The novel of Wuthering Heights has complicated narrative structures where there are two narrators. Mr. Lockwood is also a narrator as well as Nelly Dean .Emily Bronte have actually warped the time and brokedown the traditional flow of linear time in her novel which was unconventional during her time.
She showed the fluidity of time where time becomes relative reflecting Einstein’s theory of relativity.Bronte was able to project the past and present time of a particular place Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange where one could find the different time frame references flowing in the novel.
Mr. Lockwood’s narration is the present time reference of the action and events that happens at present moment and Nelly Dean’s narration is the past time reference of the actions and events that happened before the arrival of Mr. Lockwood. This flow of past and present references at different scales of time references is what Einstein called it as relativity where time being relative or simply the time frame references depending on one’s observations.
Bronte’s presentation of story of the relationship between Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange is based on the observation of Lockwood’s narration and Nelly Dean’s narration. Lockwood’s narration of the mansion of Wuthering Heights and the characters mental state is completely different from the observations that Nelly Dean’s narrates about the past time references of Wuthering Heights to Lockwood. Lockwood initially only tries to convince himself the narration of Nelly Dean to be true and the reality. The duality of different time frame references makes the novel perceive it from a different lens as it tracks the development of characters from the past to the present.
Lockwood’s narration is completely the present time frame references and he gives a subjective remarks on the characters inhabited in the mansion of Wuthering Heights. His first conversation with Heathcliff and other characters create a sense of uncomfortable and uneasy experiences. He calls Heathcliff an unfriendly person and also hates the gloomy atmosphere of Wuthering Heights.
As Nelly’s narration is of the past time frame references where Lockwood is able to switch back to the past and see the past time references of Wuthering Heights . This is where relativity stands in the novel. However , Nelly tells Lockwood the entire story about the story of Heathcliff and even mentions other characters such as Hindley , Catherine , Edgar and Isabella’s story and their interwoven love stories. It is a dark romance where Heathcliff and Catherine were supposed to be siblings but they developed a sense of emotional bond that is beyond the physical love but rather a platonic love.
The Thrushcross Grange which Lockwood takes it as a rent also has a story and Nelly’s narration gives an insight into the past of Thrushcross Grange. Edgar and Isabella Linton lived in the mansion of Thrushcross Grange and Bronte warps the time of second generation in a clear and vivid wild imagination through Nelly Dean who was a complete observer and a witness to many incidents that occured between these two houses.
According to Nelly’s Narration , the mansion of Wuthering Heights resembles a savage and tempestuous nurturing of human civilization whereas the mansion of Thrushcross Grange resembles a civilized society and brighter side of human beings. From a psychological level , the house itself shows the duality of human self where Wuthering Heights shows the dark side of human beings and Thrushcross Grange shows the bright side of human beings. Bronte seems to invoke a sense of conflict between these two selves where the repressed desires of Heathcliff eventually overthrow everyone from the two generations leading to revenge and severe heartbreaks.
The narration is completely wild and unbelievable to some extent to Lockwood as he certainly is trying to relate the past events to the present situation. In the beginning of the novel itself , he becomes conscious of Heathcliff’s character and the attitude of other characters as well. This level of consciousness thought imbued in Lockwood makes him convinced that Nelly’s narrations are true and precise of the events.
The narration is structured beautifully where the past events and stories weaved internally into diaries and letters. It can be seen where Lockwood sees the diary of Catherine Earnshaw where he is able to see the time frame references of past where Catherine is mad at Hindley for making Catherine and Heathcliff listen to Mr. Joseph’s sermons.
From the diary itself , Lockwood is able to see the picture of Hindley who is abusive towards Heathcliff which is actually true from the narration of Nelly where Hindley was abusive and brutal towards Heathcliff. The letters of Isabella also show that Heathcliff and Isabella’s marriage was abusive where Isabella regrets the marriage and Heathcliff neve loved her. This aspect of narration also gives a time of different references from the past to the event that led after Isabella and Heathcliff got married and to the childhood days of Hindley , Catherine and Heathcliff.
Brontë also uses framing device in the novel. It is a narration where the stories are shared by the characters to other characters or they learn from letters or diaries to gain insights into different layers of information. The story is actually being narrated by a character named Lockwood, who visits the estate and discovers the tale of Heathcliff and Catherine through the diaries and journals of other characters. It is thorough these the readers peer through their lives through Lockwood’s eyes. This framing device adds an extra layer of mystery and suspense to the story.
The other element of framing device is Nelly Dean’s narration to Mr. Lockwood which indeed becomes a part of the framing device. Nelly Dean, who is a servant at Wuthering Heights, tells the story to Mr. Lockwood, who is the one visiting the estate. Nelly’s narration acts as a bridge between the past events and the present, allowing us to delve into the lives of the characters. It is just the readers able to gaze and listen to Nelly’s firsthand account of what happened, adding depth and perspective to the story. So, Nelly’s narration is an essential part of the framing device in the novel.
Narrative Technique in Mary Shelley Frankenstein
