Wuthering Heights Essay
...ooked over the high wall of the court, causing undefined shadows to lurk in the corners of the numerous projections portions of the building… my eyes were on the moon, and my back to the entrance.” (93) Heathcliff conceals the reason for his return to seek revenge on his childhood enemies, from the tenants of Thrushcross Grange and Wuthering Heights. He will stop at nothing to pain Hindley and Edgar, and their loved ones. Bronte’s description of the moon, and the moon’s obscure power over Nelly, parallels the shadowy and crazy actions of Heathcliff that occurs in the story. Thus, Bronte depicts Heathcliff’s return as a mad and mysterious event. Aside from the moon indicating the shady reasons in Heathcliff’s return, Bronte also uses moon imagery to demonstrate the folly of Cathy’s actions. The moon imagery specifies the lunacy and secrecy in Cathy’s love for Linton. After Nelly and Cathy return from their visit at Wuthering Heights, Nelly falls ill for three weeks, while Cathy secretly visits Linton. Nelly apprehends Cathy upon her return from a visit with Linton at Wuthering Heights. “The moon shone bright; a sprinkling of snow covered the ground… Cathy entered by the casement-window of the drawing-room, and glided noiselessly up to where I awaited her.” (243) Similar to her mother’s relationship with Edgar, Cathy and Linton’s relationship cannot survive. Linton lacks all passion, and caritas solely motivates him, while Cathy possesses more passionate characteristics. Cathy and Linton require an even balance to maintain their relationship, one that does not exist, and thus causes their ending. The moon imagery points out the recklessness and idiocy in Cathy and Linton’s relationship. Cathy goes to extreme measures to satisfy her seemingly irresistible temptation to meet Linton. Thus, Bronte uses the moon to expose the ludicrousness and lunacy in Catherine’s choices. Prior to the moon imagery in Cathy’s return, the moon also shows the lunacy in Cathy’s actions. During Nelly’s illness, Cathy leaves Thrushcross Grange to rendezvous with Linton. After Nelly catches Cathy during her return from Wuthering Heights, Cathy confesses and informs Nelly about her previous meetings with Linton. “On the morrow, I was sad; partly because you were poorly, and partly that I wished my father knew, and approved of my excursions: but it was beautiful moonlight after tea; and, as I rode on, the gloom cleared.” (249) Besides that Cathy and Linton lack an even balance between passion and caritas, Heathcliff desires the marriage to take vengeance on Edgar and his loved ones, by inheriting their money. Heathcliff realizes the upcoming death of Edgar and Linton, and wishes to wed his son and Cathy to inherit Edgar’s fortune when he dies. Cathy, falling into Heathcliff’s trap, naively loves Linton, and continuously tries to meet h...