Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights shows that the stigma placed upon mankind to conform to the expected bonds of society should not limit those who choose to connect the elite with the working class. Bronte demonstrates through her use of passionate and highly diverse relationships that the most powerful devotion is found through the connection between individuals of differing social classes.
True romantic love is far more resilient than the infatuation and desire to maintain or advance a wealthy status. The most intense love encountered throughout the course of the novel is that between Catherine and Heathcliff, as her passion for him far transcends any superficial requirements she generally values, stating that he is “more myself than I am” (75) and feeling that she cannot “rest until [Heathcliff is] with [her]”(119). The idea that it would “degrade” (75) her social status to marry Heathcliff only intensifies their feelings toward each other. Eventually, her desire to remain high-class overrides her love for Heathcliff as the attachment she harbors toward marrying Edgar is fueled by the fact that “he is handsome, and young, and cheerful, and rich” (73). Though on the surface it may seem monetary infatuation dominates over the genuine love felt between Catherine and Heathcliff, the intense passion which disturbs Catherine’s marriage upon Heathcliff’s return and ultimately leads to her demise, proves otherwise. The contrast between real romance and superfluous infatuation in relation to social classes is only strengthened through the introduction of Isabella’s character. Her flighty attitude and complete disregard for reason blind her from the ulterior motives that drive Heathcliff’s decision for entering into a relationship with her. She views him as a man who’s newly polished and debonaire manner now parallel her current social class; that he is an “honorable soul, and a true one” (97). As she refuses
to recognize that her feelings for Heathcliff are strictly...