A Seed Rooted in the DesertWord格式.docx

1、Abstrct: Undoubtedly, Emily Bronts only novel Wuthering Heights is a quintessential novel of British Literature of 19th-century, which could be compared with Shakespeares comedies. This paper aims to make a much more complete and in-depth analysis of Heathcliffs love and dream and the objective is t

2、hreefold. To begin with, it aims to demonstrate the complicated relations among money, love, dream and reality in this novel along with their respective definitions. Then the reasons why Heathcliffs love and dream is destined to fall are showed through a detailed analysis of the main characters in t

3、his fiction. Although their tragedy is caused partly by their own deficiencies, the social factors play the main parts. Heathcliffs love and dream is destined to fall due to the relentless reality. True love cant survive in the tide of materialism and utilitarianism in industrial world. Thirdly, Hea

4、thcliffs greatness and imperfection is presented through careful analysis. And Heathcliff, who is considered an unforgivable character in the story, has his greatness and perfection as a faithful lover. It concludes that authentic love cant survive in an unjust and money-oriented society, which can

5、only do cruel damage to the common peoples ideal happiness. The tragedy in the novel is not merely a love tragedy; it is also a social tragedy.Key words: money; love; dream; reality; tragedy1. A Brief IntroductionOn its first publication, Emily Bronts only novel Wuthering Heights was received with g

6、reat hostility. But at the turn of the century, the fame of Wuthering Heights was gradually rising. Emily Bront was regarded as the most gifted of the three Bront sisters. A large number of critical essays on her works have been published in various viewpoints. The Bront Society was established in 1

7、894 for the preservation of Bront relics and the study of Bront works. Wuthering Heights was the best essay that a woman writer could produce in nineteenth century. （Bront 2） Undoubtedly, it is a quintessential novel of British Literature of 19th-century, which could be compared with Shakespeares co

8、medies.Through the narration of Nelly, the readers are taken into the dark mysterious world surrounding Heathcliff, the protagonist of this fiction .He is a waif picked up in the street of Liverpool, treated kindly by old Mr. Earnshaw, but insulted and degraded by Hindley. He is in love with Catheri

9、ne, the young lady of Wuthering Heights. But seduced by the wealth, Catherine intends to marry the handsome and wealthy Edgar. Heathcliff runs away in despair. Three years later, he returns home to take revenge on Hindley and Edgar who he thinks have hindered his union with Catherine. Tormented by h

10、er love for her husband and her overwhelming passion for Heathcliff, Catherine grows sick and dies in giving birth to a daughter, Cathy. Driven mad at her death, Heathcliff hastens his revenge. But 18 years after Catherines death, things take another turn. He begins to see her ghost, forgets everyth

11、ing and starves to death. Thus he realizes his dream of being together with Catherine. As a love story, this is one of the most moving: the passion between Heathcliff and Catherine proves the most intense, the most beautiful and at the same time the most horrible passion ever to be found possible in

12、 human beings. （Zhang et al. 266） By now, many researchers have elaborated on the reasons for the love tragedy from different aspects. Some attribute it to the social factors, some to Catherines vanity, and still some to Emilys own experience. But, there are still some other reasons that havent been

13、 explored. Based on the clue of the relations among money, love, dream and reality, this paper attempts to make a much more complete and in-depth analysis on the love tragedy in Wuthering Heights. Firstly, the relations among money, love, dream and reality are discussed in chapter 2 along with their

14、 respective definitions. Then, the reasons for Heathcliffs love failure and dream collapse are presented in chapter 3, which are respective analyses of social factors, Heathcliffs own deficiencies, Catherines effect, Hindleys effect and the other reasons, supported by the examples from Wuthering Hei

15、ghts and ideas from other research books. In chapter 4, some comments on Gatsbys greatness and imperfections will be made and the conclusion will finally be presented in chapter 5.2. Relations Among Money, Love, Dream and Reality2.1. A Definition of Money and Moneys Significance in Mercantile Societ

16、yThe early years of the Victorian England was a time of rapid economic development as well as serious social problems. The Industrial Revolution brought great prosperity to the industrial capitalists. While among the working class, there still existed widespread poverty and wretchedness. The gulf be

17、tween the rich and the poor was widened. And the nation was filled with the money-worship and Utilitarianism, and the widespread misery, poverty and injustice. And it was a society where money decides ones social standing and happiness. To an upper class woman like Catherine who had no inheritance r

18、ights, to marry a wealthy man was her choice. Members of the upper class, therefore, sacrificed morality and righteousness in order to get more wealth, and they became arrogant and careless about others well-beings like later Heathcliff, who took both Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange into hi

19、s hands. “He has nobody known what money, and every year it increases. Yes, yes, he is richer enough to live in a finer house than this, but he is much near-close-handed; and if he meant to flit to Thrushcross Grange, as soon as he heard a good tenant, he couldnt have borne to miss the chance of get

20、ting a few hundreds more It is strange people should be so greedy, when they are alone in the world!” （Bront 30） The only thing they cared for was money, which was the symbol of wealth. And for the poor working class people, their lives were the most miserable like Heathcliffs early life in Wutherin

21、g Heights. What they did in their whole lives was to make utmost efforts to change their lives for the better, no matter whether the means they use were just or unjust. As far as Heathcliff was concerned, it was because of having no money that Catherine betrayed him, and also it was because of his g

22、reediness for money that he took the two houses into his possession unscrupulously; as for Catherine, she married Edgar for material comforts-or rather for money. Thus we can see what significant role money played in ones life in the period this story took place. 2.2. A Definition of LoveAs the most

23、 significant emotion to human beings, love is permanent, selfless and sacred essentially. It should be based on mutual faith and mutual understanding. To love someone is to love everything of his or hers, including his or her shortcomings and faults. That is if we love someone we should regard him o

24、r her as our own life and soul. There should exist a coincidence of two souls. The aim of love is to bring about such a total coincidence of souls that they are interchangeable. Heathcliff becomes Catherines life, and she his. When the soul discovers his otherness residing in a beloved, the desire i

25、s not just to be or come together with the other but also to become the other. （Buchen sec.3）If someone loves another person, he or she can only achieve love by loving for loves sake only. If love is mingled with too many other things, it will be in danger when the conflicts cannot be harmonized. In

26、 Wuthering Heights, the love between Heathcliff and Catherine is mingled with money and worldly items. Although Heathcliff loves Catherine for loves sake only, and Catherine also loves Heathcliff, she changes her love eventually. Seduced by Edgars wealth, social standing and the comfortable material

27、 environment of Thrushcross Grange, she finally betrays her soul and becomes Mrs. Linton and the hostess of Thrushcross Grange. 2.3. A Definition of DreamA dream is what one thinks about his future, is a fantasy that can soothe a despairing heart with great comfort. Dreams give one the courage to re

28、cognize and pursue his divine purpose in life. Everyone should have a dream, and everyone should try best to realize his or her dream through legal and moral means. Without dreams, which can provide someone with great motivation, ones life has no meanings. Driven by the motivation, he or she can mak

29、e every effort to change their lives for the better and get closer to their dreams. Besides, in order to realize their dreams, they can stand the present miseries and oppression. As for Heathcliff, to spend his life together with Catherine and marry her and be the heir of Mr. Earnshaw and finally to

30、 be the host of Wuthering Heights is his lifetime dream. It is his determination of realizing his dream that makes him so meek to Hindleys abuse and never stands up for himself. As long as there is a dream in his heart, which encourages him to go forward, he can bear the present abuse and oppression

31、. But Catherines final detaching from him turns his dream into a nightmare. Thus he loses his life motivation and runs away heartbroken.2.4. Relations Among Money, Love, Dream and RealityMoney is the basis of all material things, and without money, lives will be greatly difficult. Love, as the pures

32、t emotion of human beings, should be built on two persons deep feelings, not on the money. Of course, in real life, if lacking money, our lives will be difficult to maintain. But it doesnt mean that the love cant be maintained, on the contrary, it sometimes may be firmer. The reality is what happens in our real life. A dream is what one thinks about his future, is a fantasy that can soothe a despairing heart with great comfort. The reality is cruel while dreams