Wuthering Heights Essay
Discuss outsiders and marginalisation in Wuthering Heights
Isolation and marginalisation are key themes that run throughout the novel. They are shown in a variety of ways such as, the two main houses (Wuthering heights and Thrushcross Grange), the marginalisation of the lower classes and also the isolation of individual characters. A literary critique by Katherine Swan suggested that ‘Wuthering Heights’ was a novel filled with ‘dark passion and misguided characters’ and I believe the isolation of the moors and marginalisation of central characters only fuels this.
I believe that Hindley is a character that throughout the novel is in many ways an outsider. When Heathcliff joins his family, him and Cathy become extremely close which therefore leaves Hindley somewhat alone. On top of this, it is obvious that their father favours Heathcliff which further isolates him and makes him extremely jealous. You cannot deny the fact that Hindley is absolutely vile towards Heathcliff, but I would suggest that this behaviour is further fuelled by the fact that Hindley is quite alone. Later in the book, when Hindley’s wife dies, he takes the death terribly and begins to drink heavily and seclude himself from everyone. He is described to ‘give himself up to reckless disposition’ and ‘neither weep nor pray’. The death of his wife drives him into solitude. He pushes others away through his tyrannical attitude and numbs himself from the world through alcohol. Hindley is just one of many characters who isolate themselves and becomes an outsider from the rest of the world.
Jamie S Crouse suggests an idea of a ‘psychological confinement’ which applies to certain characters within the novel. I believe that this is certainly true in terms of Heathcliff who, after Cathy’s death, is haunted constantly and draws into himself, only left having one vengeful agenda. In front of others, he appears to be a brooding and rude man, but in his own mind, he is lamenting over the loss of Cathy and
Isolation and marginalisation are key themes that run throughout the novel. They are shown in a variety of ways such as, the two main houses (Wuthering heights and Thrushcross Grange), the marginalisation of the lower classes and also the isolation of individual characters. A literary critique by Katherine Swan suggested that ‘Wuthering Heights’ was a novel filled with ‘dark passion and misguided characters’ and I believe the isolation of the moors and marginalisation of central characters only fuels this.
I believe that Hindley is a character that throughout the novel is in many ways an outsider. When Heathcliff joins his family, him and Cathy become extremely close which therefore leaves Hindley somewhat alone. On top of this, it is obvious that their father favours Heathcliff which further isolates him and makes him extremely jealous. You cannot deny the fact that Hindley is absolutely vile towards Heathcliff, but I would suggest that this behaviour is further fuelled by the fact that Hindley is quite alone. Later in the book, when Hindley’s wife dies, he takes the death terribly and begins to drink heavily and seclude himself from everyone. He is described to ‘give himself up to reckless disposition’ and ‘neither weep nor pray’. The death of his wife drives him into solitude. He pushes others away through his tyrannical attitude and numbs himself from the world through alcohol. Hindley is just one of many characters who isolate themselves and becomes an outsider from the rest of the world.
Jamie S Crouse suggests an idea of a ‘psychological confinement’ which applies to certain characters within the novel. I believe that this is certainly true in terms of Heathcliff who, after Cathy’s death, is haunted constantly and draws into himself, only left having one vengeful agenda. In front of others, he appears to be a brooding and rude man, but in his own mind, he is lamenting over the loss of Cathy and