Wuthering Heights Group

Question:

vihaan
vihaan
Student
College - Junior

Is Heathcliff a realistic character or more of a symbolic representation? Discuss in detail.

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Posted by vihaan on Wednesday February 11, 2009 at 9:00 PM and tagged with character, heathcliff, hero, realism, symbol, wuthering heights.

Answers:


  1. podunc Teacher
    College - Sophomore

    eNotes Editor

    In Heathcliff, Emily Bronte creates an exaggerated character prone to extremes. He is an excellent example of the archetypal "Byronic" hero, a kind of anti-hero who is isolated, arrogant, and unrepentant about his behavior. This new heroic representation came out of the Romantic movement and was inspired by both Lord Byron himself and his work "Childe Harold's Pilgrimage." As a Byronic hero, Healthcliff is not drawn realistically but rather functions as a symbol in "Wuthering Heights."

    Sources:
    http://www.enotes.com/wuthering
    http://www.enotes.com/wuthering/characters

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    Posted by podunc on Friday February 13, 2009 at 7:20 PM