This essay discusses how Emily Brontë uses the characters of Cathy and Catherine to comment on the social attitudes towards women in Victorian England. Brontë uses Catherine as somewhat of a cautionary figure, who largely, but not wholly, conforms to society’s gender norms. Cathy, on the other hand is used as an ideal, she goes through traumatic hardships and is predominantly oppressed, violently even, but nevertheless maintains her independence throughout.
Brontë presents Catherine’s dependency on male characters through her superficial nature. Nelly’s narration reveals that when Catherine is in the company of both men, her loyalties are continuously swayed. “when Heathcliff expressed contempt of Linton, in his presence, she could not half coincide, as she did in his absence” In contrast, Catherine’s ambition is shown when she fails to defend Heathcliff against Linton in order to gain his favour “she dared not treat his sentiments with indifference”. This would suggest that the approval of Linton, and the potential for social elevation, is of more importance than her love for Heathcliff, despite her declaration of her love for Heathcliff, comparing it to “the eternal rocks beneath”. This is reflective of Victorian society as women’s power was very limited to the point where all decisions were made solely by men.
Brontë utilises Catherine as a commentary for the responsibilities placed on women by Victorian society through her social ambition. Through Catherine’s conversation with Nelly in chapter 9 through which Catherine states that she has “no more business to marry Edgar Linton than I [Catherine] have to be in heaven”. In addition to this Catherine’s distress is shown when she claims that “if the wicked man in there [Hindley], had not brought Heathcliff so low … It would degrade me to marry Heathcliff, now”. This indicates Catherine’s ambition for social elevation holds more importance than her love for Heathcliff, in spite of her announcement of her love for him “resembles the eternal rocks beneath”. The simile “resembles” exhibits the significance of Catherine’s bond with Heathcliff, believing it will last eternally rather than the length of a season. In opposition to this is Catherine’s comparison of her love for Linton as “foliage in the woods”, claiming that she fully knows that “Time will change it… as winter changes the trees”. These metaphors are used by the author to convey natural imagery, emphasising Catherine’s superficial nature and need for social elevation over her love for Heathcliff. By showing the vast difference between Catherine’s feelings for Heathcliff and Linton, Brontë cautions women of following the gender norms that Victorian England’s society had applied to women and encourage the defiance against these gender norms.
Moreover unlike her mother, the character of Cathy is used to symbolise female independence in the novel. During Mr Lockwood’s first visit to Wuthering Heights he attempts to aid Cathy in attempting to reach some canisters which provokes her to respond with; “I don’t want your help,’ she snapped, ‘I can get them for myself.'” From this Brontë presents Cathy as a shrew, effectively forcing her conformity to gender stereotypes. According to Hans Bertens; “female independence (in the seductress and the shrew) gets a strongly negative connotation”¹. Cathy’s exclamation; “I’ll not do anything, though you should swear your tongue out, except what I please!'” while “closing her book, and throwing it on a chair” at Heathcliff after being told to clean up continues Brontë’a presentation of Cathy’s conformity. Through assertive language the author uses the character of Cathy to actively encourage the social change of gender norms of women. The shrew is a largely negative gender stereotype of women in literature, usually representing an obstacle to overcome. Katherine from William Shakespeare’s ‘The Taming of The Shrew’, for example, in which one of the main male characters, Petruchio, makes it his mission to “tame the shrew”. Shakespeare’s presentation of a shrew eventually conforms to her gender role, while Cathy contrasts this by maintaining her independence throughout the novel, allowing Brontë to encourage social defiance of gender norms for women of Victorian England. Within Victorian England women were seen as belonging to the domestic sphere and were expected to keep a clean house for their husbands, at least by the middle classes. After marriage a women became property of their husbands, and as such when Cathy’s late husband, Linton Heathcliff died and let all his possessions and let all his possessions to his father,became the property of Mr Heathcliff.
Another essential point is the similarities and differences between the characters of Cathy and Catherine. In terms of characteristics, both characters are similarly spoilt by the Lintons; after Catherine’s marriage to Edgar, Nelly comments that “It was not the thorn bending to the honeysuckles, but the honeysuckles embracing the thorn.” The “thorn” is representative of Catherine while the “honeysuckles” represent the Lintons, use of this aphorism allows Brontë to represent society’s view of women at the time. “If ever a servant chanced to vex her, it was always: ‘I shall tell papa’… I don’t believe he ever did speak a harsh word to her.” Nelly’s clear analogy regarding Catherine and young Cathy further emphasis this. In contrast to this Catherine is seen as dependent on the attention of male characters; “for when Heathcliff expressed contempt for Linton, in his presence, she could not half coincide, as she did in his absence”. This indicates that Catherine has a superficial nature which relies on male attention. This is further evidenced when “Linton evinced disgust and antipathy to Heathcliff, she dared not treat his sentiments with indifference” Catherine’s dependency at the cost of loyalty to those she supposedly cares for is a representation of the responsibilities of women in Victorian England. Whereas Cathy expresses independence to the aid of a man; “I [Mr Lockwood] made a motion to aid her… ‘I don’t want your help,’ she snapped, ‘I can get them for myself.'” the antithesis of these characters allows the accentuation of their purpose of commentary on social attitudes. Catherine is presented as a caution, while Cathy seems to be an ideal for social change, Brontë makes use of both characters to actively encourage a social change regarding women.
Brontë uses a variety of endings for characters to encourage social change of women, one of which is the sad ending of Catherine; In contrast to this Brontë also makes use of a happy ending regarding the character of Cathy; “as soon as they [Cathy and Hareton] are married; and that will be on New Year’s day.” The use of “New Year’s day” could be interpreted to represent the beginning of a new age regarding gender norms. Throughout the novel Cathy continuously defies gender norms; “the young lady, closing her book, and throwing it on a chair… I’ll not do anything, though you should swear your tongue out, except what I please!'” Through use of exclamatory punctuation Brontë uses Cathy to symbolise defiance against the gender norms which is further emphasised through her actions. “The flash of her eyes had been succeeded by a dreamy and melancholy softness” The ironic use of the verb “succeeded” reflects Brontë’s attitude towards gender norms in Victorian England as a battle that women must fight against. The adjectives “melancholy” and “softness” add weight to Brontë’s attitudes towards gender norms as Catherine was previously portrayed to be fierce. When Edgar attempts to stop Catherine’s violence against Hareton she turns against him, “In an instant one [of Catherine’s hands] was wrung free, and the astonished young man felt it applied over his own ear in a way that could not be mistaken for jest.” Ironic use of violence by Catherine against Edgar presents a defiance of social attitudes which, Bertens believes, were that women were “helpless and renouncing all ambition”¹, Catherine’s marriage to Linton was based majorly on her ambition to raise her social position and from her acts of violence she was evidently not helpless. In chapter 3 Catherine is used further to reflect the author’s attitudes towards gender roles; “The hand and clung to it, and a most melancholy voice, sobbed, ‘Let me in – let me in’ ‘Who are you?’ ‘Catherine Linton’ it replied shiveringly… ‘I’m come home,I’d lost my way across the moor!'” Through use of the adjective “melancholy” Catherine’s character is presented as being unhappy even after death. Brontë uses the Catherine’s end to reveal the ramifications of following society’s gender norms, encouraging defiance of women against their gender roles.
To conclude, Brontë uses both Catherine and Cathy as commentary on society to great effect. Catherine portrays the Victorian women who conforms to society’s issued gender norms, by marrying Edgar rather than Heathcliff she is forced to choose social elevation over love, and eventually dies as a result. whereas Cathy disobeys gender norms throughout Wuthering Heights, when oppressed by Heathcliff she openly defies him, despite the threat of violence. Through Catherine’s death and Cathy’s birth Brontë is stating that the old ways in which society thought about women must die and give reign to a more equal social view for society’s progression.
Bibliography
- Literary Theory: The Basics (2001 edition)
- The feminist reader – Essays in Gender and the politics of Literary Criticism – Edited by Catherine Belsey and Jane Moore (1989)
- A brief History of divorce – Cambridge Family Law Practice (2012)
- Gender roles in the 19th century (article) – written by Kathryn Hughes (Professor of Lifewriting and Convenor of the MA in Lifewriting at the University of East Anglia)
- Wikipedia – women in the Victorian era
- The Taming of the Shrew – William Shakespeare
- Wuthering Heights – Emily Brontë
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