Sunday, March 29, 2015

Compiled Themes all by Nicholas Benson

Love as a Creative Nurturing Force vs. All Consuming Destructive Force 

  1. Chapter VIII: Page 66: "his sorrow...will not lament" "neither wept nor prayed" "cursed and defied": Hindley's love for his lost wife has consumed him in sorrow and pushed him to "reckless dissipation". The loss of his love one, and the power of love still in his heart for her, is acting as a destructive force, breaking him apart.
  2. Chapter IX:Page 83:"If all else perished, and he remained, I should still continue to be; and if all else remained, and he were annihilated, the universe would turn to a mighty stranger: I should not seem a part of it." Catherine's love for Heathcliff takes on two forms. She loves him so much that he makes up her existence and gives her a place in the universe. She also loves him so dearly that without him, she would feel alienated to the entire universe. Her love for Heathcliff defines her very being, it's creation, and it's destruction.
  3. Chapter XIII:Page 138: "Edgar tended her" "his care by forming the source of constant future anxiety" "gratitude and joy for when Catherine's life was declared out of danger" "illusion that her mind would settle back to its right balance also, and she would be entirely her former self.": Hindley works to help nurture his ill wife Catherine out of love. His love for Catherine consumes him and acts a source of constant anxiety, acting as a destructive force against himself. Hindley not only nurtures Catherine, but also himself, as he is elated when Catherine begins to feel better. 
  4. Chapter XVII:Page 178:"Catherine had an awfully perverted taste to esteem him so dearly" "He extinguished my love effectually" I could still be loving him if-no, no!" "Even if he had doted on me, the devilish nature would have revealed its existence":Isabella states that even if Heathcliff had doted on her with nurturing love it would not forever hide his inner-destructive nature. 
  5. Chapter XXII:Page 240:"He was in earnest-in love" "he's dying for you" "unless you restore him": Heathcliff pleads that Linton is dying due to his love for Catherine. When Catherine stopped sending letters to Linton it cut off the nurturing power of their love and began to consume and destroy Linton's being. Only by returning the nurturing love of Catherine can Linton survive.
  6. Chapter XXV:Page 266:"a portion of his income...a natural desire that she might retain" "he considered her only prospect of doing that was by a union with his heir":Out of love for his daughter, Edgar, desires that she have access to his fortune, even though this means that Heathcliff will be that much closer to gaining control of the Grange. His love for his daughter compels him to nurture her, but at the cost of destroying the Grange's protection from Heathcliff's consuming grasp.
  7. Chapter XXIV:Page261:"your kindness has made me love you deeper than if I deserved your love" "though I could not": Linton is consumed by his love for Catherine but her kindness that fills him with love only makes him reflect upon his own destructive tendencies and passion. Her kindness nurtures him and lets him feel love but when compared to himself makes him feel inferior, breaking his own self image.
  8. Chapter XXXIV:Page 348:"he has seen two on 'em" "There's Heathcliff, and a woman": Heathcliff's love of Catherine nurtures him in death as he has kept the company of her in the afterlife. It consumed him and even destroyed him in life, but finally in death together they are in peace.

The Destructive Power of Revenge

  1. Chapter VIII: Page 66: "became daily more...savage" "He delighted to witness Hindley degrading" "possessed of something diabolical": Heathcliff is possessed by the destructive power of revenge to the point that he has become diabolically obsessed with the degradation of Hindley. 
  2. Chapter VIII:Page 76:"the intensest anguish at having made himself the instrument of thwarting his own revenge": Heathcliff after saving the life of Hareton, instead of being cheerful at saving the boy has had any feeling of heroism destroyed by the fact that he missed an opportunity to get revenge on Hindley.
  3. Chapter IX:Page 85:"The master will play the devil tomorrow" "You mustn't drive him out of his head for nothing!" Joseph is personifying the destructive power of revenge that possesses Hindley as playing the devil.
  4. Chapter IV:Page 38: "regard his father as an oppressor rather than a friend, and Heathcliff as a usurper of his father's affections" "he grew bitter": Hindley in his child hood was already infected by jealousy, and any kind-hearted nature was destroyed by a precursor to the destructive power of revenge that he desired to exact on Heathcliff.
  5. Chapter XI:Page 114:"he pays dad back what he gies to me-he curses daddy for cursing me." "Devil daddy" "He says I mun do as I will": Hareton is perverted by Heathcliff's desire for revenge against Hindley and has destroyed any manners he may have previously possessed and his relationship to his father.  
  6. Chapter VII:Page 108 (Kindle Version): "I'm trying to settle how I shall pay Hindley back." "God won't have the satisfaction that I have.": Heathcliff is obsessed with plotting revenge on Hindley. The destructive power of revenge has damaged and altered him.
  7. Chapter VI:Page 81 (Kindle Version):"they forgot everything the minute they were together again: at least the minute they had contrived some naughty plan of revenge.": Cathy and Heathcliff's shared love helped to motivate them to continue on their destructive path of revenge against Hindley, their shared agitator.
  8. Chapter VII:Page 94 (Kindle Version):"Heathcliff, you may come forward: cried Mr.Hindley, enjoying his discomfiture...'You may come and wish Miss Catherine welcome, like the other servants.'": Hindley using the destructive power of revenge against Heathcliff by trying to destroy their youthful bond of passion by creating a clear contrast between the civilized and savage natures between them.

The Consequences of Passion That Dominates Reason

  1.  Chapter VIII: Page 65: "Damn the doctor!" "Frances is quite right": Hindley's passion dominates his reason as his love for Frances puts him in denial of her inevitable death.
  2. Chapter VIII:Page 72:"She never had the power to conceal her passion, it always set her...in a blaze" "impelled by the naughty spirit within her, slapped me": Catherine still enveloped in passion over her conversation with Heathcliff and now her upset countenance against Nelly is acting out in front of Edgar unintentionally showing him her hidden passionate nature.
  3. Chapter VIII:Page 73:"You've made me afraid and ashamed of you" "I'll not come here again": After Catherine's harsh outburst of passion, the civilized Edgar is disgusted and promises not to return to Wuthering Heights. 
  4. Chapter VIII:Page 73:"He's doomed, and flies to his fate." "the quarrel had merely effected closer intimacy" "broken the outworks of youthful timidity" "confess themselves lovers": Catherine and Edgar become passionately upset with one another and both agree to go their separate ways, only for them both to become overwhelmed by their true passionate feelings and confess love for one another.
  5. Chapter IX:Page 79:"You love Mr.Edgar because he is handsome, and young, and cheerful, and rich": Catherine feels passionate about status and riches that belong to Edgar rather than Edgar himself. She is possessed by a shallow love that dominates her true passion for Heathcliff and her reasons for loving Heathcliff the way she does.
  6. Chapter IX:Page 87:"Cathy, who got thoroughly drenched for her obstinacy in refusing to take shelter, and standing bonnetless and shawlless to catch as much water as she could": Overcome by her passionate worry for Heathcliff, Catherine stands in the harsh storm against all reason.
  7. Chapter X:Page 108:"disclosure she had made of her secret feelings in a transient fit of passion" "Catherine and Isabella...on hostile terms": In a fit of passion, Isabella revealed her feelings for Heathcliff to Catherine and now is on bad terms with Catherine.
  8. Chapter VI:Page 81 (Kindle Version):"Hindley in a passion told us to bolt the doors, and swore nobody should let them in that night.": Hindley overcome by passion ignores reason and leaves the children locked outside overnight alone.

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