Wuthering Heights
“My love for Linton is like the foliage in the woods: time will change it, I’m well aware, as winter changes the trees. My love for Heathcliff resembles the eternal rocks beneath: a source of little visible delight, but necessary. Nelly, I am Heathcliff! He’s always, always in my mind: not as a pleasure, any more than I am always a pleasure to myself, but as my own being. So don’t talk of our separation again: it is impracticable”
– Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
When I first read this passage from Bronte’s book, I was deeply moved by Catherine’s (the speaker) words. Catherine speaks of a connection so deep and profound that it is undeniable that it is true love. Despite her feelings, Catherine is caught in a love triangle between Linton, the man she is married to, and Heathcliff, the man she deeply loves. She compares her love for Heathcliff as “the eternal rocks beneath” showing how she needs him in her life to provide stability and comfort. This simile is contrasted with her love for Linton which is like “the foliage in the woods”, which is ever changing and not as necessary. This passage is surprising in its raw and exposing nature but what us more surprising is that Emily Bronte wrote this story when she was only 16, showing her great ability as a writer.
One response so far
Kunal, this was one of my favorite parts of “Wuthering Heights” as well. “Heathcliff resembles the eternal rocks beneath” is one of the best uses of foreshadowing I’ve ever seen. It clearly portrays how toxic Catherine’s love for Heathcliff is: it is part of her identity, yet it is the cause of her eventual downfall.