Discussion Topics:
- Gothic aspects of the novel
- The function of the multiple narrators
The use of multiple narrators: Lockwood, Nelly and Isabella.
The narrator is Mr Lockwood but then it changes to Nelly Dean. There is a frame story and the narrator is Lockwood. There is a story within this frame story and the narrator of this story in Nelly Dean.
Lockwood starts the story of Brontë and Nelly tells us the story of Earnshaws and Lintons.
Sometimes they are partial, but they are reliable because they know the story and the details. Each of them shows us different qualities of Heathcliff. So it becomes very difficult for the reader to arrive at definite conclusions concerning Heathcliff. We pity him, we see how cruel he is, and then we see him as a gentleman.
There are shifts of point of view because it is impossible for Nelly to narrate this story at one sitting.
So there are interruptions.
Brontë presents Nelly as a self-educated person because she has to combine the narrative style of Lockwood with the style of Nelly. (page 65)
Nelly and Lockwood both represent common sense, ordinary civilized expectations and Victorian values.
Nelly as narrator: She tells the story in a matter of fact way. She doesn’t think they are extraordinary.
She is never surprised. She doesn’t know any other family. She has an important role as narrator but she is also a functional character.
Lockwood as narrator: He becomes curious so that Nelly goes on telling the story. That is his function.
