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1、A Gothic Reading of Wuthering Heights呼啸山庄哥特式阅读1. IntroductionThe term “Gothic” describes, according to the Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary, “a style of literature popular in the 18th century and 19th centuries, which describes romantic adventure in mysterious and frightening setting.” “Gothic” h
2、as come to mean to quite a lot of things by this day and age. It could mean a particular style of art, be in the form of novels, painting, or architecture; It could mean “medieval” or “uncouth”; it could even refer to a certain type of music and its fans. What it originally meant, of course, is “of,
3、 relating to or resembling the Goths, their civilization, or their language” (“gothic”)1.1 The Origin of Gothic“Gothic” originally came from the Goths, an early Germanic tribe, who invaded and occupied almost all Roman between 3 and 5 AD. The Romans scornfully regarded them as barbaric and unculture
4、d, much like the Vandals. Thus, “Gothic” won the meaning- barbaric, vulgar, and uncultured. Later, the usage gradually became extensive. During the period of Renaissance, Italys humanists firstly used the word “Gothic”. They called the things from the north of the Alps “Gothic”. People also called t
5、hose upright buildings with slender columns, sharp Joaquin, and stained glasses and mosaics “Gothic Architecture”. Those buildings, including church construction or construction-related style, can create a formidable poet born and a sense of awe of mystery. The similar styles of sculptures, painting
6、s, including architecture art also are known as “Gothic Art”. Then, “Gothic” was defined as “rudeness, barbaric, obsoleteness, ugliness”.1.2 Gothic NovelThe Gothic novel is a well-known literature genre, in which the prominent features are mystery, doom, decay, old buildings with ghosts, madness, an
7、d hereditary curses and so on. The English Gothic novel began with Horace Walpoles The Castle of Otranto (1765), which was enormously popular and quickly imitated by other novelists and soon became a recognizable genre. To most modern readers, however, are insipid and flat; the action moves at a fas
8、t clip with no emphasis or suspense, despite the supernatural manifestations and a young maidens flight through dark vaults. But contemporary readers found the novel electrifyingly original and thrillingly suspenseful, with its remote setting, its use of the supernatural, and its medieval trappings,
9、 all of which have been so frequently imitated and so poorly imitated that they have become stereotypes. The genre takes its name from Otrantos medieval or Gothic setting; early Gothic novelists tended to set their novels in remote times like the Middle Ages and in remote places like Italy(Matthew L
10、ewiss The Monk, 1796) or the Middle East(William Beckfords Vathek, 1786).What makes a work Gothic is a combination of at least some of these elements: a castle, ruined or intact, haunted or not (the castle plays such a key role that it has been called the main character of the Gothic novel) ruined b
11、uildings which are sinister or which arouse a pleasing melancholy dungeons, underground passages, crypts, and catacombs which, in modern houses, become spooky basements or attics labyrinths, dark corridors, and winding stairs shadows, a beam of moonlight in the blackness, a flickering candle, or the
12、 only source of light failing (a candle blown out or, today, an electric failure) extremely landscapes, like rugged mountains, thick forests, or icy wastes, and extreme weather omens and ancestral curses magic, supernatural manifestations, or the suggestion of the supernatural a passion-driven, will
13、ful villain-hero or villain a curious heroine with a tendency to faint and a need to be rescued- frequently a hero whose true identity is revealed by the end of the novel horrifying (or terrifying) events or the threat of such happeningsThe Gothic creates feelings of gloom, mystery, and suspense and
14、 tends to the dramatic and the sensational, like incest, diabolism, necrophilia, and nameless terrors. It crosses boundaries, daylight and the dark side, life and death, consciousness and unconsciousness. Sometimes covertly, sometimes explicitly, it presents transgression, taboos, and fears-fears of
15、 violation, of imprisonment, of social chaos, and of emotional collapse. Most of us immediately recognize the Gothic (even if we dont know the name) when we encounter it in novels, poetry, plays, movies, and TV series. For some of us, including me safely experiencing dread or horror is thrilling and
16、 enjoyable.Elements of the Gothic have made their way into mainstream writing. They are found in Sir Walter Scotts novels, Charlotte Brontes Jane Eyre, and Emily Brontes Wuthering Heights and in Romantic poetry like Samuel Coleridges “Chistabel”, Lord Byrons “The Giaour”, and John Keatss “The Eve of
17、 St.Angnes”. A tendency to the macabre and bizarre which appears like William Faulkner, Truman Capote, and Flannery OConnor has been called Southern Gothic.2. Emily Bronte and Gothic NovelMentioning Emily Bronte (1818-1848), a, famous British novelist, no one can ignore her masterpiece- Wuthering He
18、ights overflowing with enthusiasm and extremely frightening. What, however, contributes to the authors success of the work? There are two main reasons.One is the environmental impact on the authors growth. Emily Bronte was born in a pastors family, her mother died when she was three years old. Becau
19、se of lack of mothers love and her fathers indifference, in the desolate Yorkshire, she lived a lonely life, which made her born silence and unsociable-ness. And her character was full of contradictions, naturally stubborn ans willful, and gloomy, indignant and intolerant. She, however, had a strong
20、 and creative brain filled with eccentric but depressed mighty. Emily was endowed with the unique imagination which a novelist must have. And both her character and her mind were with Gothic color.Another is the impact of the authors contemporary academic schools. Emily Bronte had an unhappy childho
21、od during which time she had senses of inferiority, timidness, introversion, and precocity. Thus, books became her best friends. She read not only all kinds of classic literature, but also the magazines of Braidwood and Fraser. And stories in those magazines were full of fantastic, nervous, horrible
22、 and moving plot. “She grows with the accompaniment of Mary.Shelly and Hoffman” (Gerin 1971: 215). We can see clearly in Wuthering Heights that Emily was strongly influenced by Gothic tradition.3. Gothic Depiction Which Plays a Key Role in Wuthering Heights The permanent charm of literature usually
23、is the most unique and the most inconceivable works and that those can make people feel greatly mysterious, instead of those of the most extensive living space and the most profound scale. Because of Gothic depiction, Wuthering Heights is what a Gothic novel can be. And the peculiar effect caused by
24、 the depiction is clearly reflected in the authors writing.3.1 Gothic Application to the Description of EnvironmentThe story takes place in a hellish environment. In Wuthering Heights, Bronte has used Thrushcross Grange and Wuthering Heights to depict isolation and separation. The dark and forebodin
25、g environment described at the beginning of the novel foreshadows the gloomy atmosphere found in the remainder of the book. Wuthering Heights is an ancient mansion perched on a high ridge, overlooking a bled, windy. Outside the Wuthering Heights has undergone much suffering from windstorm day and ni
26、ght. Before entering the manor, readers firstly see “Before passing the threshold, l paused the admire a quantity of grotesque carving lavished over the front, and especially about the principal door; above which, among a wilderness of crumbling griffins and shameless little boys, l detected the dat
27、e 1500, and the name Hareton Earnshaw; the narrow windows are deeply set in the wall, and the corners defended with large, jutting stone.” (Wuthering Heights, 2006:3). When entering the house, what readers see is “s chatter of tongued and a clatter of culinary utensil, deep within; and except where
28、a frame of wood laden with oatcakes and clusters of legs of beefin an arch under the dresser, reposed a huge, liver-colored bitch pointer, surrounded by a swarm of squealing puppies; and other dogs haunted other recesses.”(Wuthering Heights, 2006:4). The whole story happens and is developed under su
29、ch environment: dim, ghastly, mysterious and horror-stricken. This kind of natural environment can further deepen the smell of mystery and gloomy, which creates a charming and blood-curdling atmosphere.3.2 Gothic Application to the Creation of CharactersCharacters in the Wuthering Heights are lively
30、 and of all kinds of dispositions, especially the two main characters, Heathcliff and Catherine, leave an indelible impression upon readers. Heathcliff is a mad tyrant who straddles two extremes-“love” and “hate”. His love is mad, which is the rudest and the most thoughtful, at the same time, the mo
31、st ferocious and the most doleful. He is vested with double characters. In the majoritys opinion, Heathcliff is a great scourge and unpardonable scoundrel, who brings about great disasters to the both families-Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange. However, it can not be denial that his attitude
32、towards Catherine is tenderness and love, though he treats others including his own son cruel, arrogant and despotic. When Lockwood tells him that he has dreamed of Catherine, Heathcliff bursts into tears, and chokes with sobs “come in, come in he sobbed, Cathy, do come. Oh, do once more! Oh! My hea
33、rts darling! Hear me this time, Catherine, at last!”(Wuthering Heights, 2006: 35). At this time, Emily Bronte describes Heathcliff as a modest and self-disciplined gentleman full of profound feeling and extensive humanity. He, in fact, has suffered a lot when he revenges others. When he is young, he
34、 is deprived of his right of human dignity and his right of love. Therefore, when we bitterly hate his crudeness and unfeeling-ness, we still strongly sympathize with him.Similarly, Catherine is also a tragic person. In order to change Heathcliffs fate, she marries Edgar Linton. Although there, actu
35、ally, are vanity and frivolity in her inner world, she would not marry Edgar Linton if she did not want to help Heathcliff, for she is truly closer to Heathcliff in terms of feeling. She finally chooses Heathcliff in regard to the feeling, instead of Edgar “not because hes handsome, Nelly, but becau
36、se hes more myself than I am. Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same; and Lintons is as different as a moonbeam from lightening, or frost from fire.”(Wuthering Heights, 2006:102). She wavers between reality and ideal. Love can not give her sweet; marriage can not give her tranquil
37、ity. Being under crossfire between Heathcliff and Edgar, her only choice is to die. Thus, her soul could revive and freely get together with Heathcliffs, traveling for pleasure at their will. It is worthy of being sympathized with her love. She destroys her husband and her lover. Because of her betr
38、aying, Heathcliff madly revenges others and Edgar suffering from great disaster.3.3 Gothic Application to the Device of Plot In terms of the plot, Gothic novels are always full of mystery and violence. In Wuthering Heights, abnormal and brutal atmospheres and tragic scenes can be seen everywhere. Fo
39、r instance, when the night Lockwood gets accommodation in the room which Catherine had lived, the wind howls and the snow pours down. In his dream, he sees a pale face looking through the window, a bloodstained hand stretching into the broken window importunately asking for coming into the room. And
40、 Lockwood hears “let me in! Its twenty years, twenty years. Ive been a wait for twenty years.” This scene may be the most tragic scene. Fox.Ralph says it is the most moving scene in the British literature. Another tragic scene is that Heathcliff digs Catherines grave. He hears a sigh from the gravey
41、ard of the church in the wind and snow. The sigh continuously repeats, which makes his sure that Catherines soul is not under the earth but in the sky. He strongly feels her existence and her figure, and feels her soul is in front of him. At the end of the novel, people living in the Wuthering Heigh
42、ts and surrounding area usually see Heathcliff who dies of fast and Catherines ghosts walking on the boundless moor, and wandering in the gloomy and horror dwelling.3.4 Gothic Application to the Portrayal of the Supernatural and Deeply Ingrained Love Tragic love, in Wuthering Heights, has been heape
43、d praises since it was published. It can be said that the feeling of the main characters is the strongest in British novels. The releases of the passion products an unexpected effect and readers can be understand the authorss darling and mighty and the works loftiness and tragic beauty. Catherine ha
44、s ever given full vent to her feelings of Heathcliff “My great miseries in this world have been Heathcliffs miseries, and I watched and felt each from the beginning; my great thought in living is himself. If all else perished, and be reminded, I should still continue to be; and if all else remained,
45、 and he was annihilated, the universe would turn to a mighty stranger: I should not seem a part of it. My love for Heathcliff resembles the eternal rocks beneath: a source of visible delight, but necessary. I am always a pleasure to myself but as my own being.” (Wuthering Heights, 2006:104). Equally
46、 Heathcliffs love towards Catherine is also engraved on his mind. When he knows about Catherine death, “May she wake in torment! he cried. With frightful vehemence, stamping his foot, and groaning in a sudden paroxysm of ungovernable passionOh, Go! It is unutterable! I can not live without my life!
47、I can not live without soul!” This kind passion of love is seldom in the history of Gothic novels. The real love of Heathcliff and Catherine is rarely described. Instead, most of the page is the intense of their inner passion and surreal love, which makes this novel and their love much more solemn a
48、nd stirring and manifests Gothic novels aesthetic feeling.4. The Effects of Gothic Depiction in Wuthering HeightsPermeated with Gothic depiction, the work in fully covered with Gothic color. The author, firstly, exaggerates the setting of the story. This setting is absurd, fantastic, and inconceivab
49、le, which further lays a foundation of describing the characters Gothic nature-extreme violence and nervousness. This two aspects description sets off the climax of this novel. Thus, the starling and Hair-raising scenes of ghosts haunting, souls wandering, nightmare, surreal love and sleeping with the corpse can be expressed incisively and vividly. The most charming part in Wuthering Heights is