On Edgar Linton ---- Heathcliff’s Rival in Wuthering Heights

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1、A Guidebook for the Preparations of Theses for SupervisorsOn Edgar Linton - Heathcliffs Rival in Wuthering HeightsContentIntroduction I Individual backgroud about both Linton and Heathcliff1) appearance2) family background3) Lintons marriage to CatherineII. Social backgroud about both Linton and Hea

2、thcliff1) Heathcliffs wealth and return2) Catherines deathIII. The Tragedy of Linton 1) Loss of his younger sister 2) Loss of his daughter3) Loss of Thrushcross GrangeConclusionNotesBibliographyAbstractIn this article, the author probes the causes of the Wuthering Heights tragedy story and the love

3、story among Heathcliff ,Linton and Catherine. Through the analysis of all things between the two heroes, Linton marries Catherine. Thats why Heathcliffs demonic revenge to the Lintons. Therefore the Linton family start their bad luck, which makes the readers shed the simpathetic tears.Keywords: love

4、 , tragedy, sympathy摘要这篇文章探究了呼啸山庄故事悲剧的发生原因，以及希斯克力夫，林顿和凯瑟琳三人之间的感情纠葛。本人着重从希斯克力夫和林顿二人的各种情况进行对比分析以及林顿和凯瑟琳的婚姻导致了希斯克力夫的疯狂复仇。因此，林顿一家人的悲剧命运开始了，读者为此 流下同情的眼泪。关键字： 爱，悲剧，同情IntroductionWuthering Heights is the only one novel written by Emily Bronte, it is one of the best novels in English literature. The title o

5、f the novel is the name of an old house, high up on the Yorkshire moors, occupied by the Earnshaw family. The story is told by Mr. Lockwood, Heathcliffs tenant and Nelly Dean, the housekeeper.Wuthering Heights is, first, an earthshaking tragic love story. Heathcliff and Catherine make love not by gi

6、ving each other pleasure but by inflicting on each other great pain. They speak not of living together but of dying together. However ,Catherine is unable to marry Heathcliff because of his low birth. She marries Edgar Linton from the civilized household of Thrushcross Grange in the valley, because

7、Heathcliff runs away, and is not heard of for three years. when he returns, he has become a rich man. The fact that Catherine has married to Linton determines Heathcliff to revenge. Therefore, the tragedy of all the people in the story starts, especially the tragedy of Edgar Linton.I Individual back

8、groud about both Linton and Heathcliff1) appearanceAs we all know, Edgar Linton is the surporting role while Heathcliff the leading role in this novel. In appearance, we can tell the differences between the two heroes. Linton has light hair and a fair skin and is dressed and behaved as well. His gre

9、at blue eyes and even forehead alse indicate that he is a handsome, wise young man. Compared with Heathcliff, however, he looks quite like a doll and he does. We can knowe that from the words Nelly says to Heathcliff in order to comfort him.“You are younger and yet, Ill be bound, you are taller and

10、twice as broad across the shoulders, you could knock him down in a twinkling? Dont you feel that you could?”1)Though Heathcliffs face brightened amoment, then it was over-cast afresh, and he sighed.“But, Nelly, if I knock him down twenty times, that wouldnt make him less handsome or me more so.”2)Fr

11、om the words of Heathcliff, we know that he envies Linton and has taken Linton as his rival from the beginning. On the other hand, he looks down upon Linton because he cries for mamma at every turn, and he trembles if a country lad heaves his fist against him, and he sits at home all day for a showe

12、r of rain.Heathcliffs first introduction to Wuthering Heights, he is described as a little, dark-skinned, foreign-speaking gypsy boy and the reaction of everyone in the house to him is disgust. But somehow he and Catherine are always play together. It is one of their chief ammusements to run away to

13、 the moors in the morning and they remains there all day and then after punishment grows a mere thing to laugh at. So no matter how indecent Heathcliff wears and no matter how handsome Linton is, Catherine likes Heathcliff at heart.By all appearances, Edgar Linton cant defeat Heathcliff completely t

14、o win the heart of Catherine. Then it is family background that makes Heathcliff leaves home and alse leaves Catherine. 2) family backgroundAs to family background, the leading role Heathcliff is a starving and homeless child and as good as dumb, in the streets of Liverpool where he is picked up by

15、Mr. Earnshaw. He is not liked by anybody except Mr. Earnshaw, and he is named by Heathcliff , which is Mr. Earnshaws dead elder sons name. Hardly does Mr. Earnshaw die when his status gets down into a serf.While Edgar Lintons home, Thrushcross Grange, makes both Heathcliff and Catherine have thought

16、 themselves in heaven.“It is beautiful - a splendid place carpeted with crimson, and crimson-covered chairs and tables, and a pure white ceiling bothered by gold, a shower of glass-drops hanging in silver chains from the center, and shimmering with little soft tapers.”3)And at that time Old Mrs Lint

17、on were not there,Edgar and his sister had it entirely to themselves. So we can say that Thrushcross Grange is like heaven, while Wuthering Heights is just like hell.One night, Heathcliff and Catherine run from the top of the Heights to the park ,without stopping. As a result, Catherine is seized he

18、r ankle by the bull-dog, bleeding to faint. Fortunately, Edgar Linton, after an inquisitive stare, collected sufficient wit to recognise her. So Catherine stays in the Grange, and is taken good care of. Catherine stays there five weeks: till Christmas. By that time her ankle was thoroughly cured, an

19、d her manners much improved.3) Lintons marriage to Catherine Catherine has kept up her acquaintance with the Lintons since her five weeks residence among them. But Mr. Edgar seldom musters courage to visit Wuthering Heights openly. He has a terror of Earnshaws reputation, and shrunks from encounteri

20、ng him, and yet he is always received with the best attempts at civility. Doubtless Catherine makes the differente between her two friends. The contrast resembes what you see in exchanging a bleak, hilly, coal country for a beautiful fertile valley, and his voice and greeting are as opposite as his

21、aspect. He has a sweet, low manner of speaking, and pronounces his words as you do, that less gruff than we talk here,and softer. When Catherine slaps Nelly on the cheek, interposed Linton, who greatly shocks at the double fault of falsehood and violence which his idol committed. When Linton feels i

22、t applies over his own ear in a way that can not be mistaken for jest. He draws back in consternation, the insulted visitor moves to the spot where he has laid his hat, pale and with a quivering lip . lets listen to his words: “I must and shall!” “can I stay after you have struck me? “ youve made me

23、 afraid and ashamed of you, Ill not come here again!” “And you told a deliberate untruth!”4) But Edgar Linton persevers in his resolution as far as the court, there he lingers. When he sees that Catherine drops down on her knees by a chair, and sets to weeping in serious earnest. Finally, he turns a

24、bruptly, hastens into the house again, shut the door behind him. As a result, the quarrel has merely affected a closer intimacy, and enables them to forsake the disguise of friendship, and confess themselves lovers.Though Catherine clearly knows that whatever their souls are made of, Heathcliffs and

25、 hers are the same, and Lintons is a different as a moonbeam from lightning or frost from fire. Now lets look at the famous love story:“My love for Heathcliff resembles the eternal rocks beneath: a source of little visible delight, but necessary. Nelly, I am Heathcliff! Hes always, always in my mind

26、: not as a pleasure, any more than I am always a pleasure to myself, but as my own being. So dont talk of our separation again:it is impracticable.”5)However, it will degrade her to marry Heathcliff. So when Edgar Linton has asked here to both Heathcliff and Edgar Linton, especially Mr. Linton. She

27、doesnt love him and is going to marry him.So we can say that Catherine is a wicked, unprincipled girl. She herself deserves all her faults. She is dangerously ill. When she is convalescent, the Lintons insist on conveying her to Thrushcross Grange. Catherine is saves by the Lintons. But the old lint

28、ons both take the fever, and die with a few days of each other.Three years subsequent to his parents death, Edgar Linton leads her to Gimmerton chapel and Linton believes himself the happiest man alive on the day.II. Social backgroud about both Linton and Heathcliff1) Heathcliffs wealth and returnEd

29、gar Linton and Catherine are really in posession of deep and growing happiness, after they married for the space of half a year. Heathcliff returns just as his mysterious disappearance. He has grown a tall, athletic, well-formed man, beside whom, Linton seems quite slender and youth-like. So from th

30、en on, the tragedy of all characters begins. At first, Catherine has been delighted from her own heart. She asks Edgar Linton to get accustomed to him, and even welcome him. Mr. Linton has endured very very bitter misery, and he always melts into tears even for trifles. He doesnt dare to make her an

31、gry for fear that she becomes sick. While Heathcliff tortures her in his own way. Mr. Heathcliff seems to estimate how far its owner would bear his intrusion, then he gradually establishes his right to be the guest of Thrushcross Grange. To everyones surprise, he wins the love of the Lintons younger

32、 sister, Isabella.2) Catherines death Catherines first dangerous ill results from Heathcliffs disappearance. On his return, Catherine seizes his hands and laughs like one beside herself. She is too excited. But soon Heathcliff takes his revenge to both Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange. He qu

33、arrels with Edgar, deceives his sister,though he says he seeks no revenge on Catherine, he hits on exactly the most efficient method of revenging on her. Catherine is ill in the second time and dangerous again. Edgar tends her more devotedly than mother nurses her only child. Day and night he is wat

34、ching and patiently enduring all the annoyances that irritable nerves and a shaken reason can inflict. In order to save her, Edgar is being sacrificed his health careness and tries to cheer her by the fondest words. If Heathcliff doesnt appear, Catherine wont die. She was born a puny, seven months c

35、hild, and died forever.III. The Tragedy of Linton 1) Loss of his younger sister Isabela Linton, who is at that time a charming young lady of eighteen, envies a sudden and irresistible attraction towards the tolerated guest. Edgar Linton, who loves her tenderly, is appalled at this fantastic preferen

36、ce. He has sense to comprehend Heathcliffs disposition:to knoe that, though his exterior is altered, his mind is unchangeable and unchanged. Leaving aside the degradation of an alliance with a nameless man, and the possible fact that his property,in default of heirs male,might pass into such a ones

37、power,he dreads that mind, it revoltes him, he shrinks foreboding from the idea of committing Isabella to his keeping.so he adds a solemn warning, that if she were so insane as to encourage that worthless suitor, it would dissolve all bonds of relationship between them.About his sisters run-away mar

38、riage that is all he said on the subject:“ she went of her own accord, she had a right to go if she pleased. Trouble me no more about her. Hereafter she is only mysister in name: not because I disown her, but she has disowned me.”6)We can see that Edgar Linton is indifferent about everything with He

39、athcliff. Edgar not only hates him but also darenot fight with him. The only thing he can do is to read his books. After Isabellas death, her child, little Linton is taken to Thrushcross Grange and is forced into the hand of Heathcliff again.2) Loss of his daughterEdgar Linton takes his daughters ed

40、ucation entirely on himself, and makes it an only amusement. Time wears on at the Grange in its former pleasant way, till Miss Cathy reaches sixteen. On the anniversary of her birth , they never nanifest any signs of rejoying, because it is also the anniversary of Catherines death. Mr. Linton invari

41、ably spends that day alone in the library, and walks, at dusk, as far as Gimmerton kirkyard, where he would frequently prolong his stay beyond midnight. Therefore Miss Cathy is thrown on her resources for amusement.When Miss Cathy has a ramble on the edge of the moor with Nelly, they happens to see

42、Heathcliff. They are taken to Wuthering Heights. There Miss Cathy sees her cousin, little Linton. Later, Heathcliff always takes advange of him to deceive her there.Although Mr. Linton is unwilling to let Miss Cathy and little Linton be friends, Miss Cathy almost writes to her cousin every day. She

43、is sympathy to Little Linton because of his poor healthy condition.Mr. Linton would not care that Heathcliff gained his ends and triumphed in robbing him of last blessing! But little Linton should be unworthy -only a feeble tool to his father. So Mr. Linton cant abandon her daughter to him. Since Mr

44、. Linton catches a bad cold, that settles obstinately on his lungs, everyone can mark it course by the henceforth rapid alteration of Edgar Lintons state. Miss Cathy is deceived by Heathcliff to Wuthering Heights, and forced to marry his dying son.3) Loss of Thrushcross Grange When Mr. Linton sees h

45、er daughter again, he fixes on her features his raised eyes, that seems dicating with ecstasy. He dies blissfully, kissing her cheek, he murmurs: “I am going to her, and you, darling child,shall come to us!”7) He never stirs or speaks again. He continues that rap, radiant gaze, till his pulse imperc

46、eptibly stops and his soul departs. None could have noticed the exact minute of his death, it is so entirely without a struggle.Miss Cathy, Mrs.Linton Heathcliff now, is suffered to stay at the Grange till her fathers corpse has quitted it. When she returns Wuthering Heights, she knows that her husb

47、and is very ill, whats worse, little Linton is dying. “Hes safe, and Im free.” She says, with a bitterness she cant conceal. At that time, Heathcliff shows her Lintons will. He has bequeathed the whole of his, and what has been her, movable property to his father. The poor creature is threatened, or

48、 coaxed, into that act during her weeks absence, when his uncle died. Being a minor, he can not meddle with the land. Mr. Heathcliff has claimed and kept both Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange. Conclusion Edgar Linton is well worth sympethy because he is not loved by Catherine at all. He has

49、spent much money and energy serving her, withoout being loved. Since his marriage to her, much disaster falls. At first, his parents died because of taking care of her. Then, his family live a unhappy life, his sister is badly treated by Heathcliff, and died lonely. Next, his daughter and his sister

50、s son are tortured by Heathcliff in spirits. Finally, Edgar Linton himself died, though he sees her daughter at the last moment. It is also proved that Edgar Lintons soft, gentleand weak character becomes disadvantages. He only knows reading books in his study. Edgar Linton gets the anguish not less

51、 than anyone else in the book. As concerned as I know, he is one of the biggest victims .Notes1) Emily Bronte, Wuthering Heights, Yi Li Peoples Press,2001,P682) Ibid. , P683) Ibid. , P564) Ibid. , P905) Ibid. , P1056) Ibid. , P1737) Ibid. , P370Bibliography1. Emily Bronte: Wuthering Heights, Yi Li P

52、eoples Press, 20012. Emily Bronte . Family Master : Wuthering HeightsM. San Diego : Central Compilation & Translation Press ,2004 3.E .L .Gilbert . Family Master : Emily Brontes Wuthering HeightsM . San Diego : Simon & Schuster, 2002 4.李满, 论呼啸山庄的爱情及爱情哲学J, 南昌职业技术师范学院学报, 1997, 第2期, 36-42 5.宋兆霖(译), 呼啸山庄M, 北京, 北京燕山出版社,2002 6.王佩兰、马茜、黄际英(主编),英国文学史及作品选读M, 长春, 东北师范大学出版社, 2002 7.徐晓雯(译), 艾米莉勃朗特的呼啸山庄J, 北京, 外语教学与研究出版社, 1996 8.郭群英，英美文学简史，香港新世纪出版社，1993 9. 李正栓，新编英国文学教程，河北教育出版社，200610Clare West 改写，赵兵 译 WutherHeights, 外语教学与研究出版社，牛津大学出版社，200315