Symbolism in Houses, Nature, and Culture essays

Symbolism in Houses, Nature, and Culture essays The setting and descriptions of Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange that Emily Bronte uses throughout her novel, Wuthering Heights, helps set the mood for describing Heathcliff and Cathy. The cold, muddy, and infertile moors separate the two households. Each house stands alone, in the midst of the dreary land, but the atmospheres of the two estates are quite different. This difference helps explain the personalities and bond of Cathy and Heathcliff. The Conflict between Nature and Culture are constantly playing against each other. Nature is represented by the Earnshaw family, and by Catherine and Heathcliff in particular. These characters are governed by their passions, and "wildness." Wuthering Heights comes to symbolize a similar wildness. On the other hand, Thrushcross Grange and the Linton family represent culture, refinement, gathering, and cultivation. Emily Bronte's fine usage of symbolism help one to understand the differences in nature, culture, and personality shown by comparing the Heights and the Grange, kept together by the moors. Wuthering Heights, which represents basically Hell, is always in a state of storminess. The Heights and its surroundings portray the coldness, darkness, and evil associated with Hell. This parallels Heathcliff. He symbolizes the cold, dark, and dismal house. The author also uses parallel personifications to depict specific parts of the house as analogues to Heathcliffs face and body. "He is a dark-skinned gypsy in aspect... He has an erect and handsome figure, and rather morose." (Bronte 3). Emily frequently made references to the dark windows such as the darkness of Heathcliff. Although he is hansom and study such as the house, he is also depressing and gloomy. The very definition of wuthering is to dry up, shrivel, or wilt as from decay The inhabitants, especially Heathcliff and Cathy, cause the decay and bring storminess to the house. Hea ...