Passion, love, and desire encourage transgression, which eventually leads to Gretchen’s death sentence in Goethe’s Faust and Catherine Sr.’s and Isabella’s death from fever in Brontë’s Wuthering Heights. The women have passions for passion and desires to be desired that they discover through their involvement in forbidden romantic relationships with the male protagonists. Goethe’s Gretchen acts well-behaved until she becomes tempted by the beauty of “such jewels! [A] rich array” (I.2791), and she cannot bring herself to abandon this splendor. When Gretchen learns Faust is the gift-giver, she begins to desire him and they become romantically involved. Her passion leads her to poisoning her mother and drowning her baby. In response to her acts
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has a passion for passion. Catherine Sr. loves the wild Heathcliff and desires defiance of rules and limitations. As a child, “Her spirits were always at a high-water mark, her tongue always going…a wild, wick slip she was” (33). Nelly, the narrator of this scene, describes Catherine Sr.’s spirits as a type of physical nature rather than human. The “high-water mark” suggests a storm or flood – physically referring to water going beyond its boundaries and emotionally referring to an outflow of emotion. Nelly portrays Catherine Sr. as a storm. The constant talking or singing also highlights her constant flow of emotion and her high energy levels. Nelly conveys the wildness and liveliness of Catherine Sr. from a young age, highlighting her intensity. Her overwhelming emotion leads the readers to view Catherine Sr. as a passionate person. In addition, Nelly reveals that Catherine Sr. and Heathcliff “for[get] everything the minute they [are] together again, at least the minute they [have] contrived some naughty plan of revenge” (37). Their ability to disregard the people around them and to develop a plan of revenge emphasizes their intense emotional connection and their passion. Unfortunately for Heathcliff and Catherine Sr., their passions cannot coexist. Aside from their punishments, for which they plan revenge, pain accompanies their passions. When they escape and go to Thrushcross Grange to spy on the Linton children, …show more content…
She tells Nelly, “He is more myself than I am. Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same” (63) and “I am Heathcliff” (64). She loves Heathcliff and his passion, and she desires to be with him. She says she would marry Heathcliff if he did not have a low social status. Though using social standing to excuse her inability to marry Heathcliff, realistically their passions cannot exist together. His passion and hers are too great together for one relationship. Their passions are not fit for confinement of a normal marriage. If she and Heathcliff are the same being with the same passions, then they cannot exist together peacefully – there cannot be two storms at one time. While speaking to Nelly, Catherine reveals her decision to follow social norms and marry Edgar Linton, though she desires to follow the passion she and Heathcliff
has a passion for passion. Catherine Sr. loves the wild Heathcliff and desires defiance of rules and limitations. As a child, “Her spirits were always at a high-water mark, her tongue always going…a wild, wick slip she was” (33). Nelly, the narrator of this scene, describes Catherine Sr.’s spirits as a type of physical nature rather than human. The “high-water mark” suggests a storm or flood – physically referring to water going beyond its boundaries and emotionally referring to an outflow of emotion. Nelly portrays Catherine Sr. as a storm. The constant talking or singing also highlights her constant flow of emotion and her high energy levels. Nelly conveys the wildness and liveliness of Catherine Sr. from a young age, highlighting her intensity. Her overwhelming emotion leads the readers to view Catherine Sr. as a passionate person. In addition, Nelly reveals that Catherine Sr. and Heathcliff “for[get] everything the minute they [are] together again, at least the minute they [have] contrived some naughty plan of revenge” (37). Their ability to disregard the people around them and to develop a plan of revenge emphasizes their intense emotional connection and their passion. Unfortunately for Heathcliff and Catherine Sr., their passions cannot coexist. Aside from their punishments, for which they plan revenge, pain accompanies their passions. When they escape and go to Thrushcross Grange to spy on the Linton children, …show more content…
She tells Nelly, “He is more myself than I am. Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same” (63) and “I am Heathcliff” (64). She loves Heathcliff and his passion, and she desires to be with him. She says she would marry Heathcliff if he did not have a low social status. Though using social standing to excuse her inability to marry Heathcliff, realistically their passions cannot exist together. His passion and hers are too great together for one relationship. Their passions are not fit for confinement of a normal marriage. If she and Heathcliff are the same being with the same passions, then they cannot exist together peacefully – there cannot be two storms at one time. While speaking to Nelly, Catherine reveals her decision to follow social norms and marry Edgar Linton, though she desires to follow the passion she and Heathcliff