To what extent do you feel that in Wuthering Heights, marriage is always presented
negatively?
Marriage is a major theme in Wuthering Heights, which was published in 1847 by Emily
Bronte, who wrote under a pseudonym due to the prejudice of the period. Marriage was of
great importance in Victorian England, with it being an expectation of most people to marry
from a relatively young age. Marriage plays a major part in the novel, often being used for
personal gain as opposed to for the sake of love. Emily Bronte never married, and may have
viewed marriage negatively.
One major example of marriage in the book is that between Heathcliff and Isabella. This was
a marriage instigated by Heathcliff for the purpose of getting revenge on Edgar Linton. It is
clear that this is a marriage not of love but of abuse, where neither party is happy with the
arrangement. This is clear in Heathcliff’s dramatic monologue seen in chapter 14, where he
describes in depth of he and Isabella’s loveless relationship, highlighted in his proclamation,
“...was it not the depth of absurdity- of genuine idiocy, for that pitiful, slavish, mean-minded
brach to dream that I could love her?”. This statement of utter disdain makes clear that
Edgar has no love for Isabella, seeing her more so as an object than as human, seen further
in his violent treatment of her when he “seized and thrust her from the room”, showing that
Heathcliff has no regard for Isabella’s wellbeing. This dislike of Isabella by Heathcliff is
greatly contrasted by his earlier thought about how life would be without Catherine- “death
and hell”- telling us that Heathcliff's life without Catherine would be comparable to Hell itself.
This makes clear the great love he feels for Catherine, and by placing this dramatic
statement in the same chapter as Heathcliff’s abuse of Isabella, Bronte further emphasises
the lack of love in his marriage. This is not a one sided hatred, however, as seen in
Isabella’s description of Heathcliff as “a monster, and not a human being!”, wherein
Heathcliff is described as something less than human- a beast, lacking empathy, at least in
the eyes of Isabella, who would surely have seen personally Heathcliff’s often conniving and
manipulative ways. Tragically, the marriage between them was in large part the fault of
Isabella, initially mistaking Heathcliff for a romantic, Byronic hero who would rescue her from
her life at the Grange. This is certainly a negative portrayal of marriage, wherein both
individuals are very unhappy and dissatisfied.
Linton’s marriage with Catherine is also represented in a majorly negative light. This is seen
especially in the confrontation between Heathcliff and Linton in chapter 11. This is a chapter
of major turmoil and violence, and it is seen here that Catherine is comparable to Heathcliff
in how she treats her marriage. Catherine proclaims that ”Heathcliff would as soon raise a
finger at you as the King would his army against a colony of mice”, assuring Heathcliff would
not harm Linton, whom Catherine married not out of love, as she feels for Heathcliff, but out
of convenience to live a lavish lifestyle which she believed Heathcliff could never have
provided. This is very comparable to Heathcliff's marriage of Isabella, which was also done
not out of love, but out of revenge towards the Lintons. Clearly Catherine’s marriage was not
done out of love- she has love in her heart only for Heathcliff- and as a result her marriage is
seen as a negative thing, creating only misery.
The poor state of Catherine and Edgar’s marriage is further seen in Catherine’s desperate
struggle to maintain control of her life, in whatever form that may take. This is seen when
