Wuthering Heights - Social Structure: It Matters

Social Structure; It Matters

        Hierarchy. For thousands of years mankind has been plagued by social structure. Emily Bronte’s novel Wuthering Heights displays the drastic effect someone’s place in society has on their future. It is this conflict of social structure that fuels the major plot points in Wuthering Heights. Each character makes certain decisions, and faces specific consequences based upon where they reside in society.

        The first major look at the difference in social classes is when Mr. Earnshaw brings Heathcliff home to join his family. In no time at all Hindley took an immediate disliking to Heathcliff. It is his belief that Heathcliff is nothing more than a servant boy that leads him to restricting an education or proper life for Heathcliff. When Mr. Earnshaw dies, Hindley wastes no time to act upon his dislike for Heathcliff, “he drove him from their company to the servants, deprived him of the instructions of the curate, and insisted that he should labour out of doors instead” (Bronte 46). Hindley casts Heathcliff out of the house and forces him to become a servant. This event leads to Heathcliff losing an opportunity of receiving a proper education and forcing him to fall behind socially.

        As T.K. Mier speaks of in, “Wuthering Heights and Violation of Class” it is during the degradation of his status that Heathcliff’s obsessions were formed. Were it not for being lowered to the stature of a servant, Heathcliff would not have pursued after the action of revenge. It is further proved that in this time Heathcliff seemed to devote himself to recovering Catherine’s love and dependability (310).

        Although Heathcliff and Catherine possess a strong bond with each other, Heathcliff’s lack of education begins to create a divide between the two. As much of an effort Heathcliff made it was ineffective. “He struggled long to keep up an equality with Catherine in her studies … he acquired a slouching gait and ignorable look” (Bronte 67). Heathcliff, once equal to the earnshaw siblings, procured a demeanor that of a servant boy. Heathcliff’s slipping disposition is exactly what Hindley desired for. This proves to be a major factor in Heathcliff’s covet for revenge.

        Although the bond between Catherine and Heathcliff was strong, when Heathcliff fell behind socially, it was not strong enough for Catherine to confess her love. This drastic class difference led Catherine to choose Edgar over Heathcliff, although her heart lay with Heathcliff. In an intimate conversation between Nelly and Catherine, Catherine exclaims that “it would degrade me to marry Heathcliff now; so he shall never know how I love him” (Bronte 80). Class structure, and her appearance is so important to Catherine that although she loves Heathcliff she believes that it would be a disgrace to marry him. Catherine’s aversion to marrying Heathcliff because of his stance demonstrates the significance ones place in society has.

        It is Edgar’s money, and good looks that attracts Catherine. Although she does not truly love him, she believes it is her duty to marry him. She states that, “he will be rich, and I shall like to be the greatest woman of the neighborhood, and I shall be proud of having such a husband” (Bronte 78). It is Catherine’s need for a superficial lifestyle that drives Heathcliff to leave Wuthering Heights and depart on a several year long journey to a high class status. Catherine’s choice to marry Edgar and live a high class lifestyle leads to her to an unhappy disposition. It is not until Heathcliff returns into her life that she poses an interest in him once again.

        As a servant boy Heathcliff did not receive any attention, not one character viewed him as a threat to their future. However after a prolonged absence Heathcliff returns educated, and proper. In possession of a fortune, and an obvious raise in class, Heathcliff’s former peers are now intimidated by the once servant boy. In addition to the intimidation felt by the characters, a further feeling felt is attraction, attraction felt by Isabella Linton and Catherine Linton. Isabella’s attraction worries her brother because he fears Heathcliff’s motives. He knows that “leaving aside the degradation of an alliance with a nameless man, and the possible fact that his property, in default of heirs male, might pass into such a one’s power” (Bronte 100). Edgar knows that if Heathcliff and Isabella have a child, and that child is a male, Thrushcross Grange will fall into Heathcliff’s hands. It is due to Heathcliff’s raise in social status that anyone considers him threat.

        Heathcliff’s return as a sophisticated figure leads to the competition between Isabella Linton, and Catherine Linton. Although Catherine is married to Edgar, it doesn’t keep her from possessing jealously over Isabella’s attraction to Heathcliff. In an attempt to sabotage any possible relationship between the two she states that Heathcliff “is an unreclaimed creature, without refinement, without cultivation; an arid wilderness of furze” (Bronte 101). This is a prime example of how Heathcliff’s change in class brings about change in characters. Previously Catherine felt it would degrade her to be with Heathcliff. Now that he is educated and wealthy she finds it necessary to foil any attempt of him being with another person. Cleary demonstrating the effects that social class has on opinions.

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