Volume 1 - Chapter 5 (Anger and Lack of Love)
"Take my colt, Gipsy, then!" said young Earnshaw. "And I pray that he may break your neck: take him, and he damned, you beggarly interloper! and wheedle my father out of all he has: only afterwards show him what you are, imp of Satan." - (Connotative Language, Symbolism)
This vicious attack on Heathcliff is initiated by Hindley as he allows Heathcliff to take a horse.
- As Hindley curses Heathcliff, he utilises various words with strong connotations, particularly relating to Hell and the devil. "Satan" has obvious connotations of the devil, referred to by another name and 'damned' reflects the religious idea of damnation, as that of punishment and torment in life after death for actions inflicted during one's life.
- Additionally, this comment indicates Hindley's
hate and desire to inflict pain upon Heathcliff - that from a very young age
Hindley viewed Heathcliff as a threat to his inheritance (however, it is the
way Hindley treats Heathcliff that pushes him to seek the inheritance).
Therefore, if, to quite the opposite of this quote, Hindley had accepted
Heathcliff from a young age, despite his differences - a key aspect of
Christianity - things may have played out very differently. For period readers with a Christian lens, this semantic field surrounding vengefulness to describe Hindley, using hellish descriptions, creates an acidic relationship between the two. This is furthermore enhanced throughout the text through Nelly's implicit criticism of such unchristian behaviour.
Volume 1 - Chapter 5 (Hypocrisy of Religion)
"Joseph, the servant: you saw him, I daresay, up yonder. He was, and is yet most likely, the wearisomest self-righteous Pharisee that ever ransacked a Bible to rake the promises to himself and fling the curses to his neighbours." - (Connotative Language, Allusion, Irony)
Here, Heathcliff openly mocks Joseph's hypocrisy in a number of ways.
Hence Brontë comments on the fact that while many of the devoutly Christian members of the Church see themselves as close to God, they are in fact destroying the principles of their religion.
"Joseph, the servant: you saw him, I daresay, up yonder. He was, and is yet most likely, the wearisomest self-righteous Pharisee that ever ransacked a Bible to rake the promises to himself and fling the curses to his neighbours." - (Connotative Language, Allusion, Irony)
Here, Heathcliff openly mocks Joseph's hypocrisy in a number of ways.
- Firstly, he claims that while Joseph constantly reads the Bible, and considers himself a devout follower, his constant criticism and condescension towards others is a profoundly unchristian trait, as is his 'self-righteousness.'
- As well as this, Heathcliff connotatively uses the word 'ransacks' to imply that Joseph and others like him in the Church destroy Christianity in the process of trying to take from it.
- Finally, he calls him a 'Pharisee,' a religious allusion to the section of Jews in the Bible who are described by Jesus as being 'hypocrites' and having 'shut the kingdom of heaven for all men.' The excessive use of irony here mocks Joseph, that while his faith is centred around following the teachings of Jesus, he has become one of those whom Jesus criticised.
Hence Brontë comments on the fact that while many of the devoutly Christian members of the Church see themselves as close to God, they are in fact destroying the principles of their religion.
Volume 1 - Chapter 6 (Lack of Acceptance/Tolerance)
"We don't in general take to foreigners here, Mr Lockwood, unless they take to us first." - (Connotative Language)
Through Nelly's speech, Christian values in the novel are portrayed in a negative light, as this statement contradicts the ideals of Christianity.
This contributes to the portrayal of the members of Wuthering Heights as diverting from the values of Christianity, directly opposed to values condoned by Nelly in the text, and hence implicitly condemns these actions by those at Wuthering Heights.
"We don't in general take to foreigners here, Mr Lockwood, unless they take to us first." - (Connotative Language)
Through Nelly's speech, Christian values in the novel are portrayed in a negative light, as this statement contradicts the ideals of Christianity.
- Typically, Christians are taught to welcome all people and accept everyone for who they are, even those that they do not know, however Nelly claims, using strong and threatening language, that the Heights that foreigners will only be 'taken to' if they 'take to' them first, and then they may reciprocate. This portrays the actions of the inhabitants of Wuthering Heights as unchristian.
This contributes to the portrayal of the members of Wuthering Heights as diverting from the values of Christianity, directly opposed to values condoned by Nelly in the text, and hence implicitly condemns these actions by those at Wuthering Heights.
Volume 1 - Chapter 10 (Aversion of Responsibility - Blaming God for Misfortunes)
"I felt that God had forsaken the stray sheep there to its own wicked wanderings, and an evil beast prowled between it and the fold, waiting his time to spring and destroy." - (Metaphor, Imagery, Symbolism)
This metaphor is utilised by Nelly as she is pondering Heathcliff's disruption of Catherine and Edgar's marriage. Nelly indicates that God had left them and this was the cause for the eventual downfall.
Nelly's condemnation of this reaches a climax here, foreshadowing the repercussions of their immoral actions will be delivered by Heathcliff, who will 'destroy' them. Thus this acts to send a stark warning to those who disobey Christian values, as the punishment will be severe.
"I felt that God had forsaken the stray sheep there to its own wicked wanderings, and an evil beast prowled between it and the fold, waiting his time to spring and destroy." - (Metaphor, Imagery, Symbolism)
This metaphor is utilised by Nelly as she is pondering Heathcliff's disruption of Catherine and Edgar's marriage. Nelly indicates that God had left them and this was the cause for the eventual downfall.
- The 'stray sheep' symbolise the characters of the Heights, such that they are, perhaps, led astray.
- The imagery and alliteration of 'wicked wanderings', relating to Heathcliff and Catherine wandering about the moors as children, relates to the many instances over the course of the novel in which characters have acted in an unchristian, immoral way.
- Finally, the 'evil beast', which in this case symbolises Heathcliff, is a metaphor for those characters who take advantage of the 'stray sheep' and 'spring' on them, deceive them and, ultimately, 'destroy' them. The 'stray sheep' have been left to the mercy of the 'evil beast' because of their unchristian behaviour throughout the text.
Nelly's condemnation of this reaches a climax here, foreshadowing the repercussions of their immoral actions will be delivered by Heathcliff, who will 'destroy' them. Thus this acts to send a stark warning to those who disobey Christian values, as the punishment will be severe.