Analysis of Wuthering Heights, Chapter One

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Emily Bronte was born in 1818 in Thornton, Yorkshire. Her father, the Reverend Patrick Bronte had married Maria Branwell in 1812 and had already published a number of books himself. In 1820 he moved to the small town of Howarth where he served as a rector and chairman of the parish committee. After her mother died Emily spent most of her time reading with her two sisters, Anne and Charlotte and their brother Branwell.

Howarth is placed at the edge of a large area of moorland, which is said to be the setting for Emily's only novel, `Wuthering Heights'. This classic piece of literature was published in 1847 and has many features of a gothic novel, the most obvious of these being the madness, the supernatural and even the buildings and scenery in which the story is set.

The novel has a series of narratives and in the opening paragraph we are introduced to Mr Lockwood, one of the two main narrators throughout the book. Mr Lockwood is an unreliable narrator when compared to Ellen Dean, a long-time servant at `The Heights' who is introduced later on in the book.

Lockwood is renting Thrushcross Grange from the more rugged character, Heathcliff. Lockwood is a gentleman that has chosen to move to the country, as he prefers his solitude to the `stir of society'. It is revealed that he has made this choice due to a situation involving a woman he fell in love with, not too long ago.

He starts the chapter off on a positive note when he describes how pleased he is with his new dwellings and his indifferent landlord, "a perfect misanthropist's heaven: and Mr. Heathcliff and I are such a suitable pair to divide the desolation between us. A capital fellow!"

During his visit Lockwood continues to describe Heathcliff and his action...

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...ear to begin with. It also introduces one of the main narrators who becomes the vehicle and the reason for the story to be told as the chapters continue.

In the soliloquy by Lockwood about how he isn't going to put Heathcliff's harsh character down to being caused by the same reason as his own, the reader is unknowingly given a preview to the story. The reason why Heathcliff is the way he is, is because of the same reason as Lockwood, however this slight mockery isn't discovered by the reader until later on in the novel.

Overall the first chapter contributes a variety of information about the novel including some of the characters, a narrator, it sets the scene for the story and also has a touch of irony as Emily Bronte discreetly hints at the upcoming events in her well structured novel of dream and reality, the supernatural and the natural and emotional chaos.

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