Catherine Earnshaw: A Feminist Role Model

             In Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights, Catherine Earnshaw is unaware of her proper gender role as a child. Her free spirit and carefree attitude allow her independence from conventional girlish norms. She is not concerned with fancy dresses or curls in her hair; instead, she prefers running barefoot through the moors and frolicking recklessly with Heathcliff. However, for Catherine, change is inevitable. In order for her to become a suitable wife and mother, she will have to transform from "a wild, hatless little savage" to a dignified female (63). Catherine is forced to abandon her fantasy childhood and outdoor adventures in order to accomplish her goals and unconsciously "turn the table" on an overbearing patriarchal system.
             Catherine is content with her life at Wuthering Heights until she sees the beauty and sophistication within the walls of Thrushcross Grange. After returning from Thrushcross Grange without Catherine, Heathcliff describes what he saw: "ah!--it was beautiful -- a splendid place carpeted with crimson, and crimson-covered chairs and tables, and a pure white ceiling bordered by gold" (60). Catherine is awestruck by the house's elegance and beauty, but more importantly she is inspired by the female Lintons' attire and mannerisms. Like a blanket of snow covering a green field, Catherine is enveloped by her natural feminine instincts. Having no female role model other than Nelly Dean, Catherine accepts her metamorphosis without question. At this point, Catherine is unknowingly conceding to the patriarchal laws insisting that she must subordinate herself to a male-governed society.
             Catherine's transition from a tomboy to a lady begins during her stay at Thrushcross Grange. Upon returning to Wuthering Heights, Catherine is besieged with compliments and flattery applauding her newfound womanhood and reinforcing her gender role. Hindley, who previously condemned Catherine, now treats her as a fragile object ...

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Catherine Earnshaw: A Feminist Role Model. (1969, December 31). In MegaEssays.com. Retrieved 14:23, March 28, 2024, from https://www.megaessays.com/viewpaper/102830.html