呼啸山庄中女性主义体现

ChapterOneIntroductionEmilyBrontewasabrilliantwomanwriterinnineteenth-centuryEnglishliterature.WutheringHeights,heronlynovel,isconsideredthemostextraordinarynovelofthenineteenthcentury.Sinceitspublication,ithasbeensubjecttoawidevarietyofcriticism,Buttheresearchresultsaremonotonous.MoststudieshaveconcentratedoninterpretingHeathcliffandCatherine’slovestory,charactersandGothicfeatures.Foralongtime,manycriticsconsideredHeathcliffthefocusandkeytothenovel,whilethewomeninthebookwereoftenregardedasinsignificant.WiththeriseofthefeministmovementandfeministapproachestoliterarycriticismintheWest,feministcriticshavechallengedthetraditionalviewandshiftedthefocusoftheirreviewstofemalecharacters.WutheringHeightsisthestoryofafeudbetweentwofamiliesandanoutsideronthemoorsofnorthernEngland.Thenovelisactuallyarealisticportrayalofwomen’slivesintheVictorianperiod.EmilyBronte’sinsightintowomen’slivesatthetimereflectsherawarenessofthelowstatusofwomenandtheirunequalsituationinlawandmarriage.Throughherportrayalofthenovel’smaincharacters,EmilyBronteboldlyarguesthatsweettalk,indecisivenessandgentlenessaresynonymouswithweakness.Thisviewsubvertsthetraditionalimageofwomenimposedbysociety.Asaresult,sheencouragedwomentorebelagainstconventionalfemalerolestoimprovetheirstatus,whichpartlycontributedtothedevelopmentofFeminism.ThisarticletakesFeminismasthemaintheoreticalframework,aimingtoanalyzethefemalecharactersinEmilyBronte’sWutheringHeightsandtoexplorethefeministconsciousnessofthefemalecharacters.Thepaperbeginswithanexpositionofpreviousresearchandthecurrentstateofresearch,describingFeminismandfeministconsciousness,followedbyrevealingthefeministconsciousnessinWutheringHeights.Finally,itanalysesthemainfemalecharactersinthebooktoreflecttheresistanceofthefemalecharactersinthebookandthesignificanceofFeminismformodernwomenaspresentedinwork.ChapterTwoIntroductiontotheAuthorofWutheringHeightsandherWorkEmilywroteseveralpoemsinhislifeandanothernovelwithhissister,butitwasneverpublished.WutheringHeightsisheronlypublishednovel,butithasnotbeenunderstoodbythereadersorevenherfamilysinceitspublication.ButthecontroversialbookthatputEmily’snameontheacademicrecordhaskeptheralive.Thestudyofthebookhasnotstoppedformorethanahundredyearssinceitwaspublished.2.1IntroductiontotheAuthorEmilyBrontelivedashortlife,bornin1818inYorkshire,England,inafamilyofmanychildren,hermotherhavingdiedwhenshewasyoung.Emily’sfatherlovedtoreadandthechildrendevelopedaloveofreading,kindnessandasenseofjusticeunderhisinfluence.Livingonthemoorswithlittlecontactwiththeoutsideworld,thesistersreadandwrotetopassthetime,whichdevelopedEmily’sstrongandindependentcharacter.Afterhermother’sdeath,thefamily’sincomewaslow,andthechildrenwereforcedtoworktosupportthefamily.Still,inthe19thcenturyEngland,wherewomenweretheappendagesofmenandtheirrolewastobegoodmothersorwives,womenwereconfinedtothefamilyhome.Theywerepreventedfromreceivingagoodeducationbygenderdiscrimination.EmilywasonlyabletolearnattheCharityGirls’School,whereshereceivedafragmentededucation.Theson,whohisfathercarefullynurtures,doesnotbecomethepillarofthefamilyandtakesontheresponsibilityofprotectingthefamily,butinsteadbecomesaburdentothefamilyafterasetback.AlthoughEmily’slifewasdifficult,hedidnotgiveupwritingandturnedhismiseryintomotivationtopublishhisownnovel.In1848,whenheronlybrotherdiedofdrugandalcoholaddiction,Emilydiedbroken-heartedandweakenedinDecemberofthesameyear.2.2IntroductiontotheWorkWutheringHeights,Emily’sonlynovel,wasnotwellunderstoodandwasevenderidedbysomewhenitwasfirstpublished.Butastimewenton,peoplefinallydiscoveredtheappealofWutheringHeightsandgaveithighmarksasoneofthemasterpiecesofnineteenth-centuryEnglishliterature.EmilyhadtoendurehardshipsincreatingherworkatatimewhenthePhylliscultureinfluencedsociety,andwomenweresuppressedandnotvaluedbysociety.Eventheworkwrittenbywomenwashardlyrecognized,andpeoplelookedattheirwork,andevenwomenthemselves,throughtintedglasses.Somebelievethatliterarywritingcannotbeacareerforwomenandthattheirroleshouldonlybetobegoodwivesandmothers.Emilywasawareofthissocialoppressionandexpressedthevoiceofwomenthroughherwork.WutheringHeightsisaromantictragedyinwhichMr.Earnshawadoptsaboy,Heathcliff,butthefamily’solderbrother,Hindley,dislikesthefoundling,believingthathehastakenawayhisfather’slove.HeathcliffandhissisterCatherineareverycloseandgrowuptogetheraschildhoodsweethearts,butafterMr.Earnshaw’sdeath,everythingchanges,andHindleybecomesthemasterofthehouseanddegradesandpersecutesHeathcliff.Later,theworldgraduallyinfluencedCatherinetomarrythemanofPaintedHills,andHeathcliffwassotroubledtolearnofthisthathevowedtotakerevengeforitall.Threeyearslater,HeathcliffreturnedhomeanddeliberatelyseducedEdgar’ssisterIsabellatopersecuteher.Catherinediedofinternalgriefandshame,anddiedinchildbirth.Tenyearslater,HeathcliffforcedEdgar’syoungestdaughter,youngCatherine,tomarryhisson,youngLyndon,whodiedsoonafterward.Bymistake,youngCatherineandHarringtonfellinlove,andHeathcliffwasfuriousandtriedtobreakthemup.HeathcliffrealizedthatthetwopeopleinfrontofhimwereliketheoldHeathcliffandCatherinewhohadfalleninlove.Atthismoment,Heathcliffregretteditandthehatredinhisheartdissolved.Ultimately,youngCatherineandHaringtoninheritedPaintedHillsandWutheringHeightsandwerehappilymarried.ChapterThreeOverviewofFeminismInordertograspthesocialimplicationsofthewomeninTheWutheringHeights,wemustengageinfeministandpostcolonialanalysisofthework.ItisnecessarytoreviewandcollatetheexistingtheoriesofFeminismandpostcolonialFeminism.3.1DevelopmentofFeminismWesternFeminismhasdevelopedinthreemainwaves.Inthelatenineteenthcentury,thefeministmovementbeganwiththefirstwomen’sconferenceinNewYork,USA,inwhichtheinequalityofwomen’sstatuswasrevealed,andequalrightsandsocialstatusforwomenweredemanded.Theystressedthepromotionofwomen’slegalandpoliticalequalitywithmenandtheirequaltreatmentinthepublicsphere,believingthatwomenwereequallyrationalindividualsasmenanddeservingofalltheirrightsashumanbeings.TheUSCongresspassedtherightforwomentovotein1919.ThismovementwasverysuccessfulandbecameknownastheLiberalFeministMovement.The1960ssawthebeginningoftheradicalfeministmovement,whicharguedthatsexualityandthegendersystemweretherootcausesoffemaleoppression.Theystressedthatwomenwerethefirstgrouptobeoppressedandthatmenwerethegroupthatoppressedwomen,andarguedthatwomenshouldformtheirownsocietyandrefusetorelyonmen.Butthesecondcrazedidnotlastlongandwasnotveryinfluential.Thethirdboombeganinthe1990sandcontinuestoday.Theyarguethatwomen’sissuesaremulti-racial,multi-ethnic,multi-religious,multi-ethnic,multi-cultural,multi-sexual,andmulti-valent.TheyadvocatethinkingoutsidetheboxofFeminismandcallforeliminatinggenderrolesandprejudicesinsociety.Thethirdfeministwavewassoinfluentialthatsomescholarshavesincecometobelievethat‘feminism’cannotdescribeandanalyzecontemporarygenderimages,andhaveusedtheterm‘post-presentFeminism’todistinguishbetweenthethreewavesofFeminism.3.2TheoriesofFeminismFeministtheoryisaninterdisciplinaryapplicationthatprovidesanalternativeperspectiveonsocietybeyondnationalregions,ethnicity,culturalclass,andrace.ThefirstwaveofFeminismbeganinthelatenineteenthandearlytwentiethcenturies,anditsmaindemographicandtargetwerewhitemiddle-classEuropeanwomenfightingforbasicsocialrights.ThesecondwaveofFeminismlastedfromthe1960stothe1980s.ThefocusoffeministdevelopmentshiftedtotheUnitedStatesatthistime,concentratingmainlyonthepersonalidentitypoliticalmovementandthesexualliberationmovement.ThethirdwaveofFeminism,whichbegantoinfluencethe1990s,hasinvolvedtheemancipationofwomenandothergendersindifferentnationalregions,races,ethnicities,cultures,andsocietiesaroundtheworld.Sincethebirthoffeministtheory,theconceptofgenderequalityhasgraduallyspreadinsocietythroughtheconcertedeffortsofallsectorsofsocietyoverthepasttwocenturies.WesternschoolsofthefeministtheoryincludeliberalFeminism,SocialistFeminism,RadicalFeminism,MarxistFeminism,postmodernFeminism,andotherfeministschools.AlthoughtherearemanydifferencesinfeministtheoriesandconceptsamongWesternschools,theircoreconceptisgenderequality,andtheultimategoalistoconstructagender-equalsociety.Thefeministmovementisnotlimitedtochangingthewaymenandwomengetalongbutaimstoimprovetherealityofwomen’sandothergenders’existenceintermsoflaw,economics,life,health,education,andculture.Althoughfeministsaroundtheworldhavedifferentreasonsandgoals,andcultural,historical,andsocialfactorsvarytovaryingdegreesfromcountrytocountry,mostfeministsbelievethatallmovementsworkingtogainequalrightsforwomenandmenshouldbeconsideredfeminist,regardlessofwhetheroneappliestheterm‘feminism’tosocialmovements.Feministmovements.ChapterFourStudyofFeminisminWutheringHeightsThischapterfocusesontheFeminismembodiedinWutheringHeights,thefemalecharactersintheworks,andtherebelliousspiritofthefemalecharactersinthearticles,tostudythesignificanceofthespiritofFeminisminWutheringHeightstoourreallife.4.1StatusofWomenintheVictorianPeriodThischaptermainlydiscussestheVictoriansocialbackground,women’splight,andtheriseofwomen’sconsciousnessintheVictorianAge.Womenwereoppressedbypatriarchyandtheycouldn’tgetequalitywithmenineducation,occupation,andmarriage.Duetothegreatchangeinsociety,somewomenhaverealizedtheirlowstatusandfoughttogetequalrightswithmen.4.1.1SocialContextoftheVictorianPeriodAlexandraVictoriainheritedthethronein1837andruleduntilherdeathin1901,makingherthelongestreignofanymonarchinBritishhistory.HerrecentreignisknownastheVictorianEra,themostgloriousperiodinBritishhistory.TheVictorianeraisconsideredtobetheculminationoftheindustrialrevolutioninBritainandtheeconomicandculturalheydayoftheBritishEmpire.Asaresult,mostmenworkedoutsidethehome,whilewomenwereconfinedtothehomeandhadlittleopportunitytoearnanincome.Womenwerethereforelefttobecomehousewiveswhilecaringfortheirhusbandsandchildren.DuringtheVictorianperiod,mendominatedsociety,andwomenbecamesubservienttothemandhadtoservethem.Undertheinfluenceofapatriarchalsociety,womenhavebecomeamarginalroleinsociety.Womendonothaveaccesstoafulleducation,andallresourcesmustfavorthemaleinthefamily.Itwasbelievedthatwomencouldonlychangetheirfatebypackagingthemselvesformarriage.ThelawoftheBritishstatestates.Allmaritalpropertybelongedtothehusband.Itwasverydifficulttoendone’smarriageinVictoriantimes,whilehusbandscouldeasilydivorce,anditwasveryunfairtowomenthattheydidnothavetherighttoletthemselvesbelong.4.1.2PlightoftheVictorianWomanIntheVictorianperiod,theinequalityofrightsbetweenmenandwomenwasevidentinallaspects.Firstly,womendonothaveaccesstogoodeducation.Thefeminineimageofthehousewifeissodeeplyrootedthattheybelieveitisawoman’sdutytocreateahavenformen.Itisnotnecessaryforwomentolearnanything,butitisenoughforthemtobegoodwivesandmothers.Thistraditionalfemaleeducationemphasizesthetrainingofwomenasladies,teachingthemtobeelegantandvirtuous.Thusbecomingacompetenthousewife.Mendiscriminateagainstknowledgeablewomenwhowillnotchoosehertostartafamily,makingitdifficultforwomentofindtheidealhusband.Withthissocialconcept,womencanonlylosethemselvesalittleandgiveintosociety.Secondly,women’smeagerorevennon-existentincomeismainlyduetotheinequalityofwomen’swork.Womendidnothaveaccesstothesameoccupationsasmen.Inthosedays,womenhadtochoosetobecomegovernessesinordertoearnaliving,eventhoughtheprofessionwasaslowstatusandlowpayasthatofaservant.Thirdly,womenwerenotabletogainequalityinmarriage.DuringtheVictorianperiod,womendidnotwork,andneitherhadnoincome.Womencouldonlygetacomfortablelivingbymarrying,andtheyhadtobedependentonmen.Menweresupremeinmarriage,andtherewerelawsinEnglandthatstatedthatwomenlosttheircitizenshipuponmarriage,thattheirhusbandscontrolledeverything,thattheycouldnotevenchoosewheretheylived,andthatallpropertybelongedtotheirhusbandsandwomenhadnorighttodisposeofit.Shecouldnotgetdivorced,evenifshewasabused.Thisisveryunjusttowomen.4.2RealityofWomen’sLivesandAspirationsAsanimportantaspectofhumanbeings,womencannotsurvivewithouthumansociety.Itisimpossibletocompletelyrebuildadifferentsetofthingsincompatiblewithmenwithoutthelanguagesystem,livingclothes,andsocialsystemprovidedbyhumanbeings.Theycanonlyusealltheexistingculturalelementstoexpresswomen’sdesires.Inthefaceofthesameworld,whethertoobservetheworldwithmaleobservationresultsorfemaleeyes,andgetwomen’sownexperienceandperception,hasbecomethepremiseofwomen’screation.Toexpresstheuniquefeelingsofwomenthemselves,theycannotbeobservedandexperiencedwithoutbeingfemale.Startingfromherowngenderidentity,Emilyfaithfullyobservedthetreatmentgiventowomenbysocietywithwomen’seyesandstartedwomenthemselvestowritetheyearningfortheideallife.WutheringHeightsshowsusthepersecutionofthecultureofPhilesandwomen’sidealizedconceptionofsocietyinthe19thcentury.4.2.1StatusofWomeninWutheringHeightsTheutilitariannatureofCatherine’sapproachtomarriageinWutheringHeightsseemstobethedirectcauseofthetragedy,butifonecanpausetoexaminethepositionofwomenintheVictorianera,itiseasytoseethatCatherine’sdecisionwasentirelytheresultofthebadsocialconditionsofthetime.Whateverclasswomenwereborninto,theywereonthesamelegalfootingasmalecriminalsandwereoftentreatedaslunaticsandminors,bothofwhichwerethesadfateofwomeninthenineteenthcentury.Evenmoretragicwasthefateofmiddle-classwomen,whowerekeptinhousesalldayanddependedonmentolivewithoutthemworkingbutweretreatedasproperty,evenasasignofstatus.Theyaretreatedlikepatheticdolls.Ontheotherhand,theirmarriagebecomesthebestplaceforthem,andthesuccessorfailureofawoman’slifedependsonit.Buttheresultisthattheyarethenusedasabargainingchip,anassettostrengthenthefamilypositionandfamilytiesaftermarriage.Themarriageofawomanisbasedfirstandforemostonthefamilyconditionsoftheman,ontheideathatthefamilyisagoodmatch.Ifthemanwasnotwelloff,itwasdifficultforthewoman’sfamilytoagree,andiftheyoungmanandwoman’slovewasundyingandunbreakable,therewasonlyonewayoutforthecouple,andthatwastoelope.Still,elopementmeantlosingeverything,notonlyinthefaceofabreakwiththefamilybutalsoingivinguptherighttoinheritthefamilypositionandchoosetheirwealth.InVictoriantimes,therewasinvisiblesocialpressuretodoso,andelopementwasjustasdishonorableandcondemnedbypublicopinion.Soelopershadtochangetheirsurnameandfirstnametosurvivethedarknessofsocietyintheclutchesoftheworld.Thefamilyhadaverystrongsayinthemarriage.Ifarichyoungmanfellinlovewithawomanofthelowerclass,thebestadvicewastokeephismouthshutaboutmarriageifhehimselfdidnotwanttobeexpelledfromhisfamily.InVictoriantimes,womendidnothaveequalrightstoinheritproperty,andinPrideandPrejudice,Bennet’swifespentherdaysthinkingaboutfindingherdaughterasuitablehusbandforherfuture.Thisisnottheonlything,butinWutheringHeights,thereisalsoadescriptionofwomen’sinheritancerights,withtheeldestCatherinenothavingafairshareofherfather’sestatewithherbrother.ThereisalsothefactthatyoungCatherine,astheyoungerdaughter,alsohasnorighttoinheritherfather’sestatebutendsupbeinginheritedbyherownhusband,youngLinton.Afterherhusband’sdeathandthenbyHeathcliff,LittleLinton’sfather,thewomeninthetextfinditdifficulttobecomefinanciallyself-sufficient.Inthecontextofthebook,Catherineisisolatedfrombeginningtoend.Evenso,shehasagoodchildhoodundertheprotectionofherfather,butwhenhedies,andherbrotherHendryinheritsallhisproperty,Catherineislefttoliveunderhisauthorityandcontrolatalltimes.Evenifshehadn’twantedto,theendingwasirrevocable,andherpersonalfreedomwasseverelyrestricted.Hindley,theheadofthefamily,wasatyrantwhodetestedthelowlyHeathcliff,forbadehimtospendtimewithCatherine,andabusedandhumiliatedhim.HindleywantedhissistertomarryintotheillustriousLintonfamilyandaddtothefamily’sglory.Intheeyesoftheworld,theonlywayforwardforCatherinewastomarryamanofherfamily’sstatusandbeagoodwifeandmother;herrelationshipwithHeathcliffwouldsimplynotbesociallyacceptable,gossipwouldattackthemandtraditionwouldstrikelikeaboulderandeverythingwouldbeshatteredbyit.TheHindleyworkedhardtopackageCatherineasalady,toboostherself-esteemwithfancyclothesandattentiveflattery,toinstilldeeplyrootedtraditionalvaluesinheruntilCatherineacceptedthisnotion.Finally,Catherinesayssomethinglike.“NowImarryHeathcliff;that’sadisgrace.”CatherineultimatelydidnotgoagainsttraditionandchosetomarryEdgarLinton.ShecouldnotelopewithHeathcliffbecauseshehadnostatusorproperty,andtheworldwouldhavescornedherasadeviant.MarryinganoblemanlikeEdgarLintonwouldhaveseemedlikeheaventopeople,butonlyCatherineknewthatshehadnochoicebuttomakeachoiceagainstherwill,evenifitwastorturous.Inapatriarchalandhierarchicalsociety,Catherine’sfateisdoomedtomisery,orelsetwoextremesawaitthem:onetosurvive,theothertodieforlove.4.2.2AwakeningofFemaleConsciousnessUnderthePhyllisculture,womenhavealwaysexistedassubordinatetomen,influencedbythepatriarchalsystem,andthesenseoffemalesubjectivityhasremaineddormantforalongtime.TheinfluenceoftheVictorianindustrialerasawfewerandfewerjobssuitableforwomen,whowereunabletoobtaintheirmainsourceofeconomicsupportandhadtorelyonmenforsurvival.Womenhadtosubmittotheirhusbandsandthemalepositioningofthemselves,andveryfewwomenhadasenseoftheirexistence.Catherine,inthebook,hadtodependonherfatherwhenshewasyoung,andwhenherfatherdiedandherbrotherinheritedtheproperty,shehadtorelyonhimandbeunderhisauthority.Catherinehassaid,“SoifImarryLinton,IcanhelpHeathclifftoprosperandcansavehimfrommybrother’slecherousness.”Afterhermarriage,sheseemstohavebeendependentonLinton,butthiswasnotherintention.Herintentionwastouseherhusband’smoneytohelpherlover.ShedoesnotwaitforHeathclifftoredeemherbutpresumeshelpinghimonherown.ThisalsodemonstratesEmily’ssenseofsubjectivityinnotbeingdependentonothers.LittleCatherine’sendingalsoreflectsEmily’sthinkingthatwomenshouldnotbedependentonothers.Bytheendofthebook,youngCatherinehaslostherfather’slove,andhernominalhusbandhasdied,andshechoosestoresistthetormentofHeathcliff.Shehadthechancetorelyonotherstosaveher,butyoungCatherinedidnot.EllenalsohopesthatlittleCatherinecanchangehermiserablesituationbyremarrying.ButsuchamarriagewasclearlynotwhatlittleCatherinewanted.Soshestrugglestofindherownhappinessandsecureanequalandharmoniousmarriageforherself.Havingreclaimedherproperty,herfinancialindependencegivesyoungCatherinetherighttodecidehermaritalchoicesandbehermaster.4.3ConcreteEmbodimentofFeminisminWutheringHeightsDuetothegreatchangesofsociety,womenwerenotcontentwiththeirdomesticrolesandtriedtofightfortheirequalrightswithmenineducation,occupationandmarriage.Manywritersexpressedthisideaintheirnovels.InEmilyBronte’sWutheringHeightsandinCharlotteBronte’sJaneEyre,wecanseethatsomewomenhaverealizedtheirmiserablelivesandwantedtochangeit.ComparedwithJaneEyre,WutheringHeightsismuchmorepowerfulinreflectingfemaleconsciousness.“IfJaneEyre,whichintenselyshowsthefemaleconsciousness,isthedeclarationindependence,thenWutheringHeightsrepresentstheauthor’sexpectationontheappearanceof‘newwoman’imageandwomen’slibertyandequality.”Theydidn’tbelongtothetraditionalwomen,thoughtheirfamiliestriedtotrainthemtobetraditionalwomen.Theywantedtobeindependentbothinbodyandmind,andwereeagertohavethefreedomandequalitybychallengingtheir“angelicroles”.4.3.1CatherineLinton’sSensiblePursuitofHappinessYoungCatherineinheritshermother’srebelliousspiritandsecuresahappyandfulfillingendingforherself.InearlyGothicnovels,thereisusuallyasimpleandgentlewoman,butwhoispersecutedandimprisonedbythevillainousheroforsomepurpose.YoungCatherineisasimple,cheerful,occasionallymischievousbutconsiderateandkindgirlbroughtupbyherlovingfatherandnanny.SheistrickedintobeingimprisonedatWutheringHeightsbyHeathcliff,whotricksherintomarryingherdyingcousin,LittleLinton,inordertotakeoverthepropertyatPaintedHills.YoungCatherineisalsotormentedfrombeinganinnocentandlivelygirltobeinginsensitive,cold,andeccentric.TheGothictraditionisconsideredtobeanoffshootofRomanticismknownas‘BlackRomanticism’EmilytransposesRomanticismintorealisticsoiltogivethenovelahappyending.Aftertheextremeemotionsofthepreviousgeneration,thewildernesscomestoapeacefulandhappyending.YoungCatherinefightsagainsttheinjusticedonetoherbutisunsuccessful.Butfortunately,sheisstrongerthanhermother.Shealwaysmaintainedherrebellioninthefaceofcrueltyandtyranny.ShedidnotpandertoHeathcliff’sheartortoLockwood,whomadeadvancestoher.Instead,shearmedherselfwithherowncallousnessandindifference,willinglybecominganislandagainsttheinjusticearoundher.HadshebeenabletochooseLockwood,shewouldhaveescapedhercurrentlifeandsuffering.Itwouldhavebeenanotherfairytaleofamaleherorescuingabeautifulwoman,astorythatwouldhaveappealedtotheworld’spsycheinthetraditionalculture.Butsheunderstoodthatamarriagewithoutself-seekingwasnotwhatshewaslookingfor,andsheneverwantedtobehelpedoutofhermiserybysomeman.ShefoundthatHarington,thoughignorantandrude,hadakindandfearlessheart,andshefeltshecouldfindherselfinhim.ShethendecidedtopursueherselfandimpressHaringtonwithhersincerityanddevelopaclosefriendshipwithhim.Likehermother,shetriestochangeherlover.Itisclearthatherapproachismoresensibleandeffectivethanhermother’s.HerpositivityandbraveryeventuallyledtohertrueloveandtaughtHaringtontoreadandwrite,gaininghisrespect.Moreimportantly,theyusedtheirpurelovetobreakupHeathcliff’srevenge.Theyregaintheirfortuneandlivehappilyandpeacefully.ThroughthestoryofyoungCatherine,Emilywantstoshowusalifeofindependenceofcharacter,freedomofpersonalityandequalitybetweenmenandwomeninmarriage,whichinthenineteenthcenturywastheromanticidealforwomenfacingmarriage.4.3.2CatherineEnshaw’sDaretoChallengeAuthorityCatherineisrememberedbyallasheadstrongandrebellious,withadifferentviewoflovefromthenextperson,unrestrainedbyanyoneandnotcaringwhatanyonethinksofher.Unlikemostwomenwhowerealsotraditionallyeducated,herdaringbehaviorwithHeathcliffandtheindescribablethingsshedidwereoffbeatandunimaginablefortheperiod.Althoughintheend,CatherinedoesnotgettogetherwithHeathcliffforanumberofreasons,herquestforloveisinkeepingwiththeindependentspiritofthemodernwoman.Firstly,thereisCatherine’srebellionagainsthersocialstatus.Catherineisanupper-classgirlandalthoughHeathcliffisanorphanadoptedbyMr.Enshaw,Heathcliffisinferioraccordingtosocialcustom;evenso,CatherineisstillverymuchinlovewithHeathcliff,andmoreimportantly,noonecanseparateherfromHeathcliff.ThesecondaspectofCatherine’srebellionliesinherchallengetosocialattitudestowardsmarriage.Accordingtosocialconvention,CatherineandEdgarweremadeforeachotherandsheshouldhavebeenhappytomarryhim.However,whenEdgarproposestoher,shefeelspainratherthanpleasure.Underthepressureofamale-dominatedsociety,sheacceptsEdgarLinton’sproposal.Sheseemstohavegiveninandmarriedarichman,butherrealmotivewastohelpHeathcliff,andCatherinechosetomarryEdgarLintonnotbecauseEdgarwasashandsome,richanddecentasothersthought,butbecauseshewantedtousehermarriagetohelpHeathcliff.SheneverwantedtolivewithEdgarinPaintedFields;deepdown,shewastiredoflivingthere,asshehadonce