Emily Bronte: Wuthering Heights

Examination text on The Art of the Novel Paper

International Baccalaureate English Higher Level Course

Chapter 1

1801. What is the significance of the dating?

What kind of narrator is Lockwood?

What kind of house is the Heights?

Chapter 2

What mistakes does Lockwood make? What is the significance of the weather?

Chapter 3

Examine in detail the significance of Lockwood's dream.

What is the role of the narratives which inspire his nightmares?

Look at Heathcliff's state here.

Chapter 4

Why does Emily Bronte use Nelly as the main storyteller? This is a central question in the novel.

Examine in detail Earnshaw's homecoming in 1771. Look at the culture of violence in the Earnshaw household.

Chapter 5

How do the children react to old Earnshaw's death?

Chapter 6

Examine in detail the contrasting description of Thrushcross Grange from the external perspective of Heathcliff and Cathy.

Chapter 7

Contrast Heathcliff to the Lintons. Is Nelly a good narrator?

Chapter 8

Why the break in Nelly's storytelling?

Look at the violent passions of Cathy here? What is Nelly's feelings about Cathy?

Chapter 9

More violence to comment on here.

Examine the crucial conversation when Cathy tells Nelly her feelings about Heathcliff and Edgar. Examine the vibrancy of her dialogue. Why is Heathcliff present?

What is the role of the storm? Nature is a critical force in the novel.

Chapter 10

Lockwood's illness is important. Again, why the break in the narrative at this point?

Comment on the return of Heathcliff and what we see of his meeting with Cathy.

What is Heathcliff's nature? What role does Isabella have in the unfolding tragedy?

Chapter 11

Look at the apparition that Nelly sees on the moor.

What is Nelly's role in the Linton household?

Chapter 12

Examine Cathy's decline and her mad delirium.She has some powerful speeches here. What is the significance of windows here and in the novel as a whole? What is the significance of Heathcliff and Isabella's elopement?

Chapter 13

What is the place of Isabella's written narrative?

Chapter 14

Examine the scene between Nelly and Heathcliff. What do you think of the violence of his language?

Why another break in Nelly's story?

Examine in detail Heathcliff and Cathy's final passionate embrace.

Chapter 16

Cathy's death is a pivotal point in the novel. Why?

Does Nelly provide a fitting tribute (in words and deeds)? What is the nature of Heathcliff's reaction? What is the significance of the place of Cathy's interment?

Chapter 17

What is the role of Isabella as a narrator? What is your view of the end of Isabella? The nature of Hindley's death is important. Who killed him?

Chapter 18

What is the nature of the daughter Catherine and Hareton. What is their role in the novel?

Chapter 19

Why is Linton a sickly child?

Chapter 20

Why does Heathcliff look after Linton?

Chapter 21

Examine the description of Catherine on the moors.

Contrast Catherine and Linton. How does Nelly interfere in their relationship?

Chapter 22

How is Catherine integrated with Nature?

Chapter 23

Look at Catherine's violence towards Linton.

Chapter 24

Why is Nelly ill?

Examine the poetic nature of Catherine's narrative and the symbolism of two contrary worlds.

Chapter 25

Again, a break in Nelly's story. Why? What is your view of the dying Edgar?

Chapter 26

Contrast the vigour of Catherine and Linton

Chapter 27

Look at the violence between Catherine and Heathcliff.

Chapter 28

What is the role of Zillah? What is Linton's role as a minor narrator? What is your view of Edgar's death?

Chapter 29

What is the significance of what Heathcliff tells us as a narrator? Look at his dissolution.

Chapter 30

What does Zillah tell us as a narrator? Contrast Zillah and Nelly. Why does Lockwood intend to leave?

Chapter 31

What is Lockwood's parting view?

Chapter 32

Lockwood returns in 1802. What has changed? Nelly's concluding narrative of Heathcliff's end. What is Nelly's role here?

Chapter 33

How are Hareton and Catherine developing? Heathcliff's revelation of his inner soul. What is your view of Heathcliff?

Chapter 34

Examine in detail Heathcliff's final dissolution. What is your view of his death? What is the significance of the shepherd boy's vision? Does Lockwood give a fitting elegy to the three dead lovers?

Main Themes and Narrative Ideas

Examine Emily Bronte's narrative technique, particularly her use of Lockwood and Nelly as narrators. Can we trust them or are they unreliable narrators? Do we know what is Emily Bronte's position?

The design of the book is drawn in the spirit of intense compositional rigour, of limitation; the characters act in the spirit of passionate immoderacy, of excess. Dorothy van Ghent, The English Novel: Form and Function, 1961

Is Wuthering Heights a social novel or is it an exception to the Victorian Novel?

Look at Heathcliff as a Byronic hero. Is he evil? Who is the villain in the novel?

What is the nature of the central love relationship in the novel?

Examine the symbolism of the setting, especially the weather and the moors.

In what ways might the novel have Gothic elements?

Contrast the Heights to Thrushcross Grange.

What is the role of the minor characters, especially the choric Joseph?

Examine the time scales in the novel.