Literary Essay on Withering Heights

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The book Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte starts with Lockwood’s story about the first time he goes to Wuthering Heights, the Earnshaws’ house, and sees Heathcliff. He is renting Thrushcross Grange, the Lintons’ old house now belonging to Heathcliff, from Heathcliff. Nellie is working at the house that Lockwood is staying at, Thrushcross Grange, at this time and so she tells him the story of the Earnshaws and the Lintons. The topic of how society shapes peoples relationships or expectation of love/marriage is very evident among the various characters. We see this topic unmistakably apparent in Catherine Earnshaw's forbidden love for Heathcliff because of the society's social ranking. As well, it is also seen in Catherine's daughter, Catherine Linton and the love between her and Hareton Earnshaw. The novel is set at a time when traditional social structure and the relationship of the classes are changing. Mr. Earnshaw goes to Liverpool one day and he comes home with Heathcliff, who was an orphan boy, and they adopt him. Though Heathcliff and Catherine become the best of friends, Hindley does not take kindly to Heathcliff becoming part of the family. When Mr. and Mrs. Earnshaw die, Hindley takes over Wuthering Heights and makes Heathcliff a servant, degrading Heathcliff. Meanwhile, even though she truly loves him, Catherine sees Heathcliff as beneath her in society and social class. When Catherine meets Edgar she is impressed with his manners and wealth is then promised to be married to Edgar. It's hard to settle such an intense love with the choice she makes, but somehow she is able to work out the reasoning in her head; “I've no business to marry Edgar Linton than I have to be in heaven; and if the wicked man in there not brought Heathcliff so low, I shouldn't have thought of it. It would degrade me to marry Heathcliff now; so he shall never know how I love
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