The Variation of Storm and Calm—The Analysis of Storm and Calm in Wuthering Heights
... of storm and calm, the whole story becomes quite complicated and fantastic and is full of exiting and changeable plots. And the whole story is just like a unique and peculiar variation of storm and calm. The Stormy and Calm Natural Circumstances “The greatness of Wuthering Heights arises precisely from the circumstance that Emily Brontë never supposes that human nature can be interpreted out of itself or out of anything less than all nature.”2 Wuthering Heights draws a great picture of the nature of the moors in Yorkshire. And the picture is so vivid that the readers can have the feeling of going through the moors personally. The storms, clouds, winds, rain, breeze, heather, harebells and other natural things are all actual and clear in front of the readers’ eyes. Sometimes, storms attract the moors, breaking the peace. Sometimes, calm remains the moor, making it so quiet and peaceful. The natural circumstance is changeable in motion or at rest and becomes the combination of storm and calm. And the moors experience the four-season to the variation of storm and calm. The story begins with the visit to Wuthering Heights by Mr Lockwood in the storm of snow. Wuthering Heights, the name of Mr Heathcliff’s house, is a strong building in the moors. At the beginning of the story, the readers can feel the power of storm: ‘Wuthering Heights’ is a local word, used to describe the wilderness of the weather in this lonely part of Yorkshire in time of storm. One may guess the power of the north wind blowing over the hillside, by the angle of a few poorly grown trees at end of the house, and by a row of thorn bushes all stretching their branches one way, as if begging the warmth of the sun. (p. 2, Chapter 1) What a fierce tune of storm! Having read this part, we can hear the sound of blowing wind obviously, and feel a stitch of cold. E. M. Forster held a view: “Wuthering Heights is filled with sound—storm and rushing wind—a sound more important than words and thoughts.”3 That is the power of storm. On the stormy night of Mr Lockwood’s visit to Wuthering Heights, he hears the wild and sad cry of Catherine from the stormy moors. The cry and the sound of storm are so thrilling and heart-breaking, composing a wild symphony: The blows sounded so loud that I awoke.…a sad voice cried: ‘Let me in! Let me in!’…‘Catherine Linton,’ it replied, shiveringly.…‘I’ve come home. I’d lost my way on the moor.’…‘It’s twenty years,…I’ve been wandering for twenty years! ’ (pp. 10-11, Chapter 4) The wild symphony stirs the readers’ hearts heavily and makes us aware of the storm’s violence and Catherine’s agony. In the other scene, the storm also heightens the wild atmosphere. When Catherine realizes that Heathcliff runs away after hearing that she says it would degrade her to marry him, she remains out by the gate in the stormy darkness: It was a very dark evening for summer, and about midnight, while we were sitting up, a storm came over the Heights in full fury. There was a violent wind, as well as thunder, and lightning and either one or the other split a tree at the corner of the building, and knocked down a part of the eat chimney. (p. 35, Chapter 15) The wind, rain, thunder and lightning interweave together in the darkness, making the night rustic and unpeaceful. Currer Bell (pseudonym of Charlotte Brontë) commentated: “…over much of Wuthering Heights there broods ‘a horror of great darkness’; in its storm-heated and electrical atmosphere, we seem at times to breathe lightning….”4 Thus, the storm plays an important part in the story, heightening its wild atmosphere, making a shocking and impressive tune. It is rustic all through Wuthering Heights. It is moorish and wild. And it is not only the site haunted by storms, but also the cradle of calm. Calm is the other key element. After the storm, there comes calm. The landscape in the story is so calm, Moorish and desolate, without city’s clamor and large population. When there is no rain, the rock, church, Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange are all in the peace. And the harebells and heather lightly wave in the breeze. What a quiet and tranquil view. When Heathcliff and Catherine are children, one of their chief amusements is to run away to the moors in the morning and remain there all day to enjoy the beautiful and moorish landscape of calm. That is so attractive. Additionally, the two main buildings in the story, Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange, almost appear on the scene in dif...