One definition of madness is “mental delusion or the eccentric behavior arising from it.” But Emily Dickinson wrote Much madness is divinest Sense— To a discerning Eye— Novelists and playwrights have often seen madness with a “discerning Eye.” Select a novel or play in which a character’s apparent madness or irrational behavior plays an important role. Then write a well-organized essay in which you explain what this delusion or eccentric behavior consists of and how it might be judged reasonable. Explain the significance of the “madness” to the work as a whole. Do not merely summarize the plot.
In Wuthering Heights, Emily Bronte uses her “discerning Eye” to portray how mental illness is used as a deception of true love that rocks the frame of Wuthering Heights. Although Catherine is driven to a young death due to insanity, the insanity also engulfs Heathcliff. Rather than deteriorate him though, it fuels his revenge. Overall, the madness seen in Wuthering Heights provides a knife that cuts through what Victorian society is and how true desires, acceptable in the Gothic Era, are bottled up due to the British “way of life.”
The madness first began when the kind father of Catherine and Hindley took in Heathcliff, the poor orphan. Although Heathcliff was considered a “plague”, his behavior was far ahead of the biological children. Catherine tormented her father, “And doing just what her father hated the most--showing her pretended insolence, which he thought real, had more power over Heathcliff than his (her father’s) kindness.” (Bronte 26) Pretending, that is what she did best and Catherine’s bad behavior eventually was called mental illness as no one wanted to believe her attachment to Heathcliff, “a ploughboy.” Although this is inferred, Emily Bronte does not make clear which she thinks.” (Cecil) That unclarity just makes the madness a little more crazy.
Catherine’s mental state was at rest in her new marriage until the fuze of chaos returned, Heathcliff, driven to see his true love again. “Protagonists are driven by irresistible passion--lust.” (Cecil) This lust is what spears society’s norm in the chest. Society applauds Catherine’s marriage to a Linto but scufs at her even being verbal with a no-name like Heathcliff, but his return challenges this belief.
Catherine began to catch her insanity again, and this love for Heathcliff was covered as a “mental illness” which was better in that time period than gossiping the truth. But as Heathcliff sent Catherine astray, she bettered him. He said, “I wanted to afterwards settle my score with Hindley; and then prevent the law by doing execution on myself,” (Bronte 60) Catherine’s face simply saved him from death, but her denial of loving him sent her to her grave. “Death is not only a literal happening or plot device, but also a primarily psychological concern.” (The Romantic Novel) Death is not common in Wuthering Heights as many prominent characters die in their late teens, arguably to escape the restrictions that the world holds on them.
Romanticism encourages Brontes disregard of the social class. “She looked out upon a world cleft into a gigantic disorder and felt within her power to unite it in a book.” (Woolfe) Catherine, driven made that society couldn’t le ther have Heathcliff, grew ill and resorted comfortably to death as a better option.
Emily Bronte’s “discerning Eye” put lust over class order. Ultimately, she used a frowned upon relationship of Catherine and Heathcliff and a mental state called love sickness to argue the happiness of people living in the 1800s.
Mason High School
The Discerning Eye of Emily Bronte
Wuthering Heights Open Essay
Kylie McCalmont
Ap Literature and Composition
Ms.Wilson
April 10, 2016
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