3rd Discussion

   Emily Brontë uses a wide variety of personalities in Wuthering Heights in order to construct a novel that fully addresses both ends of the spectrum that is the Human Condition. Four characters that I believe play an important role in the book's events and that have distinct personalities/and or uses are Nelly, Catherine, Heathcliff, and Edgar. 
   One dominant character type in Gothic novels is the heroine. In Wuthering Heights, I believe that that role is filled by Nelly Dean. Nelly's primary importance in the novel is one of a guide. She is used by Brontë as the main narrator and hence most of the orienting, or guiding, of the reader through the changing environment of the book is done by her. From a character/ideal standpoint, Ms. Dean represents the attachment to some rational way of thinking. Amidst passionate characters making sometimes rash decisions, the housekeeper acts in a very predictable way, a very rational and grounded way. The author uses Nelly to "speak rationally" at times when without such a voice, the reader might begin to underestimate the consequences of an action or mindset due to a lack of weighing said consequences against reality (85). 
   I find Catherine Earnshaw important because she represents those flimsy, dramatic qualities that provide for much action in the book. With a character that is impatient, self involved, and that has periodic mood swings existing in the novel, Emily Brontë can continuously provide for much turmoil. Catherine's relationship with Heathcliff spans most of the novel and becomes particularly intriguing to the reader due to the strain that her societal status initially had with Heathcliff's advancement in life, resulting ironically in a love fest between the two.
   Heathcliff, I believe, fills two quite contrary roles in this story, that of the Byronic hero and the obvious villain. Heathcliff's cruel actions, at times, are unsettling to the reader and causes spite but can also be qualified. If one keeps in mind that he was once a "sullen child [accustomed]... to ill-treatment" at the hands of Catherine and Hindley Earnshaw, some leeway  is naturally awarded to Heathcliff (39). This concession allows a strange mixture of understanding and compassion with ire to exist, constituting a Byronic hero. In the same breath, Heathcliff's terrorizing actions towards other members in the book clearly gives him the distinction of the obvious villain. His quest for revenge at the expense of innocent bystanders, spurned from a troubled childhood, effectively fills the role of Byronic hero and villain. 
   The last major character that is also representative of an idea is Edgar Linton. Edgar steals the interests of Catherine Earnshaw away from Heathcliff and unknowingly ignites a feud that will come to engulf all at Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange. In order for Edgar to take away Catherine's attention from the lowly, simple Heathcliff, he had to be the opposite. Edgar was the "handsome, rich, young" choice (85). Edgar represents the rewarding, acceptable, and comfortable options in life. His presence is necessary in the book in order for there to be a dramatic clash of socioeconomic statuses and dramatic consequences from that clash.    
 These are just a few characters I thought make an important contribution to Wuthering Heights's plot. Does anyone agree or disagree with the above observations and can we think of any other characters to add to this particular analysis?