A Sympathetic Oppressor's Suffering and Torture
Psychoanalysis of Heathcliff in Wuthering Heights�
Chapter â Introduction
Wuthering Heights is a very controversial novel that has been criticized and analyzed by many critics. The hero Heathcliff is always the main focus. There are many methods to analyze Heathcliff, and psychoanalysis is a new try that could also analyze this character accurately. "Psychoanalysis began as a method for the treatment of neurotic troubles and as a theory destined to explain their nature as well as the efficacy of the therapeutic procedure."(Rudolf vii) This sentence means that psychoanalysis at first mainly deals with unreasonably anxious or sensitive troubles. Gradually, the meaning of psychoanalysis had changed slightly. Now, it is generally considered as the theory of giving analysis and information of human mind and the spiritual condition. Therefore, it is a subject of theories on researching and analyzing human nature and personalities. In the paper, psychoanalysis will be used as the theoretical basis to analyze Heathcliff's torture and sufferings.
Sigmund Freud, founder of psychoanalysis, smoking ...
English: The Climb to Top Withens. Thought to be t...
Sigmund FreudThrough the careful and thorough psychoanalysis, Heathcliff's inner world and his afflictions will be thoroughly revealed.
Wuthering Heights was published in 1847, when the English critical realism became the dominant stream and class struggle became tense. At that time, workers and the lower class lived a very hard life. The conflict between the upper class and the lower class became extremely fierce, especially after the famous Chartist movement in 1830s (Liu Bingshan 325-327). Wuthering Heights was just written under such social circumstances. In the novel, the great dissatisfaction with the upper class and the lower class' miserable life has been vividly depicted. The upper class' prejudice and discrimination against the lower class can also be seen. At that time, the common notion of families of equal standings has also rooted deeply in people's mind. Just...