A novel like a play has a plot and to a great extent characters reveal themselves and their intension in dialogues. A well knit plot is a sheet anchor of a good plot. The success and the popularity of a novel or a drama depend on the perfection of the plot construction. If the plot is weak a novel can not unleash imperishable impact on the mind of the readers.
EMILY BRONTE is not only the eminent novelist of the Victorian age but also the most admired woman novelist in every age. The plot of Wuthering Heights is complex but she has presented the story in such a powerful narrative style that the complex has been metamorphosed into an interesting one. She has been able to retain interest and the suspense of the readers. Mr. and Mrs. Earnshaw lived in their farm Wuthering Heights. They had two children, Hindley and Catherine. Another family equally reputable lives at Thrushcross grange. Mr. and Mrs. Linton were the masters of the house. They had also two children, Edgar Linton and Isabella. Once Earnshaw went to Liverpool and brought a waif gypsy boy and named him Heathcliff. He was loved by Earnshaw but ill-treated by Hindley. In the beginning Catherine did not like Heathcliff. But later on her attitude softened towards him. They began to love each other and like each other. But after the death of Earnshaw Hindley became the master of the house and reduced him to the status of a farm labourer. The ill-treatment met to him did not damp his love and attachment for Catherine. But there is a turning point in the story. When Catherine consented the marriage proposal of Edgar Linton, Heathcliff was so much so shocked that he left wuthering Heights with a broken heart. However, after the lapse of three years he came back to Wuthering Heights with the changed status. He was now determined to bring to book Hindley for his humiliation and for becoming a stumbling block in his love. Heathcliff began to encourage Hindley in his bad habits by financing him. Fortune smile on him and Heathcliff became the master of the Wuthering Heights. Hindley’s son Hereton worked with Heathcliff as a servant.
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The two events at Wuthering Heights and at Thrushcross Grange move step by step. Bronte has presented the plot in such an interesting way that a reader is not at all confused in linking the two events at different places. The complexity of the plot has been made easy by her narrative technique. Catherine rapture and her out burst of joy in welcoming Heathcliff the changed man, gives a great turn to the plot of the story. The visits of Heathcliff are disliked by Edgar Linton and finally he stopped him from visiting his house. The Wounded, aggrieved and humiliated Heathcliff was determined to take revenge against Edgar Linton. He meted Isabella sister of Edgar Linton in his love met and he succeeded in marrying Isabella.
Catherine death after giving birth to a female child, Cathy, made him sad but his intensity of revenge did not calm down. Heathcliff begot a son from Isabella. But nothing could make Heathcliff happy. In his thirst for revenge he went on perpitrating atrocious designs. He manages the marriage his fragile son with the daughter of Edgar Linton. His son died and the widow Cathy Linton and Hindley’s son Hereton were living at Wuthering Heights. Heathcliff’s age did not cool his fire of revenge even after the death of Hindley and Linton. He tortured Hareton and did not like Hareton and Cathy Linton to meet. Even in his advanced age Heathcliff’s passionate love for Catherine was still teeming in his heart. Emily Bronte has concluded the plot of the story by showing the triumph of love and defeat of revenge. Hareton and Cathy are united and Heathcliff’s soul is spiritually united with Catherine’s soul. He is buried beside the grave of Catherine.
