The Themes Passion and Rationality in Wuthering Heights

Passion and Rationality
Themes Analysis of Wuthering Heights

The Gothic novel Wuthering Heights (1847) was written by Emily Bronte (1818-1848).. The house Wuthering Heights and Heathcliff are symbols of passion and the house Thrushcross Grange and Edgar are symbols of rationality. Catherine and Isabella are mix of passion and rationality.

The house Wuthering Heights is a symbol of passion. Supernatural element as ghost, fear found in this house. Mr. Lockwood saw ghost while sleeping in Cathy’s bed. The people of this house were in chaos. They behaved in abnormal way.  They were so called uncivilized. The Thrushcross grange is symbol of rationality. The people of this house was civilized.

The love Heathcliff and Catherine was shaken because of passion and rationality. Though Heathcliff and Catherine both was passionate lover, in question of marriage Catherine became rational. She chose Edgar over Heathcliff for economic security. She explained that marrying Edgar would degrade her. Heathcliff heard this and never returned.

After three years Heathcliff came back to Wuthering Heights as a gentle man with money. Edgar and Catherine had married just before he returned. He was so much shocked for losing his love Catherine. Heathcliff became more passionate for his love. He wanted to seek revenge for losing his love. He took revenge to Edgar by marrying his sister and beating her, Linton marry off Catherine to take all property of Lintons’. Heathcliff did it for his extreme emotion. He did not think that he was not worthy of Catherine.

Catherine showed very much interest to Heathcliff after he had come back. Edgar did not accept him. Catherine had showed her weakness and affectionate love for him. She did not think that she had already married and Edgar was her husband. If she would not love him again, Heathcliff could not take revenge on Edgar. Edgar was very logical. But Catherine was passionate for Heathcliff’s love.

Isabella loved and married Heathcliff but did not think logically. The main aim of Heathcliff to marry Isabella was taking revenge from Edgar and his family. If Isabella thought of the real situation, she would not fall in the trap of Heathcliff.

The novel Wuthering Heights was developed by passion and rational things and characters. Catherine was being selfish and rational in securing her social status by marrying Edgar. Heathcliff became more passionate for Catherine love and seek revenge for losing his love. Isabella so blindly passionate about Heathcliff that later made her suffer for her misjudgment.