Romantic, Idealisation & Innocence (WH Quotes) Flashcards
(11 cards)
‘He’s more myself than I am. Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same’ - Cathy
Spiritual and metaphysical depth of their bond.
Bronte transcends conventional romantic tropes, presenting a union that defies physical and societal boundaries
Repetition of ‘myself’ and metaphor of shared souls idealise their connection, suggesting an eternal and natural affinity
‘I am Heathcliff’ - Cathy
Declarative statement
Reveals how intertwined Cathy’s identity is with H
Reflects and intense, idealised love in which personal boundaries dissolve
Her love for H is not about affection or attraction, but about existential unity, positioning their relationship as unique and transcendent
‘If all else perished, and he remained, I should still continue to be; and if all else remained, and he were annihilated, the universe would turn to a might stranger’ - Cathy
Her expression of H as the centre of her universe illustrates the depth of her emotional dependence and devotion
Hyperbolic structure reinforces the extremity and idealisation of their bond, presenting love as something eternal and elemental
‘Linton’s (soul) is as different as a moonbeam from lightning, or frost from fire’ - Cathy
Bronte contrasts passionate, spiritual love between C and H with the tepid, socially-acceptable love she shares with Edgar
The elemental imagery idealises H as her true counterpart, suggesting that only such elemental love is authentic
‘I wish I were a girl again, half savage and hardy, and free’ - Cathy
Reflects her nostalgia for her childhood with H, a time of freedom and uncorrupted love
Adjective ‘savage’ captures the raw, unrefined nature of their early bond, unburdened by class or societal expectations
Presents love as a pure and innocent force
‘My love for Linton is like the foliage in the woods: time will change it… my love for Heathcliff resembles the eternal rocks beneath - a source of little visible delight, but necessary’ - Cathy
She recognises her love for H as foundational and immutable, in contrast to her superficial love for Edgar
Metaphor of ‘eternal rocks’ positions H as part of her essential being, elevating their love to something philosophical and elemental - though not always pleasurable
‘He wanted all to lie in an ecstasy of peace; I wanted all to sparkle and dance in a glorious jubilee’ - young Cathy
Her contrast with Linton Heathcliff reflects a youthful, innocent perception of love and joy
Her idealised vision of love is joyful and celebratory, rather than oppressive or morbid, which distinguishes it from the darker, obsessive love of her elders
‘You loved me - then what right had you leave me?’ - Heathcliff
Expression of anguish following Cathy’s death reflects his deep, romantic idealism
Rhetorical question underscores his belief that true love entails eternal loyalty, blurring the boundary between life and death - a theme central to Bronte’s portrayal of romantic fatalism
‘I cannot live without my soul!’ - Heathcliff
He equates Cathy with his soul, suggesting that her death robs him not only of love but existential meaning
Encapsulates Bronte’s portrayal of love as something that goes beyond the physical, becoming a spiritual and even metaphysical necessity
‘I’ll be as dirty as I please, and I like to be dirty, and I will be dirty!’ - Heathcliff
Though not overtly romantic, reflects his resistance to social norms and his desire to remain close to the natural, untamed world he shares with Cathy
Symbolises the unrefined innocence of their childhood love, untouched by social constructs of class or propriety
‘I have not broken your heart - you have broken it; and in breaking it, you have broken mine’ - Heathcliff
Tragic declaration reveals how both Cathy and H’s choices have destroyed the very thing they cherish
Repetition of ‘broken’ intensifies the sense of irreversible damage, while affirming the symmetry in their suffering - a hallmark of their mirrored, idealised love
