tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1256115430269852484.post1151016105706895725..comments2023-08-27T08:49:02.523-05:00Comments on "People are my greatest resource I rarely turn down the chance to meet new...blood": Bending to the Will of a ManMugenGrlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11637996826724618320noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1256115430269852484.post-76101631848143713412010-09-24T05:13:28.058-05:002010-09-24T05:13:28.058-05:00I completely agree with you that women are basical...I completely agree with you that women are basically powerless in Wuthering Heights in most respects. The women in Wuthering Heights are often treated as possessions, rather than people, which says a lot about 19th century ideas. As you point out, the marriages in the novel are more to do with power than love -- if it had to do with love, Heathcliff would’ve married Catherine in their youth. Instead, Catherine marries Edgar because it is what is expected and will bring her into a more powerful family, while Heathcliff marries Isabella because it will boost his status and put him in line to inherit Thrushcross Grange.<br /><br />Edgar’s treatment of both Catherines is interesting to examine. He wanted to shelter both Catherine and their daughter from the rest of the world (or at least from Heathcliff), so he uses his power to restrict their actions -- the fact that young Cathy had never been near Wuthering Heights is just one example of this. Edgar knows what his effect his actions have on his daughter, but in his view (which, of course, is “more important” because he is male), he is doing what needs to be done. Edgar states that “should Linton be unworthy -- only a feeble tool to his father -- I cannot abandon her to him! And, hard though it be to crush her buoyant spirit, I must persevere in making her sad while I live” (241). He feels that keeping her away from Wuthering Heights, as mad as it makes Catherine, is what is best for her.<br /><br />Edgar is concerned with providing for his daughter once he is dead, as “he felt that his will had better be altered: instead of leaving Catherine’s fortune at her own disposal, he determined to put it in the hands of trustees … it could not fall to Mr. Heathcliff should Linton die” (265). He initially has thoughts that Catherine marrying Linton might not be bad, as it will guarantee that his daughter will not live poorly. <br /><br />I also think that the power Heathcliff holds over the women in the novel interesting to examine. As he climbs the social ladder, his power grows over all the characters, especially the women. But there is one thing that he could not control, and one thing that he did not have power over: Catherine’s love. I think that clearly the male characters hold the power in Wuthering Heights, but they do not hold power over love, nor can they control who falls in love. Perhaps this is another reason why Heathcliff is so malevolent -- he can control almost anything, except for matters of the heart.Tomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06016392906773069392noreply@blogger.com