Monday, November 29, 2010
Concerning the mystery in the book, Heathcliff for me is the most complex. I don't know why but I am most drawn to him. It seems as though he has so many layers and things to share if you pay attention, which many of the characters in this book are not. The men of few words give this book an element of mystery.
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In "The Mysteries of Udolpho", Valencourt reminds me of Heathcliff. Many characters of the book including St. Aubert are drawn to him because of his surprising charm and mysterious presence. He also captivates the reader's attention by doing things in the novel that no other character would even think about doing in the setting and the event that is taking place in the novel.
ReplyDeleteI liked Heathcliff in the begining of the book but as I have progressed through it I have found that I don't like him very much anymore, in fact I hate him because he put his own wellbeing above his loves, he married someone he didnt love, he gets a sick twisted pleasure out of messing with other peoples lives and he is feeling sorry for himself for something that he did to himself.
ReplyDeleteI agree that he is very vain. But, he is most drawn to because he has so many moods and transform through out the book. He is what makes up part of the mystery in the book due to his course of revenge.
ReplyDeleteI believe by understanding the idea of mystery, one can fully grasp why, at times, Heathcliff is so intriguing. This theme focuses on the idea of the unknown, the unaccounted for, or unexplainable at a given time. Within Gothic novels, the idea of solving a mystery often times becomes one of the many problems established for the character to experience. Within the context of Wuthering Heights, the main character, Mr. Lockwood realizes early on that “it is strange… that [Heathcliff] has, nobody knows what money, and every year it increases” (Brontë 35) . From a character’s finances to their relationships with others, mystery can always surface.
ReplyDeleteDue to man’s natural tendency to quantify every thought, the idea of mystery causes him to ardently wait for the truth to be unearthed. This suspense lends itself to Gothic works due to the density of mystery within such a novel’s framework. With the seeds of doubt and uncertainty planted early on in the book, the level of a character’s interest often times makes him anxious until his curiosity is assuaged, bringing him “almost to a pitch of foolishness, through [his] nerves and brain” (Brontë 37). In Wuthering Heights, the element of mystery comes into play when individuals try to unravel others’ pasts. This curiosity (though at times, fixation is more appropriate) can control the pace of the book. The idea of discovery propels the plot, causing a surge in interest and attraction, ultimately resulting in an adventure for the character and the reader.
Would anyone disagree with these observations about the novel and the Gothic genre?
Heathcliff is the KanYe West of this book, having shown no remorse for his actions, textbook narcissism, extremely expressive, and an ambition that is very questionable. That's who he reminds me of. The fact that he doesn't express himself much leaves his actions and outbursts a mystery to the other characters.
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