The Formalist lens analyzes characters, setting, tone, point of view, and diction which come together to give meaning to the novel. These elements are analyzed to see how they work together to give meaning to the novel. It does not take into account the life of the author.
Formalism
Wuthering Heights is considered a frame narrative, which is described being a story within a story. This structure helps the reader to understand what is happening by who is telling the story. The first narrator is Lockwood, who is the new tenant at Thrushcross Grange. Then, it transitions to Nelly, a servant, who informs him of the past of the land and the people living on it. Since the story is being told through the eyes of a person who was directly involved with the action, the reader can question how reliable or biased the information is.
The theme of revenge is woven throughout the novel. It is shown through Heathcliff’s actions. Heathcliff, as a result of Catherine’s decision to marry Edgar because of social status and money, was angered and wanted revenge. Heathcliff wanted revenge on Hindley for not deeming him a suitable companion for Catherine because of his low social status. He achieved this by raising Hareton, Hindley’s son, as his uneducated servant. Heathcliff also married Isabella Linton for revenge. They had a son, Linton Heathcliff, who was weak and sickly. After Isabella died, Heathcliff wanted Linton to live with him, but he was not going treat him properly. Cathy was forced to marry Cathy in order for Heathcliff to own Wuthering Heights, which was his ultimate goal in his revenge.
The setting contributes to the stormy, gloomy tone of the novel. Wuthering is an adjective that is described as having “its station exposed in stormy weather” (Brontë 4). The Earnshaw’s, the original inhabitants of Wuthering Heights, are the storm and craziness of the novel. Whereas Thrushcross is an adjective that describes rolling hills and calm. The moors are a vast stretch of uncultivated land that separate the two manors. At the end, Heathcliff’s ghost is only seen when the weather is raining and dark. This is fitting because of how he behaved when he was alive.
This novel is suspenseful because of the twists and turns that it takes. Catherine and Heathcliff are characters in the beginning that make the most jaw-dropping decisions. Even though Catherine loves Heathcliff, she decides to marry Edgar. It was ironic that Heathcliff ran away and then returned as a rich, and physically changed man.
The names that Bronte chooses are all similar. They either begin with the same letter or are repeated. For example, Hindley, Heathcliff, and Hareton all begin with the same letter. Catherine also names her daughter Catherine, who is referred to as Cathy to avoid too much confusion. Linton is used as a first name and a last name for different characters.
Doubles were used constantly throughout Wuthering Heights. First, the two manors are opposites. Wuthering Heights is stormy and hectic while Thrushcross Grange is calm and proper. There are two generations of characters, which create a symmetrical structure. Heathcliff is the connection that lives during almost the entire novel. Bronte uses characters that people can relate to, even though these characters made extreme decisions.