“Allhumanbeings,aswemeetthem,arecommingledoutofgoodandevil”
–ConnectionsbetweenPersonandPlaceinWutheringHeights
“TheworldofthenovelisdividedintotworivalcampsofEdgarandHeathcliff,
ThrushcrossGrangeWutheringHeights”
–RCMcKibben
“MyloveforLintonislikethefoliageinthewoods:timewillchangeit,I’mwell
aware,aswinterchangesthetrees.MyloveforHeathcliffresemblestheeternal
rocksbeneath:asourceoflittlevisibledelight,butnecessary.Nelly,Iam
Heathcliff!”
–EmilyBronte
EmilyBronte’sdecisiontotitleherworkWutheringHeightsdenotesdeliberateauthorial
intenttocentrethenovelonthenotionofplace.Shechosetousealocationassociatedwith
trepidationinthenovelasthetitle,asopposedtoanotherplaceorthenameofaperson—suchas
JaneEyreorAgnesGrey.ThisfocusonplaceisfurtheremphasizedthroughBronte’suseoflocations
whichwereemotionallyandgeographicallyclosetohertodevelopthesettingsinhernovel.Asa
result,settingplaysalargeroleindevelopingthethemesandmotifsofthenovel,andparticularly
influencesthedevelopmentofthecharacters.ThenotionofplaceinWutheringHeightsisadvanced
bythevariouselementssuchaslandscape,weather,andarchitectureoftheprimaryestates
(WutheringHeightsandThrushcrossGrange),especiallyofthehouses.AccordingtoWeekesKinkead,“itmaybethatthemetaphorofthe‘house’(whichcanbeanexpressionofself,oran
expressionofrelationship,orsomethingenduringbeyondboth)willhelpustoestablishthe
differentarchitecturesofthefiction”(78).AnalyzingthenovelintermsofWeekes-Kinkead’s
definitionofthemetaphorofthehouse,weseethehouse,andbyextensiontheotherelementsof
place,asanexpressionofself,relationship,“orsomethingenduringbeyondboth.”Thus,the
contrastingdepictionofWutheringHeightsandThrushcrossGrange,includingtheirstructuresand
landscapes,arematchedwiththeoppositionofthecharactersresidingintheseplaces;EmilyBronte
usesthecharacterizationofplacetodeveloptheidentitiesofHeathcliff,Catherine,Hareton,Linton,
andtheyoungCatherine,aswellastoemphasizethecontrastsbetweentheHeightsandtheGrange
andtheirinhabitants.
Johnson2
IntheEditor’sPrefacetothe1850editionofWutheringHeights,CharlotteBronte,thesister
ofEmily,setsthestagefortheearlyreceptionofWutheringHeightsandThrushcrossGrange.She
specifiesthatthesetwolocationsaresituatedin“thewildmoorsoftheNorthofEngland”and“the
outlyinghillsandhamletsintheWestRidingofYorkshire”(Bronte440).EmilyBronte’smeticulous
observationsandherloveofthemoorselevateherillustrationsoftheselocationsfromsimple
placestomuchmoresignificantdescriptionsthatrelateheremotionalconnectionwiththelocation
tothenaturalelements,weather,andherimpressions.
Thesesettingsareamalgamationsofavarietyoflandscapes,adjustedtofitBronte’stextual
needs.AccordingtoChristopherHeywood,“AnorthernPenninelandscapefromtheYorkshireDales
emergesinthefirsthalfofWutheringHeights,overlaidinthesecondhalfwithamoorlandof
southernPenninetype”(“Pennine”188).Thisdoublelandscapeisasourceofconfusionformany
readersandcritics;however,itemphasizesthestarkdifferencesbetweentheHeightsandthe
Grange,aswellasthecharactersoftheolderCatherine’sgenerationandtheyoungerCatherine’s
generation.Heywoodcommentsonthecontrastsbetweenthesetwolocations:“Emilyusedthe
limestoneDalesasasettingforbetrayalanddeath,andthemoorlandasasettingforprogress
towardsregeneration”(“Pennine”191).ThesecontrastinggeographiesinWutheringHeights
catalysetherivalry,notonlybetweentheHeightsandtheGrange,butbetweenthecharacters
inhabitingtheselocations.
Bronte’ssubjectiveexperienceinformsmuchofthedevelopmentandcharacterisationof
theHeightsandtheGrange.Shesupplementshersubjectiveexperiencesandobservationsby
includingtheexperiencesofotherwritersandtravellersmadepopularbytheGrandTourinEngland.
TheproliferationoftheGrandTour,inwhichyoung,aristocraticgentlemenoriginallytravelledthe
globe,causedsuchyouthstorealizethebeautyoftheirownhomeland,andresultedinasignificant
increaseintravelliteraturedetailingtheless-visitedareasofBritain.Godfreymentionsseveral
potentialsourcesforBronte’sfamouslandscapes:“HeywoodlistssuchtextsasJ.Huttons1780Tour
totheCaves,ThomasWest’s1784GuidetotheLakes,andFredericMontagu’s1838Gleaningsin
Johnson3
Cravenassomeofthe‘Yorkshiretopographicalandtravelliterature’thatEmilyBrontewaslikelyto
haveread”(Godfrey1-2).ThisinfluenceoftravelliteratureisfurtherreinforcedinCharlotteBronte’s
Preface;Godfreyexplainsthat“inchoosingtoadvertisehersister’stextintermsofitsculturaland
geographicalalienness,sheframesWutheringHeightsasaworkwhichcantakeordinaryreaderson
awildandstrangetourofnewlandscapes,people,andbehaviours”(1).Sheconnectsthisnotionof
geographicalienationtotourism,andstatesthat“CharlotteBrontesoughttodrawoncontemporary
appealof‘armchairtourism’amongthereadingpublic”(Godfrey1).Thus,thesettingsthatEmily
depictsareunarguablytheresultofvariousprimarysourcesinadditionherownobservations.
InChroniclesandStoriesoftheCravenDalesbyJ.H.Dixon,weseeacontemporary
connectionbetweenthelandscapeofCraven,whichcontainstheWestRidingofYorkshire,and
EmilyBronte’slandscapeinWutheringHeights:
Buttherearethreeotherwritersinwhoseromanceswehavemost
unmistakeablesketchesofCravensceneryandcharacter,viz.:Currer,Ellis,and
ActonBell;forsothethreetalentedmembersoftheBrontefamilychosetocall
themselves.Theirmelancholyhistoryiswellknownthroughthebiographical
memoirfromthepenofthelateMrs.Gaskell.Letthereaderturnto“Wuthering
Heights,”andifheknowanythingofCravenoritsscenery,hewillfindinthat
wonderfulnovelsometrulygraphicsketching.Longbeforeweknewanythingof
theauthor,wesaid“ThisisCraven!”andweknewwheretofindthebleakand
barrenmoorlandsolitudes,wherethemisanthropicherohadhiscrazydwelling.
Perhaps,wecouldhavepointedoutthemisanthropehimself.(18)
ThoughtheconnectionbetweenthelandscapeandthecharactersmightbeentirelyofBronte’s
creation,thelandscapethemselvesarenot.TheintricatedetailBronteemploysinWuthering
Heightsreflectshowthestructureofthenovelitselfcomplementsthedetailofthelandscapes.The
intensedetailwithwhichBrontetextuallyillustratesthelandscapesalsomanifestsitselfinherclose
attentiontothelineageandfamilialstructurewithinthenovel.Sangernotes:
Themostobviousthingaboutthestructureofthestoryisthesymmetryofthe
pedigree.Mr.andMrs.EarnshawatWutheringHeightsandMr.andMrs.Linton
atThrushcrossGrangeeachhaveonesonandonedaughter.Mr.Linton’sson
marriesMr.Earnshaw’sdaughter,andtheironlychildCatherinemarries
successivelyhertwocousins—Mr.Linton’sgrandsonandMr.Earnshaw’s
grandsons(9).
Johnson4
Thissymmetrybetweenthefamiliesaidstheaudienceinfollowingthemovementsofcharacters
betweentheHeightsandtheGrange;thismobilityoffsetsthebalanceofcharactersinthesetwo
placesascreatedbytherigidandsymmetricalfamilialstructure,whichiseventuallyreconciledbya
combiningofpersonandplacethroughmarriage.
ThoughthedifferencesbetweentheHeightsandtheGrangeareobviousthroughtheir
individualinfluences,thesedifferencesarealsomadeclearwithinthetext,bothbytheinhabitants
andthesettings.Thepurposeoftheplaceitselfisimportanttokeepinmindwhentalkingaboutthe
Heights;“TheHeightsisaworkingfarmhouse,aplacewherelaundryiswashed,waterpumped,and
pigeonscultivated”(Gezari55).Sincetheplaceissofocusedonwork,theinhabitantsreflectthis
purpose.Ontheotherhand,theGrangeismoreconnectedtosocietalandsocietalexpectations;its
purposeismorefocusedonbeautyandsocietalperceptions.ThisisevidentwhenEdgarandIsabella
fightoverthedogforitspurposeasapetasopposedtoasahuntingdog,asitwouldbeinthe
Heights,andthenultimatelybothbecometiredofthedog.Thus,theGrangeismorefocusedon
materialismandsocietalperceptions.
BrontechosethenamesWutheringHeightsandThruscrossGrangeforhertwoprimary
settingsforpayingcloseattentiontotheconnotationsanddenotationsassociatedwiththespecific
termsineachlocationname.Forexample,“theOEDtreats‘wuthering’asvariantof‘withering,’and
adjectivederivedfromtheScottishanddialectverb‘wither’:‘tomovewithforceorimpetus,to
rush;tomakearushingsound,towhizz,toblusterorrage,asthewind’”(Gezari43).Contrastingly,
thenameThrushcrossGrangeismoresereneanddelightfulincomparisontotherigidityofthe
nameWutheringHeights.AccordingtotheOED,thrushcomesfromthesongthrush,asingingbird,
showingafocuswithintheGrangeonmusicandotherentertainment,andagrangeisacountry
houseortheresidenceofagentlemanfarmer,emphasizingthegentilityoftheGrange.Thisgentility
isemphasizedwhenCatherinereturnstotheHeightsfromherstayattheGrangeandisilluminated
throughGezari’sannotationofthetext:
Johnson5
Ladieshadpersonalmaids.Nelly’ssuggestionthatsheisonly“playing”thisrole
takesinCatherine’snewpretensionsaswellasthedifferencebetweenthe
servanteconomiesoftheHeightsandtheGrange.Nellyperformsthefunctionsof
nurse,housekeeper,andcookattheHeights;severaldifferentservantsperform
thesefunctionsattheGrange.(Gezari107)
Thiscontrastintherolesofservantsfurtheremphasizestheideaofpurposeofplaceinthatthe
servantsoftheHeightsperformagreaternumberofroles;eachindividualhasgreaterutilityanda
greaterworkload.Ontheotherhand,theGrangeisaseeminglyeasierlifewithfewerjobs.The
distinctionliesintheamountanddifficultyofthelabourrequired.
Difficultyandlabourintheestatesarecorrelatedwiththedifficultyandharshnessofthe
landscape.Thus,theconnectiontoforce,rage,andwinddevelopedthroughthename“Wuthering
Heights”isimportantininterpretingthecharactersinlightoflocation.Lockwoodexpoundsupon
thedefinitionof“wuthering”anoffersthatitisa“significantprovincialadjective,descriptiveofthe
atmospherictumultofwhichitsstationisexposed,instormyweather”(Bronte43).Thewindis
highlightedduringLockwood’sarrivalattheHeights,andtheforceandrageofthewindarealso
channelledbyEarnshawandHeathcliffespecially.EnidDuthiecommentsonthisconnection
betweenthenameWutheringHeightsandweather:“WutheringHeights,aswearemadetofeel
fromthebeginning,standsonthedefensiveagainstbothweather,asitsnamesuggests,andagainst
allcomers.Itisbothfarmandfortress”(224).
ThisnotionoftheHeightsasafortressissupportedbythepresenceoflocks,doors,and
otherboundaries.SincetheHeightsisclearlyisolatedfromcivilization,thelocksarenotnecessarily
forkeepingpeopleout—thelandscapeanddistancedothatalready.Instead,thelocksanddoors
areoftenusedtokeeppeoplein.Forexample,inthecaseoftheyoungCatherine,whoiskidnapped
byHeathcliffandforcedtomarryLinton.Hence,theHeightsfunctionssimultaneouslyasasymbolof
imprisonmentandintenselabour.Theselocativecharacterizationswhollyinformtheidentities,
attitudes,andactionsoftheinhabitants.
AfterbothoftheEarnshawmendieandHeathcliffbecomestheownerofWuthering
Heights,HeathcliffandtheHeightsbecomeoneandthesame,sharingsimilarcharacterisations
Johnson6
withoutanyclearrealisationofwhichentityfirstdevelopedeachquality.Forexample,Heathcliff
losesCatherinetoEdgar,andweseethat“theatmosphereoftheHeightsisdominatedbysuffering,
andthenatureofthissufferingistopropagateitself.Onesoulintormentcanfindreliefonlyinthe
reproductionofitsagonyinthosearoundit”(McKibben35).ThisfeelinginHeathcliffistheresultof
anothercharacteristicoftheHeights:“thelanguageofloveisnotonlyantisocial,itisalso
impersonal.Nowitisindividualandlovingbeyondpersonality,beyondlife,beyonddeath”(WeekesKinkead77).It’sobviousfromCatherine’sstatement“IamHeathcliff”thattheirloveextends
beyondpersonalityandlife.
Catherineisthefirstcharacterwhotriestomovefromonelandscapeandoneresidenceto
theother,bymarryingEdgarandgoingtoliveinThrushcrossGrange.Thiscontrastingideaoflovein
theGrangethatCatherinechoosesEdgarfor“isconcernedwiththepoweroflovetofulfiltheself,it
isalsoconcernedtobringlovingrelationshipintoharmonywiththecontinuingsocial,moral,and
religiousorder,stilltosomeextentpublic”(Weekes-Kinkead77).BasedonCatherine’sreasonsfor
marryingEdgar,whichsheshareswithNelly,itisobviousthatthischoiceisfoundedprimarilyonthe
socialbenefits,despitehermetaphysicalconnectiontoHeathcliff.Thesereasonsarearesultofthis
ideaofloveinthegrangebecause:
LovingEdgarisloveintheworldoftheGrange.Itisloveinarelationshipwhere
contactwiththatpersonalitycreatesapleasantandhappyambianceand
behaviourislovingandlovable...Itisloveinasocietytoo,whereincomeand
statusalsohaveaplaceinthequalityoflife(Weekes-Kinkead86).
EmilyBrontealsohasmoreofafocusonpresentingthelandscapeofWutheringHeights
thanthatofThrushcrossGrange,whichmightbeanobviousskewednessrelatedtothefactthatone
isthetitlelandscape—similartothefocusofothernovelsontheirtitlecharacters:
BycontrastthereaderhasamuchlessclearimpressionofThrushcrossGrange,
thoughitisobviouslyafarmoreimposingresidence.Itisthematerialluxuryof
theinteriorwhichfascinatedCatherineandHeathcliffaschildren,whentheygaze
infromwithout,andthiscouldbelongtoanycountryhouseoftheperiod.There
is,despiteitsaffluence,acuriousairofemptinessanddefencelessnessaboutthe
Grange(Duthie224-225).
Johnson7
Inadditiontobeingthelargerresidence,ThrushcrossGrangeisthenewerresidence,showingthat
theLintonscomefromnewermoney,whereastheEarnshawshaveworkedtheHeightsforthree
hundredyears.TheoverallcharacteristicsoftheGrangearesummedupeffectivelybyMcKibben:
TheatmosphereofThrushcrossGrangeisoneofnormalcyandconvention;but
sinceconventionismerelyanacceptedmethodofsimplifyingreality,andsince
thissimplificationusuallyinvolvesamodificationoravoidanceofthemore
unpleasantaspectsoflife,theLintons,astheyareportrayedbytheoutcast
Heathcliff,existinapoliteandpettyplay-world(36).
TheGrangeismorefocusedonpublicopinionandconformingtosocietalexpectations,whichis
mostlikelyaresultofitslocationclosertosocietyascomparedtotheisolationoftheHeights.
TheseclusionanddistanceoftheHeightscreatesaverydifferenthomeandlocationof
developmentforitsinhabitants.Throughoutthenovel,Heathcliffischaracterizedthroughthedark
imageryoftheHeights,oftenwithconnectionstobeingagypsyorabeast.He’sclearlynotofthis
place,thoughheadaptsitspersonality,butBrontealsoentertainstheideathatheisnotofthis
Earth.ThroughthecharacterofHeathcliff,andlaterthroughLinton,Brontepresentadiscourseon
slavery,whichisfurtheredthroughthegeneralalien-nesswhichCharlottepresentsinPrefaceand
thecharacterisationofHeathcliffasanoutsider:
Fromtheverybeginningofthenovel,Heathcliff,the“gipsyboy”,isconstructed
inasubtlyracistdiscourseasbelongingtofilthy,wild-lookinganddreadfully
primitiveclass,whichlatermakesCatherinedreadfullyandbewilderinglyunable
tomarryhimthoughsheisirretrievablyinlovewithhim.(Althubaiti204)
ThisothernessisobviousfromNellyDean’snarrationofthisarrivalwhereshecallshim“adirty,
ragged,black-hairedchild”and“gypsybrat”(Bronte87,88).Shealsousesthepronoun“it”instead
of“he”whenreferringtoHeathcliffinherinitialdescription(Bronte87-88).Shealsoproclaimsthat
he“repeatedoverandoveragain,somegibberish,”furtherfocusingonhisotherness(Bronte88).
Gezaripointsoutinherannotationtothissectionthat“Heathcliff’sspeechcombineswithhisdark
skinandblackhairtomarkanoriginthathasremainedmysterious...heisraciallydifferentfromthe
Earnshaws”(88).Inotherplacesthroughoutthenovel,Heathcliffisreferredtoasthisgypsy
character.Furthermore,despitetherelativedarknessoftheEarnshawsinrelationtotheLintons,
Johnson8
mostlikelybecausetheinhabitantsoftheHeightsareaccustomedtolabouringoutdoors,Heathcliff
isdescribedasbeingevendarker;“anditiscertainlytruethatEmily’sepicprotagonistsoccupythe
centreofthestage,andthatHeathcliffisnotanativeofthemoorsbutatoweringfigurewhose
shadowdarkensthem”(Duthie225).Inthissense,it’suncertainwhetherHeathcliff’spersonality
influencestheHeightsoriftheHeightsinfluencesHeathcliff’spersonality.Perhapspersonandplace
workintandemtodevelopasingularidentity.
InadditiontothisdarknessrepresentedbytheHeightsandpotentiallyfurtheredby
Heathcliff’spresence,Heathcliffispresentedasabestialcharacter.AfterCatherine’sdeath,Bronte
showsacomparisonbetweenhimandabeast,mostlikelysomeformofdogorwolffromthe
howling;“hedashedhisheadagainsttheknottedtrunk;andliftinguphiseyes,howled,notlikea
manbutlikeasavagebeastgettinggoadedtodeathwithknivesandspears”(Bronte242).This
bestialcomparison,especiallytodogs,isemphasizedthroughoutthenovel.WhenLockwoodfirst
arrives“thedogsarenotonlybitingatLockwood’sheelsbutleapinguponhim”andthistreatment
iscomparedtoHeathcliff’streatmentofLockwood,whichhecommentsoninhisnarration:“eyeing
meinamannerthatIcouldillendureafterthisinhospitabletreatment”(Gezari49,Bronte49).
Isabellatakesherassessmentofhimawayfromthenaturalrealm,referringtoHeathcliffasa
“monster”andsaying“he’snotahumanbeing”(Bronte248).Thisbestialcomparisonand
inhumanityofcharacterisaccompaniedbya“violentnature,”whichmatchestheforceandviolence
oftheweatheroftheHeights(Bronte114).
ThiscomparisontodogspresentsHeathcliffasaworkanimal,whichrelatestothepurpose
oftheHeights,whilealsoemphasizingthatHeathcliffdoesnotfitinwithhumanityandsociety,
whichfitswiththesecludednatureoftheHeights.Inthissense,HeathcliffandtheHeightsare
similarinpurposeandneedforisolation.However,theHeightsalsoservesasasourceof
imprisonment,anditsownerisnoexception.HeathcliffonlyleavestheHeightsonce;he’sasmuch
trappedasthosethathekidnaps.HisonlyescapefromtheHeightswasbyrunningawayinthe
Johnson9
middleofthenight.Ultimately,Heathcliffwithers(wuthers)awayattheHeights,beingtrapped
therebyitsconnectiontoCatherineandhisloveforher.
UnlikeHeathcliff,CatherinemanagestoescapefromtheimprisonmentoftheHeights,
thoughherconnectiontoHeathcliffstillcausesatumultuousrelationshipbetweenherandthe
Grange.Initially,Catherineisdescribedaswild,aconnectiontothewildnessofthemoorsatthe
Heights,andsheismoreconnectedwithnaturethansociety.However,thischangesduringherstay
attheGrange.Itisnotedthat“shemustmindandnotgrowwildagainhere,”afterher
transformationfromCatherineoftheHeightstotheCatherineoftheGrange(Bronte107).Gezari
furtheremphasizesthechangebyanalyzingthedetailsofCatherine’snewdress:“Catherine’shat,
ridinghabit,andfashionablycurledhairmarkhernewalignmentwiththeLintonsandherincreased
socialdistancefromHeathcliff”(107).Asocialdistancealsoaccompaniesthephysicaldistancefrom
HeathcliffandtheHeights.ThedifferencesbetweentheHeightsandtheGrangeandtheirrespective
inhabitantsarealreadyapparent.
InseveralinstancesafterCatherineleavesfortheGrange,thereisaviolentexchange
wheneverHeathcliffandCatherineinteractintheGrange,whichisacontrolledandpoliteplace
unaccustomedtoviolence.Thisservestofurtherjuxtaposetheiractions.Interactionsbetweenthe
GrangeandtheHeightsisnotpossiblewithoutconflict.TheforceandcrueltyoftheHeightsdoes
notcominglewellwiththecontrolandpolitenessoftheGrange:
WhenwithHeathcliff’sreturndomesticstrifebecomestherulein
hishome,Edgarincreasesthefrequencyofhisvisitstohisbooks:
thetranquillityoftheGrangeisupsetbythewildenergyofthe
Heights,andheispersonallythreatenedbythoseforceswhichhis
earlyeducationfailedtotakeintoaccount(McKibben37).
ThisviolencecomesfromtheaggressiveforcealreadyexplainedinHeathcliffandtheHeights,but
theviolentnatureinCatherineisgenerallysubduedbytheexpectationsoftheGrange.Thus,itis
onlyunleashedwhenherHeightspersonalityiscalledbacktothesurface.Thisregressionof
characteremphasizesCatherine’sdichotomousnature.Duthieemphasizesthecontrastbetween
CatherineandtheGrangebypointingout,“Cathy’scontrastingaccountsoftheidealwayof
Johnson10
spendingasummerdayshowboththespiritualdistancebetweenherselfandLintonandherown
position,poisedbetweenconflictingimpulses”(237).Thesecontrastingaccountsleadtothe
conclusionthatCatherinedoesnotfitintheworldoftheGrange.Thisdichotomyisemphasized
throughherexpressionofloveforbothEdgarandHeathcliff,andherloveofboththeidealisticview
oftheGrangeandthenaturalisticrealnessandwildnessoftheHeights.Thiscreatesadualitywithin
Catherine’scharacterbecausesheexistsastheCatherinewhogrewupinWutheringHeightsandthe
CatherinewhoconformstothesocietaldemandsofThrushcrossGrange.Heathcliff,ontheother
hand,maintainshisbestialWutheringHeightspersona,andhismomentsofgoodnessaresituated
withintheideaofloveintheHeights(i.e.hisconnectiontoCatherine).
ThelastinhabitantoftheHeightswhohasbeentheresincebirthisHareton.Beyondsimply
beinganinhabitant,Haretonistherightfulowner,butheisdeprivedofthisknowledgebyhisown
imprisonmentwithintheHeights.TheyoungCatherineinitiallyviewsHaretonasbeingsomewhat
beneathherbecausehe’silliterate;however,throughlearningtoreadwithyoungCatherine,
HaretonacceptsavalueoftheGrange,whicheventuallyleadstoself-empowermentanda
friendshipwithinimprisonment.Despiteneverleavingtheheights,HaretonisexposetotheGrange
byCatherine’simprisonmentintheHeightsandherabilitytofighttheassimilationofthepersonality
oftheHeights.
LintonisapeculiarcharacterbecauseheistheoffspringofHeathcliff,theembodimentof
thepersonalityoftheHeights,andIsabella,whoisundoubtedlycharacterizedbytheGrangedespite
herexile.Nonetheless,growingupwithIsabella,Lintonhastakentothequalitiesassociatedwith
theGrange;thisisevidentfromhisfeebleness.WhenLintonfirstentersthenovel,hestaysinthe
GrangewiththeyoungCatherineandisspoiledbythislifestylethatclearlysuitshim;however,
HeathcliffquicklyforceshimtoliveattheHeightsashisson.Lintonprimarilyremainsfeeble;
however,asaresultofbeingmanipulatedandcontrolledbyHeathcliffduringhisimprisonmentat
theHeights,hebecomesmoreevilanddevious,adaptingthesetraitsfromtheHeights.Linton
Johnson11
manipulatesyoungCatherineinturnbypretendingthathestillpossessesthekindnessandgood
societyoftheGrange.
ItisevidentthatHeathcliffwishesforLintontodevelopsomeoftheseGrangequalitiesin
ordertoattracttheyoungCatherine:
Earlier,JosephmockedIsabella’srequesttobetakentotheparlor:
‘Naywehavenoparlours’(Vol.I,Chap.13).ThatWutheringHeights
nowcontainsaroomthatcanbecalledaparlorandiswell
furnishedshowsHeathcliff’sefforttobringLintonupasa
gentlementandalsotoseparatehimfromtheotherinhabitantsof
theHeights(Gezari290).
Nonetheless,Linton’scharacterisquicklybroughtintotherhetoricofslaverythatexistsinthenovel,
whichismostlypresentedthroughtheforeignnessofHeathcliff.Thisrhetoricemphasizesthe
developmentofaharshnessandcrueltywithinLintonthatcanonlybeassociatedwiththeweather
andatmosphereoftheHeights.ThisconnectiontoslaveryispresentedbyBronte’simagewhere
“Lintonlayonthesettle,soletenant,suckingastickofsugarcandy”(Bronte366).Gezaripointsout
inherannotationtothisimagethat“slaverywasaninextricablepartoftheeconomyofsugar
plantationandLiverpoolwasbothanimportantslave-tradingportandacenterofsugarproduction”
(366).Gezarialsonotesthat“BrontecouldnothavefoundabetterwaytosignalthatLintonhas
nowfallentoanewlowpointofself-involvementandcruelty”(366).Fallingfromgrace,Linton
transformsfromthepolitenessoftheGrangetothecrueltyoftheHeights.Thiscontrastisfurther
emphasizedthroughthecomparisonofthisimageto“Heathcliff’sinfantilizingdescriptionofEdgar
Lintonasa‘suckingleveret’(VolI.Chap.11),butthesugarcandysignalshowmuchmore
contemptibleLintonisthanhisuncle”(Gezari366).ThiscontrastbetweenthecontemptibleLinton
andtheinfantilizedEdgarcontributestothecontrastbetweencharactersthatisemphasizedbythe
contrastinglocativecharacterizationsassociatedwithintheHeightsandtheGrange.
TheyoungCatherineisbornintotheGrange,incontrasttohermother.Assuch,sheis
instilledwithakindnessandpolitenessindicativeofthesocietalexpectationsoftheGrange.
CatherineisimprisonedinWutheringHeightsasthemajorityofcharacterswithinthenovelare,and
Johnson12
inasense,shebeginstodevelopthehostilityassociatedwiththeHeights;however,sheseemsto
possessaninnerstrengthcapableofrejectingthefullassimilationofthequalitiesoftheHeights.
Thisstrengthexistsasasourceofhopeforperseveranceandregeneration.TheyoungCatherine
retainsaloveofbooksindicativeoftheGrangeandsharesthiswithHaretonbyeducatinghim,
whichservestoreversehispreviousdegradationattheHeights.
Throughoutthenovel,thepolarizationoftheHeightsandtheGrangeseemstolessen,as
theselocationsseemtocoalesceasHeathcliffandCatherineinteractmore.Thisisseenthroughthe
prevalenceofviolenceattheGrange,previouslyattributedtotheHeights,themarriageofIsabella
andHeathcliff,andeventually,CatherineandHarten’srelationshipandmarriage.Thislastmarriage
servestounitetheGrangeandHeightsandbringtheHeightsoutofisolation,whileemphasizingthe
innategoodnessthatexistsinHaretondespitebeingraisedunderthebrutalityofHeathcliff.
ChristopherHeywoodnotedthisreintegrationinhiscommentsonthelandscapeinthesecond
volumeofthenovel.
Heathcliff,Catherine,Hareton,Linton,andtheyoungCatherinecannotbecomefully
incorporatedintoplaceswheretheydonotbelong.ThisismostevidentinthecaseofCatherine.As
such,itisapparentthat“WutheringHeightsisareminderthattourism,bynature,createsa
hopelesslyartificialinteractionbetweentouristsandthelandscapestheyvisit”(Godfrey5).This
artificialinteractionisseeninthecharactersthatavoidbecomingsubmergedintheplacesthatthey
visitormoveto.
TheeasiestwaytocontrasttheHeightsandtheGrangewouldbeasbadandgoodorlight
anddark;however,inregardtotheGothictradition,MacAndrewspointsoutthat“throughout
WutheringHeights,thetraditionalsymbolismofgoodandevil,lightanddark,isfilledwith
enigmatic,ambiguousmeaning”(204).Assuch,nocleardistinctioncanbedrawnbetweenthe
HeightsandtheGrange,especiallyastheyconvergetowardstheendofthenovel.MacAndrews
continuestopointoutthedifferencesinthetwohomesandthetwosetsofchildren:“thetwo
children[HeathcliffandCatherine]growuptogetherinthedarkandgloomyoldhouse,twowild
Johnson13
creaturesbeleaguered…Incontrast,theLintonchildrengrowupinlight,airy,sunlitThrushcross
Grange”(204).Asshowninthefamilialstructureofthenovel,theGrangeandtheHeightsmix:
Thecontrastbetweenthelightanddarkhousesseparatedbythe
wildmoorandinhabitedrespectivelybytheblondLintonsandthe
darkEarnshawsissetup,however,onlytobebrokendownagain
andconfused.Thecharacterswhoseemtorepresentlightnessand
darkintermarrywithresultsthatatfirstaredisastrousandthen
laterarebeneficial.(MacAndrews204-205)
ThisintermarryingofLinton,Earnshaw,andHeathcliffontopoftheconvergenceoftheHeightsand
theGrangerepresentscoexistenceofthedichotomiespresentedinthenovel.Inthissense,the
novelendswithabalancereturnedtorealismandnature,wheretheseextremesbecomemore
moderate.Assuch,eachcharacterrepresentscertainaspectsofeachlightanddarkandtheGrange
andtheHeights.
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