In this research paper the author wants to take a closer look at the similarities and differences between Heathcliff and Bertha. While doing so she also wants to find out if their respective creators portrayed them just as a Gothic element, a stereotype, plot device or similar things or if their portrayal has a different kind of thought behind it. While reading Jane Eyre and letters Charlotte Bronte send regarding Wuthering Heights she noticed an almost extreme opinion Charlotte seems to have about people of colour. The interest for this topic comes from the fact that there is a lot of research about the Otherness of both characters but rarely are they compared with each other. Oftentimes Charlotte and her opinions about her sisters novel Wuthering Heights are quoted in research but rarely does anyone comment on her extreme view on Heathcliff. Her critique of Wuthering Heights is mostly only analysed in regard to her sister. So, with this paper the author also wants to take a closer look at the things Charlotte Bronte had to say about Heathcliff and about how she herself portrayed the Other in her novel, Jane Eyre.
She will also take a quick look at Jean Rhys’ Wide Sargasso Sea in order to be able to differentiate the way Charlotte, who had lived her whole life in England, and Jean Rhys, who had been living on a Caribbean island, similar to Bertha, portray the same character. This could show whether or not Charlotte had, as the author presumes, a more racist view on the post-colonial regions and people than her sister Emily.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Heathcliff
2.1 Heathcliff’s origin
2.2 Heathcliff as a terrorist at Wuthering Heights
2.3 The Brontë’s view of Heathcliff
3. Bertha Mason
3.1 The Mad Woman in the Attic – Bertha as Jane’s Dark Double?
3.2 Bertha in Wide Sargasso Sea
4. Comparison between Heathcliff and Bertha
4.1 The Other and Gothic
5. Conclusion
Research Objective and Scope
This research paper examines the similarities and differences in the portrayal of Heathcliff from Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights and Bertha Mason from Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre, specifically investigating whether these characters function merely as Gothic devices and stereotypes or if their characterizations reflect deeper socio-political or racial critiques by their authors.
- Analysis of the "Otherness" and Gothic representation of Heathcliff and Bertha.
- Examination of Charlotte Brontë’s critical views toward characters of different origins.
- Comparison of character agency and voice, including the perspective offered by Jean Rhys in Wide Sargasso Sea.
- Evaluation of how the "Domestic novel" and "Gothic genre" intersect in the works of the Brontë sisters.
Excerpt from the Book
3.1 The Mad Woman in the Attic – Bertha as Jane’s Dark Double?
In 1979 Sandra Gilbert and Susan Gubar took a psychoanalytical view on Jane Eyre and built the idea that Bertha is in fact a mirror to Jane in some sort. To be exact, they call Bertha Jane’s “her own secret self” (p. 348). Bertha enacts the things Jane cannot. While Bertha gives into her madness, 10-year old Jane resist falling into madness by behaving in the red room (see: Bronte, 2006, p. 7). Elizabeth J. Donaldson mentions that Bertha can be seen as a symbol for women’s rebellion but simultaneously warns that Bertha’s madness only offers the illusion of power (pp. 100-1). Looking at Charlotte Bronte and the century she lived in this could be one of the most accurate ways to look at the character of Bertha. Bertha is more rebellious than Jane and has lived outside of England. By having Bertha go mad, also by letting her die through her own actions and by making out Jane as the hero and in the end as the “Angel of the House”, it could seem like Charlotte did in fact do what Donaldson suggests, namely show the dangerous side of being a rebellious woman. Dr Sally Minogue however states that she believes that seeing Bertha as “Jane’s ‘true’ self” on the one hand reduces the struggle and hardship Jane went through during the course of the novel and on the other hand supresses Bertha’s story and is thus not a feminist way of looking at Jane Eyre (in Bronte, 2006, p. XIX).
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Outlines the comparison of Heathcliff and Bertha Mason as "strange" characters and introduces the research aim to determine if they are utilized as Gothic plot devices or reflections of authorial bias.
2. Heathcliff: Examines Heathcliff's mysterious origins, his terrorizing behavior at Wuthering Heights as a product of his environment, and Charlotte Brontë’s personal disdain for the character.
3. Bertha Mason: Analyzes Bertha’s role as Jane Eyre's "dark double," the impact of her confinement, and her representation in Jean Rhys’s Wide Sargasso Sea compared to Charlotte Brontë’s original.
4. Comparison between Heathcliff and Bertha: Explores how both characters are subjected to Gothic tropes and how their treatment by English characters reinforces their status as the "Other."
5. Conclusion: Synthesizes the findings, suggesting that Emily Brontë allows for more human depth in her characterization than Charlotte, who uses Bertha as a plot device and Gothic shadow.
Keywords
Gothic, Otherness, Bertha Mason, Heathcliff, Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights, Charlotte Brontë, Emily Brontë, Colonialism, Racial representation, Domestic novel, Wide Sargasso Sea, Character portrayal, Literature, Gender roles.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this research paper?
The paper compares the characterizations of Heathcliff (Wuthering Heights) and Bertha Mason (Jane Eyre), focusing on how both are framed as the "Other" and as Gothic elements within their respective novels.
What are the central themes discussed in this work?
Key themes include colonialist perspectives in Victorian literature, the use of Gothic tropes, the intersection of domesticity and madness, and the agency afforded (or denied) to characters of non-English origin.
What is the main research question?
The research seeks to determine whether these characters function solely as Gothic plot devices or stereotypes, or if the authors imbued them with complex human traits that challenge contemporary societal norms.
Which scientific methodology is applied?
The author employs a comparative literary analysis, utilizing psychoanalytical perspectives and post-colonial criticism to examine character development and authorial intent through historical and literary context.
What content is covered in the main body?
The main body details the specific treatment of Heathcliff as a victim and aggressor, the psychoanalytical interpretation of Bertha Mason as a mirror to Jane Eyre, and a critical look at how Jean Rhys provides a counter-narrative to Bertha's depiction.
Which keywords best describe this study?
The study is characterized by terms such as Gothic, Otherness, Colonialism, Character Portrayal, and the specific works and authors involved in the comparative analysis.
How does the author characterize Charlotte Brontë's view of Heathcliff?
The author argues that Charlotte Brontë viewed Heathcliff through a lens of racial bias, often failing to see him as a human being, which contrasts with the narrative complexity Emily Brontë provides him.
Does the paper argue that Bertha Mason is a flat character?
The paper suggests that Charlotte Brontë treats Bertha as a "mere Gothic element" and denies her a voice, whereas Jean Rhys's Wide Sargasso Sea transforms her into a complex individual with a background story.
What role does the "Angel in the House" concept play in this paper?
It is used to contrast Bertha Mason, the "anti-element," with Jane Eyre, who is ultimately positioned as the hero who restores the domestic order, reinforcing the conventional gender expectations of the 19th century.
- Citation du texte
- Selin Izgi (Auteur), 2018, Gothic Element, Plot Device or More? Comparison between the portrayal of Heathcliff and Bertha Mason, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1005655
