with Heathcliff. For instance, she says (referring to Heathcliff) "Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same; and Linton's is as different as a moonbeam from lightning, or frost from fire" (102). The third attitude is that people should listen to and obey their parents and other authorities. Both Linton and Nelly told Catherine to stay away from Wuthering Heights and to avoid contact with Linton (289). Unfortunately, however, she disobeyed them and that is more or less how she came to marry Linton and live at Wuthering Heights. Finally, it seems as if the author believes in ghosts and life after death. In the beginning of the story, Mr. Lockwood saw an apparician which claimed to be Catherine Earnshaw (32). Later in the book, when Catherine's death is described, Heathcliff is asking for her spirit to haunt him (213). Years afterwards, Heathcliff says that he has been haunted by Catherine every night for eighteen years (365). Charlotte Bronte wrote this book using first-person perspectives- that of Mr. Lockwood and Nelly.

Bronte, Emily, Wuthering Heights. David Daiches. London: Penguin, 1985