The morning glow was shining on my weary face. I grudgingly awoke from my place of slumber and made my journey to the High Sutherland Hall, where I am currently employed as a governess. There were massive statues with extravagant halls adorned with beautiful vases. As the ‘morrow came, I became in a very melancholy state, thus unable to carry on with this profession. I adored Sutherland Hall. It was such an exquisite place to be, and it was the perfect setting for my novel. I incorporated the description of the architecture of Sutherland Hall, to have the perfect setting for my novel Wuthering Heights. Wuthering Heights manor was a grotesque building with deep set windows, and dark overtones. Of course, Wuthering Heights manor was more brooding and dark compared to Sutherland Hall.
My novel is my life. I never came about writing an autobiography. I wrote this book solely based on what I know and what I have experienced, with some exaggeration.
In my novel, there are all different characters that tell the story of Heathcliff and Catherine, this is due to the fact that I had quite the love for gossip and such. For a story with very intense characters, it was quite interesting for me to create this story through the eyes of someone else. I wanted to write a book about these two passionate lovers that could not stay away from each other, but have it told from a third party.
As I wallowed in my loneliness, I would take long strolls in the outdoors. I found the outdoors quite comforting actually. I found solace in walking underneath the boughs of the deciduous trees. While walking I felt as though the flowers would dance with me and the wind would sing a song. There is a certain element of nature that just heals the hidden wounds. In addition, nature has an unruly way of growing. No one can restrict it. Sometimes I would discover new paths in the forest I would walk in. These paths are filled with thorns and thistles; weeds and vines and overgrown brush – yet they contain the same beauty. I wanted the relationship of Heathcliff and Catherine to really represent the idea of an unruly beauty.
I was a very lonesome person, thus knowing what it is like not having anyone. I got all the aspects that I thought having someone would be like and created the relationship of Heathcliff and Catherine. It’s the thought of wanting to have someone so much, but it is also just as damaging if you do have them. I, for example, lived in solitude for a multitude of reasons: I couldn’t really connect with people; I couldn’t relate to anyone because I was so different; I was very misanthropic - which can be seen in Heathcliff.
I do believe that Heathcliff and Catherine are both manifestations of myself. For instance, Heathcliff was a quiet, misanthropic individual. He was filled with all the negative emotions because he was treated oddly and unfairly. I was in fact seen as eccentric because I seldom interacted with people. Heathcliff is all the negative emotions I have dealt with. I had received the opportunity to become a professor but unfortunately, it was very stressful and I could not follow through. It was very difficult for me to stay with one task because of my melancholy that would return frequently. Catherine, on the other hand, she was society bound. She did everything her father asked of her, she was educated and sweet, understanding, the idealistic individual. Catherine I made as someone I would want to aspire to be. She wants to escape the chains of society, but she knows she can’t. Heathcliff really aids her in her flight. They balance each other out nicely. The both of them are something that makes a whole. That whole being me.
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