THE DISRUPTION OF PATRIARCHY THROUGH
CLASS MOBILITY IN EMILY BRONTE'S WUTHERING HEIGHTS
by
Chrystal Wong
A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of
The Wilkes Honors College
in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of
Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts and Sciences
with a Concentration in English Literature
Wilkes Honors College of
Florida Atlantic University
Jupiter, Florida
April2014
THE DISRUPTION OF PATRIARCHY THROUGH
CLASS MOBILITY IN EMILY BRONTE'S WUTHERING HEIGHTS
by
Chrystal Wong
This thesis was prepared under the direction of the candidate's thesis advisor, Dr.
Michael· Harrawood, and has been approved by the members of her/his supervisory
committee. It was submitted to the faculty of The Honors College and was accepted in
partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts
and Sciences.
Dr. Michael Harrawood
LA)~,;.i M~ IV·
.Vb..-.Li
'V
uller, Wilkes Honors College
ii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would never have been able to write this thesis if it wasn't for Dr. Michael
Harrawood, who has invested so much time and energy into not only this project, but into
myself as a student. He is an amazingly wonderful and caring man who has always been
genuinely invested in my future and my success. I can never thank him enough for final.ly
inspiring my passion for academia, and teaching me what it truly means to be an
academic and an English Literature student. He is a mentor as well as a brilliant friend. I
would also like to thank Professor Dorotha Lemeh, who has spent the last four years
keeping me sane enough to stay in the Honors College. She is a brilliant resource for the
College and a true treasure as a human being. I love Professor Lemeh, and consider her
as more than a mentor, but a close and wonderful friend. It is imperative that I also thank
the Brilliant Dr. Wairimu Njambi, because without her I would still be blind. Dr. Njambi
is responsible for opening my eyes to feminism, and as such, opening my eyes to the
problems that exist in our world, while still giving me the hope that we can change and
make a difference. Lastly, I must thank my family and friends who pull me back from the
edge every day and support me. When I doubt myself you guys lift me up and help to
assuage my insecurities. Thank you Jackie, Rayna, Parker, Michael, Parker, Kadeem,
Elizabeth, Megan, Vince, Akemi, Andrew, Emily, Samantha, Ben, Alexa, Calvin, and
most importantly Mumbi, because without her in my life I would still be dancing in the
dark. Thank you for your inspiration, your generosity, and your love.
iii
Abstract
Author:
Chrystal Wong
Title:
The Disruption of Patriarchy through Class Mobility in Emily
Bronte's Wuthering Heights
Institution:
Wilkes Honors College of Florida Atlantic University
Thesis Advisor:
Michael Harrawood
Degree:
Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts and Science
Concentration:
Year:
English Literature
2014
In Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights, both male and female characters have the
ability to fluidly move between classes and display behaviors that far outreach their class
rank. In this thesis, I argue that Bronte uses the fluidity of class to dismantle the layers of
patriarchy within the novel and larger social structures. Nelly Dean is both the narrator
and a lowly housemaid within Wuthering Heights, however despite her status, she is
given many privileges within the house and has a distinct sense of agency. This is a
subtle queering of class structures, however Heathcliff is able to gain a massive quantity
of wealth and move from a lowly stable boy to a stately land owner; this is also despite
the racial stigma of Heathcliff being introduced as an orphaned gypsy. Many characters
move both up and down within class structures through gaining and losing capital; both
social and monetary. Despite this attempt by Bronte however, while she is successful in
disrupting the patriarchy, she is ultimately unsuccessful in dismantling it because it is
primarily the male characters who are able to move up within the social scale.
iv
Table of Contents
"The Disruption of Patriarchy through Class Mobility
in Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights"
Introduction: Class mobility and Hegelian theory
In Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights
1
Chapter One: "Patriarchy & Class Roles in
5
Wuthering Heights"
Chapter Two: "Masters and Servants: Using Hegel to
Show Agency in Servitude"
14
Chapter Three: "Fluidity of Class to
21
Destabilize Patriarchy "
Conclusion
34
Works Cited
37
v
Introduction:
Class Mobility and Hegelian Theory in
Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights
Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights (1847), stands as an essential element to the
classical literary cannon. Bronte unfolds a multi-generational story about love, betrayal,
and class hierarchies. The motivation of every single character's actions within
Wuthering Heights has its roots in class and a rigid cultural social structure. Despite this
preset social construction, the novel is filled with characters that fluidly move both up
and down in social class. Heathcliff is literally able to move into a higher social class by
mysteriously accumulating a mass amount of wealth, while other characters such as the
maid, Nelly Dean, remain a servant throughout the novel, however gains more agency as
an individual then almost any other character; in fact, the majority ofthe novel is written
from her perspective. In this paper, I will argue that because of the class mobility within
the novel, Bronte is disrupting the inherent patriarchy that would have been found
otherwise. This is seen not only by the characters actually moving between class, but the
agency gained by servants that elevated them beyond that of their masters; this puts them
on an emotional and personal level that far exceeds that of their masters. Class is also not
the only factor within the novel that should be considered. Both race and gender heavily
effect the outcomes of the respective characters; this also creates a completely different
meaning for the outcome of said character, for example Nelly Dean is a female servant,
1
which given her agency and influence within the house, has a completely different
connotation then if she were a White Male. Heathcliff is also initially described as a
dark-skinned gypsy, this is one of the few times that his race is discussed but it creates a
racial element, which also creates a greater character depth then if he too were a white
male within Victorian England. Bronte very subtly subverts the Patriarchy found within
the novel through having certain characters move up through social ranks that otherwise
wouldn't.
Class mobility is an integral aspect of Wuthering Heights and much of the rising
motion between classes for the characters has parallels in G.W.F. Hegel's "Master-Slave
Dialectic", found in his book The Phenomenology ofSpirit (1807). The characters are
only able to gain agency by going through a similar experience of self-awareness that
Hegel is purposing. Hegel determines that the human consciousness is only created
through the acknowledgement of another consciousness,.leaving both entities to be
fixated on the act of being acknowledged but unwilling to concede to the other side. The
inability to mediate these two ideas causes each opposing consciousness to want to kill
the other; however this creates a paradox because each side is dependent on the other for
self-recognition. The bond then develops into the Master-Slave relationship, one party
has to voluntarily subordinate oneself to the other side in order for both parties to survive;
the slaves benefit based on their ability to survive, and the master is granted constant
meditation on his own consciousness. The Master is also granted the ability to have the
slave working for him and create the world that the Master envisions, the slave however,
through his own work, is able to learn that they have control over the world; gaining
consciousness without the presence ofthe Master, upsetting the balance of the
2
relationship. The "Slave Consciousness" then develops, causing the Slave to be free in
his own head, but not in reality; the slave either has to rebel at this point, or live a life that
fails to align with the Slave's concept of self. This is important within Wuthering
Heights, because this is a journey that many of the oppressed characters explore.
Heathcliff obviously has the most dramatic road to self-awareness, because he frequently
moves between classes within the first half of the novel, however it is Catherine's final
rejection ofhim that pushes forth Heathcliffs discovery of his own consciousness and
sense of self-determination that then leads to the later struggles of characters within the
Novel. Hegel's "Master-Slave Dialectic" is directly related to Wuthering Heights
because of the vicious path of self-discovery that each character goes through, because of
class relations. It can confidently be said that the force that moves the plot of Wuthering
Heights is the recognition of class roles and the rebelling of these class roles. Within the
"Master Slave Dialectic", Hegel also comes to the conclusion that if the slave, or in this
case servant, fails to rise against his Master then this becomes a conscious decision to not
rebel. Despite their choice to not rebel, through Hegel's explanation, the Slave is still
elevated above the master through his self-reliance. While Heathcliff clearly fits the first
example of the rebel, Nelly Dean serves as the latter; Dean clearly has clout within the
house, as well as an established sense of Agency, shown throughout the novel by having
the narrative told through her voice and having a present maternal role, spanning
throughout the generations of characters such as Heathcliff, Catherine, Hindley, Hareton,
and Cathy. She plays a crucial role for all of the charac!ers involved because ofher
maternal role.
3
Nelly Dean is an important character in proving my Thesis statement because of
the multiple roles that she plays within the novel, and the fact that she is given the
opportunity to play these roles. Bronte created a character who maintains a low class
position throughout the novel, but acts as a mother, narrator and caretaker ofthe
Wuthering Heights grounds. She is also a confidant to many characters because of her
position in the household; for example, Isabella is unable to confide in Edgar or
Catherine, and chooses to confide in Nelly during a crisis (Bronte 136). Lockwood also
acknowledges her authority since she not only acts as the narrator for him, but is
simultaneously nursing him back to health (36). Bronte gives Nelly Dean more power
and Agency than any other character within in novel, which is important because Nelly is
not in fact a main character, compared to others like Catherine and Heathcliff; she still
however plays a vital role within the novel and a necessary one.
Heathcliff and Nelly are not the only characters who display characteristics from
Hegel's "Master-Slave Dialectic", but they are two ofthe more important characters
because they demonstrate it so well. Through the scope Hegelian theory, Bronte perfectly
displays the upset of balance and power within her Victorian social structure by having
characters undermine these set power structures, and therefore upset the overwhelming
patriarchy found within the novel.
4
Chapter One:
Patriarchy & Class Roles in Wuthering Heights
Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights (1847), constructs a world of not only mystery
and intrigue, but also one of submission and domination; punishment and captivity. By
actively writing about submission and domination between males and females; as well as
having female characters actively presented as the dominating presence, Bronte is
breaking through well-known conventions and tropes that female characters are placed
into. By having both male and female characters fluidly move between the roles of
Master and Servant, Bronte is queering the traditional roles of patriarchy within her
novel. Bronte also gives the Master and Servant relationship greater depth by expanding
and developing the bounds of a servant. As with both Heathcliff and his eventual wife
Isabella; they rise and fall within their previously established classes and travel within
established structured class systems. Insubordinate servants, like Nelly Dean also serve to
show the problems within hierarchical societies as well as the apparent moral dilemmas.
Bronte's questioning ofthe systems exemplifies the themes of not just an overarching
love story, but a story that displays the depths of general human relationships and power
struggles.
Patriarchy is defined by the feminist theorist bell hooks in her article,
"Understanding Patriarchy" as, "a political-social system that insists that males are
inherently dominating, superior to everything and everyone deemed weak, especially
females, and endowed with the right to dominate and rule over the weak and to maintain
5
that dominance through various forms of psychological terrorism and violence." (1).
Under this definition, I am claiming that by having strong willed characters like the
servant Nelly Dean, and characters that display class mobility like Heathcliffs quick
ascension through social classes, Bronte is subtly dismantling the inherent patriarchy
within the novel. Nelly Dean is a prime example ofthis, because while she maintains the
position as the servant for multiple generations within the family she still does not act
subservient to anyone, and acts on her own will. While she does not have an official rise
in social class, she is still the character who has the most growth and the strongest will
throughout the novel. Heathcliff is also initially presented as a character who is not only
a servant, but also of mixed race. Carine Mardorossian discusses Heathcliff s race in her
article :"Geometries and Race, Class, and Gender: Identity Crossing in Wuthering
Heights" that although it appears as if Race is not a major concern for any of the
characters, Heathcliff s ethnicity is mentioned by several characters. The racial
discrimination of Heathcliff, while not emphasized through obvious negative comments,
is mentioned enough that it should be noticed and highlighted within the text. Given that
Heathcliff is not only non-white as well as a servant in a class oriented British Victorian
society, the faet that Bronte has this anti-hero character rise in Class and Wealth, shows
the reader a frivolous and nonchalant attitude towards these ideas. Hindley is a character
that also has a sudden and drastic change in terms of wealth and class; however this is
interpreted differently because he falls in regards to Capital, and Cultural Capital.
Hindley is shown as being the Master of the house, and Heathcliffs primary oppressor.
Hindley returns home from college after the death of his father in order to seize command
of Wuthering Heights, along with a new wife, and an agenda to gain control over
6
Heathcliff and dominate him; "'Heathcliff, you may come forward,' cried Mr. Hindley,
enjoying his discomfiture, and gratified to see what a forbidding young blackguard he
would be compelled to present himself." (53). This example comes after Hindley
assumes control, and attempts to show his complete dominion over the servants within
the household. Heathcliff s rebellious nature in response to Hindley disrupts the
patriarchal systems within the novel that involves class, race, and gender; as well as the
intense discrimination that is also involved. It is impossible to ignore these blatant
subversions, not only because of the textual evidence regarding the characters speech and
thoughts, but also the general plotlines of the characters and story.
Throughout the novel certain servants hold much more power over others and
over the lives oftheir masters, such as with Nelly Dean. Nelly is a servant who along
with being a house keeper throughout all of the generations shown within the novel, is
also shown to be a maternal figure towards Heathcliff, Catherine, Hindley, Hareton, and
Cathy; she is also the servant who is crucial to the upbringing of these main characters.
Nelly also acts as the narrator for a large portion of the novel which automatically puts
her in control of the narrative. Nelly herself is introduced as a very forceful character;
when she is first introduced to Lockwood he offers to help her reach a tea canister, and
she replied, "I don't want your help,' she snapped, 'I can get them myself' (Bronte 11).
Bronte gives Nelly's character a great amount of agency that moves beyond normal
power relations. The amount of agency given to these characters shows the female
servant as both having power and giving little concern to Master and Servant
relationships. This undermines the previously established dominating roles within
societal structures. In his essay "Emily Bronte's Gendered Response to Law and
7
Patriarchy", Andrew Abraham recognizes Bronte's obstruction of predetermined power
roles, "Emily Bronte engages in simultaneous rebellion and submission, challenge and
adherence, defiance and deference, towards her treatment of law and patriarchy in the
novel, and this polarized treatment creates a continuous tension that is sustained
throughout the movement of the novel" (Abraham 93). By creating this tension, Bronte is
able to create an upheaval of not just the master servant relationship, but the relationships
that rely on patriarchy. Abraham also states in his essay, "Patriarchy is a regime, and a
regime works through rules. Therefore, patriarchy works specifically through gender
rules ... One of the key features of a patriarchal society is the oppression of women, and
nineteenth-century England was very much a patriarchal society." (Abraham 94). With
strong female characters that openly have a role in the power structure of the novel,
Bronte is able to openly resist and transform previously existing gender norms. In
DeShazer's description of resistance and transformation within Women's Literature, she
states, "Writers of resistance literature view nonviolent struggle and literary reclamation
as equally important areas of cultural terrain; they challenge notions of art as detached,
objective, "universal". Whether cleverly subversive or overtly polemical, resistance
writing addresses the historical context from which it emerges and chronicles the writer's
perspective on injustice." (DeShazer 1079). Through DeShazer's own scope of
Resistance, the reader can see how Bronte is resisting and transforming patriarchal
structures within her text and characters.
When Lockwood is first introduced to Wuthering Heights, Bronte also shows him
being introduced to all of the females in the house who are both strong-willed and serve
as servants, despite their class and position; "It opened into the house, where the females
8
were already astir; Zillah urging flakes of flame up the chimney with a colossal bellows;
and Mrs. Heathcliff, kneeling on the hearth, reading a book by the aid of the blaze. She
held her hand interposed between the furnace-heat and her eyes, and seemed absorbed in
her occupation ... " (Bronte 30). In this example, Bronte displays how Lockwood and
others are still asleep while all of the women of the house are doing chores and being
productive; showing the women as strong necessary forces that continue to run the house.
The women are shown as being headstrong, yet simultaneously submissive to their roles
in society. Abraham addresses this paradox by claiming that the majority of the novel is
set within the home ofThrushcross Grange and Wuthering Heights, which are the female
realms. His claim however is undermined by the fact that the males of the house are
clearly the masters of the house and the owners on a legal level as well. The
counterargument is important because it shows Bronte's rebellion on a feminist level, yet
her necessary submission to the law and the rules that her and all women must follow
(Abraham 94). Bronte is engendering these patriarchal laws of ownership and viewing
them through a feminist scope. By displaying these ideas, she is also drawing attention to
the silencing of these women and emphasizing how they are both silenced yet integral to
the household.
Nelly Dean represents a strong maternal figure to multiple characters within the
novel. As both a maternal figure and a caretaker, Nelly Dean is able to recontextualize
motherhood and narrating as the main and only mothering character. Characters from
Catherine to Lockwood both experience Nelly in a mothering role, which given her
stature throughout the entire novel as a housekeeper gives her a large amount of both
power and agency; almost all of the main characters also at some point confide in Nelly
9
as well giving her power and control of the narrative, as well as in the lives ofthe
characters. For example, Isabella in a letter to Nelly Dean claims that she is unable to
confide in Edgar or Catherine, and therefore is left to confide in Nelly (Bronte 136).
Lockwood's knowledge is also under Nelly's control for a bulk of the narrative as she
nurses his cold while explaining the story behind Heathcliff and the history of the
characters of Wuthering Heights (Bronte 36). Although she does not directly and
obviously move between classes, she is disestablishing the Master and Servant
relationship through her power and control over the other characters. When Nelly first
begins the narrative ofthe history ofthe family, her own opinion ofHeathcliffis very
clear; "Miss Cathy and he were now very thick; but Hindley hated him: and to say the
truth I did the same; and we plagued and went on with him shamefully" (3 7). Nelly is
not merely just recounting the tale in an unbiased form, but interjecting her own
viewpoints; because of this, the story told is not told as if it was the precise account of
events, but what happened through another biased source. Whatever she says about
Heathcliff is automatically going to be skewed because of her the dislike that she has
formed for him, after years of his abuse. Nelly is a maternal figure to many characters
and a strong leader throughout the novel and because she is given complete power over
the narrative, this also means that she has complete Agency over it as well. This
representation of a strong servant who pushes and retells the plot is a way for Bronte to
show the power in both the maternal, but also in the Servant.
The Isabella Linton, Heathcliff s wife, moves throughout the narrative at first as
an upper-class Victorian woman to a servant of Wuthering Heights after her failed
marriage. Her personal class fluidity is another example of Bronte showing how these
10
rigid class systems are useless and fallible. Because Isabella and other characters, such
as Heathcliff, can move so fluidly through these previously established systems, Bronte
is able to show how these systems as a whole, are meaningless and hollow. After
Catherine's death, Isabella is able to escape her oppressive husband, Heathcliff; while
at the Grange, she confides in Nelly Dean that she has been treated not just as a servant,
but emotionally abused by Heathcliff as well (170). This is important to note because
until her marriage to Heathcliff, she had lived an upper class lifestyle and only after
choosing Heathcliff does her life deteriorate. At this point in the narrative, Heathcliff is
just as financially sound as the Lintons, and only acquires Wuthering Heights because
Hindley was so deeply indebted to him; Isabella's lifestyle therefore only changes in
the way that she is treated. This illustrates the point that monetary wealth is
circumstantial, and incomparable to the humane treatment of individuals. Isabella is
mistreated, but she technically maintains her status within society; this is ultimately
meaningless and she flees to London, forsaking her fortune, in order to create a better
life for both her and her unborn child. This is a different case of class mobility because
unlike her husband, Isabella moves down in class, and is disowned by both her family,
the Lintons, and Heathcliff, who merely saw her as tool to further manipulate
Catherine. Because Isabella is not moving up in class, and after her experience with
Heathcliff is left emotionally traumatized, the anti-patriarchal theme ofthe novel is
harder to realize; this being said, Isabella's character does show that elevated class
ranking does not equate to a better quality of life; she maintained her status, however
she was also put through extreme emotional abuse, making class rankings that favor
rich white males obsolete due to the fact that wealth and power are not substitutes for
11
personal happiness. Heathcliff and Isabella also represent the cyclical nature of
oppression; in bell hook's book Feminism is For Everyone, she demonstrates that the
umbrella of patriarchy is pervasive, cyclical, and inherent within all systems and
establishments. Heathcliff treats both Isabella and Hareton with a similar scorn and
abuse to which he was subjected, showing that these were clearly learned behaviors; if
. his own mistreatment was prevented, then that could theoretically prevent the
oppression of others. Isabella's abuse can be traced back to Heathcliffs upbringing,
presenting the idea that all oppression is connected, which showcases the theme of
patriarchy within the novel, and showing the resulting actions of it. Bronte wrote this
novel of manners to show the dangers of patriarchy-and therefore class systems, race
relations, and gender roles-within society and its detrimental and destructive nature.
Isabella can also be used as a cautionary tale, similar to Catherine, that choosing one's
partner for wealth and status only leads to an unfortunate end. It is not until the second
generation of children comes of age that this idea is rectified due to the second Cathy
choosing to be with the lowly Hareton.
Isabella and Hindley certainly have some of the worst fates within the novelIsabella dying destitute in London, and Hindley dying deeply in debt to Heathcliff,
losing his house, titles, and son-and they seemed to have reached a state of intense
despair just as much as Catherine and Heathcliff. Hindley is punished as a character for
his treatment of Heathcliff, who vowed to cause him deep despair (60), Hindley also
served to introduce Heathcliff to servitude and injustice. Heathcliff is frequently
flogged and locked in the attic as punishment (44), causing him to abhor Hindley and
learn these behaviors of oppression. Heathcliff then subjects Hindley's son and Isabella
12
to the same treatment that he was forced into. Isabella's life and death acts as a
warning for readers to observe the cyclical nature of abuse and oppression, because
while Bronte portrayed her as a whiny snob--as most of the upper class are
portrayed-she is still innocent, and had not wronged Heathcliff in any type of way.
The revenge that was acted upon her was just as undeserved as that which was imposed
onto Heathcliff.
The theme of Patriarchy is important within Wuthering Heights because it is
highlighted and examined so closely throughout all of the characters' histories. Each
example of systematic patriarchy is revealed to be the downfall for the entire first
generation of the novel; it is only until the second generation that this is rectified
through their children's dismissal of class systems. The second Catherine chooses
Hindley over Linton based on his personality despite the fact that he was uneducated,
and while he came from a prominent family the Earnshaws were indebted to Heathcliff.
Despite all of this, Catherine still makes the decision to be with Hindley, finally giving
readers' closure. Patriarchy is extremely important within the novel because it is the
driving force for each character; it is because of their adherence and reverence of these
seemingly important social values that none of them find happiness and fulfilment.
13
Chapter 2:
Masters and Servants: Using Hegel to Show Agency in Servitude
Hegelian theory is important within the realm of Wuthering Heights, because
Hegel's theories on power structures can be perfectly applied to Bronte's upheaval of
patriarchy within the novel. Hegel's "Master-Slave Dialectic" applies to the Agency that
the servants gain within the novel, as well as his theory on Thesis, antithesis, and
synthesis. There is an inherent patriarchy within media and literature because of the
ever-present cloak of patriarchy within cultures. This is a theory described in both bell
hook's "Feminism is For Everyone" and Laura Mulvey's "Visual Pleasure and Narrative
Cinema"; both critics describe the over-arching patriarchy found within western culture
seeps into artwork, cinema, and literature, infecting it with these ideas and values. Our
culture is so saturated with the inherent patriarchy within itself, that it becomes
impossible for art and media to separate itself from these ingrained ideas. This means
that literature, including Wuthering Heights, is inherently patriarchal; especially since
Bronte is directly describing a patriarchal social structure and class system. By having
characters that circumvent this system, Bronte is able to disrupt the inherent patriarchy.
Hegelian philosophy aids in our understanding of this operation within the novel, through
Hegel's "Master-Slave Dialectic" found within his collection, Phenomenology of Spirit.
Hegel claims that the Master and Slave are initially co-dependent on each other for both
consciousness's to exist; this relationship is transformed when the Slave becomes
14
dependent and is no longer reliant on the Master for their consciousness. From this point,
the Slave needs to either rebel against the Master, or continue in servitude with the
knowledge that he could rebel and are choosing not to. This applies to most of the
characters within Wuthering Heights, but predominantly with the characters Nelly Dean
and Heathcliff. These two characters begin the novel in certain degrees of servitude, and
perfectly fit both of Hegel's paradigms for the servant class. Heathcliff makes the
conscious decision to rebel, while Nelly Dean is shown to have Agency and Authority
within the household, yet stays set in her same position. Despite Dean's unwillingness to
change and rebel, the fact that she has such a strong sense of Agency throughout the
novel helps to disrupt the patriarchy found within. Other characters such as Catherine,
young Catherine, Linton, and Hareton also go through drastic changes in class, however
this is primarily the upper class moving from the status of Master to Servant. This move
from upper class to lower class is not thoroughly examined by Bronte because the main
focus of the narrative is on Heathcliff; Nelly Dean's point of view and personal insight is
only given to the reader because she serves as the narrator. The Master-Slave/Servant
relationships are important to examine within the text, because that is where Bronte
shows the most attention to dismantling the inherent patriarchy through the queering of
class roles.
Hegel examines the roles of Masters and Servants, as well as their relationship
and dependence on one another in the Phenomenology ofSpirit; Hegel writes:
"Self-consciousness must do away with this otherness it has: this is the doing away with
of the first double-sense, and hence itself a second double-sense: first, it must set out to
do away with the other independent being in order thereby to become certain of itself as
the essential being; second in doing it sets out to do away with itself, for this other being
itself." (43).
15
Hegel claims that the beginning of the Master-Servant relationship, both entities are
reliant on one another, because both the Master and the Servant need each other for selfawareness. From here, a paradox arises because both parties need one another, however
one side has to concede to the other in order survive; the servant and Master both rely on
this relationship for constant self-awareness, as well as survival. From this relationship,
the Master benefits through the creation of the world he envisions, while the servant,
through their own work, gains consciousness and self-awareness by realizing that they
are the ones controlling this imagined world. At this point, the servant develops his own
consciousness, because he is suddenly free in his own head, and must choose to either
rebel or live a life that fails to fulfil his version of freedom. Hegel argues that in order to
actualize one's own self-consciousness the servant must break free from the Master, the
"other", in order for the servant to realize his potential. In Bronte's novel, this aspect of
Hegel's theory is best described through Heathcliffs character and his rebellion from the
Master of the house, Hindley. When Hindley returns to Wuthering Heights after the
death ofhis father, he proceeds to abuse his power and acts not just as the Master of the
house, but lords over the individual servants as well. Heathcliff is given the worst of this
treatment because Hindley was always jealous over his father's apparent favoritism
towards young Heathcliff. Hindley's abuse of power primarily manifests as a malicious
tyranny towards Heathcliff, often forcing him to behave in certain ways, more often than
not around Catherine in particular. In one specific example, Catherine returns home from
her initial stay at Thrushcross Grange and Hindley goes so far as to dictate the way that
Heathcliff greets her; '"Shake hands, Heathcliff,' said Mr. Earnshaw, condescendingly,
'once in a way, that is permitted.' 'I shall not,' replied the boy, finding his tongue at last;
16
'I shall not stand to be laughed at. I shall not bear it!"' (53). This example displays
Hindley's cruel domination of Heathcliff, as well as the beginning displays of
Heathcliffs rebellion. Hindley also makes the point through this action thatHeathcliff
should treat Catherine as his social superior, and that despite their friendship, they are
not, and will never be equals. The story is told through the point of view ofNelly Dean,
so therefore there is not interiority to Heathcliffs insight and stirrings of rebellion
however he makes his stance very clear. While the reader does not see Heathcliff's point
ofview, there are enough examples ofHeathcliffprotesting Hindley's will that it is
evident that he was in the throes of rebellion. Following Heathcliffs proclamation, Nelly
Dean observes, "And he would have broken from the circle, but Miss Cathy seized him
again." (54); the only hold on Heathcliff at this point, is clearly his love for Catherine.
Hindley's control is dependent upon Catherine's love and loyalty; therefore after she
leaves to marry Edgar the only one controlling Heathcliff s actions are Heathcliff
himself. Heathcliff rebels again later that night through an act of a violent physical
outburst by throwing hot applesauce into Hindley's face, after being denigrated yet again.
He is then flogged and locked in the attic by Hindley, only for Heathcliff to respond with
his first declaration of revenge; '"I'm trying to settle how I should pay Hindley back. I
don't care how long I wait, ifl can only do it at last. I hope he will not die before I do!'"
(60). This declaration is Heathcliffs major revolt against Hindley, and does in fact
describe what happened within their relationship; Heathcliff leaves Wuthering Heights,
only to return six years later with an immense and mysterious wealth, which he uses to
slowly gain control of the Heights from Hindley before his death. Heathcliff was raised
working at Wuthering Heights under the tutelage of Mr. Earnshaw, and only began to
17
rebelafter Hindley's tyrannical reign began. Heathcliff truly becomes an indentured
servant at this point, and lives a life that is surrounded by labor. As Hegel predicts, and
Bronte skillfully demonstrates, after laboring in the fields and the house, as well as
dealing with Hindley's oppressive behavior, Heathcliff is finally able to realize his own
agency and rebel against his Master, only to come out of it stronger and more successful
then Hindley. This is demonstrated by Heathcliffs constant undermining of Hindley's
rule, even before his own rebellion, such as saving his son, Hareton, after Hindley goes
on a drunken rage (74), and of course, taking control ofWuthering Heights due to
Hindley being deeply in debt to Heathcliff. Through the scope of Hegelian theory,
Heathcliff s rebellion and self-actualization is a major example of characters undermining
the patriarchal undertones of the novel, because it demonstrates the power and Agency
that the servant class has and the Masters lack. The servants are self-sufficient in ways
that the upper-class will never understand, because they do not have to ever actually
work. Heathcliff is shown as a hard worker, who despite his social class and race, is able
to rise through the ranks of both Cultural capital, as well as monetary capital; this rise in
rank is not achieved by anyone except for Heathcliff.
The other example of the self-realized servant that Hegel gives is the servant who
remains in servitude, despite their realization of self-actualization, and chooses to live a
life that does not align with their concept of self. The Servant who chooses to remain in
servitude lives a life that is unfulfilled, yet they are sovereign nonetheless; Hegel claims
that:
" ... this doing of he one has itself the two-fold significance of being as much its doing as
the doing of the other; for the other is no less independent, shut up within itself, and there
is nothing in it that is not owing to itself... " (45).
18
Hegel claims that the Masters are a consciousness that exist solely for themselves, and
therefore cannot grow and relate to other beings. Relating to other beings is a key fact,
because you can only realize your own self-awareness through the consciousness of
others. Nelly Dean perfectly depicts both of these ideas, because she is a servant that
chooses to continue her servitude, and because she is connected to so many characters,
she gains her self-awareness through interacting and serving them. Nelly Dean displays
the most Agency and power within both Thrushcross Grange and Wuthering Heights,
because she had control over the people and households of both residences. Nelly was
seen as a maternal figure to almost every character within the novel, and showed extreme
Agency through her command of the other characters. When Lockwood first enters
Wuthering Heights, Nelly Dean commands him to sit, and what to do (16); she is clearly
in charge of the house and its residents. She also acts as a confidant for many of the
characters, primarily our reluctant protagonists, Catherine and Heathcliff: This is
important to note, because Nelly is not significantly older than either Heathcliff or
Catherine, yet they see her as a figure that can guide them and give them useful advice.
This is significant in terms of the patriarchy within the novel because by giving the
servant the most Agency of any other character, Bronte is showing which characters hold
the most value and use, similar to Hegel's theory.
It is also important to note that the bulk of the story is told through the narration
ofNelly Dean, giving her full command of the story. John Mathison discusses this idea
in his article, "Nelly Dean and the Power of Wuthering Heights", by claiming that by
having Nelly Dean as the principle narrator, the audience is really only getting the
majority of the story through her point of view and through her moral scope (117). She
19
has complete control of the story, as well the manner in which each individual character
is depicted. Dean has full command of the story, and this command is willingly given to
her by Lockwood who actively seeks her out, demanding to hear the rest of the story,
even after she continuously shows him where the command truly lies. Dean is a strong
female character that is a servant, but has more freedoms, in terms of speech and thought,
than many other characters do, such as Isabella, Linton, and Hareton.
Hegel discusses is idea on thesis, antithesis, and synthesis is an idea that he
discusses in The Phenomenology ofSpirit as well as The Encyclopedia of the
Philosophical Sciences. This theory essentially states that the thesis is the original idea,
the antithesis is the negation of the idea, and the synthesis is the resolution between the
two, starting a new idea and starting the process over again. It is my claim that this is
what Bronte is doing within Wuthering Heights, by having a multigenerational story that
concludes with the incarnations of the original characters finally coming together. The
story begins with Catherine and Heathcliffs tragic and unfulfilled love story, and evolves
into a similar love triangle between the Second Catherine, Hareton, and Linton. The
difference however, being that Catherine chooses Hareton, the character that resembles
Heathcliff in personality and upbringing. This act is Bronte using the pre-formed ideas
that she had already established with her thesis-Heathcliff and Catherine-and
transforming them into a fulfilling love story-that of the second Catherine and
Hareton-that moves beyond class structure. Class structure is so glaringly important
within Wuthering Heights and appears to be the motivation for many characters which
only emphasizes the inherent patriarchy within the novel. By applying the Hegelian
theory behind her writing choices however, the audience is able to fully see that Bronte is
20
highlighting this system of patriarchy, so that she can later destroy it in future
generations.
21
Chapter Three:
Masters and Servants: Using Hegel to Show Agency
In Servitude
Class structure is important in Wuthering Heights (1847), because it spurs the rise
and fall of the characters within the novel, as well as adding additional character
motivation; primarily that of Heathcliff and Catherine. Besides acting as motivation for
the characters, rigid class and social structures in the novel creates an added sense of
drama and uneasiness when these set constructions are upturned. Wuthering Heights
displays an amazing amount of class fluidity considering that the class structures provide
such strong motivations for the characters. The class mobility disrupts the inherent
patriarchy within the novel and it is important to examine every instance of class
mobility. In her article "A Map for Rereading: Gender and the Interpretation of Literary
Text", Annette Kolodny emphasizes the importance of moving away from the literary
isolationism that has become a habit among the New Critics. Kolodny cites Harold
Bloom's book A Map of Misreading and his idea that "In order to know a poem [the
reader] engages ... in an attempt to map the psychodynamic relations by which the poet at
hand has willfully misunderstood the work of some precursor in order to correct, rewrite,
or appropriate the prior poetic vision as his/her own" (46). Wuthering Heights should be
read in a similar vein, with each instance of class mobility examined as Bronte queering
the set class structures and attempting to correct these social injustices. Kolodny supports .
and argues that texts are a complex matrix, that come together to form a full message,
22
meaning that for the purposes of my argument, all of these instances of class mobility are
purposeful, and come together to undermine the patriarchy within these class systems and
within the novel; Kolodny also makes the added stance that, "whether we speak of poets
and critics "reading" texts or writers "reading" (and thereby recording for us) the world,
we are calling attention to interpretive strategies that are learned, historically determined,
and thereby necessarily gender-inflicted" (47). Kolodny is making the point that
outside/cultural/social influences are put upon texts, and it's up to the writer to interpret
these ideas differently in order to make their respective arguments. Gender, race, and
social class are integral aspects of the novel and all forms of norm breaking can be used
as examples of the disruption of patriarchy; in this chapter I will go through several
specific examples and show how they act as a disruption.
Due to the nature of the novel, Wuthering Heights is able to give multiple
different character perspectives such as Lockwood's introduction, the discovery of
diaries, and of course, Nelly Dean's narration. In the third chapter, one such example of
this would be Lockwood finding and reading Catherine's diary; he opens it up and reads
the passage written on the day of Mr. Earnshaw's funeral. In this passage, Catherine uses
very specific wording to show how Hindley Earnshaw is a domineering presence in her
life; '"You forget that you have a master here,' says the tyrant. 'I'll demolish the first
that puts me out of my temper!. .. Oh, boy! Is that you? Frances darling, pull his hair as
you go by"' (21). In this quote from Catherine's diary, Hindley is instructing his wife to
cause physical harm towards Heathcliff, presenting the reader with the notion that not
only does he have power over his household and his wife; he also has power over
Heathcliff's body, as well as his mind. Heathcliff must obey Hindley at this point in time
23
in the novel without any objections. Catherine also refers to Hindley as a 'Tyrant', which
goes far beyond the role of the master of the house, and implies that not only is Hindley
the de facto master of the house, but rules unjustly and oppressively towards his family
and staff. By using the word 'tyrant' as well as having Hindley order his wife to harm
Heathcliff, Bronte elevates Hindley's implied power and turns him into a master, which
also cements Heathcliffs role as a servant. Before the death of Mr. Earnshaw, Heathcliff
was favored enough to not have the role of a true servant; after his death however, we are
shown here that Heathcliff will be put through the full force of Hindley's tyranny. While
this is not an example of Bronte disrupting the patriarchy within the novel, it is an
example of her acknowledgment of it. In this specific example, Bronte purposefully uses
the word tyrant to show the extreme power that Hindley has and the oppressive and often
cruel way that he shows it. Hindley's eventual fall from power is therefore even more
dramatic because of the power that he was able to accumulate, which is the point that
Bronte queers the master-slave relationship between Heathcliff and Hindley.
The majority of the novel is told through the narration ofNelly Dean which John
Mathison, author of"Nelly Dean and the Power of Wuthering Heights", claims is crucial
to the plot and the storytelling:
Nelly Dean is not a mere technical device: we cannot forget as the story
progresses that we are hearing it from her rather than from the author. She is a minute
interpreter. She tells us what events mean, what is right or wrong, what is praiseworthy or
despicable or unforgivable behavior. Her morality is a result of her training, experiences,
and reading, combined with her naYve temperament. The reader's degree of acceptance of
her explanations and moral judgments determines his understanding of the meaning of
the story and its power over him." (107).
Mathison proves in his essay the significance and essential nature of Nelly Dean as a
character, because of the power that she has over the actual story telling. While Nelly is
24
initially presented as just a servant, evidence proves that she is the moral compass of the
story, as well as the main story teller; meaning that everything is filtered through her
point of view. This is a clear disruption of the patriarchy because of her as a female
narrator, as well as the story being filtered through her female perspective. In chapter
four, the story switches into Nelly Dean's narration, and the reader is given the full force
of her filter through her descriptions; "[Hindley's wife's] affection tired very soon,
however and when she grew peevish, Hindley became tyrannical. A few words from her,
evincing a dislike to Heathcliff, were enough to rouse in him all his old hatred of the
boy." (Bronte 46). Nelly not only gives her opinion of the situation regarding Hindley's
rise in power after his father's death, but also uses the description of 'tyrannical' to
describe Hindley's character once he assumed power over Wuthering Heights. Nelly's
use of the word "tyrannical" is used, like earlier, to illustrate Hindley's cruel and
oppressive rule over the household; in this instance however, by Nelly Dean's usage of
the word, it becomes her direct opinion ofthe situation. This further establishes Dean's
character as not only a moral compass, but also as a character with enough Agency to
have an opinion that is less than favorable towards the master of the house.
Nelly Dean's role as the narrator not only gives the reader the version of events
through her bias, but also gives Dean full control of the narration. At the end of chapter
seven, Bronte choses to have Nelly Dean end the story for the night with Heathcliffs first
signs of rebellion. Lockwood vehemently protests and begs Dean to continue the story,
despite the late hour, yet she refuses (62). Lockwood states that he prefers to stay up
until one or two in the morning, which causes Dean to openly criticize him and call him
"Lazy" (61). It is here that Dean establishes herself further as a powerful and
25
independent force. In Hegel's "Master-Slave Dialectic", he purposes two different types
of servants; after reaching a state of independence and self-actualization, the subordinate
either realizes his Agency and rebels or continues to live in servitude despite his
understanding or their own self-consciousness and self-reliance. Dean obviously chooses
the latter of the two options, however it is clear that she has reached a point of
independence and is controlling not only the narrative, but characters like Lockwood as
well. Bronte gives Dean is given control of the narrative, and more importantly, she is
allowed to control the narrative.
Chapter seven of Wuthering Heights acts as a large turning point for Heathcliff
and him gaining his Agency and independence within the novel. In chapter seven,
Heathcliff is threatened with the loss of Catherine to the Linton family after also enduring
years of Hindley's oppression. After injuring herself, Catherine was sequestered to
Thrushcross Grange with the Linton family and upon her return, her behavior and manner
had changed drastically; "Cathy stayed at Thrushcross Grange five weeks; till Christmas.
By that time her ankle was thoroughly cured, and her manners much improved." (52). At
this point in the novel, Heathcliff was faced with the threat of losing Catherine physically
and emotionally through her acceptance of his lower status. It is because of this threat
that Heathcliff is finally motivated to rebel against the Master of the house, Hindley.
During a dinner party, Heathcliff exhibits his first act of rebellion; "Heathcliff s violent
nature was not prepared to endure the appearance of impertinence from one whom he
seemed to hate, even then, as a rival. He seized the hot apple sauce ... and dashed it full
against [Hindley's] face and neck" (58). Through the scope of Hegel's "Master-Slave
Dialectic", this is the turning point in which Heathcliff realizes his power over his master
26
by realizing his Agency. Hegel states that "The double-sensedness of what is
distinguished lies in the essence of self-consciousness, of being infinite, or boundless,
that is, immediately the contrary of the determination in which it is established." (43); by
making this act of rebellion, Heathcliff is acting as an independent force and separating
himself from not only the other servants, but his former perception ofhi~self. This
physical act also serves to unbalance the power within the house, thereby disrupting the
patriarchal system between Master and Servant. Heathcliff serves to reinforce his
physical rebellion with an intellectual one that cements his separate identity into a
concrete philosophy. After being forcibly held in the attic, Heathcliff makes his first
proclamation of revenge towards Hindley's actions; "I'm trying to settle how I shall pay
Hindley back. I don't care how long I wait, if I can only do it at last. I hope he will not
die before I do!" (60). This acts as a major turning point for Heathcliff, in which he is
finally able to remove himself from the role of the subordinate.
In chapter nine, Nelly Dean the same type of mental reflection that Heathcliff
exhibited. Hindley at this point is a drunkard after the death of his wife, as well as a
negligent father; after a night of drinking, he threatens Nelly with extreme physical
violence which she greets with no fear whatsoever: '"There, I've found it out at last!'
cried Hindley, pulling me back by the skin of my neck, like a dog,' ... with the help of
Satan, I shall make you swallow the carving-knife, Nelly!. ..! want to kill some of you: I
shall have no rest until I do!"' (73). At this point, with Hindley already dominating her in
a physical sense, she responds does not respond with fear or submission: '"But I don't
like the carving-knife, Mr. Hindley,' [Nelly] answered; 'it has been cutting red herrings.
I'd rather be shot, if you please.' ... He held the knife in his hand, and pushed its point
27
between my teeth: but, for my part, I was never much afraid of his vagaries. I spat out,
and affirmed it tasted detestably-- I would not take it on any account." (73). Even when
faced with extreme physical violence, Nelly does not cower to Hindley threatening her
life. Hindley acts as the despotic Master of the house who has seemingly taken control of
Dean's personal and physical freedoms, however she is able to rebel on both accounts.
This example shows that even though Dean is technically a servant, not even her master
holds dominion over her, because she does not fear him; as Hegel states, because the
servant class realizes that the Masters are in actuality reliant on the servants, they gain
self-awareness through this and gain power and control over their masters (Hegel 44). In
the above example, Nelly Dean pays no regard to Hindley's threats and mocks him, going
so far as to suggesting a different means of executing her. Dean is undermining
Hindley's control over herself, as well as the household which ultimately subverts any
power that Hindley might have had, despite the title ofbeing the Master of the house.
Within this chapter, Hindley also undermines himself by endangering his sole heir during
his drunken tirade and leaving his son, Hareton, to be saved by Heathcliff (74).
Heathcliff and Hindley have always had a tumultuous relationship because, despite being
in a significantly higher class then Heathcliff, Hindley was always jealous and hostile
towards Heathcliff. This fact also works to undermine the inherent patriarchy and social
structure within the novel, but it is also important to note that besides Hindley envying
Heathcliff, Hindley is also an unfit Master of the house. Despite his class and
upbringing, he is still unable to manage his household; during his drunken escapades, he
accidently drops his young son over the banister only for Heathcliff to catch and save
Hareton. Without Heathcliffs intervention, Nelly Dean states that Hareton would have
28
been gravely injured: "There was scarcely time to experience a thrill of horror before we
saw that the little wretch was safe. Heathcliff arrived underneath just at the critical
moment. .. " (7 4). Throughout the novel, Heathcliff s main goal is to destabilize
Hindley's leadership and social position, which evolves into a revenge plot in which he
intended to subvert everyone of a high social class. This narrative alone works to subvert
the patriarchy, but these individual instances of subversion work to create an overall tone
of rebellion.
Soon after this incident, Catherine makes the decision to marry Edgar Linton
instead of Heathcliff, whom she actually loves; she states that even though she loves
Heathcliff, Edgar Linton has money and power. Catherine's love for Heathcliff is deep
and pervasive, to the point that she declares to Nelly, "Nelly, I am Heathcliffl He's
always, always in my mind:not as a pleasure, any more than I am always a pleasure to
myself, but as my own being." (82). Catherine's decision to choose Edgar over
Heathcliff because of set social norms would seem to propagate the inherent patriarchy
because it was an endogamous pairing; Catherine could have the satisfaction of marrying
in her social sphere, while simultaneously enjoying the company of Heathcliff, whom she
loved. During Catherine's discussion with Nelly over her possible marriage to Edgar, her
reasoning was, "'And he will be rich, and I shall like to be the greatest woman of the
neighbourhood, and I shall be proud of having such a husband."' (78). She had stated
very bluntly that her decision to marry Edgar was the smart decision, besides the fact that
she loved Heathcliff. Catherine's choice follows the set social norms of her class,
however her tragic and violent demise due to her love for Heathcliff acts as subversion
from this paradigm. In Anita Levy's article, "Blood, Kinship, and Gender", Catherine's
29
relationship with both Heathcliff and Edgar Linton is discussed in terms of Exogamous
relationships versus Endogamous relationships: "Catherine's earlier relationship to
Heathcliff is in fact radically exogamous, since the ragged, "gypsy" youth clearly comes
from a different race and class, while marriage to Linton-a man of her own class and
race-is the first step towards realigning misdirected desire with endogamy." (81). Levy
claims that Catherine Earnshaw rejects Heathcliffs advances and her own desires in
order to maintain social obligations that were expected of her, and to fulfil her own social
desires, in regards to a secure future for herself. Catherine dies after Heathcliff
mysteriously returns with a vast fortune, and attempts to win her heart again. Although
she has been married to Edgar for several years and is pregnant at the time, she cannot
deny her love for Heathcliff and is tom between the two; she becomes frail and weak due
to her dejected and conflicted emotional state, and eventually dies during childbirth.
Although Catherine chose the endogamous relationship, it ultimately failed because she
married within her class, and not for love; this is a very deliberate plot point done by
Bronte, not just for the aspect of romance, but to show that class and wealth ultimately do
not matter. By punishing Catherine for her choice, through death and a lack of closure,
Bronte subtly warns the reader that class and wealth are far from the most important
aspects within relationships. This acts as a disruption of the social classes and standards
that dictate such strict cultural norms.
The final outcome of Heathcliff and Catherine's relationship is a major argument
towards the upheaval of the inherent patriarchy within the novel, as well as their union as
a whole. Beth Newman states in her article, "Wuthering Heights in Its Context", that
" ... what originally draws the two together is that neither can expect to inherit property,
30
unlike Hindley." (41 ). Heathcliff serves the household as a lowly stable boy while
Catherine, despite being from the upper echelons of society, is still a woman, meaning
that their existence and comfort is reliant on the white males that act as their Masters.
Catherine is only punished as a character because she failed to choose Heathcliff, which
caused the conflict in her life; both she and Heathcliff are simply victims to their society,
and their actions reflect this. Barry V. Qualls dissects the intertwined problems with both
Class and Gender in his article, "Victorian Border Crossing", in which he establishes
both gender and class are clearly the downfall for both Heathcliff and Catherine : " ... the
exposure of Catherine and Heathcliff to the world of The Grange introduces the gender
and class issues that will kill both of them by novel's end." (53). Catherine and
Heathcliffs major downfall is therefore due to factors that they had no control over,
exemplifying the idea that these are clearly acts of social injustice. The systematic
collapse of these strong characters highlights the intrinsic nature of the prejudice within
the novel, which appears ironic considering that the reader is introduced to these
characters as the protagonists. While both characters have individual instances of
patriarchal subversion throughout the novel, Heathcliff more so than others, their largest
obstacles are themselves and personal traits that they could not have controlled,
epitomizing the inequity of the entire social class. In essence, if Heathcliff and Catherine
did not have to live within the rigid racist, sexist, and classist social structure that they
did, they could have avoided not only the pain and suffering that they went through, but
the pain that their future generations endured because of them as well.
Emily Bronte infuses the next generation with similar plot point details, however
she gives Heathcliff, Catherine, and Hindley's offspring a different ending. Shortly after
31
Catherine's death, Hindley soon dies, along with Isabella twelve years later; this then
results in Catherine's daughter, Cathy, Heathcliffs son, Linton, and Hindley's son,
Hareton. Young Catherine lives in seclusion at the Grange, while Linton is taken away to
London to live with his mother Isabella. Hareton is by far treated the worst of the three,
and is abused by Heathcliff at Wuthering Heights; he is treated as a lowly servant and
given no education, often being described as "wild" (180). Linton on the other hand, is
seen by all as weak and whiny, similar to the upper class Hindley and Edgar. The second
generation obviously correlates to the first generation as afterimages of the main
characters; Young Catherine is often compared to the first Catherine, Linton as the weak
bourgeois Hindley/Edgar facsimile, and Hareton as the uneducated and lower class
version, meant to resemble Heathcliffs character. The second generation is interesting
and relevant to my thesis, because the second Catherine does in fact form a relationship
with Hareton; reduplicating the first generation, but with the 'correct' outcome.
Catherine and Hareton become a synthesis of the original coupling and because the
second Catherine chooses the Heathcliff-esque character, instead of the more obvious
upper-class Linton, it works to breakdown the rigid class structures.
While all of these instances of dismantling the inherent patriarchy within the
novel are effective in a sense, it is still fails in dismantling the patriarchy of the novel.
These specific instances are important, but as a whole the way that class, race, and gender
are handled is still problematic. This is shown primarily through the synthesis of the
second generation and Catherine's choice between Hareton and Linton. While she does in
fact choose the Heathcliff-esque character who is similarly uneducated and forced into
servitude, Hareton still comes from a formerly prominent family with a clear lineage.
32
Heathcliffs ethnic background is heavily debated, but it is made very clear that he has
dark skin, and is considered non-white; Mr. Linton describes Heathcliff as a "little
Lascar, or an American or Spanish castaway" (44), and Nelly also ambiguously describes
Heathcliffs father as "the Emperor of China, and [his] mother and Indian queen" (50).
This implies that he is of mixed blood, but also that he is visibly and noticeably of mixed
heritage, as well as evoking different non-specific 'images of 'Darkness'. This is a point
.that Carine Mardorossian discusses in her essay "Geometries of Race, Class, and Gender:
Identity Crossing in Wuthering Heights", where she asks the question "Is Heathcliff
black?". Whiteness is important within Wuthering Heights because it is so ambiguously
discussed, yet frequently mentioned as a source of envy; such as Heathcliff envying
Edgar's "light hair" and "fair skin" (49). Race, like class is subtly examined by Bronte,
in these instances, and all of the above ones that I have inspected, yet she fails to not only
fully address them, but makes no attempt to reconcile these issues. The Second Cathy
chose Hareton, which initially appears to act as a subversion of her social structure,
however this dismisses the fact that Linton, as Heathcliff s biological son, shares his
mixed race. Young Cathy, and in a sense Bronte as well, choose to champion Class
discrimination over the problematic issue of race within the novel.
Bronte does upset the patriarchal systems within the novel, by having very
specific instances of subversion, as demonstrated above, however despite these multiple
smaller illustrations the larger plot lines of the story seem to refute this claim. While I do
believe that Bronte intended to create a novel that subverted the inherent patriarchy
within the novel, this is ultimately unsuccessful because ofher dismissal of Race and
Gender. The second Catherine still chooses a love interest that is of a traceable lineage
33
and class, and will be elevated in class once again, through their match. Gender is also an
issue, because while there is class mobility within the novel, it is primarily the male
characters that move up in class. Heathcliff is able to rise in rank as well as Hareton,
through his coupling with Catherine, while Isabella is disowned and moves down in rank.
Nelly Dean, also is presented as the female with the most power and Agency in both
households, however she remains a lowly servant. There is no class elevation for the
women within the novel, especially when compared to Heathcliffs sudden and farcical
rise in power, which makes Wuthering Heights a brilliant attempt and social commentary
and disruption, but ultimately and unsuccessful one.
34
Conclusion
Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights is a novel of manners, and more accurately, a
novel of mismanaged manners. Patriarchal constructs and the destruction of those
constructs is a major theme throughout the novel that acts as motivation for most of the
characters. Bronte uses these characters to show how problematic patriarchal constructs
such as Race, Class, and Gender are to not only society, but individuals as a whole.
Bronte's stance on classism is very clear throughout the novel, however she fails to show
the same support for Gender and Race. While I have argued that Wuthering Heights
causes an upheaval in the inherent patriarchy within the novel, and the culture of the
time, this is not done successfully because of Bronte's lack of attention to Race and
Gender. Ultimately, because of the way that Heathcliffs race is brought to light yet not
resolved, and the fact that only the male characters rise in class while the women fall, acts
as a failure on Bronte's part to fully dismantle the inherent patriarchy. As stated earlier
in my paper, bell hooks defines patriarchy as the political-social system that allows males
(those in power) to dominate over another group. While Bronte's novel does show the
problematic nature of class within Victorian society, it fails to do the same for other
issues of oppression.
In my analysis of the diversion of patriarchy within the novel, I provide enough
support to show that Bronte is able to disrupt the patriarchy through strong willed
character such as Nelly Dean- whom also proves to have agency and self-awareness
through Hegelian theory- as well as attempting to reconstruct and reconcile the past
35
through recreating it with the second generation; however characters such as Isabella only
move down in class ranking, while others such as Heathcliff are shown to have prospered
immensely as well as Hareton who finds wealth through his match with the second
Catherine. Hindley is a male character who also moves down not only in class, but
wealth as well, however while there are both female and male characters that move down
in class, only the male characters are given the chance to redeem themselves and rise
through class rankings. The only female character with any Agency, as well as fitting
Hegel's idea of self-awareness, is Nelly Dean who remains a servant throughout the
entire novel; despite her realization of Agency, she is also still shuffled around between
Wuthering Heights and The Grange. While the problematic issues regarding the
absurdity of class distinction are made very clear through generations of malcontent,
those of gender are essentially dismissed.
Race is another problematic issue that fails to be reconciled within the text.
Heathcliff's mysterious race is mentioned frequently throughout the text with thinly
veiled discrimination behind most comments. Even at the end of the novel, when the
generations disgruntled couples finally find closure within Cathy and Hareton, Cathy
picks the man who lacks wealth and status, yet has a clear lineage. Cathy's other choice
was Linton, the biological son ofHeathcliff, who like Heathcliff, was 'non-white'; like
his father, Linton was visibly of mixed race. Heathcliff's lack of 'whiteness' is clearly an
issue, but one that Bronte refuses to confront within the text.
Because Bronte refuses to confront these other extreme issues of patriarchy, the
novel fails as a whole to act as an anti-patriarchal literary piece. Bronte clearly confronts
the problematics of classism within Victorian culture, however because the umbrella of
36
patriarchy is so widespread and invasive just conquering one issue is not a complete
disruption of the inherent patriarchy within the novel.
37
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