1. Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte Introduction and Context

2. Where do we begin? When it was released in 1847, Wuthering Heights was received with many negative reviews. Critics said it was strange, unpleasant and amoral. (http://www.wuthering-heights.co.uk/reviews.htm) Why? Well, there were a couple of main reasons. Firstly, because the literary tradition that inspired it (Romanticism) and because it was released after her sister Charlotte‘s hugely popular book, Jane Eyre. Her sister had created the handsome and dynamic Mr Rochester while Emily gave us the brooding, dark and immoral Heathcliff. Charlotte wrote in the preface to WH, after Emily died, “Whether it is right or advisable to create beings like Heathcliff, I do not know. I scarcely think it is. ”

3. To understand her “strange“ creation and motives, and to appreciate the novel‘s elevated position in English literary tradition, we must begin with the literary context in which it was written and then move on to Emily‘s own background and biography. We will focus on Rmanticism today and look at Gothic elements in a later lesson.

4. The Romantic Vision Source: Cannistraro and Merriman

5. Neo-classicism in the 18 th century Revival of art: ancient Greece/ancient Rome History of ancient Rome was key subject Stoic philosophy of duty and lack of self-interest Neo-classicism followed this David’s “The Death of Socrates” Discovery of Herculaneum and Pompeii –Houses and villas discovered in 1711 –Vivid picture of ancient Rome and its emphasis on reason

6. Romanticism takes over Rejected 18 th century predecessors emphasis on reason Explored power of dreams and the subconscious New vision of nature Romanticism is about emotion

7. Characteristics of Romanticism Natural universe was mysterious world of its own Believed in “remoteness” of time or place Inspired by ancient British Druids and medieval knights’ reactions to their world

8. Concerns of Romanticism Romantic artists were concerned about themselves –Emotions –Own individuality The Byronic hero was born

9. Activity Can you tell which poem is Romantic?

10. How does this relate to WH? Wuthering Heights has both Gothic elements and Romantic elements, but it is often considered to be product of Romanticism. Why? (a) Because of Emily‘s own character and (b) Because it contains – –Unbridled emotions –Motifs based in nature –Heathcliff as a Byronic hero of sorts –supernatural encounters –characters preferring isolation –places emphasis on the individual

11. The life that led to Romanticism To understand why Emily Bronte‘s (and Charlotte‘s) work is placed in the Romantic tradition, we must look at her life and at what motivated her. Emily Bronte (EB) was born on July 30 th, 1818 in the village of Thornton some miles to the West of Bradford in Yorkshire where her father Patrick was curate/rector. She was the 5th of 6 children – with only one boy among them!

12. Yorkshire is in the north England Very rural. (Think Appenzell!) It is famed geographically for its unspoiled countryside, comprising of rivers, moors, and dales

13. The Bronte Family History Patrick Bronte was an Irish immigrant who‘s entered Cambridge (St John’s College) to read theology and became a ‘gentleman’. A remarkable achievement for the son of a labourer. He married a well-to-do woman Maria Branwell from Cornwall in 1812 and who died after 9 yrs from a long and agonizing cancer, 1 year after the birth of her youngest child Anne. This was the first devasting tragedy for the Bronte children, but it was not their last.

14. The Bronte Tree

15. The Bronte Children They had a relatively poor upbringing, though not destitute.Their home was later discovered to be quite unsanitary due to a contaminated water supply. This may explain their poor health. They spent a lot of time on their own and relied on their collective imaginations to create alternate worlds and realites The girls in particular were avid readers and wrote lots of stories and poems.

16. Sibling Tragedy The oldest girls were sent to a boarding school run by a charity. The poor living conditions there led the two older girls dying of TB and Emily and Charlotte were sent back home, grief-stricken and scarred for life. Charlotte would later recount the experience in that school in Jane Eyre. Emily never quite fit in anywhere outside of Yorkshire and after spells in another school and a time in Belgium (where she was thought to be very shy, distant and un-ladylike), she settled at home in Yorkshire, never to leave it or its beloved landscape again.

17. Literary Careers for the Sisters The girls always wrote and often worked as governesses. Charlotte was the first of the sisters to be published, with Jane Eyre. Anne and Emily were quickly pursued by publishers on the back of JE‘s success. Anne‘s Agnes Grey and Emily‘s Wuthering Heights followed shortly after JE and were published in one collection. All three girls used pseudonyms or pen-names: Currer (Charlotte), Ellis (Emily) and Acton (Anne) bell

18. Emily‘s Final Years Emily‘s novel was greeted with negative reviews and this caused her to retreat into herself. However, WH did sell well and was widely read, despite its critics. Her brother drank himself into an early grave. At his funeral, she caught a chill. She developed TB. She died at the age of 30, a few months after her brother and just a year after WH was published. Anne succumbed to the same disease a few months later.

19. The Bronte Sisters, painted by their brother Branwell (he painted himself out)

20. The Brontes and Romanticism Their father‘s influence inspired them to persevere in their literary pursuits and fed their spirit of individuality and passion for freedom Their relative isolation and freedom to explore their natural surroundings, particularly in Emily‘s case, also fueled their Romantic tendencies. Their family tragedies were responsible for the sense of grim fatalism and acceptance of tragedy in life.

21. Emily‘s Legacy Emily‘s dark, passionate and often amoral plot, vivid characters and haunting setting, has endured, defying its early critics. It has become one of the most widely read and studied books in literature. Culturally, it has had an effect that has been every bit as important as her sister Charlotte‘s Jane Eyre, if not more so. When Emily and Anne died, Charlotte gave up on their anonymity and had their novels republished separately, using their real names.

22. Themes to look out for Love Revenge Patriarchal oppression of women The importance of social status Morality Identity or the self Nature v religion

23. Questions to consider Is Heathcliff a Byronic/Romantic hero? Is it fair to consider this an amoral novel?

25. Activity Fill in the page provided

26. Homework Please read the first four chapters