Final Writting Composition

Wuthering Heights was written by Emily Brontë and was her first and only novel, which became a great success. Written in 1847, the book followed the gothic romantic litterary movement. It was in a time where authors put emphasis on the emotions of their characters, such as horror, trepidation, terror, and awe, combined with romance. As the reading of this book progressed, we could find within it many litterary elements, such as the double. With what I have learned from my myth teacher, the double is a representation of two personnalities in one person, a duality of two separate elements that can be compatible by their resemblance or by the fact that together they complete each other. In Wuthering Heights, the double is omnipresent in the narration, the characterization, and in the setting. We will then talk about the elements that represent the double in the narration,and in the characterization.

Firstly, the double is represented in the narration. As a matter of fact, there are two narrators in the story. The first one, Mr. Lockwood, is a man who is renting the estate of Thruscross Grange. He is the one to talk about the present, and what is occuring at the moment. The second narrator, Mrs. Nelly Dean, is reporting was happenned in the past, narrating for Mr. Lockwood, so he could understand the circumstances at Wuthering Heights. Throughout the book, Mrs. Dean and Mr. Lockwood share the narration, some times being one and then the other. Finally, the narration is a double in Wuthering Heights, because there are two different narrators.

Secondly, the characterization is one of the litterary devices in which the double is mainly present. Catherine Earnshaw is the double of Heatcliff, because she represents good and he represents evil. Even thought those characteristics are opposits, they are closely joined in this circumstance. To better understand this concept, we have to realize that as Catherine dies, evil takes control of Heathcliff. Catherine and Heathcliff have the same soul. “He's more myself than I am.” Catherine has the good part of it, while Heathcliff has the second part. Put together, good and bad are equals. As Catherine says: “Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same (…)”. But as one weakens, the other gains strenght and control. It is a duality that will only survive if one conquers the other. We could maybe suggest that the reason why Catherine’s illness is taking over her is because the evil in Heathcliff tries to win over the good. The problem in a duality is that two personnalities cannot live together. One is bound to take over the other. In this case, everytime Catherine and Heathcliff have a quarrel, Catherine becomes ill. When Catherine is dead, Heathcliff cries: "You said I killed you (…)”. This quotation shows that it was Heathcliff’s evil side that killed Catherine. Finally, the characters are doubles in this book, because Catherine and Heathcliff complete each other.

In conclusion, in the book Wuthering Heights, the double is represented in elements in the narration, and in the characterization, because of the presence of two narrators, and of the duality between Catherine Earnshaw and Heatcliff. The double being represented in many other elements of the book, the trivia of finding those elements may be a fun way to read and appreciate this book, as I did.

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