Home > Q&A by Experts > Literature >
Q

How Is Imagery Used in Wuthering Heights?

A

Imagery is one of the essential components of the novel. The author gives symbolic meaning to many household items. She also uses such stylistic means as, for example, metaphor, hyperbole, and opposition.

Detailed answer:

Wuthering Heights contains the features of a Gothic novel. Its plot builds on mysterious events in an old family nest, the estate called Wuthering Heights. It is located in the middle of the moorland. The heroes see ghosts and monsters from the first pages of the novel to its end. The reason for saving a child of unknown origin is also mysterious. The weather in the story is often cloudy, rainy, and gloomy.

After analyzing the novel, several dominant themes can be identified. The first theme is the feelings between Heathcliff and Catherine. A father and child theme emerges in the relationship between the estate owner, Mr. Earnshaw, and his son, Hindley. The theme of orphanhood is also critical. Hindley, Catherine, and Heathcliff lost their parents early. The novel describes a whole generation of children: Hareton Earnshaw, Catherine Linton, and Linton Heathcliff. Revenge is another essential topic, which is linked to the image of Heathcliff.

Heathcliff is the main character of the novel. The author portrays him in detail in the very beginning. The narrator notices some common features between himself and Heathcliff but then finds significant differences. There is a contrast between the dwelling and its owner in the novel. It allows the readers to reflect on Heathcliff’s nature.

The book contains many lexical expressive means, such as antithesis, oxymoron, and epithet. The verbal portrait of the hero is dispersed throughout the text. The stylistic means help the readers to create a complete and colorful impression of the characters. They allow us to focus on the dynamics of their images.

The novel contains a system of oppositions and duplication of images. Hindley is Heathcliff’s antipode, and Heathcliff is Linton’s opposite. Catherine’s double is her daughter Katie, and Heathcliff’s double is Hareton Earnshaw. The moors is a consistent detail, which is a symbol of freedom for the main characters.

The symbols are numerous: furniture items, windows, doors, and even the gate of the old estate. The oak panel structure becomes a symbol of various experiences for Catherine, Heathcliff, and Lockwood. There are examples of personification: Lockwood believes that the gate, like Heathcliff, does not want to let him in. The oak panel bed window is a symbolic border in the novel. It represents the edge of violence and cruelty.

Multiple episodes make us perceive the estate as a prison, and its inhabitants – as captives. Inner harmony finally returns to Wuthering Heights at the end of the novel. Then, Lockwood believes the prison is no longer there. These devices reveal the characters’ images and enhance the gloomy atmosphere.

The writer speaks to the reader using two first-person storytellers, Lockwood and Ellen Dean. The narrators take turns. The housekeeper Nelly continues the story and ends it in chapter thirty. Lockwood then becomes the sole narrator of the story. The author uses the storytellers’ speech to hide her own voice from the readers. It is also worth noting that the characters’ speech is symbolic. It reflects their nature, behavior, and education.

Answer's rating:
Updated:
Ask your Question
(We won’t publish it)
Cite This page
You're welcome to use this expert's answer in your assignment. Be sure to cite it correctly

Reference

IvyPanda. (2024, August 21). How Is Imagery Used in Wuthering Heights? https://ivypanda.com/q/how-is-imagery-used-in-wuthering-heights/

Work Cited

"How Is Imagery Used in Wuthering Heights?" IvyPanda, 21 Aug. 2024, ivypanda.com/q/how-is-imagery-used-in-wuthering-heights/.

References

IvyPanda. (2024) 'How Is Imagery Used in Wuthering Heights'. 21 August.

References

IvyPanda. 2024. "How Is Imagery Used in Wuthering Heights?" August 21, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/q/how-is-imagery-used-in-wuthering-heights/.

1. IvyPanda. "How Is Imagery Used in Wuthering Heights?" August 21, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/q/how-is-imagery-used-in-wuthering-heights/.


Bibliography


IvyPanda. "How Is Imagery Used in Wuthering Heights?" August 21, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/q/how-is-imagery-used-in-wuthering-heights/.

Privacy Settings

IvyPanda uses cookies and similar technologies to enhance your experience, enabling functionalities such as:

  • Basic site functions
  • Ensuring secure, safe transactions
  • Secure account login
  • Remembering account, browser, and regional preferences
  • Remembering privacy and security settings
  • Analyzing site traffic and usage
  • Personalized search, content, and recommendations
  • Displaying relevant, targeted ads on and off IvyPanda

Please refer to IvyPanda's Cookies Policy and Privacy Policy for detailed information.

Required Cookies & Technologies
Always active

Certain technologies we use are essential for critical functions such as security and site integrity, account authentication, security and privacy preferences, internal site usage and maintenance data, and ensuring the site operates correctly for browsing and transactions.

Site Customization

Cookies and similar technologies are used to enhance your experience by:

  • Remembering general and regional preferences
  • Personalizing content, search, recommendations, and offers

Some functions, such as personalized recommendations, account preferences, or localization, may not work correctly without these technologies. For more details, please refer to IvyPanda's Cookies Policy.

Personalized Advertising

To enable personalized advertising (such as interest-based ads), we may share your data with our marketing and advertising partners using cookies and other technologies. These partners may have their own information collected about you. Turning off the personalized advertising setting won't stop you from seeing IvyPanda ads, but it may make the ads you see less relevant or more repetitive.

Personalized advertising may be considered a "sale" or "sharing" of the information under California and other state privacy laws, and you may have the right to opt out. Turning off personalized advertising allows you to exercise your right to opt out. Learn more in IvyPanda's Cookies Policy and Privacy Policy.