(sorry, for some strange reason my title didn't post the first time)
Although Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen is considered to be one of my favorite novels, Wuthering Heights by Charlotte Bronte exceeds in both complex writing style and analysis of human nature. Pride and Prejudice is known to be a more delightful novel than the gloomy Wuthering Heights, yet Austen's insights upon society and marriage cannot defeat Bronte's insights upon human nature and love. I am not trying to dissuade readers from reading Austen's novel, for Pride and Prejudice contains many contradicting opinions and truths about society at her time, but Bronte's novel remains a more challenging novel. Bronte’s use of only two different points of view through Mr. Lockwood and Mrs. Dean shows mastery of creating a frame story. The use of a frame story is an excellent opportunity for teaching because the limited point of view proves to be somewhat confusing and leaves much mystery to many character. Also, her excellent usage of imagery completes the Gothic atmosphere that defines the passionate, yet tragic romance of Wuthering Heights. Her descriptions of Wuthering Heights Threshold Grange in order to show contrast in the occupants of each manor, divisions according to class, and the rivalry of two very different lovers of Catherine. Finally, Bronte creates a romance that differs from the fairly plain and giddy love story of Pride and Prejudice. The romance between Catherine and Heathcliff proves to remain both a passionate and tragic romance in which love and loss leads to inevitable madness. Wuthering Heights should be considered the more opportune novel to teach due to its more complex plot and writing style that differs from most novels.
Goldstone, Herbert. "Wuthering Heights Revisited." The English Journal XLVIII (1959): 4.
Word Count: 260
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1 comment:
Irene,
I think the best part of your argument is that "Bronte's novel remains a more challenging novel." I think this could be your thesis, and then you could choose some of the other details you discuss to support that claim - explicitly relating them back to the complexity of WH.
Good job.
Mrs. G
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