Wuthering Heights

Wuthering Heights

No wonder if this novel reminded me Edgar Allan Poe’s stories especially ‘The fall of the house of the usher’ for it too is marked by the art of the single effect which is widely regarded as Poe’s contribution to modern story writing. Many years before publication of Allan Poe’s first story ,Bronte used similar techniques of few characters and completely isolated place for effective presentation of ‘evilness’. She maintains her firm grip on story from the very first scene where Lockwood meets Heathcliff ;A reader is appalled by Heathcliff’s cold behaviour towards former .He remarks to Lockwood ‘Thrushcross Grange is my own, sir. I should not allow anyone to inconvenience me if I could hinder it-Walk in’. His behaviour is so odd that this novel suits to be qualified as a compulsive page-turner. But this is just an introduction of evil that is going to be revealed to a reader through a dialogue between Lockwood and Mrs. Dean. As the story progresses a reader feels that haunting evilness has enveloped both the places Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange and nothing is left uncorrupted by madman’s unsuccessful love. Heathcliff’s servant Joseph himself seems to be a symbol representing human vices. In his passion for Catherine, Heathcliff has crossed the fine line between madness and passion. After Catherine’s death he says ‘I pray one prayer-I repeat it till my tongue stiffens –Catherine ,may you not rest as long as I am living ! you said I killed you –haunt me ,then! The murdered do haunt their murderers. …Be with me always-take any form –drive me mad! Only do not leave me in this abyss ,where I can not find you’! I feel that Heathcliff’s passion for Catherine is not what we regard as a love .He is a beast in human-form.He is responsible for his son’s death (and in some way Catherine’s death too) but above all he is a sinner for rearing Hareton in such a way that he is more like a animal than human being.How a man like Heathcliff who is completely devoid of human virtues can be capable of loving anyone. It seemed to me that evilness amplified itself by getting the power through unfulfilled desire .Had it been the love,He would have been a better person atleast after Catherine’s death.Whatever his feelings may be ,novel is worth of reading .It is a pity that Emily Bronte has written only one novel.