M.

A ENGLISH LITERATURE
II YEAR
COURSE: FICTION COURSE CODE: 2010109

GENARAL INTRODUCTION

Fiction always stands ahead of other literary forms rich with realistic
expressions and intrinsic ethical values and this package of learning material
comprises five fictions of five great writers who dominated the world of fiction of
different ages. It includes, The Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan, Emma by
Jane Austen, Great Expectations by Charles Dickens, and Wuthering Heights by
Emily Bronte and Mrs.Dalloway by Virginia Woolf.
The prime motto of this study material is to enhance the students and the
readers to get a thorough knowledge of all the above five prescribed fictions. The aim
is to simplify and elucidate the moral message of the above fictions, to critically
examine the nuances and enhance the understandability of the text in a right way, to
help and guide the students understand and to grasp the works for the need of
examination, the whole work is divided into twelve chapters for the easy
understanding of the students.
 CHAPTER – I

THE PILGRIM’S PROGRESS

-JOHN BUNYAN

1.0 INTRODUCTION
The Age – The social and Political Background
John Bunyan’s lifetime (1628-1688) witnessed the blooming of puritans as a
powerful political force. The political scenario of the age was studied with
memorable events like the confrontation between the crown and the parliament
leading to the civil war, the beheading of Charles – I, the protectorate of Oliver
Cromwell, the restoration of Charles – II, the end of the Stuart era with James II and
so on.
Great wars with Spain, France and Holland and the devastating effects of the
Great plague, which hit England in the year 1665, and the Great Fire of London were
some of the nightmares of the age. The 17th century England experienced the effects
of puritan sternness and Restoration profligacy. Religious intolerance like the hatred
of Roman Catholic and the suppression of Non-conformists like the puritans were the
other religious features of the age. The period also witnessed the rise of Puritanism as
a powerful force from 1628. The puritans were a group of English Protestants who
considered the reformation of the Church under the Queen Elizabeth – I as being
incomplete and called it further purification. Puritanism, totally a religious movement
was a form of radical Protestantism rigidly opposed to the practices and vestiges of
Roman Catholicism that were lingering in the Protestant Church. As they grew into a
powerful party of religious and political dissenters they were popularly known by the
name Non-conformists. Charles – II and his government after the restoration also
subjected them to great harassment. The term ‘Puritan’ was collectively applied to
Presbyterians, independents, Baptists and the members who belonged to Cromwell’s
party. They were generally called as the ‘Roundheads’ because of their close –
cropped hair. The puritans were not interested mere in formal theology or in other
forms of worship and Church governance. Other than these formal aspects of worship
and church services, they had a deep quest for spirituality. They dwelt constantly on
the interaction between man and God in every individual’s life. This unquenchable
thirst for spiritual concern along with purity at heart transcended all the barriers that
eventually led to rehabilitation and enrichment of the church. And it was because of
this quality that the term ‘puritan’ gained new meaning and came to acquire the
pejorative sense of affecting extreme strictness in morals. And John Bunyan, one of
the strict puritans who lived in the 17th century England rightly imparted his intense
quests for spiritual salvation to the world both by his words as well as by his pen.
Bunyan’s great allegory ‘The Pilgrim’s progress’ depicts aptly his puritan heart.
Moreover, Bunyan’s choice of the allegory form was most appropriate for an
age, which was fiercely committed to political and religious principles that dwelt long
on spiritual aspects. Hence Bunyan’s allegory is universal and timeless in its appeal
for it describes a ‘Progress’, a journey from one stage to the next from materialist to
spiritual, from being bound to secular impulses to the final union with God.
1.1 INTRODUCTION TO THE AUTHOR – A BRIEF BIOGRAPHICAL
SKETCH OF THE LIFE OF JOHN BUNYAN
John Bunyan a literary doyen of 17th century was born at Elstow, a village
about two miles from Bedford (a city in England) in November 1628 as the son of
Thomas Bunyan and Margaret. His father was a tinker and basically they led a poor
life. The poverty compelled him to brief his education with elementary level at Elstow
and at Bedford Grammar School. The death of his mother at his 16th year and father’s
re-marriage plunged him into a chronic despondency which forced him to leave and
get enlisted in Cromwell’s Parliamentary army which was fighting against the royalist
forces of the King, Charles – I. He remained in the army for about three years. But he
kept himself away from the participation in the fighting. On one occasion when he
was chosen to take part in a siege, he exchanged places with a comrade who was shot
dead. He felt guilty and was constantly pricked by his conscience. Naturally he was
reminded of his own sins and was troubled. He was spiritually disturbed as he
contemplated his sinful state. On 1647, the parliamentary army was disbanded and
Bunyan was discharged from his service. Leaving the army, a fresh interest was
infused into his life. He fell in love with a poor young woman, Mary, whom he
married in 1649. Their conjugal life proved to be the happiest. However, this
happiness did not last long. The excellent wife died leaving to Bunyan’s care four
children, two daughters Mary, Bitsy and two sons, John and Thomas. By this time, he
became a regular church – goers, an eager Bible reader and a hot debater on religious
matters. He joined John Gifford’s congregation, which was Non-conformist and
worshipped at St. John’s church at Bedford. He embraced the puritan faith and
became a Non-conformist, holding Calvinistic beliefs. Bunyan’s preaching,
expressions and writings made him known far and wide. In 1660 Charles II was
restored to the throne and the non – conformists were dealt severely. Bunyan was
arrested while conducting a private service. Released after three months, he was
arrested again in 1661 for his vigorous preaching. In 1661, during one of his illness,
he felt it necessary to marry again for the sake of his motherless children and took the
hands of Elizabeth who was strong and noble. She supported her husband during his
intermit ten imprisonment. She even travelled to London and pleaded for her husband
before the House of Lords, but all her efforts proved futile. Even when Bunyan was
set free from imprisonment for brief periods, he continued his preaching. The result
was that he was imprisoned again and was forced to spend a period of almost 12 years
in Jail from 1660 to 1672. During these twelve years of imprisonment, Bunyan did
not spend his time in idleness. He took to writing and some of his most famous works
like ‘Grace Abounding’, ‘Defence of the Doctrine of Justification’ was written during
this period. Most of the biographers believe that his greatest work, Part – I of the
‘The Pilgrim’s progress’ was written during the last years of this imprisonment.
Bunyan was finally released from prison in 1672 after repeal of the acts against the
Non-conformists. He became a licensed preacher and the successor of pastor
Gillford. In 1685, when James II succeeded Charles II, Bunyan was offered an
administrative post, which he declined as to concentrate on his pastoral duties. In
1688 while riding from Reading to London he was overtaken by a thunderstorm by
which he fell ill and died. In short Bunyan was elemental, passionate and was
overruled from one emotion to another throughout his life. He lived a great life with
zeal and great vitality and left spiritual message to the mankind through his preaching
and writings, which stands as a guideline to all men of all ages.
 What beauty was to Spenser, what power was to Marlowe,
Righteousness was to John Bunyan.
1.2 HIS WORKS
John Bunyan’s literary outputs make his name synonyms with religious
writings. He wrote about sixty books and all these books were religious in their
themes and subjects. He wrote religious tracts, sermons, discussions of points of
doctrine, books of meditation and so on. Each of his contribution is a lighted candle
that spreads perpetual light called wisdom to the world.
Some of John Bunyan’s principal works are
1. Signs from Hell or the Cries of a Damned Soul
2. The Holy City or the New Jerusalem
3. Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners.
This book is well known by its shorter title: Grace Abounding. This
book is an impressive account of Bunyan’s own spiritual conflicts and
narrates his conversion from a sinful man to Puritanism. Therefore it
is justly labeled as his spiritual autobiography.
4. The Pilgrim’s progress from This World to That which is to come:
Delivered under the similitude of a dream wherein is Discovered the
manner of his setting out, His Dangerous Journey and safe Arrival at
the Desired Country.
This work is famous by its shorter title: The Pilgrim’s Progress (Part
I). It is an allegory and it depicts the journey of the protagonist,
Christian from a life of sin to the celestial city with his resolve to attain
the eternal life.
5. The Life and Death of Mr. Badman, Presented to the world in a Familiar
Dialogue between Mr. Wiseman and Mr. Attentive.
Its shorter title is: The Life and Death of Mr. Badman. It is a didactic
work, which describes the deadful career of a man who loves iniquity, and
who sinks into lusts of flesh and dies unrepresented losing his soul even before
the body dies. Mr. Wiseman narrates Mr. Badman’s story to Mr. Attentive
who listens to it with all attention.
6. The Holy War – This book is an allegory. It is a history of man’s
redemption at the same time, in part at least is an allegory of
Reformation.
7. The Pilgrims Progress, Part II wherein is set forth the manner of the
setting out of Christian’s Wife and children and their Dangerous
Journey, and safe Arrival at the Desired Country – This is shortly
known as “The Pilgrim’s Progress” Part II. It is an account of
Christian’s wife’s journey to the celestial city.
John Bunyan’s fame however rests upon the popularity of The Pilgrim’s
Progress by virtue of which he has won world acclamation and recognition.
1.3 INTRODUCTION TO THE PILGRIM’S PROGRESS
Date of Composition and Publication
The Pilgrim’s Progress saw the dawn in the year 1678. But the book was
actually written several years before that when Bunyan was imprisoned in the country
jail at Bedford. Bunyan served two prison sentences – one from 1660 to 1672 and the
other in 1676 – 77. Probably Bunyan wrote The Pilgrim’s Progress during the latter
part of his first imprisonment. The first part of The Pilgrim’s Progress was entered in
the Stationer’s Register on 22, December 1677 and was published by Nathaniel
Pounder. The wider reception and accolade granted to his 1st part encouraged Bunyan
to pen down the 2nd part, which was published in 1684.

1.4 THE STYLE

Bunyan’s prose style in The Pilgrim’s Progress is delightful and has proved
invaluable to every reader wishing to obtain a wide command over the English
language. His vocabulary is very simple and the characters speak the language of
common man. The homely style used by Bunyan is the most distinctive feature of his
skill as a narrator, which is perfectly sufficient for magnificence, for pathos, for
vehement exhortation, for subtle discussions and for every purpose of the poet, the
orator and the divine. The use of proverbs and illustrations, which were used by the
simple folk of his time, is another meritorial factor of Bunyan’s style. For instance,
expressions like ‘some frenzy distemper’, ‘pressed to death’, ‘brain-sick’, ‘and tush!’
are drawn from the dialect of 17th century village life. ‘Every fat must stand upon his
own bottom’ and ‘His house is as empty of religion, as the write of egg is of savour’,
are some of the examples of Bunyan’s unique proverbial usage. The style is simple,
plain direct and well sustained. His diction is very simple and his use of the
colloquial expressions adds liveliness and realism to the work. The influence of the
English Bible (Authorized Version) upon Bunyan’s style cannot be denied and in The
Pilgrim’s Progress, this influence is seen at its best. The style used by Bunyan is to be
homespun one, not a manufactured one that is remarkably plain and lucid, free from
ornamentation and embellishment, free from all artificialities and artifices. It is
spontaneous style and not a laboured one, which is a sincere record of ideas that
followed from his heart. And the immense popularity is perhaps due to this easy
intelligibility and easy style employed by Bunyan in his book.

1.5 SOURCES OF THE PILGRIM’S PROGRESS

It is very difficult to identify or locate one model as the source of The
Pilgrim’s Progress. Instead, critics have pointed out a number of antecedents and
sources as the source of the book.
The main source for The Pilgrim’s Progress is undoubtedly Bunyan’s faith in
Bible. Several incidents and characters from the Bible are found in Bunyan’s book in
a modified form.
The concept of viewing life as a pilgrimage, the dream framework, the valley
of shadow of death and the giants who challenge travelers to duels were the common
property in the 15th and 16 th centuries and all these traditional ideas served as an
important sourc e for Bunyan’s The Pilgrim’s Progress
 The idea of forsaking everything for Christ has a special reference to the
changing world of wandering soldiers and ex-soldiers of the England of 1640’s and
1630’s. Thus the chapbook romances of Bunyan’s time and of earlier times are
definitely one of Bunyan’s sources for his writing of The Pilgrim’s Progress
Bunyan was also initially attracted by the historical books of the Old
Testament, which undoubtedly inspired him to pen down The Pilgrim’s Progress
Another source of The Pilgrim’s Progress was Langland’s “Vision of Piers
Plowman’ from which Bunyan borrowed the concept of Giant Despair and Doubting
Castle.
Another work entitled ‘Terra Pacis’ that depicts a perilous spiritual pilgrimage
from the wilderness to a paradise on earth by Hendrik Niclaes has also been seen as a
source for The Pilgrim’s Progress.
The theme of pilgrimage was prominent in the work of William Perkins, the
greatest English puritan. John Downame, another writer had described life as a
tedious and painful pilgrimage for the holy men. Thomas Taylor had compared the
life of a saint to a traveller returning home through a strange country. “All our life is
a Pilgrimage”; wrote another writer. Thus the idea of pilgrimage was not new and
unusual when Bunyan wrote his book.
Another most significant antecedent of The Pilgrim’s Progress was perhaps
Bunyan’s own spiritual autobiography, “Grace Abounding”.
In short, Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress is a harmonious amalgam of traditional
and contemporary ideas. However,
a. The Holy Bible
b. Bunyan’s Quest for Spiritual Progress
c. His understanding of Human Nature are often quoted as the three
major sources of his great allegory, The Pilgrim’s Progress which is a milestone in the
literary world.

1.6 SUMMARY
John Bunyan (1628 – 1688) was born in England at the critical time in which
remarkable changes took place in politics and religion. Civil war led to the
assassination of Charles I. England’s war with Spain, France and Holland, Great
plague and the great fire of England brought many changes in the society. All those
changes provided a good chance for the birth of Puritanism. John Bunyan was one of
the puritans, who revived spiritualism in literature. “The Pilgrim’s Progress” is
considered to be a renowned work of Bunyan, which describes a spiritual journey of a
Christian.

1.7TERMINAL QUESTIONS
SECTION A:
ANSWER THE FOLLOWING IN A SENTENCE OR TWO:
1. Who were the Puritans?
 2. What was the main aim of the Puritans?
3. How did Bunyan spend his time in prison?
4. When did Bunyan publish his book “The Pilgrim’s Progress”?
5. What is the main source of Bunyan’s The Pilgrim’s Progress?
SECTION B:
ANSWER THE FOLLOWING IN A PARAGRAPH EACH:
1. Write a short note on social upheavals at the time of John Bunyan.
2. Explain Puritanism in England
3. Why did John Bunyan choose allegory to express his views?
4. Narrate the experience of John Bunyan while he was in the army.
5. What is the main theme of John Bunyan’s works?
SECTION C:
ANSWER THE FOLLOWING ESSAY QUESTIONS:
1. Write a short note on John Bunyan’s style of writing.
2. Write an essay on the source of John Bunyan’s “The Pilgrim’s Progress”.
 CHAPTER - II

THE PILGRIM’S PROGRESS _ JOHN BUNYAN

2.0 INTRODUCTION

This chapter consists of the detailed analysis of the text - “The Pilgrim’s
Progress” and its special significance, which help the students gain a thorough
knowledge of the text.

2.1 THE PILGRIMS PROGRESS- AS AN ALLEGORY

John Bunyan’s The Pilgrim’s Progress is an allegory. An allegory is a piece
of writing or a picture, which conveys the meaning through some kind of disguise.
The meaning is conveyed through the use of symbols. It signifies meaning in two
levels. The surface level meaning and the hidden meaning, which needs deeper
analysis of the work.
The Pilgrim’s Progress describes a pilgrimage undertaken by a man called
Christian who wishes to run away from his native city called ‘The city of Destruction’
and wishes to reach the celestial city called New Jerusalem seeking salvation. The
story also narrates the mishaps and dangers, which befall the protagonist in due course
of his journey to the celestial city. On the surface level, The Pilgrim’s Progress can
be treated as an adventurous story and enjoyed as a kind of fairy tale. But on the
deeper level, the pilgrimage represents a religious man’s effort to achieve spiritual
progress and wish to ultimately become one with God. Allegorically the account of
Christian’s pilgrimage means spiritual progress. Thus the very word pilgrimage in the
title of the book has allegorical significance. The word pilgrimage here means
religious man’s quest for his soul’s salvation. The name of the protagonist,
‘Christian’ also allegorically represents a man who subscribes to Calvinistic doctrines,
the protestant faith, and one who believes in the religion, Christianity. Richard. L.
Greaves rightly points out that The Pilgrim’s Progress indicates eight stages in the
spiritual development of Christian – election, calling, faith, repentance, justification,
forgiveness, sanctification and perseverance. It is truly a ‘progress’ a forward
movement from one stage to the next stage that every man confronts in his life. It
presents the conflicts between the forces of good and evil for the possession of
everyman.
The Pilgrim’s Progress is one of the most famous works in the whole history
of English literature. Next to the Bible, it is the world’s best selling book, so far being
translated into more than 200 languages. Whether to read as an adventurous story or
as an allegory, the book has a great appeal. Thus, The Pilgrim’s Progress stands firm
as one of the perfect allegories in English.

2.2 A CHRONOLOGY OF IMPORTANT PLACES, INCIDENTS AND

CHARACTER

Place Character Incidents

1) The city of Destruction 1. Christian Christian’s Plight and burden
2. Christian’s Wife and Christian’s knowledge after
Children reading the book

2) The slough of Despond
3) The village of Morality
4) The Wicket Gate
5) The interpreter’s House
6) The Highway (fenced
with wall called Salvation)
and Cross
7) The Hill called Difficulty
3. Evangelist His renouncing of family
4. Pliable Evangelist’s guidance
5. Obstinate Pliable and Obstinate’s
attempt to stop Christian
Pliable’s decision to
accompany Christian
Obstinate turns back home
1. Christian Christian and Pliable
2. Pliable entangle in to a bog
3. Help Pliable loses faith returns
back home
Christian’s rescue by Help
1. Christian Mr. Worldly Wiseman –
2.Mr.Worldly wiseman Misguide Christian
3. Mr. Legality Christian’s disappointment
4. His son-Mr. Civility at Mortality village
Evangelist’s reappearance
and timely advice
1. Christian Christian’s entry into wicket
2.The Gate–keeper Good gate
Will Beelzebub’s attempt to kill
3. Beelzebub and his Peers Christian
Christian’s rescue by Good-
Will
1. Christian A vision of Portrait – Gallery
2. Interpreter A lesson from the
3. Two Children- ‘Passion representative figures –
and Patience’ Passion and Patience
A strong willed man’s brave
entry into the place
Christian relieved from the
burden
Meeting with three Angels
and Christian receives ‘Roll’
He happily proceeds his
journey
Meeting with ‘Sloth, Simple
Presumption’
Meeting with ‘Formalist’
and ‘Hypocrisy’
1. Christian Christian climbing of the hill
2. Timorous and Mistrust Timorous and Mistress
working
Christian’s faithful journey
Rest at arbour and the
missing of the ‘Roll’
 Christian’s realization and
recovery of the ‘Roll’

8) The Palace Beautiful 1. Christian The lions at the Gate

2. The Porter – ‘Watchful’ Christian’s entry into the
3. Damsels – ‘ Prudence’ place
- ‘ Piety’ A warm welcome and fine
- ‘Charity’ courtesy given to Christian
Meeting with ‘Prudence’,
‘Piety’ and ‘Charity’
Supper and rest at chamber
called ‘Peace’
A glimpse of the Delectable
Mountain
Christian equipped with
weapons and defense and
armour
Christian’s farewell
9) The Valley of 1. Christian Christian’s Combat with
Humiliation 2. Apollyon Apollyon
Christian’s victory
The journey continued

10) The Valley of Death The dangerous path with

Snares, Traps and Nets
The first phase of the valley
- extremely narrow with
bottomless ditch
The sorrowful cries, howls,
groaning
Christian’s use of weapon
called All-Prayer
Christian’s successful
crossing of the second phase
of the valley
11) 1. Faithful Christian’s meeting with
2. Talkative Faithful
Christian and Faithful’s
meeting with Talkative
Christian and Faithful’s
breakaway from Talkative
Further guidance
12) The Vanity Fair 1. Christian Christian and Faithful’s
2. Faithful entry into Vanity Fair
3. Mr. Blindman Vanity Fair established by
Mr.No-Good The Beelzebub, Apollyon and
Mr. Malice Legion
Mr.Love-Lust Jury Christian and Faithful’s
Mr. Live –Loose demand for Truth
 demand for Truth
Their arrest
The Jury – announce
Faithful as guilty
Faithful burned into ashes
Faithful’s Soul carried by
shinning one’s to the
Celestial city
Christian joins the company
of Hopeful
Christian and Hopeful
escape
13) Mr. Bye-Ends Christian and Hopeful meet
By-ends
Soon they depart
By-Ends’ joining with Mr.
Hold – World, Mr. Money –
Love and Mr. Save all

14) Silver –Mine on a called Demas Christian and Hopeful enter

‘Lucre’
15) The River of Life
16) The Doubting Castle
17) The delectable
Mountain
a narrow plain, ‘Ease’
Arriving at Silver-Mine
‘Demas’ invitation to dig the
mine
Christian and Hopeful resist
the temptation and proceed
their journey
Christian and Hopeful rest,
refresh in the meadows
1. Christian Christian and Hopeful
2. Hopeful mislead by Vain Confidence
3. Vain-Confidence They trespass the place of
4. The Giant-Despair Despair
His Wife - Difference Imprisoned in Doubting
castle
Tortures and Pains
The escape with the key
called ‘Promise’
The shepherds The key called ‘promise’
1.Experience Christian and hopeful given
2. Watchful a red carpet welcome
3.Sincere Pleasant stay
4. Knowledge

18) 1. Flatterer Meeting with and ignorance

2. Ignorance Christian and hopeful
disagree with him and depart
Misguidance given by

19) The Enchanted Ground
20) The country of Beulah
21) The River of Death
22) The Celestial City
23)
Flatterer
Christian and Hopeful get
entangled into a pit
Rescued by shining one
Instruction to follow right
path
The temptation to sleep
Christian and Hopeful feel
drowsy
They overcome temptation
by talking about the glory of
Jesus
The Christian and Hopeful’s
entry to pleasant land
The blissful company of
Shining Ones
The Divine voice and music
from the Celestial City
Ordeal in crossing the river
The level of faith determines
the level of order
Hopeful’s encouragement to
Christian to face the
challenge
Both reach the bark with the
Grace of God
Welcome and greeting by
Angles
The royal robe
Divine ecstasy and safe
reaching of Christian and
Hopeful
Ignorance Ignorance fails to produce
the Roll
Ignorance sent to Hell

2.3 THE ALLEGORICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF ‘THE PILGRIM’S

PROGRESS’

“’The Pilgrim’s Progress’ is an unparalleled monument of creative literature,

remarkable amongst all the Allegories of the world in that it has a strong human
interest. Other Allegories only amuse the fancy. The Allegory of Bunyan has been
read by many thousands with tears.”
- Macaula
Allegory

The Advanced Learner’s Dictionary defines Allegory as’ a story or description in

which ideas such as patience, purity and truth are symbolized by persons who are
Characters in the Story’.
The term ‘Allegory’ is of Greek origin. It is derived from the Greek word,
‘Allegoria’ which consists of ‘allos’ meaning other and ‘agoreuein’ meaning harangue
(load talk or speech). Hence Allegory means speaking of one thing under the image of
another. The events and persons described in an allegory have double meaning – the
one in relation to real and the other in relation to vices and virtues; the one concrete
and the other abstract.
John Bunyan’s ‘The Pilgrims Progress’ is an allegory and the narrative
technique exists on two inter-related planes: on the surface level, it is a story of a man
called Christian and his adventures, but on the deeper level, it is the concretization
and manifestation of the soul’s progress from the Earth to Heaven, from Sin to
Purgation, from Darkness to Light. In true sense a God ward journey from the
material bondage to the spiritual world of God, with true spiritual moods and states,
which are abstract. The personages bear the names of abstractions, but blood flows
through their veins. So, The Pilgrim’s Progress is an allegory, one of the most popular
books of the world.
The Pilgrim’s Progress is no doubt a religious allegory, the best of its kind and
belongs to an old, well established tradition of presenting the career of every human
soul on this earth as a pilgrimage through all the dangers and the temptations of the
world to the celestial city of God, Heaven, subjugated to the lines, laid down by the
Christian scripture.
John Bunyan himself meant his work, The Pilgrim’s progress to be an
allegory, as he wrote in his Apology for this book:
When at the first I took my pen in hand
Thus for to write;
I did not understand that of at all should make a little Book in such a mode;
Nay, I had undertook
To make another, which when almost done,
Before I was aware, I this begun.
And thus it was: I writing of the way
And Race of Saints in this our Gospel- Day,
Fell suddenly into an Allegory
About their journey and, the way to Glory,
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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-----------------------
To show to all the world
My pen and ink in such a mode,
I only thought to make-------------------
John Bunyan very aptly calls it a dream. It is significantly a sincere representation of
an individual, Christian’s journey towards the celestial city. Allegorically the journey
symbolizes man’s struggle and attempt to reach God and ultimately attain salvation.
The success of an allegory lies in the perfect blending of its two levels, the surface
level and the deeper level, so that the story and the Characters infuse an air of
liveliness and provoke the interest of the readers, manifesting and vivifying the
demands of the designed work and this is precisely the secret of Bunyan’s
achievement which has charged his work with a perennial charm and fascination. The
story-loving children as well as the sensitive men are drawn to surrender to the
magical spell of Bunyan in his Pilgrim’s Progress. It stands best and is well
acknowledged both as an adventurous – story book as well as, as a religious Book.
The work is also autobiographical for John Bunyan has studded his golden
experiences throughout the work. It is a sincere account of the spiritual experiences of
the protagonist, Christian and those of every man, as the hero is an archetypal figure,
symbolizing the human traits, aspirations, trials and conflicts of the entire race.

The Allegorical Significance of the Journey- a Quest for Eternal life

The Pilgrim’s Progress, at the surface level describes the pilgrimage of a man
called Christian. Who unable to bear the predicaments of the burden on his back flees
from his native town, the city of Destruction towards the abode of god, the celestial
city. Allegorically, the account of Christian’s pilgrimage denotes the spiritual progress
which a religious man makes, renouncing the worldly pleasures, seeking salvation of
his soul. The heavy burden on Christian’s back allegorically means his newly
awakened sense and realization of his sins. This feeling of his sinfulness has come to
him by reading a book, which allegorically is the Bible. At the guidance of
Evangelist, Christian abandons his family and leaves his home – town, the city of
destruction. He progresses towards the kingdom of Heaven, seeking eternal life;
Christian encounters many difficulties, hardships, dangers in course of his quest for
salvation. And he successfully overcomes all these trials and tribulations partly by his
own determination and partly by the guidance provided to him by various persons like
Evangelist and the Shining ones whom he meets on his way. Each of these persons,
allegorically stand for a mentor or a preceptor or a heavenly being who guide him
constantly, offering special favour. According to Calvinistic beliefs, the ‘Elect’ are
those persons whom God chooses for ‘His Grace’ who is supposed to become the
mediator between God and Man. Bunyan aptly confers the protagonist, Christian, the
title ‘blessed’ who belongs to the category of the ‘Elect’.

The Allegorical Significance of the Slough of Despond – state of

Despondency
The very first obstacle that Christian and Pliable face is the slough of
Despond. As the very name shows, the slough of Despond allegorically means a state
of depression caused by fears and doubts. A man is bound to sense of depression due
to his sins and guilt’s. He, who aspires to salvation, feels burdened by his own sins
and therefore becomes a victim to despondency in order to advance spiritually. The
strong minds of exceptional will – powers are the wings to drive away the fears and
doubts. Christian’s aim is to reach the celestial city. Christian and Pliable falling into
the slough of Despond symbolize the fears and doubts that assail their minds. Pliable
being a feeble – minded man breaks down and gives up his journey. But Christian,
with strong determination overcomes the danger with the assistance of Mr. Help.
Mr.Help allegorically means any helpful man who strengthens the resolve of one who
has already made up his mind to achieve his noble purpose. Slough exists because of
the sinfulness of human beings and as long as there is sin, the slough will continue.
The steps in the Slough Symbolize promises, assurances, and guidance of God’s
word, which a seeker receives, from God. Christian and Pliable fail to see the steps
because of their sinfulness. But, Christian having, been ‘Elect’ crosses the Slough
with firm determination and faith.

The Allegorical Interpretation of – the Village of Morality, the wicket –

gate, the Interpreter’s House and the Cross
Christian misled by a man called Mr. Worldly Wiseman reaches a
Village called Morality where lives Mr.Legality. Mr.Worldly Wiseman symbolizes
the temptations of this worldly life and the attractions of the conformist _ an
establishment type of Christianity (Established church of England). Life in the village
of Morality means an observance of the conventional moral code and obedience to the
advice of Mr.Legality and his son, Mr.Civility. This symbolizes mere a routine kind
of life in accordance to the moral codes without having any spiritual value. Evangelist
re-directs Christian to the wicket-gate, where he is received by Mr.Good-will. The
wicket-gate symbolizes Christ and Christian’s arrival here symbolizes his willingness
and determined diligence to Christ.
Continuing his journey, Christian arrives at the Interpreter’s house where he is
shown a number of emblematic pictures each of which conveys a valuable lesson to
the beholder. For instance, one of the pictures teaches Christian that it is the Gospel,
not the Law, which purifies the soul of a man. Allegorically, the function of the
Interpreter is the same as that of a preacher of the gospel, who vividly interprets
God’s message to the members of his congregation. Soon Christian arrives at a place
where he sees the cross. Here the burden automatically drops off his back and falls
into a sepulcher below. The allegorical meaning of this incident is that Christian’s sins
have been forgiven. He has secured a pardon from God. Now, Christian is clothed in
white robes, a mark is set on his forehead and he is given a parchment-roll. The
dropping of the burden is also a confirmation of his being one of the ‘Elect’ &
assurance of ‘Grace’.

The Lions and the Palace Beautiful

Christian arrives at a place called palace Beautiful, where he sees lions in
chains. The lions symbolize the persecution to which the dissenters and non-
conformists were subjected in Bunyan’s time. Bunyan himself had to spend several
years in jail as he preached non-conformists and Calvinistic doctrines. Christian is
admitted into the palace Beautiful and here he meets four damsels – Discretion, Piety,
Prudence and Charity. Here Christian is also armed from head to foot to enable him to
face the dangers of the way.
Allegorically, the palace Beautiful stands for the congregation in a church or a
place where the followers of the Lord gather and discuss religious matters.
The Four damsels symbolize four principal virtues, which Christianity expects
every maiden to cultivate & acquire.
The arming of Christian symbolically means the further strengthening and the
resolution of religious – minded persons.

The Allegorical Meaning of Christian’s Victory over Apollyon

Christian encounters a monster called Apollyon at the valley of Humiliation.
Apollyon allegorically stands for the spiritual doubts. Apollyon is the power of evil
trying to shake Christian’s purpose. Apollyon symbolizes the Devil who is always
busy trying to win the allegiance of human beings and who strives to wean people
away from the path of piety and from their devotion to God. Christian is able to defeat
this monster with a sword, which symbolizes – Faith. Christian’s wounds, sustained in
the fight against Apollyon are cured by leaves from the Tree of Life which symbolizes
the Divine Providence or the word. Christian’s Victory means his rejection of the
temptations offered by the evil powers.

The Allegorical Significance of the valley of Shadow of Death

Christian’s crossing the valley of the shadow of Death has great allegorical
significance. This valley is a solitary, desolate barren landscape full of snares, traps,
pitfalls, deep holes and nets. Christian also sees the blood, bones and skulls of the
pilgrims who had gone this way previously and been killed by two giants called Pope
and Pagan. Here Christian’s sword turns ineffective. He overcomes all the dangers
with another weapon called All–Prayer. The darkness of this valley symbolizes the
darkness, which envelops a man’s soul. The giants symbolize the doubts, which try to
devour and swallow man’s spiritual longings and cravings. The dangers, which
Christian encounters in this valley, symbolize the spiritual doubts, which every man
seeking salvation is likely to experience. The point stressed here is that only by means
of constant prayer to God a man a can overcome such doubts and fears.

The Allegorical Significance of Faithful and Mr.Talkative

Christian’s meeting with a man called Faithful has greater allegorical
significance. This man’s very name shows that he symbolizes unshakable faith in God
and in salvation. Faithful is also a pilgrim travelling towards the celestial city The
meeting of Christian and Faithful with Mr. Talkative also has allegorical meaning. He
represents the hollowness and the empty rhetoric way of the men of the world. John
Bunyan through the character, Talkative draws a clear distinction between talking and
doing. Mr. Talkative is only a talker and not a doer. The portrayal of Mr. Talkative
symbolizes a valuable lesson that people should never be judged merely by their talk
or their manner of talking.

The Allegorical Significance of Vanity Fair

The episode of the Vanity Fair is undoubtedly most enlightening and
enchanting. The Pilgrims, Christian and Faithful enter Vanity Fair, which was
established by Beelzebub, Apollyon and Leign about five thousand years ago. The
merchandise sold here include miscellaneous articles and things such as houses,
Lands, Trades, Places, Honour, Kingdoms, Lusts, Whores, Bawds, Wives, Husbands,
Children, Servants, Blood, Bodies, Souls, Silver, Gold, Pearls, etc. However,
Christian and Faithful pay no attention to them. Both are arrested. Faithful is put to
death and his soul is taken straight to heaven. Faithful’s martyrdom here drives home
the point that he, who dies for the cause of religion, is received in Heaven.
Allegorically Vanity Fair symbolizes attractions and sensual pleasures of the world.
But Christian and Faithful have unshakable faith. The names of the Judges and the
members of the Jury are also fully indicative of allegorical significance. This episode
symbolizes the Conflict between the material worlds that offers all sorts of tempting
articles of pleasures to human beings. But the spiritual world demands self sacrifice,
renunciation and self–denial. Thus the merchandise at Vanity Fair symbolizes the
material world and the material comforts and pleasures. And Christian’s resistance
symbolizes the victory of spirit over the flesh.

The Allegory behind Hopeful, By – Ends and Demas

Hopeful who joins Christian in his journey replaces Faithful’s place. The
allegorical significance of Hopeful is great and he is a personification of Hope. Faith,
Hope and Love are the three essential Cardinal Virtues essential for a religious man.
Subsequently, Hopeful becomes a sincere Companion of Christian. The two pilgrims
happen to meet Mr. By. Ends. These men allegorically represents those people who
try to obtain all kinds of advantages for their self – development and are experts in the
art of getting money or Position or Promotion by Violence, or Cheating or Flattery or
by Putting on falser air of religiousness.
The two pilgrims meet Mr.Demas who invite them to dig the Silver – Mine at
the hill, Lucre and acquire silver. But Christian succeeds Demas. Eventually this act
of Christian and Hopeful Confirms that the pilgrims have risen above all worldly
temptations.
The Hill, Lucre symbolizes the monetary gain and Demas stands for the
temptation and Corruption. The Pilgrim’s resistance symbolizes their tremendous
spiritual progress.

The Allegorical meaning of Giant Despair and the Key called Promise
This episode has great allegorical significance. As the name implies, Giant
Despair Symbolizes despair, a total Hopelessness state. A truly religious man never
gives way to despair. This episode is another test for the protagonist to progress near
Salvation. Diffidence, Giant’s wife wages her husbands to devise harsh beatings upon
the prisoners and induce them to commit suicide. But all his attempts go Vain. The
credit goes to Hopeful who inspires Christian with Courage, faith and hope. The key
called ‘Promise’ with which the pilgrims escape has allegorical value. The key
symbolizes the promises and assurance given by Christ to his followers and disciples.
Doubting castle symbolizes the religious or spiritual doubt, which may fall upon a
man and paralyze him. The escape from this castle symbolizes a rejection of all
doubts and going forward in the spiritual process with Hopeful state

The Delectable Mountain and Entry into Celestial City

The enchanted land is another temptation in the way of progress, which the
Pilgrims cross with Will –Power and Faith. The River of Death and the ordeals in
crossing the river symbolize again the spiritual doubts, which the Pilgrim sails and
overcome chiefly because of hopefulness. Finally the Pilgrims entry in to the Celestial
City symbolizes salvation and unification of Soul with Supreme Power.

The Real Essence of the Allegory

The didactic value of the whole story is that a man can attain salvation of his
Soul by means of Faith, Hope and Firm Determination. The process also involves
successful overcoming of spiritual doubts, resisting to temptations, ability to conquer
all carnal desires, will power to withstand all hazards and unshakable Faith and Hope
in God. Further more, with writer’s less righteousness and pious service, he should
gain the grace of God and must be chosen as the ‘Elect’ for the Salvation by God.

2.4 CHARACTERIZATION IN PILGRIM’S PROGRESS

Characters in allegories are generally abstractions, which stand for certain

qualities and virtues and vices. The pilgrim’s progress is also an allegory and Bunyan
had a didactic purpose in writing it. But Bunyan had made a change here. His
characters have nothing abstract about them. They are creatures of flesh and blood.
They are not personifications of qualities. They are living persons having a bundle of
qualities some good and some bad, as normal human beings have. Thus the characters
in the Pilgrim’s Progress have descriptive names, which immediately give clue to the
natures and dispositions of the persons concerned. For instance, the names of major
characters in the Pilgrim’s Progress – I are Christian, Faithful, Hopeful and
Evangelist. Each of these names is indicative of the character of the concerned person.
The most prominent minor characters are Pliable, Obstinate, Shame, Talkative, By-
Ends, Money – love, Flatterer, Worldly Wiseman, Atheist, Madam Bubble etc. The
judges in the town of vanity have the name as Mr. Hate -Good and members of the
jury are given the name as Mr.Blindman, Mr. Malice, Mr. Live – Loose, Mr.Enimity,
Mr. Liar. All these names are significant that they imply the nature and kinds of
persons. They are not mere abstractions or personifications of certain human traits and
characters. Each of the persons in this crowd of characters is actually alive and
realistic and John Bunyan with his genius has breathed life into each of these
characters.

1. Christian

The Protagonist

Christian is the hero, the central figure in the Pilgrim’s Progress. The entire
first part is concerned with Christian’s pilgrimage with an eternal quest for spiritual
life towards the celestial city. The story beings presenting the miserable state of
christen who flees from the city of destruction forsaking his family. This desire has
been awakened in him by his reading of a book, which symbolizes the New
Testament which contains the life and the teachings of Jesus Christ

His miserable state and sinfulness

Christian is a feeble man burdened with a deep sense of his own sinfulness. He
is impulsive and sentimental. He is presented as an ordinary man with all weakness
and strength of a common man. Right from the beginning Christian has to learn to see
beyond the material to the spiritual.

Christian is troubled by the burden on his back. This burden is undoubtedly his
realization of his sinfulness. This awareness of his sinful state has become a heavy
weight upon his heart and ultimately he longs and cries for:

“Life! Life! Eternal life!”

Christian – one of the elect

Christian’s journey allegorically is a man’s journey through life, a journey in

the course of which a man seeking spiritual salvation encounters numerous
difficulties, hardships and dangers which he must overcome.

Christian here is a representative of a puritan holding Calvinistic belief. The

leading principles of Calvinistic theology are a belief in the sovereignty of god, a
belief than a man can attain this salvation of his soul only if God has chosen him as
one of the ‘Elect’. Christian is one such ‘Elect’ whom God has chosen for his special
favour. It is from the God that Christian receives the call to give up home and hearth
and seek salvation. The call has come to him through the book (i.e. the New
Testament) and he promptly obeys it.
Receptiveness and readiness to guidance

Christian is thoroughly receptive to good counsel. In short Christian is always

ready to learn from those who know better than him. The advice of Evangelist, the
timely Help of help, the company of Faithful, Hopeful, the instructions of Interpreter,
the Damsels, the shepherds, the shining ones all enable Christian reach the celestial
city.

His determination and the spirit of endurance

Christian is a man of firm determination and shows a rare steadiness of

purpose. It is his perseverance which prevents him from surrendering to the perils
which he faces at the slough of despond, the hill of difficulty, the valley of
humiliations, the shadow of death, the Bye – Pass – meadow, the doubting castle etc.
His will power is so strong that neither lions nor giants and devils could turn him
back. He shows a remarkable spirit of endurance, which prevents him from giving up
his quest at any stage in the course of his long and arduous journey. This ends only at
the celestial city.

The autobiographical elements

The allegory in the Pilgrims’ Progress is not merely that of a Christian and his
earthly journey towards eternity but in real sense, it is also the story of the pilgrimage
of Bunyan himself. In the shape of Christian, Bunyan has projected his own
personality. Like Christian, Bunyan too had the same consciousness of sins and the
same amalgam of doubts and despairs, hope and faith. Thus Bunyan himself is the
protagonist in this book. It is Bunyan himself who through a dream relates his own
spiritual adventures, temptations and dangers in the image of Christian.

Universal element

Though Christian bears an abstract name, he is not an abstraction. Christian is

not a personification of the noble qualities which every Christian is supposed to have.
He is a real human being of this world with a mixture of virtues and vices. He has a
firm faith in god, but at the same time, he is constantly assailed by doubts which he
overcomes with determination. Thus, there is a universal element in Christian’s inner
life.

2. Faithful

Faithful is another pilgrim travelling towards the celestial city. He meets

Christian near the valley of shadow of death and joins him in the journey. Faithful as
the name sounds – personifies faith – faith in god, faith in Jesus Christ, faith in
righteousness, faith in truth, faith in the grace of god, faith in salvation, faith in true
martyrdom, faith in heavenly life.

Faith is one of the essential qualities that a truly religious man ought to
possess. Thus faithful in the story symbolizes one of the three qualities (Faith, Hope
and Love) that a true follower of God should acquire. Thus Faithful proves to be a
great support and true asset to Christian in reaching his goal. Faithful’s spiritual
understanding is highly illuminated through his conservation with Mr. Talkative’ who
is soon neglected for he is mere a talker and not a doer. He rejects religious hypocrisy
and stands as a model of unshakable faith and moral principles. His actions drive
home the point how fidelity to moral principles as exemplified in Christianity rewards
one with ‘bliss and eternal happiness’

At the town called, vanity, Faithful has an autobiographical interest. Bunyan

was often arrested on charges of preaching the Calvinistic doctrines and for holding
views different from those of the established English church. As a result of such trials,
Bunyan was often behind the bars.

The trial of Faithful is a farce upon the jury and judgment that Bunyan himself
faced. Indirectly, Bunyan here is criticizing his own judges. The episode of Faithful's
martyrdoms is to show god’s design that such sacrifice of life for the sake of religion
is necessary to serve as a source of inspiration for others. Thus Faithful remains a
constant source of inspiration for the progress of journey.

3. Hopeful

Hopeful is a personification of hope. He represents one of the three cardinal

virtues (Faith, hope and Love) - hope that a truly religious man should acquire
according to Christianity. Hopeful is introduced as a citizen of the town called vanity.
Hopeful is moved by Faithful's martyrdom and hence quits the town and accompanies
Christian for the rest of the journey and ultimately enters the celestial city along with
Christian. After Faithful’s martyrdom and his soul been carried to heaven, Hopeful
proves to be a sincere and useful companion to Christian. Thus he replaces Faithful’s
place as a true substitute. He helps and guides Christian at various difficult situations
with his valuable services. When Christian’s courage was failing him in the River of
Death, it is again Hopeful who revived Christian’s courage with stimulating words.
Hopeful’s religious discussions regarding sin, righteousness, piety, fear of god etc are
very illuminating and highlighting. It is in real sense a progress towards spiritual
upliftments. Essentially, Hopeful symbolizes one of the several aspects of Christian’s
own mind and personality, his level of will power, his strength and confidence. Thus,
Hopeful’s characterization is highly authentic in presenting reformation as gradual
process towards the journey of spiritualism.

4. Evangelist

Evangelist plays an important role at the very outset of the story by providing
the necessary guidance to Christian, who at that time was miserable, a complete
novice in religious and spiritual matters. Everyone who wishes to develop spiritually
and seek to get god must look for a proper guidance, knowledge and experience. Here
Evangelist is one such combination of guidance, knowledge and experience. He is a
skilful guide who by a mixture of gentle speech and stern admonishment is able to
guide Christian along the right path. He appears frequently and every time the
pilgrim’s journey is in danger to guide them and is emotionally involved with
Christian’s progress.

An Evangelist is thus a representative of God or of Jesus Christ and a preacher of the

word. Throughout the story, he strengthens, resolves and boosts the moral of Christian
and his companions in reaching their destination. He serves as a source of inspiration
for the pilgrims, guides them properly in times of danger, strengthens their will
power, delights them frequently with divine prophecy and shows profound interest in
the well being and welfare of the pilgrims.

5. Mr.Worldly Wiseman

Mr. Worldly Wiseman, as the name implies does a man possess worldly
wisdom. Worldly wisdom is quite different from true wisdom. Worldly wisdom deals
with the things that pertain to this world i.e. materialistic world, whereas true wisdom
is concerned with the matters pertaining to the next world i.e. spiritual world. Mr.
Worldly Wiseman a native of the town of Carnal Policy is one who guides the people
to seek material conforts. Evangelist symbolizes – True wisdom, while Mr. Worldly
Wiseman represents material wisdom. Mr. Worldly Wiseman is a kind of person who
adapts himself to the secularism of the world. He urges Christian to move to the
village, mortality and meet Mr. Legality and Mr. Civility to lead a happy and
prosperous life. Mr. Legality stands for secular laws and Mr. Civility stands for
hypocrisy. In short, Mr. Worldly Wiseman stands for worldly temptations and hence
provides a satirical comment on the attractions of a merely conformist, establishment
type of Christianity. Through Worldly Wiseman, Bunyan stresses the point that one
cannot be religious and at the same time subscribe to Carnal Policy. In right terms, to
be truly religious is to reject Carnal pleasures.

6. Mr.Talkative

Christian and Faithful meet

Mr. Talkative, a native of Christian’s own town, the son of Mr.Say-well. He is

commonly known to his acquaintances by the name of “Mr. Talkative of Parting
Row”. He has a fine tongue and can adjust himself to any kind of company and any
kind of talk. He says that he is ready to talk about heavenly things and earthly tings,
about moral things and evangelical things, about sacred things and profane things,
about things post and things to come, about things foreign and things at home, about
things more essential and things circumstantial. Mr.Talkative’s religion lies only in
talk and in words. Faithful says that true religion lies not merely in words or in the
tongue; it lies in deeds and in truth. Faithful further says that Mr.Talkative’s talk is
ungodly and hence decides to leave his company. Faithful finally calls Mr.Talkative a
shame to all genuine professors of religion.

Mr.Talkative is a man without the true faith and grace of the Gospel, though
he talks too much.

7. Mr. By-Ends

Mr. By-Ends is one of the minor characters in the Pilgrim’s progress. His
portrayal is ironical and satirical. He is a man who has absolutely no capacity. He is
altogether blind to his own faults, foibles and follies. He is a materialist. His religion
goes in silver a slipper that is he applies the test of money even to religion. Mr. By-
Ends’ materialistic creed is further exposed by his old friends; Mr. Hold-the-world,
Mr. Money-Love and Mr. Save-all whose names are significant. The names of By-
Ends’ relatives like Lord Turn-about, Lord Time-server, Mr. Facing-both-ways, Two-
tongues (the priest) are a clear indication of true character of them. Briefly, Mr. By-
Ends is an utterly unprincipled man. He loves money, he loves gain, and he supports
religious views and practices them when he can acquire money, wealth and public
recognition. He is financially rich but morally bankrupt.

Finally, By-Ends and his companions perish when they try to dig into the
silver mine, which is guarded by Demas.

8. Demas

Demas is a man who guards the silver-mine, which is situated on the hill
called Lucre. ‘Lucre’ means monetary gain. He is pictured as a tempter who offers
silver to the pilgrims. His prime function is to attract the attention and invite the
pilgrim’s to this silver-mine and to tempt them to dig out silver and try their luck.
Demas invites Christian and Hopeful too to try their fortune but they overcome the
temptation with the strong will and faith, whereas By-ends and his friends fall a prey
to Demas and get perished in the mine.

9. Apollyon

Apollyon represents evil. He is an agent of Devil, a foul friend. He is clothed

with scales like a fish, he has wings like a dragon, he has a bear’s feet, out of his belly
come fire and smoke and his mouth is like the mouth of a lion. On learning that
Christian is travelling towards the celestial city, Apollyon feels naturally perturbed.
Apollyon warns that no ruler can afford to lose any of his subjects and warns
Christian to join his country. When Christian refuses, Apollyon launches a fierce
attack upon Christian, which he overcomes with divine power. Finally Christian
succeeds Apollyon. Apollyon stands for the spiritual doubts and the fact that
Apollyon ultimately flies away symbolizes the end of Christian’s doubts. The victory
of Christian over Apollyon is the victory of faith over the obstacles, which lie in the
way of a well-meaning man who aims at salvation.
2.5 THE PILGRIM’S PROGRESS – A DETAILED ANALYSIS
Paraphrase – part - I
The plan – the similitude of a dream
The Pilgrim’s Progress is exclusively a story of man’s transformation from a
skeptic into a highly religious and pious man who flees from the city of Destruction to
arrive at the city of bliss, namely Paradise or Heaven. The transformation takes place
gradually in the form of a perilous journey. The entire happenings and events that
occur in the due course of the journey take the form of a dream, which the narrator
claims to have seen in his sleep. The narrator while walking through the desolate
regions of this world happens to enter a den, where he lies down to sleep. Soon he
dreams and this is how the story begins.
“As I walked through the wilderness of the world, I lighted on a certain place
where a Den was and laid me down in that place to sleep and as I slept I dreamed a
dream”.
The Predicaments and desperate plight of Christian
The narrator, of course John Bunyan gives a fine sketch of his dream. The first
sight that the dreamer sees in his sleep is that of a man clothed in rags, standing with a
book in his hand, with a heavy burden upon his back. This man is the protagonist of
the story and he is called – Christian and the book in his hand is the Bible. He looks
so miserable because the burden on his back i.e., his sins weighs so much for him to
bear. He looks completed fragmented and disturbed as he had discovered from the
book that destruction is to befall on his native city called City of Destruction. He
rushes home and utters his wife and children of the great disaster. He reveals them
that he had learnt from the book that his city would be burned with fire from heaven.
He unable to bear the grief cries: “what shall I do?” On hearing him, his family
members and his relatives suspect him to be mad and force him to sleep, expecting
cure. But his condition still worsens.
Evangelist’s Advice and Guidance
The rest of the story is also a part of the dream, which the author, John
Bunyan, sees in his sleep. Christian who is also called ‘Graceless’ is hopeless and
miserable. Soon he meets a man named Evangelist who gives him a parchment roll,
which contains the words:
“Fly from the wrath to come”
Evangelist there from urges him to walk towards the wicket – gate following
the light. He also says Christian that the necessary instructions would be given to him
when he reaches the gate. Thus, Christian sets out on a journey in order to escape the
sad fate forsaking his wife and children.
Pliable and obstinate’s company
The news about Christian’s journey spreads through out the city. Some of
them make fun at him, some call him mad and some utter threats to him and some
others shout and warn him to return. But Christian turning deaf ears to them
continues to walk. Two of his neighbours by name obstinate and Pliable follow him
to try to prevent him from continuing his journey. After a brief talk between the two
neighbours and Christian, the man called Pliable agrees to accompany Christian on
his journey, while obstinate returns back, futile in his attempt.
The slough of despond – a test for his faith
On the way Christian and Pliable find themselves in the slough of Despond.
Approaching it heedlessly, they both fall into a bog. Because of the burden on his
back, Christian sinks lower and lower. Pliable blames Christian as responsible for
such a drastic fate and realizes it as his mistake. Some how, he manages and comes
out of the mire. Feeling disgusted and having lost faith, Pliable returns home ignoring
Christian. Christian, still determined and confident of his wish to continue his
journey, tumbles alone in the slough of Despond.
Christian’s Rescue by ‘HELP’
Christian struggles hard in the bog and all his attempts turn futile due to
burden on his back. Eventually, a man by the name of Help appears and rescues
Christian out of the bog. The author in his dream asks Mr. Help why the particular
part of the territory had not been repaired for the convenience of the travelers who
wish to cross the wicket-gate. Mr. Help answers the author that inspite of several
attempts made to mend, still the path remains dreadful because of the continual flow
of dirt, and filth along the sin is also the reason why it is called the slough of
Despond. A sinner always becomes conscious of his sinfulness sooner or later and
the fears, doubts and apprehensions, which rise in his mind all collect together and
get, settle down in this slough making it more complex. Mr. Help also explains about
the strong and good steps that were placed midst of the slough. These steps being
submerged in the accumulated fifth prove invisible to the travelers.

Christian’s meeting with Mr. Worldly Wiseman

Christian continuing his journey also meets another man, Mr. Worldly
Wiseman who is a native of the town called ‘Carnal Policy’. Christian tells him about
the purpose of his journey and asks him if he would get rid of the burden on his back
reaching wicket-gate. Mr. Worldly Wiseman now advises Christian to go to a man
called Legality in the village of Morality who could help him in getting rid of his
burden. He also suggests Christian that he could rent a house and call for his wife and
children and lead a happy life there. Mr. Worldly Wiseman also warns Christian of
the predicaments and dangers that he need to face in following the path shown by
Evangelist. Christian being puzzled considers Mr. Worldly Wiseman’s advice
sensible and proceeds towards Mr. Legality’s house. Moving towards that town,
Christian arrives at a hill, which sends out lightening that threatens to fall on his head.
The flashes of bursting fire worries him a lot and he regrets for having listened to the
counsel of Mr. Worldly Wiseman.
Reappearance of Evangelist and his timely help
The moment he is under the spell of regression, Christian sees Evangelist
coming towards him. Christian regrets for his mistake and whole-heartedly admits
himself to Evangelist and pleads if his sin could be forgiven.
Evangelist points out that Christian’s sin is very great. He has committed two
evils one evil being that he rejected the right path and the other evil that he chooses a
forbidden path. However, Evangelist guides him back to the right path and
encourages him to proceed towards the wicket-gate for the man at that gate has good
will for everybody. Christian at once starts and Evangelist wishes him ‘God- Speed’.
In accordance with the directions given by Evangelist, Christian safely arrives
at the wicket-gate and finds the following words written upon it: “Knock and it shall
be opened up to you”. So he knocks at the gate and a kind man, Good will, duly
opens it. Christian introduces himself and describes the purpose of his journey. God-
will happily pulls him back and saves him from the arrows of Beelzebub, a Satan and
his followers who try to kill those who enter the wicket-gate. Christian expresses his
gratitude and asks Good will if he could get rid of his burden. Goodwill replies
Christian that he will be relieved off his burden on reaching at the place of
deliverance. Good will suggests him always to keep straight path. Good will also
informs Christian about the Interpreter who will be his next guide.
Christian’s Entry into Interpreter’s House – a Symbol of Spiritual Enrichment
Now the narrator sees in his dream, Christian entering into the next phase of
his journey. Now Christian reaches the Interpreter’s House and knocks several times.
Finally, Interpreter warmly welcomes him and greets him inside the house. Christian
is taken on a sightseeing tour round a storehouse of symbolic pictures. Christian feels
regressed by these pictures, which add greatly to his spiritual knowledge. Interpreter
also takes Christian to a chamber where two little children Passion and Patients are
sitting. These two children are representative figures. Passion represents the men of
this world and Patience represents the man of the world, which is to come.
 Passion is jubilant and wants everything in the present, whereas Patience is
calm, peaceful and looks for eternal happiness. Thus Christian learns the lesson that it
is not best to want for things to come and the things that are seen are temporal,
whereas the things that are not seen are eternal. Then, Interpreter shows Christian the
strong will of a man who enters into the beautiful palace fighting courageously with
the armed men at the gate. On witnessing all this, Christian smiles and says that he
could understand the meaning of every picture and incident.
The Interpreter advises Christian to keep courage and spirit in the course of his
journey and lets him to proceed his journey.

Christian’s sin forgiven and Relief from the Heavy burden on his back
Christian is more refreshed by spiritual knowledge, and reaches a highway
which is fenced on both sides with a wall; it is called “Salvation”. There he happens
to see a cross and below it there is a sepulcher. Surprisingly, the burden on his back
falls off and rolls down to the tomb. Christian is amazed and extremely happy for he
is relieved of the painful burden and is forgiven off his sins. He leaps out in
boundless joy. He also witnesses three Angles in divine light. One of them declares
him free of his sins, the second bestows him with new graceful clothes and the third
grants him a parchment roll, which is to be his passport to the celestial city.
Christian’s Meeting with Simple, Sloth and Presumption – A sing of laziness and
unwillingness
The author in his dream now sees Christian entering a valley. There he sees
three men lying sleep with fetters on their feet. They are simple, sloth, and
presumption. Christian tries his best to awaken them, but they continue to sleep.
Christian proceeds his journey.
Christian’s Experience with ‘Formalist and Hypocrisy’ at Hill Difficulty
On his way, now Christian meets two other men, namely Formalist and
Hypocrisy. These two men have not come in by the gate, but have taken a short cut
over the wall. They call it customary and they are from the land of Vain Glory. Now
the entire three walk together till they reach the Hill called Difficulty. At the foot of
the hill, there are two ways, one way leading towards the left and the other towards
right which is selected by the two men, while Christian begins to walk up the hill
along the straight way. The other two ways selected by the two men are referred by
the name as the way of Danger and the way of Destruction, which stumbles them.
But, Christian continues his walk and reaches arbour, where he sits down to rest and
soon falls asleep. In his sleepy state the parchment roll drops from his hand. Soon,
awaking from his sleep, he proceeds his journey. He happens to meet two men
namely, Mistrust and Timorous. These two tell him that they had seen lions on the
way and hence they had turned back. For a moment Christian wavers back and soon
remembers of his parchment roll. He regains confidence and goes back to recover his
roll and then proceeds on his way. Now Christian too sees lions,
But they are chained. The lions are guarding the entrance of the House
Beautiful. Christian is not scared by the lions because of his unshakable faith.
Christian is received by the porter named Watchful and is admitted into the House
Beautiful.
 Pleasant Hospitality at House Beautiful
The House beautiful is a place of recreation and instruction. Here the porter,
Watchful introduces Christian to a beautiful damsel called ‘Discretion’. Discretion
learns about the purpose of Christian’s journey and introduces him to three other girls
namely, ‘Prudence’, ‘Piety’ and ‘Charity’. Eventually, Christian is taken into the
house and is introduced to other members who say him:
“Come in the blessed of the Lord. This house was built by the Lord of the hill
in order to provide shelter to pilgrims like you”.

Realization of ‘Peace’ & a Glimpse of the Delectable Mountain

The hosts at the House Beautiful arrange a delicious supper, they all sit
together to eat. After the meals they all commit themselves to lord for the protection.
Finally, they take Christian to a chamber called ‘Peace’ and here Christian sleeps till
the daybreak. At the dawn, they urge Christian to stay for one more day. He too
agrees. The next morning, the hosts take him to the top of the house and ask him to
behold southwards. There Christian enjoys at a distance, a most pleasant mountainous
country, beautified with woods, vineyards, fruits, flowers, springs and fountain, all
very delectable to see. The name of the country is Immanuel’s Land. They inform
Christian that he would be able to see the gate of celestial city, reaching the
Detectable Mountain.

News about Faithful and Christian’s Departure

The writer, in his dream, sees that the hosts next take Christian to the armoury.
They equip him from head to foot with weapons of defense to enhance him fight
easily the dangers, which he is to meet on his way. Watchful informs Christian about
another pilgrim by name ‘Faithful’ who is ahead in his journey towards the celestial
city. The damsels, Discretion, Prudence, Piety and Charity accompany him in
descending the hill. They give him a loaf of bread, a bottle of wine and a cluster of
raisins and instruct him to be careful of the valley of Humiliation. Christian thankfully
bids farewell to them and proceed his journey.

Christian’s Combat with Apollyon in the Valley of Humiliation

The narrator dreams of Christian walking now in a valley of Humiliation on

his way, Christian meets a dreadful monster, Apollyon. He looks fearful with scales
over his body like a fish and wings like a dragon, feet like a bear and mouth like a lion
with a contemptuous look Apollyon declares himself as the king of the Earth. He
warns and threatens Christian to transfer his loyalty from God to Satan for which
Christian disagrees. This leads to a pitched battle between Christian and Apollyon, the
fiend Christian with the grace of the God and with the help of the armour gifted to
him by the damsels in the House Beautiful fights bravely and courageously like a
constant knight and ultimately wins the battle. Unable to withstand the divine power,
Apollyon spreads forth his dragon’s wings and flees away. A mysterious hand brings
forth the leaves of the Tree of Life, which heels all the wounds of Christian
instantaneously. Christian now refreshes and resumes his journey.

Christian’s Experience through the Valley of Shadow of Death

Christian now enters another Valley called the valley of Shadow of Death.
This is a long, dark, dreadful and desolate place, which is full of dreary sounds and
cries and lamentation of souls. Christian with a throbbing heart walks through the
valley. He meets two persons who warn to be cautious of the dangers. They also
advise Christian to go back as the path is not feasible to continue. But, Christian with
strong will and faith continues to walk. The path is very dark and narrow with
bottomless ditch and plenty of quagmires. Christian with at most care crosses them.
He reaches a place where flames of fire and smoke come out from mouth of hell.
Hideous noise, woeful cries and sorrowful voices all chase him. Christian with
weapon called ‘All –Prayer ‘overcomes all dangers successfully. The moments of
horror and unwavering firmness of Christian’s faith is emphasized by his words;
“Through I walk through the valley of Shadow of Death, I will fear none because
Thou art with me”.
He walks and keeps his path right throughout the night. At dawn, he arrives at
the second part of the valley, which bristles with snares, traps, nets and pitfalls.
Fortunately he has light to guide him and he continues his journey overcoming all
hazards. Emerging from the valley, Christian passes by a cave guarded by the giants
called Pope and Pagan. These two are actually ancient enemies of mankind. But they
are too feeble and weak and Christian crosses them without any trouble.

Faithful’s Company and a gist of his Journey Experiences

Christian proceeding further meets another pilgrim, Faithful who is also his
neighbour at the City of Destruction. The two Pilgrims compare their experiences of
their journey as they travel together. Faithful’s progress is parallel to that of Christian,
except for few variations. Faithful gives an account, of his escapes from Madam
Wanton’s goodly looks who promised him all the worldly pleasures of joys of flesh.
Faithful further narrates of his meeting with Adam, the First parent at the Hill of
Difficulty. He also mentions about his three daughters, the Lust of the Flesh, the Lust
of the eyes and the Pride of Life Adam offers him good wages, a daughter on
marriage and enjoyments of life, but Faithful is strong enough to overcome all
temptations. Faithful receives very harsh rebuke from Moses, but Christ comes to aid
him. Faithful does not stay at House Beautiful and in the valley of Humiliation, unlike
Christian, he fights with Discontent. Thus Faithful gives a clear description of his
journey to Christian as they walk.

Meeting with Talkative

Christian and faithful now meet a man called Talkative who knows only to
talk. They discuss on many topics. Faithful is more inclined and points the contrast
with Talkative’s mechanical complacency. Saying and doing are two different things
and the soul of religion is the practical part. Grace only discovers itself by a hunger
after righteousness. True knowledge is attained with endeavor. Soon, Christian and
Faithful depart from Talkative and proceed their journey.

Another appearance of Evangelist and his guidance

Evangelist now meets Christian and Faithful again. He congratulates them for
their tremendous will power and progress. He also urges them to be careful of the
oddities of the Town of Vanity. He foretells them of the possible probability of
martyrdom of one or both of them in the vanity Town. In such case, their soul will be
directly taken to heaven. Saying so Evangelist leaves them wishing them great
success in their quest for the Eternal city
 Vanity Fair – a symbol of Worldly Pleasures and Falsehood
Christian and Faithful enter the town called Vanity. In this town, a fair is
constantly held. It is established by Apollyon, Beelzebub and Legion - the three
wicked monsters, to tempt the Pilgrims by exposing them to all worldly luxuries. In
the Catalogue of the commodities available and sold at the fair are lands, trades,
honours, titles, kingdoms, countries, whores, bawds, wives, husbands, children,
masters, servants and soon. The shopkeepers press them to buy something. Christian
and Faithfull desire to buy nothing but truth. Due to their unusual demand, they are
imprisoned. Finally, the natives of town bring them before a jury consisting of Mr.
Blind-Mind, Mr. Malice, Mr. Love and Mr. Implacable. The result of the jury is that
Faithful is condemned to death, while Christian is sent back to prison. A group of
heavenly beings appear and lift Faithful’s body in to a chariot and carry it to the gate
of the celestial city. Meanwhile, Christian somehow manages to escape the custody of
his enemies along with a man called ‘Hopeful’.

2.6 SUMMARY

The Pilgrim’s Progress is an allegory because the characters in the story are
personifications of human vices, human failings and human virtues. Almost every
incident in the story has its own moral significance. ‘The pilgrimage’ is the obvious
simile for the course of human life from birth to eternity, especially in conjunction
with the ideas of original sin, salvation by grace and eternal bliss or damnation as the
final destiny of all men.

The Pilgrim’s Progress opens in a most dramatic manner. The protagonist,

Christian, who is also known as Graceless, runs away from his native place, the city
of destruction. The knowledge about the fore coming destruction of his native city,
which he has learnt from the Book, gives him great pain; he has a heavy burden on his
back. He plans to run away from his city, forsaking his wife and children in quest of
the ‘life eternal’. A preacher by name Evangelist guides him the proper way to reach
the ‘Celestial City’. Pliable and obstinate, his neighbours try to get him back. Pliable
after accompanying him a little while returns home leaving Christian alone. After
surviving the slough of despond and many other difficulties, Christian is allowed to
enter the wicket-gate. Then in due course of his journey, he crosses the Hill of
difficult and reaches the House of Interpreter, who shows him a series of emblematic
pictures from which he draws several useful lessons for his journey. Soon he reaches
the cross and the burden on his back, drops off. He feels very surprised to find that the
very sight of the cross has relieved him of his burden. Three shining ones salute him
and wish him:

“Peace be to thee. May thy sins be forgiven”.

Christian is now dressed with a fresh, divine, holy robe and is also given a
parchment roll as a sort of identity card. Resuming his journey, Christian soon meets
Simple, Sloth and Presumption whose feet are in fetters. They lay fast asleep and
Christian tries to awaken them. But they pay no heed to him. They represent laziness
and unwillingness. Christian next arrives at the palace beautiful. This place
symbolizes the congregation of holy men who gather at regular interval to discuss
their religion duties. Here he meets, three damsels, ‘Prudence’, ‘Piety’ and ‘Charity’.
Here Christian is given a sword and armour. It is the sword of spirit, which helps him
successfully fight all the dangers in his path. The sword and the armour transform
Christian into a knight-cum-saint. They enable him fight courageously with Apollyon
whom he defeats and drives away. Thus Christian successfully passes through the
valley of humiliation and the shadow of Death. A man called faithful joins him and on
arriving in the town of vanity, they are both taken into custody for having flouted of
worldly goods and allurements available at Vanity Fair. They face the jury and
Faithful is sentenced to death for the charge of life in the Vanity Town. However, at
the very time that he is executed, his soul is carried in chariot to the Heaven by the
shining ones.

Another man called Hopeful who has felt inspired by Faithful’s martyrdom,
decided to cast his lot with Christian in his journey. The Pilgrims, Christian and
Hopeful now get entangled into another danger and are captured by giant despair and
are imprisoned in doubting castle. However, they manage to escape with a key called
‘Promise’. Next they proceed their journey and reach the most pleasant ‘Detectable
Mountain’ where they are greeted by the shepherds - Experience, watchful, sincere
etc. They show the pilgrims many wonderful sights including a glimpse of the distant
celestial city. Finally the two pilgrims reach the River of Death after crossing it they
arrive at the gate of the Celestial city. They are received with music and a divine
resplendent garment adorns them. Escorted by the shining ones, the two pilgrims,
Christian and Hopeful enter into the celestial city, which is the abode of God, of
angles and the spirits of the saints.

On the whole the whole, work is studded with many exciting and interesting
actions. The mode adopted by John Bunyan is narrative, but there is also plenty of
conversation in the course of the journey, which adds more colour to the work.
Throughout the work, Christian has long and useful conversation with other
characters like Hopeful, Faithful Mr. Worldly Wiseman etc. which stand as a test for
his confidence and will power towards spiritual quest. The first part of pilgrim’s
progress ends with Mr. Ignorance being taken to hell for having wrong notions and
having expressed misleading and false views regarding religion and for having chosen
wrong path.
2.7TERMINAL QUESTIONS

SECTION A:

ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS IN ONE OR TWO SENTENCES:

1. Who guided Christian? And where was he directed?

2. Name two neighbours who joined Christian?
3. Who accompanied Christian in his journey?
4. Who misguided Christian? Where he was falsely diverted?
5. Give the name of two children whom Christian met in the Interpreter’s
house?
6. Name the three men, who were in fetters?
 7. Name the damsels whom Christian met?

8. Name the valleys, which Christian crossed in due course of his

journey?

9. Who was Apollyon?

10. Name the members in the Jury.

SECTION B:

ANSWER THE FOLLOWING IN PARAGRAPHS:

1. Bring out the allegorical significance of the episode of Vanity Fair.

2. Describe the allegorical significance of Giant despair and of doubting
castle.
3. Give a sketch of John Bunyan’s style in Pilgrim’s progress.
4. Describe the main events in the life of Faithful.
5. Describe briefly Christian’s experience in the slough of despond.
6. Bring out the symbolic significance of character of Mr. Ignorance

SECTION C:

ANSWER THE FOLLOWING ESSAY QUESTIONS:

1. . Trace the allegory in the Pilgrims progress.

2. . What is the symbolic value of Christian’s encounter with Apollyon?
3. . Give an account of Christian’s spiritual progress as described in the
Pilgrims progress.
4. . Write a character sketch of Christian.
5. . Make a character study of Hopeful and his company to Christian.
 CHAPTER – III
THE PILGRIM’S PROGRESS – JOHN BUNYAN

3.1 INTRODUCTION
This chapter deals with the salient features of The Pilgrim’s Progress and
also highlights the comments of various critics. The literary criticism on John
Bunyan’s Pilgrims Progress and the key words are listed for the better understanding
of the work.

3.2 A DETAILED ANALYSIS OF THE TEXT – PARAPHRASE – PART - II

A Meeting with By-Ends

Christian and Hopeful, on their way, meet a man whose name is By-Ends and
who comes from the town of Fair-Speech. Christian and Hopeful learn that By-Ends
are very cunning and ambitious man. Religion goes in his silver slippers and he easily
moulds in accordance with worldly need and requirements. Realizing his cunning
nature soon, Hopeful and Christian walk ahead avoiding his company. Later on
looking back, they observe that By -Ends has been joined by Mr. Hold –the world,
Mr. Money –Love and Mr. Save-all. All these men believe in making hay while the
Sun Shines.

A Silver –Mine on a Hill Called ‘Lucre’ – another temptation

The two Pilgrims now enter a pleasant plain called ‘Ease’. Soon they reach a
Silver-Mine on a hill called Lucre, which is graded by Demas. Demas invite them to
dig their fortune in the mine and enrich themselves with silver. But Christian and
Hopeful pay no heed to his words. Thus they successfully resists to the temptation of
Demas and progress on their way. But, By-Ends and his companions fall a prey to
Demas’ tricky trap and perish in the Silver-Mine. Christian and Hopeful soon arrive at
a place where they see a strange monument. It is a Pillar of Salt. They learn the
precepts by caution from the pillar of salt into which Lot’s wife was transformed
because of her sins. Discussing the fate of Lot’s wife and her sin, they leave the place,
proceeding further.
The River of Life – gesture of hope and bliss
The two Pilgrims, Christian and Hopeful enter a pleasant land. They arrive at
the bank of a pleasant river called, The River of Life. They refresh themselves from
the water from the river, which quenches their thirst. They also taste the delicious
fruits from the trees in the bank of the river. The crystal clear water, cool-breeze,
sweet aroma of lilies, the green – meadow, all please their tried body and mind. They
rest and sleep there and then they resume their journey.

Vain Confidence – a sign of misguidance

The two Pilgrims find the path very difficult. However they manage to walk.
On their way now they meet a man called Vain- Confidence who guides them to take
‘By-Path’ meadow. Vain – Confidence falls in a pit and disappears. The two Pilgrims
now stand in darkness. A furious storm follows and it starts to rain heavily. They, in
despair at last seek a shelter and soon fall asleep.

Doubting Castle and Giant Despair -A Sign of Torment and Trouble

The Pilgrims wake up in the morning and find themselves under the grip and
custody of a giant called Despair. He accuses them of trespassing on his territory. He
confirms them to a dungeon in a castle known as Doubting Castle. The giant under the
instigation of his wife, Diffidence beats them with his cudgel and urge them to kill
themselves. The Pilgrims stay as the prisoners in the dungeon from Wednesday
morning till Saturday night. At one occasion, the giant plans to kill them, but luckily
the periodic fits that struck the giant save them. Christian soon remembers of the key
called ‘Promise’ that he has in his bosom, which can open any lock. Soon they try to
open the lock. They succeed but hearing the noise, the giant, tries to capture them.
Again the periodic fits strikes the giant and taking advantage of it, the Pilgrims escape
out of the prison.

Pleasant Stay with Shepherds at Delectable Mountain – A Positive Gesture.

The author in his Dream sees Christian and Hopeful walking in a delightful
pastoral landscape. Now, they reach the most awaited Delectable Mountain, Which is
also called Emmanuel’s Land They reach the top of the mountain and refresh
themselves with delicious fruits. They meet the native shepherds by name
Knowledge, Experience, Watchful and Sincere. The shepherds greet them with love
and care. The Pilgrims stay there for few days. The shepherds also take the pilgrims to
the hill called ‘Clear’ from where they see a glimpse of the celestial city through a
perspective glass. But Christian and Hopeful see only a hazy view of the gate of the
city. Eventually, they depart to progress their journey. One of the shepherds gives
them a map to show them the right path and another warns them to be aware about
Mr. Flatterer and the third shepherd suggests them not to sleep on the Enchanted
Ground and the fourth shepherd wishes those good – speed and good luck.

The Company of Ignorance

In his dream, the author seas the two Pilgrims, Christian and Hopeful getting
down the Delectable Mountain and walking towards the Celestial city. At this
juncture, the Pilgrims meet a brisk lad named Ignorance, who belongs to the country
of Deceit. Ignorance is wise in his own conceit and he suggests the Pilgrims to follow
the religion of his country. Christian and Hopeful could not agree with him and so
they walk ahead.
The Tale of Little –Faith
Now, on the way, the two Pilgrims meet a man called “Turn – away” He is a
native of the Town of Apostasy. This man has been misled by seven devils. Learning
Turn – Away’s story, Christian recalls the story of Little – Faith who had been robbed
by Faint – Heart, Mistrust and Guide when he was travelling from the Town of
Sincere to the Celestial City. Because of this, Little – Faith had been forced to beg the
means of living till the very end of his journey. Christian even compares the actions of
the Biblical character ‘Esau’ with the actions of Little – Faith.
Mr. Flatterer’s flattery and other Dangers
Soon, the two pilgrims meet a man in white robes. He introduces himself as
Mr. Flatterer and says that he is on his way to the Celestial City.
The two Pilgrims follows him but to their dismay, the Flatterer led them not to
the Celestial City but entangle them into a net. Now they realize their mistake of
ignoring the warning given by the shepherds. Soon, they see a Shining One
approaching them with a whip, which frees them from the entangled net. He blames
and whips them for following the false guides and declares them;
“As many as I love, I rebuke of chasten; be Zealous, therefore and repent”
The two Pilgrims, now proceed their journey. They also meet a man called
Atheist, but luckily they ignore him and walk further. Soon they enter the Enchanted
Ground. The very air of the place casts a spell of drowsiness and they fell like
sleeping. But the warning given by the shepherds makes them not to yield to the
temptation. They discuss on various topics on welfare of the Soul and God to keep
them in good Spirits.

The country of Beulah – a vision of the divine city

Now, the two Pilgrims enjoy the bliss of entering into the divine country of
Beulah. The pleasant sweet air, the melody of singing birds, the colorful flowers,
delicious fruits, and the resplendent beams of sun-all cherish their heart with extreme
happiness. This country is situated upon the borders of Heaven and the common
inhabitants are Angles and the Shining Ones. The two Pilgrims in a rapturous mood,
further reach a garden, which has been planted by the king for the delight and comfort
of the Pilgrims. They refresh themselves with the juicy fruits from the orchards and
walk ahead.
The River of Death of - Christian’s Ordeal
Christian and Hopeful now find themselves very close to the gates of the
Celestial City. They find a river called The River of Death. Soon a Shining One
appears and instructs them;
“You will find the river deeper or Shallower, according to the depth or shallowness
of your belief in the king of our city”.
The two Pilgrims gaining confidence enter into the river Hopeful with strong
faith easily feels of bottom of the river. But Christian due to great fear sees utter
darkness around him. He senses great horror and begins to drown. With the comforts
given by Hopeful, soon he manages and recovers and finds himself on the other side
of the river. He realizes the mercy and grace of Jesus Christ who has saved him from
death.

The Perpetual Glory of the Paradise

On the bank of River, Christian and Hopeful are greeted by the Shining Ones.
They salute the Pilgrims and introduce themselves as the ministering sprits sent forth
to serve those who seek salvation. Escorted by the Shining Ones, the Pilgrims walk
towards the gate, which stood majestically upon the mount Zion. The Pilgrims now
start to climb hill with great agility and speed. As they walk, they listen to the glory of
the celestial city, which the Shining Ones narrate. They describe them the bounty
grace and mercy of the king of the heavenly Jerusalem, who is served by countless
angles. They also give a fine picture of the true of life of its significance. The Shining
Ones further say to the Pilgrims:
“When you enter the Paradise, you shall have white robes to wear. There you
shall walk and talk everyday with the king. There you shall not see the things, which
you used to see upon the earth. There you shall not witness any sorrow, sickness, and
affliction of death. You are now going to Abraham, to Issac to Jacob, and to the
Prophets”
The Pilgrims ask them “what must we do in the holy place?” They reply “You
must there receive the comfort for all your toil, and receive joy for all your sorrow.
You must reap what you have sown, and you must receive the fruit of all your
prayers.”

A Red Carpet Welcome by the Angles - A Sign of Eternal Peace

Now the Pilgrims reach very nearer to the gate of the celestial city. A crowd
of angles receives them with the king’s trumpeters saluting them and greeting them by
blowing the trumpets. The Pilgrims feel the joy of butterflies fluttering at their heart.
As they enter the gates, they read these words written on the gate in the golden letters:
“Blessed are they that do His commandments, so that you may have a right to
the Tree of Life, and may enter through the gate into the city”.
As they enter the gate, they handover the roll and the gate opens for them. As
they enter, they are now transfigured and clothed in golden garments. Now the author,
in his dream, hears the ringing of the bells in the city to give a joyful welcome to the
Pilgrims. The narrator also hears the men singing:
“Blessing, honour, glory and power, be to him that sitteth upon the throne,
and to the lamb, for ever and ever”
The narrator in his dream enjoys a view of the golden city, the men with
crowns on their heads, palms in their hands and golden harps to sing praises. And
finally the gates get shut.

The Fate of Ignorance

Now, the narrator looks the other side and finds Ignorance coming up to the
riverside. However, he is not allowed to advance towards the gate of the celestial city
as he has no proper certificates or the Roll and ultimately he is directed to Hell.
Finally the narrator wakes up and realizes that he had been dreaming all the
time.

3.3 THE PILGRIM’S PROGRESS – A CRITIQUE

The Plot

A plot is an essential ingredient to a novel and the Pilgrim’s Progress too has a
well-knit plot. According to Aristotle’s terminology, a plot must have a beginning,
middle and an end. The Pilgrim’s Progress very aptly abides by the concept of
Aristotle. The start of Christian’s voyage represents the beginning of the plot, the
hindrances and the obstacles, which he experiences, the temptations and dangers
which he overcomes, and the encouragements and guidance, which he receives on the
way-mark the middle of the plot; and his arrival at his destination, which is the
celestial city marks the end. Thus the plot is well planned and well knit.

Form and Structure

The pilgrim’s progress has a fine structure. Though it is studded with plenty of
characters and deals with various situations the unity is perfectly maintained. The
story is by no means intricate and the narration follows a straight line. The central
theme is the conflict between the spirit and the flesh and the ultimate victory of the
spirit. The theme and the subject are well established following a smooth plain path.

Dramatic situations

A dramatic situation is one which excites the readers, stimulating their interest
in the story. The pilgrim’s progress is well constructed with large number of dramatic
situations to provoke the zeal of the readers. Christian’s encounter in the slough of
despond, the timely rescue by Help, Christian’s relief from his burden, his battle with
Apollyon, the encounter with Giant despair, imprisonment in doubting castle, the
ordeal at the river of Death etc are some of the dramatic situations which are
sensational. These are all reminiscent of the medieval romances where the knight-
errant faced many dangers which they overcome.

Suspense

The Pilgrim’s Progress is a novel with a lot of suspense which is one of the
reasons for its wide popularity. The twists and turns, and shocks and knocks provoke
the interest of the readers. Christian’s combat with Apollyon, his journey through the
valley of the shadow of Death, the wilderness, the darkness, the snares, nets, traps,
pitfall, Christian’s imprisonments in the doubting castle, his torments and pains all
impart to the work the character of a novel of adventure.

The element of humour

The Pilgrim’s Progress is a religious work, serious in tone. The solemnity is

relieved by frequent touches of humour. The portrayal of characters like Mr.Talkative,
Mr. Money-Love and his friends are highly ironical and satirical. The conversations
of such characters are amusing. The absurdities of such characters provoke laughter.
The very names given to the judge and the jury functioning in the town of vanity like
Mr.Blindman, Mr. No-good, Mr. Malice, Mr. Love-lust, and Mr. Live-loose are quite
amusing and funful. The behaviour and evidence of prosecution witnesses like
Mr.Pickthanks and the manner in which the jury give their verdict is highly humorous
and comical.

Pathos

Pathos is another inevitable element in The Pilgrim’s Progress. The journey is

presented as a continuous conflict between the good and evil, between the right and
wrong, where the protagonist, Christian suffers a lot. The plight and miserable state of
Christian right from the story arouses sympathy. The mental suffering which he
experiences at the valley of shadow of the death, the physical pain which he
experiences when fighting with Apollyon in the valley of Humiliations are some
samples of his desperate state. But Christian with will-power and with faith succeeds
in reaching his destination.

Realistic and romantic elements

The Pilgrim’s Progress is a happy amalgam of realism and fantasy. The work
has a fanciful incident, at the same time, the books give a truly realistic pictures of
human life and human beings. The fanciful events are mostly derived by Bunyan from
the ‘Romances’ and the realistic elements are mostly based on the life style of
Bunyan’s period and are based on Bunyan’s personal experiences. Apollyon, the
invisible fiend in the valley of Humiliations, the dragons, Monsters in the valley of the
shadow of death, the encounter with Giant despair and several other incidents and
characters belong to the astounding world of fantasy.

Hopeful’s portrayal and his conversion from a sinner to a pious man, Mr. By-
Ends evasive answers, the high way robbery, the pilgrim’s experience at the vanity
fair, the trial of Faithful and Christian all add an air of realism to the story. Thus the
action in the story is mingled with reflection, discourse, and discussion.

The religious theme (Calvinistic Belief)

The moral of the whole story is that by means of Faith, Hope and firm
Determination, a man can attain the salvation of his soul. In the process of doing so,
he has to overcome his spiritual doubts, he has to overcome the temptations and
desires, and he has to conquer all Carnal desires. Furthermore he must gain the grace
of God and should be one of the ‘Elect’ of God for salvation. This is completely based
on Calvinistic theology propounded by a scholar by name, John Calvin. The leading
principles of Calvinistic theology are a belief in the sovereignty of his soul only if
God has chosen him as one of the elect, a belief that God is seen in Jesus Christ who
possessed all the attributes of God such as God’s love, compassion and patience. Both
Christian and Hopeful in the story realize this theological principle and do everything
in the spirit of this belief. Another subsidiary theme is the moral superiority of the
poor over the rich. The most striking example of which is the triumph of the ‘man in
rags’ overall obstacles and impediments.

3.4 LITERARY CRITICISM

1. “The Pilgrim’s Progress” – an Admirable and wonderful book.

This wonderful work is one of the very few books which may be read over
repeatedly at different times, and each time with a new and a different pleasure. I read
it once as a theologian – and let me assure you that there is great theological acumen
in the work – once with devotional feelings – and once as a poet. I could not have
believed before and that Calvinism could be painted in such exquisitely delightful
colours.

I know of no books, the Bible accepted, as above all comparison, which I,

according to my judgment and experience, could so safely recommend as teaching
and enforcing the whole saving truth according to the mind that was in Christ Jesus,
as in The Pilgrim’s progress. It is, in my conviction incomparably the best Summa
Theological Evangelical ever produced by a writer not miraculously inspired.

- S.T.Coleridge

2. In the wildest part of Scotland, The Pilgrim’s Progress is the delight of the
peasantry. In every nursery The Pilgrim’s Progress is a greater favourite than Jack the
Giant-Killer. Every reader knows the straight and narrow path as well as he knows a
road in which he has gone backward and forward a hundred times. This is the highest
miracle of genius that things, which are not, should be as though they were, that the
imaginations of one mind should become the personal recollections of another.

- Thomas

Babington Macaulay.

3. The Pilgrim’s who complete the journey from destruction to fulfillment do so out
of “the love, that they bear to the king of this place, and they continue in the way only
because, like Christian, they prefer the person, company, and servants of Christ to the
enticements of Apollyon. No other motivation is ultimately sufficient to sustain the
pilgrims in the completion of so difficult a way. Each who perseveres does so in order
that, as young Samuel puts it, “I may see God, and serve him without weariness; that I
may see Christ and love him everlastingly; that I may have the fullness of the Holy
spirit in me, that I can by no means here enjoy”. Heaven is sought not because it is a
palace and state most blessed”, but because God is the centre of heaven, and it is only
for that reason that heaven is the palace and state most blessed.

- R.M.Frye

4. The Pilgrim’s Progress (1678) takes the archetypal theme of man’s life as a journey
and treats of Christian’s Journey from the city of Destruction to Salvation and Heaven
with raciness and colour; and though there are moments when Bunyan strays out of
familiar landscapes and personalities to indulge in too abstract or unrealized
descriptions, for the most part he draws on the life and the people he knows and the
narrative has concreteness of detail and even on occasions, humour.

- David Daiches

3.5 KEY WORDS

ALLEGORY

An Allegory is a narrative in which the agents and action and sometimes the
setting as well, are contrived not only to make sense in themselves, but also to signify
a second, correlated order of persons, things, concepts, or events.

3.6 SUMMARY

John Bunyan’s ‘The Pilgrim’s Progress’ a fine allegory describes a pilgrimage

undertaken by a man called Christian. The journey also narrates the mishaps and
dangers which befall the protagonist in due course of his progress towards the
celestial city. The story can be pondered in two levels. On the surface level, it can be
treated as an adventurous fairy tale, while on the deeper level, the journey represents a
religious man’s effort to seek spiritual progress and wish to get united with God.

3.7 TERMINAL QUESTIONS

SECTION A:

ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS IN A SENTENCE OR TWO:

1. Name the native town of By – Ends.
2. Name the three companions who joined By – Ends.
3. Where was the silver mine and who guarded it?
4. What is “Pillar of salt’?
5. Who imprisoned the Pilgrims?
6. Name some shepherds whom Christian and Hopeful met at Delectable
Mountain.
7. Who did rob Little-Faith?
8. Name the divine country that the pilgrims entered.
9. Name the river that Christian and Hopeful had to cross.
10. Where was Ignorance sent? Why?

SECTION B:
ANSWER THE FOLLOWING IN PARAGRAPHS:

1. Write about Christian’s meeting with Wordy Wiseman.

2. Write brief note on: 1) Pliable 2) Obstinate

3) Evangelist 4) Demas.
3. Give an account of Christian’s entry into the House of the Interpreter.

4. Bring out the significant literary qualities of Bunyan’s narration and style in the
Pilgrim’s progress.

5. Write about the spiritual landscapes that appear in The Pilgrim’s Progress.

SECTION C:

ANSWER THE FOLLOWING ESSAY QUESTIONS:

1. Write a short essay on the handling of romantic, realistic and Calvinistic

elements in The Pilgrim’s Progress.

2. Attempt an essay on the thematic analysis of The Pilgrim’s Progress.

3. Write about Bunyan’s mastery in handling of autobiographical elements in the

pilgrim’s progress.

4. Write a brief account of Christian’s spiritual progress as described in the

pilgrim’s progress.
3.8 SUGGESTED READINGS

1. The Pilgrim’s Progress

- Ed. Sharrock

- Macmillan Publication

2. John Bunyan, His Life, Times and Work - John Brown

3. John Bunyan and His Church -Christopher Hill

4. John Bunyan, the Man and His works - Henri. A.Talon

 CHAPTER – IV

EMMA -JANE AUSTEN

4.1 INTRODUCTION
The purpose of this chapter is to reflect over the life and social background of
Jane Austen. It is designed to study how Jane Austen began her career as a novelist
and what made her to get into the field of literature.

4.2 SOCIAL AND CULTURAL BACKGROUND OF THE AGE

Jane Austen’s short life took place in the reign of George III and had several
important events and changes as its background like the early growth of industrialism,
the transitional period between the 18th and the 19th century. In 1776 the States of
America declared their independence and the French Revolution began in 1789 and
from 1793 to 1815 England was involved in wars with France. It was the time of
Nelson and Wellington and Waterloo and a consequent increase in importance of the
army and the navy. These events are reflected in the novel to the extent that they must
have been reflected in the lives of the people Jane Austen knew. They are not
obtrusive but present in the social changes they brought about. As a result, the militia
and their camps have their part in the plots. Particularly in the later novels, the navy is
a means of improvement for men who are not rich and who can enrich themselves by
promotion and prizes taken place in the battle ‘persuasion’. The importance of the
colonies as a source of income is reflected both in ‘Persuasion’ and ‘Mansfield Park’.
There is a passing note of the slave trade referred in ‘Emma’. Her life, her quality of
mind and her reading influenced her writings. The early 18th century rational attitude
of not approving the uncontrollable emotions and the transition to the Romantic
Revival and the conflict between the two attitudes of mind (Sense and Sensibility)
found a place in her novels.

The prominent elements of romanticism

Romanticism, generally speaking, is the expression in term of art of sharpened
sensibilities and heightened imaginative feelings. Emotion and imagination are the
bedrock of romanticism. Without flights of imaginative sensibility, it is easy to obtain
anything else except romanticism. More over, a romantic poet takes the readers to far
off places in the middle ages and introduces the readers to a world of strangeness and
beauty. It is the combination of strangeness linked with beauty that the readers enjoy
the essence of the romantic spirit. Pater considered the romantic character in art as
consisting in “the addition of strangeness to beauty.” “The desire of beauty,”
continues Pater, “being a fixed element in every artistic organization, it is the addition
of curiosity to this desire of beauty that constitutes the romantic temper.” Thus the
two prominent elements of romanticism are curiosity and beauty. They are integral
factors in romanticism, i.e., the one intellectual, the other emotional. Romanticism
stands of freedom and liberty, and has therefore been designated as ‘Liberalism in
literature.’ It stands for freedom from all kinds of bondage of rules and regulations,
and leaves its pursers in free delights.

Jane Austen belonged to the period of Wordsworth, Keats, Shelley, Scott and
so. This is the most fertile period of our literature, termed as ‘The Return to Nature’;
or The age of Romanticism. The writers are explored anew, and are drawn upon by
the genius of Keats, Shelley and many more. Modern times are analyzed and
dissected in the work of the novelists, the satires of Byron, and the production of the
miscellaneous writers. This is indeed the return to nature, for all nature is scrutinized
and summed up afresh.

4.3 INTRODUCTION TO THE AUTHOR

Jane Austen, the daughter of a Hampshire clergyman, was born on Dec 16,
1775 at Steventon in South – Central England. She was the seventh of eight children,
six boys and two girls. The two sisters loved each other intensely. Her mother said
that ‘if Cassandra were going to have her head cut off, Jane would insist on sharing
her fate.’ Jane’s only one sister, Cassandra was her close companion and friend.

As her father was a country clergyman, Jane Austen had a contact with the
limited world of rustics. In a letter of her adulthood she said that “Such a spot is the
delight of my life; three or four families in a country village is the very thing to work
on.” In fact, she depicted her observance and experience with the people throughout
her novels. Jane Austen loved the life around her. But she also saw the imperfections
of life along with its perfections. Of course, she was aware of worldly happenings: the
distant thunder of the American and French revolutions, the rise of Napoleon, the
industrial revolution, the British maritime mutinies, the overdone peculiarities of
Gothic and sentimental novels, the new emotional quality of romanticism. But most of
these continuous historic changes did not come even as close as the blank margin of
her pages. Instead, she concentrated upon eternal mixed qualities of humanity and of
human relationships. She is personified in the provincial society.

Jane Austen was educated at home. As the Austens were a novel reading
family, Jane Austen began her literary career at the age of fifteen. She had read
widely in certain field and reading played a substantial part in the life at Steventon
Vicarage. Jane Austen had also the traditional accomplishments of the female of her
day – She sang, played the piano, and drew. Dancing was an important amusement in
most of her novels. Perhaps she is an Italian, Jane also read French. On her father’s
retirement in 1801 the family moved to Bath, a city that frequently appears in her
fiction, but returned to Hampshire after his death in 1805. With her mother and sister,
Jane Austen lived first in Southampton and then in Chawton, near Alton. She
remained there as a spinster until she died in Winchester at the age of 41, 1817 and
buried in the Cathedral.

4.4 HER CHARACTERISTICS

The attainment of self-knowledge on the part of the central figures is always
Jane Austen’s theme. The secret of her power lies in the complete mastery over her
material as an artist. She has her own interpretation of life to be the source of her
novels.

One of the greatest qualities of a novelist is his/her power to create living

characters, and Jane Austen possessed this quality. She gives only those aspects of life
which a woman is supposed to know, and which she knew at first hand. She does
away with romantic adventures, reveries or death – scenes, for they would have
interfered with her comic vision. Similarly, she recognizes the presence of evil in the
world and tolerates it.
 Jane Austen’s novels have an exactness of a structure and symmetry of form,
which are to be found more often in French literature than in English. She surveyed
her creatures with too detached an irony. She does not sentimentalize love and glorify
it like earlier novelists, but her conception of a genuine union is loftier one than theirs.
She is a practical idealist.

Jane Austen was one of the highly sophisticated artists in fiction. In the
opinion of W.L. Cross, “She is one of the sincerest examples in our literature of art
for art’s sake.” She wrote her novels with care and constantly revising pattern. “She
was a serious and conscious writer, absorbed in her art, wrestling with its problems.
Casting and re-casting her material, transferring her novels form letter to narrative
form, storing her subject matter with meticulous economy, she had the great artist’s
concern with form and presentation, viewed Arnold Kettle. She has been considered
as a writer of the ‘Pure novel’ and this remark is brought out by Robert Liddell on
Miss Compton Burnett says, “She is writing the pure novel, ‘as Jane Austen did’,
concentrating upon human beings and their mutual reactions.” It is particularly
noticeable in the case of Jane Austen who is hailed as a novelist too. As a master of
her craft she outshined all contemporary novelists.

Jane Austen is a satirist as well as a moralist too. In “Sense and Sensibility”

she satirizes the sentimentality in the character of Marianne. In the character of John
Dashwood, she satirizes henpecked husbands and in the character of his wife she finds
nothing but contempt for her selfishness. Her satire is directed against the Gothic
Romance and the zest for stormy passions. She adds the love for morality along with
the satire. Obviously, Morality reflects in her novels. Walter Allen rightly points out,
“Jane Austen was a moralist – an eighteenth – century moralist. In some respects, she
was the last and finest flower of that century at its quintessential”. She hates folly,
irresponsibility and lack of self – restraint throughout her life. “Jane Austen
recognized that how you live is second in importance to what you live for, that life is
a question of form as well as of content. To be completely satisfactory as a human
being you need to be not only good and sensible but also good mannered and
cultivated. If you could not manage to be good there was some merit in being good –
mannered.”

Moreover, Jane Austen’s view of life is realistic. She is an idealist, but a

practical idealist. She condemns all ideas that are not related to the facts of human
life. Her view of life was so fundamental to her that all her novels are immersed in it.

4.5 HER OEUVRE

Jane Austen is hailed as a great novelist. Jane Austen was a born story – teller,
and reveled in it from early years. She wrote from sheer love of writing and her
stories being published anonymously during her lifetime. In her short span, the
important works she produced were Sense and Sensibility (1811), Pride and
Prejudice (1813) Northanger Abbey (1798) and Persuasion (1818), Mansfield
Park (1814), and Emma (1815). In these works Jane Austen chose deliberately to
portray small groups of people in a confining environment and also, to mould the
apparently trivial incidents of their lives into a poised comedy of manners.

Sense and Sensibility

In this novel, Jane Austen ridicules sentimentalists in a subdued ironical tone.
One of the characters, Elinor represents sense and her sister Marianne stands for
sensibility. The satire is mostly directed against sensibility and sentimentally depicted
in the character of Marianne. Jane Austen also ridicules the selfishness and worldly
wisdom of Mrs. John Dashwood, and the henpecked nature of John Dashwood. The
style is forcefully ironical.

Pride and Prejudice

‘Pride and Prejudice’ is considered to be the finest novel of Jane Austen, and
is the work of art in the history of English fiction. It has an outline of incomparable
freshness and sharpness. The same thing is carved on Shakespeare’s witty comedy;
Benedict and Beatrice who hate each other in the beginning of the play are ultimately
married at the end. Similarly, Jane Austen’s novel also has the exhibition of ‘Pride
and Prejudice’ and their ultimate union at the end. Darcy represents Pride and
Elizabeth represents prejudice. They are eventually united in a cheerful spirit. The
characters are finely drawn.

Northanger Abbey
In Northanger Abbey as in Sense and Sensibility Jane Austen gave her view
of what a novel should avoid. “She sheared away epic digressions, common place
moralizing, hysterical sentiment, the lovely weather of romance, and the prattle of
young ladies to their confidents about their beaux and sprigged muslin robes”. After a
visit to Bath, the heroine is invited to an abbey. She imagines romantic possibilities
there but she is undeceived at the end of the novel. Treatment of the characters is
clever and touched with finest satiric observation.

Mansfield Park
The central character of the novel is Fanny Price. The characters of Lady
Bertram and Sir Thomas Bertram have been admirably drawn. The novel has a great
significance and represents the reaction of Jane Austen, recognized as a quite
respectable lady novelist of the times.

Emma
The novel has been named after the heroine of the novel, Emma. The only one
special trait in the character of Emma is her keen sense of aristocracy. The same
determined feature was found in Jane Austen too throughout her life. The central
characters of the fiction are landowners with tenant farmers, persons of private
income and they are concentrated in houses and families. Totally, they live in a
controlled and stable world.

Persuasion
It is the last work of Jane Austen. The tone of this novel is warmer. “Jane
Austen gives to Anne Elliot the most moving love story she ever wrote, so tender in
expression that it is a matter of tradition to believe it echoed some chapter form the
story of her own life. Anne is forced by the social prejudice of her family to break off
her engagement to Frederick Wentworth, a young naval officer with whom she is
deeply in love. The story is concerned with the gradual revival of his passion for her
when the bloom of youth has faded – and they are eventually married.”

As Somerset Maugham keenly observes, “It is difficult to decide which the

best of her novels is because they are all so good, and each one has its devoted and
even fanatic admirers.” In her books, as well as in life, her surroundings are the manor
house and the cottage, the ballroom and the parsonage. She proved that her interest
was both the great and the small, and neither escaped her comic lashings. Therefore,
the characters in her novels live in a closed society. They are quite amused by their
own ambition, funny in their talks. “Violence, poverty and death play little part in
Jane Austen’s novels,” says Duke Schirmir.

Winston Churchill liked her novels for the reason that there are “no worries
about the French revolution or the crashing struggle of the Napoleonic wars, only
manners controlling natural passion so far as they could, together with cultured
explanations of any mischances.” Hence there is a strong basis of moral seriousness to
her work.

4.6 HER CONTRIBUTION TO LITERATURE

Jane Austen was the greatest woman novelist during the first quarter of the
nineteenth century. She brings about miracles and so often her name is compared with
Shakespeare. Robert Liddell depreciated and also supported her comparison with
Shakespeare when he remarks, “Jane Austen, and very ineptly, is compared with
Shakespeare; it is hard to see how anyone who sincerely admired either of them could
make that comparison, or could suppose that they were trying to do the same things.
His handling of character and intrigue is often no more impressive than her verbal
poetry. But their fate has in some ways been similar: they are standard and accepted
authors, as no other English author is, and people think they have a knowledge of
them that is almost ‘infused’ and feel able to write about them without previous study
in a way in which no one would venture to write about Milton or George Eliot.”
Jane Austen drew all her material from her own experience. She never went
outside her experience, with the result that all her scenes belong to South England
where she had spent a considerable period of her life. Moody and Lovett observe,
“Miss Austen exploited with unrivaled expertness the potentialities of a seemingly
narrow mode of existence. From the outset she limited her view to the world that she
knew and the influences that she saw at work”. Her novels present beautifully the
manners in Southern England of the early nineteenth century and the picture of the
entire English society of the Upper – Middle – Class, the clergy and the country
gentlemen is brought forth with all its comedy in her novels. The reason of why she
wrote only about the Upper – Middle – Class is this was the class that she knew and
her inhibition deserved praise. She contributed her novels with remarkable
psychological studies of men and women, avoiding passion and prejudice. Her novels
had a distinct moral purpose, which she sought to enforce through mild irony and
gentle satire. Thus she is distinguished as the greatest English novelist because of the
queenliness of her craftsmanship, purity and simplicity of her style and themes.

4.7 INTRODUCTION TO THE TEXT

In Austen’s time, social status was determined by a combination of family

background, reputation, and wealth – marriage was one of the main ways in which
one could raise one’s social status. Austen’s Emma is a brilliant novel and its themes
are universal and timeless. It is all about the things in life, which never change – love,
pride, marriage, status and money. Austen’s skill in reflecting Emma and her
machinations for good, against Mrs. Elton and her machinations for her own good are
gloriously done. This novel focused on the confined nature of a woman’s existence in
the early – nineteenth – century rural England.
 The protagonist of this novel, Emma Woodhouse possesses a great deal of
intelligence and energy that she attempts to guide the marital destinies of her friends.
She changes from being vain and self – satisfied, blind to her own feelings and
dangerously insensitive to the feelings of others, in a slow, painful progress towards
maturity.

Emma is left alone with her hypochondriacal father and feels bereft of
companionship when her governess, Miss. Taylor, leaves the house – hold to marry a
neighbour, Mr. Weston. She makes a protégée of Harriet Smith, an illegitimate girl of
no social status and sets about arranging Harriet’s life.

George Knightley of Donwell Abbey is a friend of the woodhouse family and

his young brother John is married to Emma’s sister, Isabella. He disputes Emma’s
smug assumption that Anne Taylor’s Marriage is largely due to her skill as a
matchmaker and frowns on her attempts to manipulate Harriet into what she decides
is a good marriage. One of his tenants, a young farmer named Robert Martin,
proposes to Harriet but Emma sees to it that Harriet turns him down. She tries instead
to effect a match for Harriet with Mr. Elton, a young clergyman, inspite of
Knightley’s warning. Elton despises Harriet and has set his sights on Emma herself.

For her part, Emma half fancies herself in love with Mr. Weston’s son by his
first marriage, Frank Churchill, who has now appeared on the scene. Harriet,
meanwhile, has become interested in George Knightley’s unaffected warmth and
intelligence. Emma, reassuring Harriet after the departure of Elton, is now considering
Frank Churchill for her. Without giving the thought expression, Emma has always
regarded Knightley as hers and the realization that Harriet might supplant her in
Knightley’s affections, together with the discovery that Frank Churchill is engaged to
Jane Fairfax, forces her to examine her own conduct and resolve to behave better.
Knightley proposes to her while Harriet, left to decide for Harriet, marries Robert
Martin.

4.8 THE STYLE

The style of Jane Austen is based upon the style of Dr. Johnson. She is very
much capable to give expression to the subtle nuances of her feelings through it. Her
Johnsonian diction and syntax are the standard. Miss Lascelles says, “To us Jane
Austen appears like one who inherits a prosperous and well ordered estate – the
heritage of prose style in which neither generalization nor abstraction need signify
vagueness, because there was close enough agreement as to the scope and
significance of such term”. Thus she can write, without the least suspicion of irony.

Jane Austen can use abstractions easily. Her sentences can be carefully
balanced. She can employ rhetorical language – It is by virtue of this tradition that the
irony of Jane Austen’s style derives much of its sharpness and point. But she does not
copy the tradition blindly but the traditional style undergoes a change into her hands.
It is with the sense of novelty as well as with the knowledge of her literary heritage
that her style is made.
Her novelty of Style

There is a simple word, which gives a hint of irony to a passage. Thus after
listening to John Knightley complain about going out to an evening party in bad
whether, Emma ‘could not be complying, she dreaded being quarrelsome; her heroism
reached only to silence’. She often wishes to present a character in an unfavorably
light.

In her later works she develops a variation on this technique; she constructs
sentences ‘too elaborate’, as Mrs. Lascelles says, ‘for … (the) powers’ of her
‘tiresome talkers’. There are, for example, Mr. Elton and Mrs. Clay, who are much
better parodies than Mr. Collins because they are more than paradise.

Understatement is the main aspect of irony; the device is used in the sense of
negation. In Jane Austen’s work there are hundreds of instances of this kind of irony.

Her Novels

Jane Austen has shown us in the book that Emma’s insistence is a sign of her
self – deception, a symbol of her unconscious love for Mr. Knightley. But the author
amusingly reminds the readers of the distance that her heroine has gone towards
knowing herself.

4.9 IRONY

Jane Austen’s irony has much more force than the usual rhetorical categories
will allow. Understatement and antiphrasis by no means account for all the ironies in
her diction and syntax. Her irony imported her front rank among the English
novelists.

‘Irony’ means the stylistic technique of reversal, or at least transformation of

literal meaning. Jane Austen like – wise often uses irony as a stylistic device for quite
unironic purposes.

4.10 THEME
Miss Jane Austen develops themes of her novels significantly. Her novels go
beyond social record, perplexity, commitment, and to moral concern. “She not only
limits herself to the sphere which she understands, she even picks and chooses
amongst the raw materials of experience available to her, eschewing what her genius
cannot control: She writes to her niece; but within this narrow range she does not by
any means plumb every depth. She is aware of this fact is evident from her
correspondence with James strainer Clarke, librarian to the Prince Regent,” observes
Andrew H. Wright.

The View of Critics

Most of Jane Austen’s readers see sin her choice of subject matter a deliberate
limitation, smallness of range. But those who like her find her scope quite adequate to
the exposition of important themes; those dislike her complain that the country gentry
cannot possibly yield anything of surpassing value.
 The country life in her part of the world was relatively undisturbed. She might
simply have held to the past, have rejected the present and its implications. Then her
themes might reflect or embody the morality of her father’s generation.

Jane Austen gives a full picture of even the narrow segment of society, which
is portrayed in the six novels. She omits to consider the lower classes and she hardly
touches on the part of aristocracy but when she does, its members are usually
satirized. So we are left with the country, even these gentry are not portrayed in full.

The theme of novel – Emma

Mr. R.I. Hughes says, “The underlying theme of this novel is the education of
Emma Woodhouse; and the recurrent irony is that Emma, who must become pupil,
insists on acting as teacher. Her mismanagement of the affairs of Harriet, and
consequent difficulties to Harriet, herself, Elton, Knightley all come out of Emma’s
confusion of two roles. The question is in what must Emma be educated? Obliviously
she is incredibly naive in the matters of passion and sex. Her awareness of how much
is involved in the act of loving is a theme capable of development totally within the
novel’s framework. But she is just as naïve in her notions of society and as soon as
love and a particular definition of society, are brought face-to-face, we are invited to
move outside the novel’s framework. The sprit of society is liquid, shifting; the state
of society beyond Highbury and Randall is not the same as it once was: no society
even is. Emma must also be educated in the respect and her awareness of the new
sprit of society cannot be developed totally within the novel for the simple reason that
the spirit lies outside the novel. Emma’s education is not single, but double: first, she
must recognize love as it is defined outside of her own cloistered fancies; second, she
must recognize society as it is defined outside the cloister of the novel. When she
recognizes that there is something outside is Emma redeemed; the invasion by outside
of the inside becomes a dominant theme of the novel; and it is the crossing and
recrossing of the two outsides (real love, real society) which determines the meaning
and the patterns of the novel.”

4.11 PLOT CONSTRUCTION

Jane Austen’s plots show artistic perfection. Jane Austen is one of those
novelists in whose works characters cannot be considered apart from plot.
Characterization and the construction go hand in hand in them, and quite often the
two are interchangeable. Her psychological insight into her characters, like her minute
observation, needs no elaboration. Most of them are “round” characters and have an
organic development.
One of Jane Austen’s achievements and merits is her perfection at plot
construction. She has given well-integrated plots. All the characters in a Jane Austen
novel are essential to its plot including the very minor ones.

The Construction
The construction of ‘Emma’ is a masterpiece of finished grace in seven well –
balanced movements which vary in length and in tempo but follow one another in a
harmonious succession of stresses and relaxations which is most interesting to
follow’. The first movement takes in the first I7 chapters and is concerned with the
Harriet smith - Elton. The second movement concerns with the Frank Churchill - Jane
Fairfax block. The third movement shows how skilfully Jane Austen suggests the
excitement aroused among the ladies of Highbury by Frank Churchill’s presence
among them. The fourth movement of the plot shows Emma’s state of her heart in
relation to Frank Churchill and she fancies herself out of love with him. In the fifth
movement we notice the turning round of the fate upon the offending Emma. The
sixth movement completes the march of the fate against Emma. The seventh and last
movement of the plot concerns itself with the Knightley block, when Emma is fully
absorbed wedding bells ring for Harriet and Emma. Jane Fairfax is also to be married
to Frank Churchill soon after the expiry mourning for his aunt.

The plot is quite complex, with more than one element often working at once.
It is well composed of classic pattern, contrast, and planned general social satire; all
facets are based upon conflict. Though it is not obvious as the others, even the last
mentioned element (which is man – against – man) stems from the conflict between
social intention and performance. All of these underlying conflicts are the motive of
comic irony.

4.12 SUMMARY

Jane Austen (1775 - 1817) born in South – Central England and possessed one of
the greatest qualities of a novelist that she had the power to create living characters.
Her life, her characteristics and her reading influenced her writings. It is very accurate
to mention that some of the events and changes which took place during her period
were also reflected in most of her novels: The early growth of Industrialism, French
revolution and the war between England and France. She concentrated upon eternal
mixed qualities of humanity, the cause of events and the status of the society at her
times and reached all sort of people through her works. Thus Jane Austen is hailed as
one of the greatest woman novelists of her times.

4.13 TERMINAL QUESTIONS

SECTION A:

ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS IN A SENTENCE OR TWO:

1. What is reflected in most of Jane Austen’s early novels?

2. When did the States of America declare their Independence?

3. Mention some of the Universal themes in Emma.

4. Who is the protagonist of the novel, Emma?

5. What language does Jane Austen employs in her writings?

SECTION B:

ANSWER THE FOLLOWING IN PARAGRAPHS:

1. Bring out the salient features of Romanticism.

2. Make a brief analysis on Jane Austen’s theme.

 3. How far is Jane Austen is considered as an idealist – Discuss

SECTION C:

ANSWER THE FOLLOWING ESSAY QUESTIONS:

1. Write a short essay on the major works of Jane Austen.

2. Jane Austen contributed her novels with the Psychological aspects of men and
women – Do you agree.
 CHAPTER – V

EMMA - JANE AUSTEN

5.1 INTRODUCTION

This chapter consists of the detailed analysis of the text - “Emma” and
its special significance, which helps the students, gain a thorough knowledge of the
text.

5.2 EMMA – AS A DOMESTIC NOVEL

Emma is definitely a domestic novel because it deals with only a few human
families belonging to different strata of society. Just as domestic novels bring out or
develop the family relations between the various characters so also social novels
reflect the social relations of the various families.

A Social Novel

Now, so far Emma is concerned, it narrates the domestic life and also
describes the social functions of a few families, living in various parts of England.
Jane Austen introduces into Emma some of the aristocratic, middle class, as well as
the poorer families. Most of these families are correlated either by domestic ties or by
social ties, e.g. The woodhouse are related to the Knightleys, the Campbells are
related to the Dixons, the Churchills are related to the Westons, and so on. There are a
few other families which are not domestically related but which are brought together
by social engagements or functions such as tea or dinner parties, ball dances and other
musical entertainments; and these families are the Martins, the Coles, and the Eltons
etc.

Domestic Ties

In Emma Jane Austen describes the domestic as well as the social relations of
the various families. Harriet Smith is brought in touch with Emma Woodhouse, Jane
Fairfax is placed by circumstances in the way of Frank Churchill, Miss Taylor is put
in touch with Mr. Weston, Mr. Elton is pulled out from Highbury to Bath to be in
close touch with Miss Augusta Hawkins, and even the Knightleys of London are
made to associate themselves with the Woodhouses of Highbury.

The Marital Touch

The chief touch is the marital touch, which has to pass through various stages
of love in order to mature into conjugal relations. There are five couples of lovers who
prepare themselves for conjugal life, while there three or more couples who have
already settled down into regular families. The five couples of lovers are Miss Taylor
and Mr. Weston, Miss Emma Woodhouse and Mr. George Knightley, Mr. Frank
Churchill and Miss Jane Fairfax, Mr. Elton and Miss Augusta Hawkins, Miss Harriet
Smith and Mr. Robert Martin. Those who have already settled into a regular married
life are the Coles, the Campbells, and the Knightleys etc. There are others who are
fortunate or unfortunate individuals who were married long ago but who are now
either widowers or widows such as Mr. Woodhouse, Mrs. Goddard, and Mrs. Bates;
there are one or two unfortunate souls who have not been united with any body by
marriage such as Miss Bates, Miss Cox and others.

A Novel of Domestic Life

Emma is chiefly a novel of domestic problems, and particularly, of love and
sometimes, of jealousy, hatred and rivalry, and on rare occasions, of
misunderstanding and enmity. The readers feel as if he or she is Emma or Frank,
Harriet or Elton, Knightley or Weston, just as he or she is made to pass through
certain situations and then after a succession of hurdles in the way of their desire for
union are united at last. We find in (Emma) Frank is united with Jane. Harried is
united with Martin, Miss Taylor is united with Mr. Weston, Mr. Elton is united with
Miss Augusta Hawkins, and Miss Emma Woodhouse is united with Mr. George
Knightley. Love and marriage are the greatest realities of domestic life, and these two
chief elements we find in the novel Emma, and Emma has been universally declared
as a domestic novel.

A Psychological Novel
Emma is a Psychological novel. Every domestic novel is bound to be
Psychological too. A Psychological novel means a novel in which some of the
characters being extremely intelligent or extremely stupid or extremely good or
extremely wicked act upon one another leading to their development or deterioration
as the story proceeds from a simple beginning to a serious complication. Some of the
characters as Emma, Mr. Elton, Frank Churchill, Jane Fairfax, Mr. George Knightley,
Mr. John Knightley are extremely intelligent or shrewd, while on the other hand,
Harriet Smith, Miss Bates, Mr. Woodhouse, Mrs. Weston, Isabella Knightley, are far
from being shrewd or intelligent. There are characters such as Mr. Elton, Mrs. Elton;
Frank Churchill, Jane Fairfax who are not only shrewd or intelligent but they verge on
the point of being wicked. Mr. and Mrs. Elton, Frank Churchill and even Jane Fairfax
are wicked in the sense that they always put on a mark and practice hypocrisy or
duplicity in order to serve their own selfish end? But the most stupid characters are
Miss Bates, Harriet Smith and even Mr. Woodhouse because they lack commonsense,
they do not know what they speak or do, and thereby they make themselves ridiculous
in the eyes of others.

Conclusion

Emma is a Psychological novel because some of the characters in it such as

Frank, Mr. Elton and his wife, Jane. Fairfax are indeed subtle Psychological subjects
while Miss Bates, Harriet, Emma’s father are also interesting Psychological studies.
In a psychological novel, the characters develop by the interaction of character and
the story of the novel develops by the interaction of the human minds (human
characters) upon one another. Emma, the most dynamic character in the novel, builds
up the story, leads it on by her mental activities in the direction of preventing
Harriet’s marriage with Martin, of developing intimacy and love between Mr. Elton
and Harriet or even between Frank Churchill and Harriet with a view to bring about a
happy union between the couples. Emma has to tackle Mr. Elton or Frank Churchill
for achieving her end. Then again, the most interesting Psychological studies are Mrs.
Elton and Miss Bates, Mr. Woodhouse and Harriet Smith. The whole novel is
Psychological as well as it is a domestic picture.
5.3 EMMA – AS A COMEDY OF ERRORS

Introduction

In the novel Emma, we find a number of characters both men and women who
play the role of lovers to one another. They commit blunders, which lead to happy
unions between the blundering couples giving rise to a regular comedy which can be
better termed as the Comedy of Errors. It is the errors of the pairs of lovers in the
story, which provide us with sufficient food for laughter.

The Errors of Characters

Emma commits the greatest blunder, in preventing Harriet, from marrying
Robert Martin, believing all the while that Harriet belongs to a gentile family while
Martin belongs to a common farmer’s family. Emma does not know anything about
the parentage of Harriet till the very end of the story. Mr. Knightley reveals that
Harriet is the daughter of a tradesman who cannot be regarded any way superior to a
farmer in blood or social status. Emma sets Harriet on Mr. Elton, who has an eye, on
Emma because Emma is the owner of thirty thousand pounds. Mr. Knightley knows
correctly the Psychology of Mr. Elton, namely, that he would never marry a poor girl;
Mr. Elton showers all his attentions upon Emma – but unfortunately, Emma takes all
such attentions as directed towards Harriet. But one day, while Elton returns from the
dinner at Randalls in the same coach with Emma, he opens her eyes outright by
proposing to her. Emma rejects the offer. Elton runs the very next day to Weymouth
and gets in touch with Miss Augusta Hawkins and marries her outright because she
possesses ten thousand pounds.

Emma’s Confusion
Emma believes that Harriet loves Frank Churchill who has been playing a
double game with Emma, Harriet and even sometimes with Jane Fairfax with whom
he has been secretly engaged at Bath, and who sometimes on that account is believed
to be seriously in love with Emma and Harriet although he is not in love with anybody
except with Jane Fairfax. Emma, the shrewdest woman character in the whole story,
does not properly understand even a simpleton of a girl like Harriet. When Harriet is
seriously in love with Mr. Knightley, Emma thinks that Harriet is in love with Frank
Churchill. When Mr. Knightley is in love with Emma, she thinks and Mrs. Weston
also seriously believes that he is in love with Jane Fairfax.

Harriet’s Courage
Harriet throws away into the fireplace the mementoes (tokens of
remembrance) of Mr. Elton after his marriage with Hawkins? All this she does simply
because she believes that Mr. Knightley is in love with her. She misinterprets all the
humanity and kindness of Mr. Knightley towards Harriet as tokens of love, and Emma
too is misled by Harriet’s report about Mr. Knightley’s behaviour towards Harriet.
Mr. Knightley takes pity on Harriet at the Crown Inn dancing party simply because
Mr. Elton refuses to dance with her and thereby wounds her feelings most grievously.

Emma’s Views
Another serious blunder, which Emma commits, is that Mr. Dixon, who is
married to Miss Campbell, loves Jane Fairfax; and she imagines that Mr. Dixon loves
Jane because she is far more beautiful and also can sing and play on the piano much
better than Campbell. Emma fancies that it is Dixon who has presented the piano to
Jane. But all her doubts melt into the air when she comes to know that Jane is engaged
with Frank and that it is Frank who is the donor of the piano to Jane.

Jane’s Blunder
Jane commits the blunder of fancying that Frank loves her particularly because
Frank makes many cutting remarks about Jane and also behaves most gallant like
towards Emma under the very eyes of Jane. Frank in his letter to Mrs. Weston makes
it perfectly clear that he never fell in love with Emma, and he believed too that Emma
was shrewd enough to understand why he was behaving in that strange gallant like
manner towards her.

The Real Aspects

Emma does not understand either Harriet or Mr. Elton or Frank or Jane or even Mr.
George Knightley. She does not understand even her own mind, namely, that she was
not in love with anybody except with Mr. George Knightley. It is the greatest
comedy! Every one of the lovers – man or woman – commits blunders and then
comes to realize his or her own foolery. But Jane is so much fooled by the whimsical
behaviour of Frank that she even goes to the point of breaking her engagement with
Frank and takes up the job of a governess! Elton, Harriet, Mrs. Weston, Frank – all
are under the same delusion or illusion, and realize their errors in the long run. A
woman like Mrs. Weston commits the error of thinking that Mr. George Knightley is
seriously in love with Jane Fairfax because he lends his coach for carrying Jane and
also because he sends all his store of apples for Jane! Harriet misfancies that Mr.
Knightley is in love with her!

Nobody feels shocked but, recovers quickly from the blunder, and feels quite
happy when united by marriage in the long run with his or her life’s partner! Thus
Emma is a comedy of errors!

5.4 HUMOURS IN EMMA

Introduction
Jane Austen introduces plenty of humour, wit, satire in various characters,
situations and incidents in her novels. Emma has certain characters and situations
sufficiently humorous or satiric. For example, Miss Bates and Mr. Woodhouse are
sufficiently humorous characters while the situations in which the various lovers take
their part are also equally humourous. . There are touches of satire also in some of the
passages in the novel; the most striking passage in Emma is the following:

“Mrs. Goddard was the mistress of a school – not of a seminary or an

establishment, or anything which professed in long sentences of refined nonsense, to
combine liberal acquirements with elegant morality upon new principles and new
systems and where young ladies for enormous pay might be screwed out of health and
into vanity-but a real, honest, old fashioned boarding school, where a reasonable
quantity of accomplishments are sold at a reasonable price”.

Emma’s Humour

The errors of Emma provide the reader with sufficient food for laughter.
Emma imagines that Mr. Elton is in love with Harriet Smith whereas we know that he
is in love with Emma? With a perfectly wrong notion, when Emma tries to bring
together Mr. Elton and Harriet at the Vicarage or at Hartfield or at Randalls or
anywhere else, certain situations arise which most are amusing to the reader. When,
Emma draws the portrait of Harriet, Mr. Elton praises the piece of workmanship, and
agrees to get the portrait nicely framed in London. He actually runs to London in
order to do the job merely to please Emma and not at all Harriet. The charade is
written entirely for the sake of Emma and Emma in favour of Harriet misinterprets it.

5.5 CHARACTERIZATION IN EMMA

1. Emma

As the heroine of the novel, Emma is the most towering personality in the
whole galaxy of characters. The novel has been named after her. It is believed that
Jane Austen has projected her own personality, some of her own physical, mental,
moral and intellectual qualities into Emma. Emma marries in the long run in spite of
her will to remain a spinster all her life on account of her aged invalid father. There is
only one special trait in the character of Emma - her keen sense of aristocracy or class
distinction –, which was found in Jane Austen too throughout her life. Emma,
tolerably a pretty woman with hazel eyes; resembled Jane Austen to a great extent.
Emma’s pride, arrogance, kindness, generosity, sympathy for the poor, reflects faults
and virtues of Jane Austen. Their financial position, their kinship with the church and
the clergymen are the same.

She has independent spirit from her very childhood. The death of her mother
at the age of twelve years accounts for her obstinacy, her dislike for any kind of
restraint or interference from outside in any of her affairs. Her governess Miss Taylor
(afterwards Mrs. Weston) spoilt Emma by giving her much freedom.

Her Personality
Emma always considers herself to be right and never to be wrong. She actually
commits so many blunders, which cost many people a good deal of material loss,
mental agony and even personal humiliation. Emma is not a good judge of human
character, particularly, male human character. She is mistaken in her study of the
psychology of Mr. Elton, Mr. Frank Churchill, Mr. Dixon and ever Mr. George
Knightley. She does not judge even female characters that come in close touch with
her. When Mr. Elton loves Emma she believes most sincerely that he is in love with
Harriet. When Frank plays the role of actor as a lover to Emma, she mistakes him to
be genuinely in love with her and she is mistaken in her study of the relationship
between Frank and Jane. She fancies that Frank does not like Jane at all because he
criticizes her at every step on every occasion. He makes a caricature of her when he is
actually making a fun of his own fake chivalry exhibited towards Emma herself. Then
again, she misunderstands George Knightley who appears to be kind and generous to
poor Harriet. She thinks that George Knightley loves Harriet. Harriet too believes that
Mr. Knightley is seriously in love with her! Emma fancies that Frank is also seriously
in love with Harriet as he is with Emma herself. All the suppositions, inferences,
conclusions, suspicions are completely falsified by the actual action of the various
characters whomever she happens to misunderstand.
A Sense of Pride

Emma has a sense of superiority and Pride over others. Although she has full
sympathy for the poor and the destitute, she cannot stoop to identify herself with
them. Emma hesitates to visit the Bateses, the Coles, and the Martins simply because
they are not genteel or elegant or aristocratic by birth. Emma represents strictly the
typically feudal class mentality. The people of any poor inferior class dislike her by
the standard chiefly of birth and also of financial position or even the standard of
vocation. Emma keeps aloof from the Martins because they are farmers. She avoids
the Bateses because they are financially not well off; she does not even reciprocate
heartily with the Coles because they belong of the trader class.

Mr. Woodhouse, Emma’s father, forbids Emma to strive in matchmaking.

Emma, being peculiarly circumstanced after the death of her mother fears that she
shall have to remain a spinster all her life. She says frequently that she will sacrifice
her life for the sake of her aged invalid father. She is only twenty one years old.

Psychological Aspect
There is another Psychological reason behind Emma’s matchmaking, and it is
her desire to get the credit of bringing about union between man and woman. Emma
actually suffers when she tries to get Harriet married to either Elton or Frank
Churchill by snatching her away form Martin! The third psychological reason is that
Emma by doing the job of match-making comes in touch with many young men who
surely lend considerable delight and satisfaction to her by their approach, talk and
close association. In the case of both Elton and Frank, Emma derives a lot pleasure as
well as the satisfaction of her pride or vanity when each of them pays his tribute to her
before offering any love to Harriet by any actual gesture.
There is in Emma some jealousy particularly in relation to Jane Fairfax and
also to Harriet, when the latter says that Mr. Knightley is deeply in love with her
(Harriet). She cannot tolerate any woman to be given any kind of superiority over her.
She wants to be flattered for her personal charms, for her skill in painting and music,
for her aristocracy and financial position. She does not acknowledge any man or
woman to be her superior in any respect; that is the root cause of her jealousy. She
grows jealous when Harriet reports that Mr. Knightley has given her a clear indication
of his love for her. She refuses even to see the face of Harriet when she really fears
that Mr.Knightley may be in love with Harriet. This green-eyed jealousy eats up her
very body and soul, and that is why probably when Mr.Knightley proposes to her, she
at once jumps at the offer. Emma always wants to be the first object of preference in
the eyes of everybody - whether it is Elton or Frank or Knightley.

Qualities of Emma are : - the quality of forgetting and forgiving –the quality
of admitting her fault, the quality of making a very sincere and frank compromise
even with those who are diametrically opposed to her suppositions. She makes a
compromise with both Frank and Jane inspite of Jane’s discourteous behaviour and
also in the face of Frank’s repeated acts of duplicity.

Her Wit and Fancy

She is a vital girl who has power and authority, and more than enough egotism
for the forgivable follies of youth. She plays the trick with people who are
approaching the marriage ordeal and blind her to own predicament. She is also
pathetic and vulnerable. She appears to be almost lacking in any significant emotional
life. She is detached, witty and cheerful. Her wit often causes social embarrassment.

Emma’s wit is splendid in itself. She was the opposite to heartless when she
made Elizabeth Bennet says, “Follies and nonsense whims and inconsistencies do
divert me, I own, and I laugh at them whenever I can.”She has the symptoms of caged
lively bird.. She should be unhappy, though unhappy; she flatly refuses to be
unhappy. Emma herself is a masterpiece of feminine understanding. As a victim of
irony she has a fascination which no other heroine can share. She is lured though a
maze of dangerous situations.

2. Mr. Woodhouse
His Nature

Mr. Woodhouse is the father of Emma. He is a widower; he is aged and also

an invalid. He is one of the most interesting characters in the whole novel because of
his eccentricities, which provide the cause of laughter. He would have surely been an
oddity in our eyes had he not been otherwise pleasant, sociable, generous,
sympathetic, hospitable, and most courteous to all, and particularly to the ladies. Mr.
Woodhouse must have been a gallant in his younger days. He is particularly attentive,
courteous and obliging to all the members of the fair sex in the novel. His gallantry is
acknowledged by Mrs. Weston, Mrs. Bates and Mrs. Goddard. But Mr. Woodhouse is
particularly gentle and courteous to Jane Fairfax, Mrs. Elton, and Harriet who are
reputed to be youthful and pretty.

His Goodness

Mr. Woodhouse has many eccentricities, which are generally peculiar to old
age. His significant remarks with reference to certain characters in the novel such as
“poor Isabella,” “poor Miss Taylor,” “Poor Mr. Elton,” is peculiar. Mr. Woodhouse
forgets that he too once got married and got children too when he was young.

Mr. Woodhouse is a very nervous person. He is an invalid and also fairly

aged. But his daughter is quite the opposite of the father. Mr. Wood house’s
nervousness is a kind of weakness. Emma exploits her father’s nervousness or
timidity in the support of her marriage with Mr. George Knightley. She assures her
father that Mr. Knightley would be a good protection to Mr. Woodhouse if Emma
married him and he may stay permanently at Hartfield.

His Wit

Mr. Woodhouse has funny notions about food, about medicine, about sitting
up late at night etc. He is in favour of Mr. Perry’s medical treatment. He is prejudiced
against Mr. Wingfield and his prescription of drugs. Mr. Woodhouse belonged to an
age when there was no medical science, no qualified physician or surgeon, and hence,
it is but natural that he should rely so blindly upon the treatment or prescription of Mr.
Perry. The character of Mr. Woodhouse is eccentric, whimsical and even odd only to
provide food for innocent laughter, which most other characters in the novel as well
as the readers greatly enjoy. It does not mean, however, that Mr. Woodhouse is a
clown or a buffoon. Of course, he lacks a little bit of memory and commonsense due
to which he makes himself so often as laughable or ridiculous.
His Lovable Traits

Mr. Woodhouse possesses many lovable qualities e.g. courtesy, kindness,

generosity, hospitality, friendliness, sociability and so many other attractive features
of human nature, which many people do not possess in youth or in grown up age. Mr.
Bradley calls Mr. Woodhouse “next to Don Quixote, perhaps the most perfect
gentleman in fiction.” Mr. Bailey however comments, “Indeed Mr. Woodhouse is not
a gentleman, or at any rate, not a man at all; he is an old woman a dear old woman, no
doubt, and Emma’s father; but he is only there to provide some pleasant comic
business which he does very well. But it is all he does.”

Ronald Blithe says about Mr. Woodhouse, “He married late and apparently
without enthusiasm, and when his wife died after giving him two daughters he seemed
to have been able to transfer his backgammon-playing, gossiping affection to his
children and their governess without much trouble. But when Isabella, his elder
daughter, weds Mr. John Knightley, who is a lawyer in Brunswick Square and the
brother of his Donwell neighbour he is to begin a sinister fantasy which is to lead him
to regard all marriages as deaths”. He is timid and antisocial -“The sooner every party
breaks up, the better”. He hates all changes and demands that life should be like his
gruel, warm, cosy and innocuous. He is an important child, and Emma has to double
the role of daughter and mother obeying him and commanding him. Thus Mr.
Woodhouse is regarded as an old pet by generations of readers. He is actually a
menace, and by not realizing this Emma reveals yet another aspect of her
vulnerability. When she does realize it, at the very close of the novel, she obstructs it
with a farcical ruthlessness. Throughout his life, Mr. Woodhouse has managed to get
his own way by recourse to the trivial, which Emma evokes to defeat her father’s
power, once and forever. She persuades him that by having Mr. Knightley in the
house as her husband he will have protection from the chicken thieves who have been
bothering the neighborhood. Mr. Woodhouse at last consents to the union of his
greatest friend and dearest daughter”.

3. Mr. George Knightley

The Hero of Novel

Mr. George Knightley is regarded as the hero of the novel and Emma is
considered as the heroine. Mr. George Knightley possesses moral courage, integrity of
character, generosity and kindliness, impartiality, correctness of insight and
judgement, self-control and many other virtues which go to the making of a hero in
the true sense of the term.

His Disposition

Mr. George Knightley is the elder brother of Mr. John Knightley, the husband
of Isabella and the elder sister of Emma. He is seven and thirty while Emma is only
one and twenty; there is a disparity of sixteen years between two. Neither Mr.
Knightley nor Emma could think of proposing to each other however much they
might have been secretly in love with each other.

Mr. George Knightley is the mentor of Highbury and the entire neighborhood.
Everybody has sincere regards for him because of his high moral integrity his
dauntless courage, his unprejudiced mentality, his noble impartiality, his readiness to
help the needy, his broad outlook on men, women and things, his generosity, his
penetrating insight into human character, his forgiving and forgetting spirit – and his
readiness to take up the right cause against the wrong cause Mr. Knightley has the
courage to repremand Emma whenever she is wrong, whenever she happens to
misguide herself or others. He points out the errors of Emma, particularly when she
undertakes the match - making between Elton and Harriet, between Harriet and Frank,
and how many times he snubs Emma because of her ill- treatment towards Jane and
Miss Bates. He points out to us as much as to Emma herself that Emma has been
spoilt (pampered) by Mrs. Weston (originally Miss Taylor) and by Mr. Woodhouse.
He points out to Emma more than once how obstinate she is, how mistaken she is in
her inferences and judgments. When Emma is seriously trying to match Elton with
Harriet, Mr. Knightley tells Emma that Elton will never marry below his rank i.e. in
social status or in financial position. When Emma becomes intimate with Frank, Mr.
Knightley fears that Emma is in love with him while he is flirting with her – which is
indeed a dangerous game! It is Mr. Knightley alone in the whole novel who suspects
and correctly too that Frank has a definite understanding with Jane.

Mr. Knightley correctly suspects that there is some secret understanding

between Jane and Frank. Mr. Knightley is perfectly right when he says that Emma is
jealous of Jane because of Jane’s superiority in physical charms as well as in musical
skill. He is also perfectly right when he says that Frank has been playing a game of
duplicity with Emma, Harriet, Mrs. Weston and everybody. Mr. Knightley is also
right when he points out the error of Emma in thinking that he is in love with Jane or
with Harriet. Mr. Knightley actually proves Emma’s error by proposing to her that he
would like to marry her.

A Considerate Man
He sends his own coach to the Bateses in order to convey Jane to the dinner
party at the house of the Coles. Mr. Knightley is not a gallant; he is merely humane
and with a very keen of moral courage which makes him indeed the greatest
personality in the whole story.

Mr. George Knightley is far more considerate than his brother John Knightley.
John Knightley dose not make any consideration of the sickness of Mr. Woodhouse
but George Knightley treats Mr. Woodhouse with the greatest care and respect,
knowing well his weaknesses as well as his deficiencies. He tries his best always to
make Mr. Woodhouse comfortable and at ease or peaceful in mind, while John
Knightley forgets altogether that when a man grows old, when one is a constant
invalid, and one has lost one’s partner in life at an early age, one is bound to be
slightly odd, sensitive and even eccentric as Mr. Woodhouse appears to be.

His Performance

Mark what Ronald Blythe says,

“Mr. Knightley is the timeless Englishman, the real thing, modest, unaffected,
and somewhat inadequate of speech”. His late call on Emma on Miss Taylor’s
wedding day is casual and gossipy. He employs patience and tact easily. He is well
balanced but not dull. He has bluntness, which is both sexually aggressive and
attractive. Emma shows herself to be as much at home in his conversation as he is in
her house. She is obviously impervious to his sexuality. Emma and Mr. Knightley
bicker like brother and sister, and Mr. Woodhouse’s sentimentality embraces them
equally. It is plain that he does not dread marriage bereavement in this direction, and
that he counts not only on Emma’s remaining single, but on Mr. Knightly also.
Emma shows a delayed excitement about the day’s events. She claims to have brought
Miss Taylor and Mr. Weston together. She intends to match - make for the youthful
vicar Mr. Elton.

4. Frank Churchill

Frank Churchill is also an important character. He is associated most closely

with some of the main characters in the story. Frank Churchill assumes importance
because of some of his mischievous acts, which he deliberately performs either to
satisfy his own frivolous character or to maintain the secrecy of some understanding
with Jane Fairfax with whom he is engaged for marriage. He is the son of Mr. Weston
by his first wife on whose death his uncle and aunt Mr. and Mrs. Churchill who had
no children of their own adopted Frank as a son. Mr. and Mrs. Churchill brought up
Frank since his early childhood. He took his uncle’s surname i.e. Churchill instead of
his own father’s surname i.e. Weston. He used to meet his own father atleast once
every year in London, and did not visit Highbury till sometime after his own father’s
second marriage with Miss Taylor, governess of Emma.

His Personality
Frank Churchill is a good-looking young man – divinely tall and divinely fair
– with a cheerful spirit and winning manners. He is a good talker with a good deal of
humour about his words and manners, which readily attract others. He has the air of
smartness about him which matters much particularly in the eyes of young women;
and that is, why, Mrs. Weston, Emma, Harriet, Mrs. Elton and others are highly
impressed by him. Frank is unduly shrewd and clever; he knows the Psychology of
people and knows also how to exploit it. When he visits Highbury for the first time,
he admires Randalls and Hartfield. He sees the old house in which his father formerly
used to live and meets the old woman who nurtured him during his babyhood. He
shows his love for Highbury by visiting the shop and purchasing things from it –
succeeded in snaring Emma’s heart too; and she cannot resist the temptation of
encouraging Frank in his amorous advances or what we call flirtations. Mr. George
Knightley, who was badly impressed by Frank from the very beginning, warned
Emma more than once; otherwise Emma would have been positively in the trap of
Frank.

His Habits

Frank goes about everywhere else – to Bath, to Weymouth etc. – in pursuit of

his frivolous pleasures. He repeatedly puts up lame excuses that he is unable to
honour his promise to visit Mr. Weston on account of Mrs. Churchill’s illness. Mr.
George Knightley says about Frank, “If Frank Churchill had wanted to see his father,
he could have contrived it. This proves that he can leave the Churchills. He can sit
down and write a fine flourishing letter, full of professions and falsehoods, and
persuade himself that he has hit upon the very best method in the world of preserving
peace at home and preventing his father’s having any right to complain”.
 Frank captures the heart of Mrs. Weston and tells that she is a beautiful young
lady; he silences the mouth of Emma by paying her the compliment that she is highly
intelligent and accomplished.

His Mischievous Acts

It is because of Frank’s repeated hits at Jane – open or covert that Jane in a fit
of anger, jealously; dismay breaks her engagement with Frank and takes up the job of
a governess in London.

Frank has been always telling lies so consistently that it is difficult for
anybody to disbelieve his word. He has been throwing dust into the eyes of
everybody, making a fool of everybody except himself. Even Jane gets exasperated
with Frank for his strange ways of duplicity in word as well as in deed. Emma is
fooled more than anybody else because she takes such a fancy to Frank in spite of his
duplicity, which Emma could never detect although she tells Mr. Knightley that she
knew perfectly well that Frank was merely playing the role of a lover to her.

Frank defends himself against Emma in his letter to Mrs. Weston.

Mr. Knightley says that Frank is “a disgrace to the name of man”.

His Love Affairs

Professor A.N. Parasuram, says

“Frank has engagement with Jane Fairfax. He makes use of his false attentions
to Emma as a blind to conceal his real love for Jane. Frank Churchill, the heir of the
Churchills, the smart young man of rank and wealth, falls in love with a penniless
orphan. He has only to appear as quite indifferent to her, as a man of his situation well
might, to keep whole Highbury in complete ignorance of the truth. Instead of that, he
flits so outrageously with another woman that his conduct makes not only others
suspect him to be in love with her, but also even Jane herself is filled with anger and
disgust, and cancels her engagement with him! Frank’s conduct is unfair in the first
place to his own fiancée. Frank Churchill’s conduct is heartless with regard to
Emma”.

5. Mr. Weston

His Early Life

Mr. Weston belongs to Highbury. He comes of a respectable family. He has

had good education but he was a man of an independent temperament, fond of
adventure as well as of society. He does not believe in following any homely pursuit
as most people do. He joined the Militia and because a captain when he came in touch
with Miss Churchill belonging to a wealthy and aristocratic family of Yorkshire. Miss
Churchill fell in love with Mr. Weston and even against the wishes of her brother she
married Mr. Weston. As the result of this marriage her brother Mr. Churchill and his
wife disowned Miss Churchill; but she did not survive for more than three years after
having given birth to a son who was named Frank. Mr. and Mrs. Churchill adopted
Mr. Weston’s son, Frank, and brought him up. Frank had to change his surname from
Weston to Churchill when he attained his majority.
His Business
After the death of his first wife Mr. Weston left the Militia and got him
engaged in trade. Due to the high position and renown of his brothers as traders in
London Mr. Weston succeeds in securing some employment. He lived quite
prosperously and happily for about eighteen or twenty years. He purchased the estate
and house of Randalls in Highbury and married for the second time. Miss Taylor, the
governess of Emma became the wife of Mr. Weston, and he felt quite happy with her
although he inherited no property or money through her.

His Habits and Conduct

Mr. Weston is a man of extremely amiable nature. He is social and there is not
a single evening in the year, which he has to pass alone. His second wife made him all
the more social because Mrs. Weston is a woman of an exceedingly mild temper and
sweet nature. Both Mr. and Mrs. Weston are universally loved, admired and even held
with considerable respect or regard. Mr. Weston is an easy-going man who cares
more for enjoyments and recreations than for anything else. He used to be a frequent
visitor to Hartfield to play whist or backgammon with Mr. Woodhouse and Mr.
George Knightley. It is because of this close contact with the Woodhouse family that
Mr. Weston gets the chance of meeting Miss Taylor and marrying her. Emma says
that it was she who did the matchmaking between Mr. Weston and Miss Taylor.

Mr. Weston conveyed important news about Frank, namely, that he is engaged
secretly with Jane Fairfax and that he would be visiting Highbury again soon. Mr.
Weston was a disseminator of news because he cannot keep anything as secret to
himself. When he conveys the news of Frank’s engagement with Jane, Mr. Weston
asks Jane not to disclose it to anybody else, and yet he is first to disclose it to Harriet
who runs up to Hartfield and tells Emma all about it! When Emma discloses her own
engagement with Mr. Knightley to Mr. Weston, she knows that the news will spread
like a wild fire throughout Highbury and its neighborhood. Mr. Weston tries to please
everybody. In connection with the ball at the Crown Inn Mr. Weston requests Emma
to come to the Inn and look-round in order to pass her judgement or give her
suggestions regarding the arrangements to be made for the dancing party at the Crown
Inn. Emma in the beginning thinks that Mr. Weston has honoured her by inviting her
alone for the supervision of the arrangements but when she finds that many others
have been invited for the same purpose, she gets annoyed with Mr. Weston. Emma
has annoying experience of Mr. Weston’s behaviour. Mrs. Elton had proposed to Mr.
Weston for going out some morning on a picnic to Box Hill. It was decided that two
or more persons would be invited to join the party. Mr. Weston believes that Emma is
in love with Frank, and naturally, when he comes to know of the secret engagement of
Frank with Jane, he feels shocked and worries about Emma how she would be able to
bear the shock. Mr. Weston unfortunately does not know that Emma is quite an
intelligent woman. Mr. Weston also feels shocked at the engagement of his son with
Jane but when Emma assures him that it would be an excellent match for both, he gets
satisfied.
6. Mrs. Weston

Mrs. Weston had been the governess of Emma for sixteen years, and her name
was Miss Anne Taylor. She has no inheritance of wealth or property. As Emma, from
her very early childhood, is self-willed and independent due to the loss of her mother
at an early stage, Miss Taylor has been able to exercise very little restraint or
discipline upon Emma. Miss Taylor cannot possibly exercise her authority over
Emma with too much strictness or rigidity. Miss Taylor has been treating Emma
throughout as a sister or a friend, and naturally, real love or friendship grows up
between the two, so much so, that Emma plays the role of a match-maker between her
governess and Mr. Weston.

Her Performance

When Mr. George Knightley notices often that Emma does whatever she likes,
whether she is right or wrong, he remarks that Emma has been pampered (spoilt) by
Miss Taylor. When Miss Taylor is married to Mr. Weston, Mr. Knightley says that
she is better placed at Randalls than at Hartfield, fit for a wife, but not at all for a
governess! Emma has considerably influenced Miss Taylor by being a good
housewife at Randalls.

Once when it was raining, Mr. Weston, like any gallant, helped Emma and
Miss Taylor with umbrellas; and this gallant behaviour on the part of Mr. Weston put
Emma on the role of a matchmaker between Mr. Weston and Miss Taylor. Mr.
Weston happened to be a frequent visitor to Hartfield. He came in close touch with
Miss Taylor, which Emma further accelerated in order to bring about marriage
between the widower and the spinster governess in the long run. Mr. Weston is
perfectly satisfied with Miss Taylor as his second wife particularly because of her
sweet temper, her domestic accomplishments, her sociable nature, her loving and
affectionate heart, which is the greatest need for a happy home. When Mr. Weston
hears about Frank’s engagement with Jane, he really gets upset but it is Mrs. Weston
herself, and partly through Emma brings him round and makes him feel as happy as
lark.

Her Love for Emma

Mrs. Weston is not only an excellent wife but a very good friend also. Her
love for Emma is boundless. She feels very much distressed when she comes to know
of Frank’s engagement with Jane. Emma assures Mrs. Weston that she had never
thought of falling in love with anybody, and least of all, with Frank. Mrs. Weston
behaves perfectly like a mother to Frank although he once paid an unbecoming
compliment to her as being a beautiful young lady. She forgives Frank for all his acts
of duplicity to Emma and Jane and Harriet when she receives a long letter of
explanation from Frank.

A Good Woman
Mrs. Weston has a good heart but she appears to be quite weak in
understanding as well as in will power. She can be won over by anybody with a sweet
tongue. She is so simple-minded that she believes readily without any justification
that Mr. Knightley is the donor of the piano to Jane and that he must be in love with
her. Although Mrs. Weston is perfectly rational yet her heart rules her head.

7. Mr. Elton
Mr. Elton is the Vicar of Highbury. He is a handsome Young man. There is no
touch of real or natural grace about his features. He really lacks elegance,
gentlemanliness and all the qualities of true refinement and culture. Mr. Elton is proud
of his lectures or speeches or sermons at the church. He is self-conceited and very full
of his own claims. He has little regards for the feelings of others. Mr. Elton has some
superficial elegance, which misleads even Emma to regard as true elegance. Emma
regards Mr. Elton as a perfect gentleman, and she tries her best to bring about union
between Mr. Elton and Harriet. Elton is making love to Emma. Harriet being simple-
minded girl takes the advances of Elton. Both Emma and Harriet are sadly mistaken
in their study of Elton’s Psychology and therein lies the tragedy of both Harriet and
Emma. But Mr. Knightley judges Elton quite correctly and says about Mr. Elton, ‘I
never in my life saw a man more intent or being agreeable than Mr. Elton. With men
he can be rational and unaffected, but when he has ladies to please, every feature
works … He is not at all likely to make an imprudent match. He knows the value of a
good income as well as anybody … He is well-acquainted with his own claims… he
does not mean to throw himself away.’

His Love Affairs

Mr. Knightley is perfectly correct in his estimate about the mind or the heart
of Mr. Elton. Elton proposes to Emma, not under the intoxication of wine, but in
perfect wake-fullness or consciousness of his rational mind. When Emma, who,
however, was never ready for such a surprise, rejects him he runs immediately to Bath
and marries Miss Augusta Hawkins who owns thirty thousand pounds. So, we see
how materialistic and practical-minded Elton is. When Emma reminds Elton of his
attentions to Harriet, he is surprised, and his tone of detestation for Harriet becomes
obvious.

His Greedy Nature

Mr. Elton makes approaches to Emma. He has definitely an eye on the great
wealth of her father, which would inherit after the death of her father. When Emma
rejects him, he marries another woman of considerable fortune chiefly or rather
entirely for the sake of fortune. We can never appreciate his ideal of marriage. Elton
never cared to see, while marrying Augusta Hawkins, whether she was a decent or
vulgar woman, cultured or uncultured, accomplished or unaccomplished. He has
polite, courteous, sweet tongued and sweet-tempered, kind-hearted, magnanimous,
and in every other way most elegant, decent and agreeable personality. But after her
marriage, he behaves towards Emma and particularly towards Harriet, in snobbish,
arrogant, selfish, mean, rude and impolite manner. He appears to be a perfect
gentleman before his marriage. He refuses to have Harriet as his dancing partner when
she is left all alone and looking most miserable in the Crown Inn hall. Mr. George
knightly comes forward and takes Harriet as his dancing partner although he is not at
all interested in dancing or in such frivolous thing. Elton’s wife is a good match for
him because she is equally vulgar, impertinent, snobbish, cruel, mean and selfish like
her husband.

A Social Climber
Mr. Elton is a social climber as well as an intruder into society. He is a double-
dealer in the sense that he hides his true character so long it serves his personal
interest but he appears in his true colors when his self-interest has been once served.
With men he can be rational and unaffected; but when he has ladies to please, every
feature works. He is a perfect hypocrite to the fair sex because he has to fulfill a grave
interest of his own in their case.

8. Mr. John Knightley

Mr. John Knightley is the younger brother of Mr. George Knightley of

Donwell. He married Isabella, elder sister of Emma. He is a lawyer of considerable
status in his profession. Like his elder brother, he has a good physical personality with
great intelligence. He is slightly reserved in his manners, and therefore, cannot be
regarded as a very sociable character. His shrewd remarks about everybody are often
cutting and hence unpleasant. He does not spare commenting even upon his own
father-in law, Mr. Woodhouse. He is not an ill-tempered person, but often goes out of
his temper. He does not exceed limits on any occasion; and that is why, with all his
shortcomings, people do not dislike him. He is a very shrewd and competent lawyer;
he is bound to be often very correct in his inferences or judgments. His wife, Isabella,
is quite his reverse, image and by the law of polarity they form a very agreeable
partnership in life.

An Unsociable Person
Emma, however, does not spare Mr. John Knightley whenever he happens to
be irrational, unkind or dictatorial towards Isabella. It is Emma alone who can bring
round John Knightley whenever the latter happens to be perishing, caustic, ill
humoured or ill tempered. John Knightley too knows quite well that Emma is not like
her sister Isabella, a woman of weak understanding, or like Isabella, she would take
everything lying down; and hence, he cannot afford to trifle with Emma particularly
when she is right and he is wrong. When he quotes the authority of Mr. Perry in
defence of his arguments, Mr. John Knightley comes in between the father and the
daughter and says that Mr. Perry has no business to advise his wife or children in any
connection. The relationship between the son in-law and the father-in-law would have
been seriously strained if Emma had not come in between them and softened the
whole question or the situation. Mr. John Knightley’s ill humour reaches its crisis on
another occasion when he argues against the bad weather on the occasion of some
dinner party.

A Strict Man

Mr. John Knightley is blunt in his words because he does not believe in
affectations of any kind. He says what he means and he means what he says. When he
expresses his opinion about Jane and Frank or even about Emma and Mr. George
Knightley, he is quite outspoken. Regarding his own children he is not a man to be
lenient to them if they go wrong or misbehave any way. He is quite a strict master that
way; but at same time he is also a loving father and a dutiful husband. When the two
sons are sent to Hartfield, Mr. John Knightley says plainly to Emma that she must not
be lenient to them, and if they became unmanageable, they should be at once sent
back to London.

Mr. John Knightley like his elder brother is very shrewd and intelligent. He
has great insight into human character. He is aware that Elton is in love with Emma.
 9. Mrs. Elton

Mrs. Elton was Miss Augusta Hawkins before her marriage. She is the
younger daughter of a Bristol merchant. She lost her parents in early year. She lived
with her uncle who was a lawyer. Every winter she used to spend a few weeks at
Bath, and it was at the watering-place of Bath that she became acquainted with Mr.
Elton who managed to get married in a hurry with him. Miss. Hawkins was attractive
in the face, but she was not at all elegant in manners, in voice or expression Mr. Elton
was attracted simply because of her possession of some money or landed estate. Mr.
Elton was not a man to marry mere beauty or aristocracy; he had the value of money
in the material world.

Her Habits

Mrs. Elton was poor in understanding. She always talked like a foolish
woman. It is only the foolish women who parade their pride or vanity in all their talks,
behaviour, gestures words and looks. Emma also finds it an easy job to know the
inner springs of Mrs. Elton’s mind and heart within a very short time. Emma says
about Mrs. Elton, “Mrs. Elton was a vain woman, extremely well satisfied with
herself, and thinking much of her own importance; she meant to shine and be very
superior, but with manners which had been formed in; a bad school, pert and familiar;
all her notions were drawn from one set of people, and one style of living; if not
foolish, she was ignorant, and her society certainly would do Mr. Elton no good”.

A Foolish Lady

Mrs. Elton’s ignorance and inferior understanding are constantly betrayed in

all her talks. When she presses Jane Fairfax to accept the job of a governess Jane
replies that she is not in a hurry for any kind of employment. She further tells Mrs.
Elton that when she would decide to take up a Job, she would be able to produce one
for herself because in the various offices – there are plenty of jobs particularly in the
sales department, not of course the sale of human flesh but of human intellect. The
very utterance of the sale of human flesh horrifies Mrs. Elton, and she at once cries
out in horror and amazement, “Oh! My dear, human flesh! You quite shock me; if you
mean a fling at the slave-trade, I assure you, Mr. Suckling was rather a friend to its
abolition”.

Her Judgment
Mrs. Elton passes her judgment upon Mrs. Weston’s social status or culture.
Mrs. Elton refers to Mr. Knightley as mere Knightley even without having seen him
or known him any way. Emma is perfectly justified when she remarks about Mrs.
Elton, “Mrs. Elton’s attitude towards Harriet Smith,” is typically of her intolerable
insolence. Her manners to Harriet are unpleasant, sneering and negligent. The
enmity, which she and her husband dare not show openly to Emma, finds vent in their
contemptuous treatment of Harriet. Mrs. Elton’s utter rudeness is seen especially in
the looks of approval and encouragement she turns on her husband when he
insultingly refuses to dance with Harriet. Mrs. Elton’s hatred of Emma is the outcome
of jealousy, and she could not suffer the regard and admiration shown to Emma
almost universally in High bury.
Mrs. Elton patronizes Jane in a much worse manner than she dares patronize
Emma because she knows that Jane belongs to a poor family while Emma belongs to
the topmost family in Highbury. The manner in which Mrs. Elton thrusts her
patronage upon Jane is most disgusting even to the observer. Mrs. Elton makes Jane a
victim of her patronage.
The real secret to Mrs. Elton’s character is her inferiority complex, which
finds its expression with vengeance in all possible airs of superiority over others. Mrs.
Elton must have been born in some uncultured family, or she must have been
educated in some bad school where bad manners and low ideals are cultivated, or she
must be a perverted child of nature who develops evil instincts even without any
external influence. She is undoubtedly an ill-bred woman with no control over her
tongue or mind or heart.

10. Harriet Smith

Harriet Smith is the natural daughter of a tradesman. He was rich enough to

afford her the comfortable maintenance. She is closely associated with the Martin
family, which means that she also may be a farmer’s daughter. Emma believed in the
beginning that Harriet belongs to some good family. She was sweet-tempered well-
behaved and good at heart although intellectually not sharp. Harriet was educated at
Mrs. Goddard’s boarding school where the girls are mostly mediocre type. Harriet’s
only friends at Mrs. Goddard’s school were the two Martin sisters, and it was through
them that she came in touch with their brother Robert Martin who fell in love with
her. Mrs. Goddard brought Harriet to Hartfield. Harriet came in touch with Emma
who brought about many good and unfortunate changes in her life. Emma is charmed
by Harriet’s pretty face and also by her sweet temper and manners. Harriet is shy and
reserved; she has no pride or vanity of any kind; and hence, she readily submits
herself to the guidance of Emma whom she follows like a Pole star. Mr. Knightley
describes Harriet, “She is not a sensible girl, not a girl of any information. She has
been taught nothing useful, and is too young and too simple to have acquired anything
herself. She is pretty and good-tempered.

Her Simple Nature

Harriet was educated at Mrs. Goddard’s school but she learnt practically
nothing. It is Emma who teaches her something but that does not take her any long
way. It is because of her simple mind that she misunderstands Elton, Frank, Knightley
all of whom she believes fell in love with her but none of them loves her. Harriet is
the only woman character in the novel that falls in love with all the leading men
characters. She is married to Martin in the long run with whom she began her career
of love. She does not receive the least shock of disappointment. It is because of
Emma’s interference in every case that Harriet does not exercise her own judgment.
She plays the role of a puppet in the hands of everybody. Emma is chiefly responsible
for all the ups and downs in her life of love. If Emma had interfered, Harriet would
have been married to Robert Martin in the very beginning as she is married to him in
the long run! Harriet is fickle minded and tosses like a shuttlecock in the hands of the
lovers. Harriet is introduced into the story merely to complicate the love tangle, and
when the love tangle is dissolved, Harriet automatically drops out and is united with
her first and only lover Robert Martin.
A Simple Girl
Harriet is so simple that she cannot feel the intensity or significance of the
lover instinct. She is unduly passive and docile because she plays just like a tool in the
hands of Emma. Some of the observers say that Harriet suffers a good deal of mental
agonies, and Emma believes that Harriet actually suffers a lot of mental tortures.
Harriet is sweet-looking, sweet-tempered, and sweet-behaved. Thus snobbery finds its
fulfilment in making Harriet the victim of her patronage in the field of marriage.

Emma’s Interest in Harriet

The qualities, which Emma noticed in Harriet Smith, appealed to her, and
Emma thought that she would have “the opportunity of improving her character,
educating and training in taste and social discrimination”. She was only trying to
satisfy her urge to dominate Emma’s snobbery. Harriet is not only a proxy for Emma,
but she is also her defence. Harriet was a very pretty girl, and at the same time she
was extremely stupid and Emma used her in several ways. Harriet willingly puts
herself into the yoke and Emma seems to be in love with her. She cannot be without
Harriet. She is always full of consideration for finding a suitable match for Harriet—
that is a sort of her responsibility.

11. Jane Fairfax

Jane Fairfax is an orphan. She is the only child of the youngest daughter of
Mrs. Bates. Her father was a Lieutenant in the Militia. He died in the battlefield and
his wife too died soon after leaving Jane a three-year old orphan who was looked after
by her grand mother, Mrs. Bates and her aunt, Miss Bates. When Jane was just nine
years old, she was taken care of by Colonel Campbell because Jane’s father once
happened to have saved the life of the Colonel. The Colonel’s daughter was of the
same age of Jane. Colonel Campbell undertook the full responsibility of bringing up
Jane, and so, Jane became later on as good as a member of the Colonel’s family, and
it was only occasionally that Jane used to visit her grandmother and her aunt at
Highbury.

Her Early Life

Jane was given good education with a view to make her fit to be a governess
in a respectable family. Miss Campbell is much inferior to Jane in personal charms as
well as in intellect. But she was married to Mr. Dixon who belongs to Ireland. This
marriage was the result of the meeting of Miss Campbell with Mr. Dixon at the
watering place of Weymouth When Jane attains the age of twenty one, she decides to
leave off the Campbell and to earn an independent living. But before the removal of
Jane to Highbury and the shifting of the Campbell to Ireland, Jane happened to come
in close touch with Frank Churchill; they took a fancy to each other and soon were
engaged. This engagement was kept a secret because Frank feared that his aunt Mrs.
Churchill would not approve of the marriage. This secrecy causes much of mental
agonies to Jane at Highbury, and also considerable misunderstanding about Frank’s
behaviour towards Emma, Harriet and others.

Her Personality

Jane is elegant and her physical personalities as well as her mental attainments
together with her accomplishments in singing and dancing are distinctly above the
average. But she suffers from some pulmonary troubles, and she becomes completely
unfit for any kind of outdoor exercise or hard work. Jane becomes a misfit in the
Highbury circles probably because the Campbells in London, Weymouth and Bath
had brought her up. Because of her awkward position at Highbury, she is more
misunderstood by the members of both the sexes at Randall’s or at Hartfield. She
actually in a fit of agony and despair, sorrow and humiliation drops a letter to Frank
breaking off her engagement with him. Even Mr. Knightley who seldom
misunderstands anybody and who is all admiration for Jane finds fault with her and
says to Emma, “Jane Fairfax is a very charming young woman – but not even Jane
Fairfax is perfect. She has a fault; she has not the open temper which a man would
wish for in a wife”. Even Emma maintains secrecy throughout the story in spite of her
deep-rooted love for Mr. George Knightley.

Her Performance

Ronald Blythe remarks “Jane Fairfax’s role in Highbury is that of the

intellectual recluse whose presence makes everybody else feel inadequate and guilty.
She is too young to take comfort from what happened to Miss Taylor and too brilliant
as well. Moreover, her position in the novel as the serious girl, as opposed to Emma,
the lively girl, seals her fate. Jane must suffer and Emma must shine. It is her brain
and not her, virtue which makes Jane so interesting to the modern reader...”

12. Miss Bates

“Miss Bates is the daughter of a former Vicar of Highbury. Miss Bates stood
in the very worst predicament in the world for having much of the public favour. She
had no intellectual superiority to make atonement to herself, or frighten those who
might hate her, into outward respect. She had never boasted either beauty or
cleverness. Her youth had passed without distinction, and her middle life was devoted
to the care of a failing mother. It was her own universal good-will and contented
temper which worked such wonders. She loved everybody, was interested in
everybody’s happiness, and thought herself a most fortunate creature. The simplicity
and cheerfulness of her nature, she contended and grateful spirit was felicity to her.
She was a great talker on little matters, full of trivial talks and harmless gossip”.

Her Natural Habits

The talkativeness of Miss Bates without any offence towards anybody is the
most striking as well as the most entertaining, feature of her character. She is also the
first with the news in Highbury, and that is why, in the eyes of some people she is a
gazetteer. The most memorable talks indulged in by Miss are first the talk about the
fastening of the rivet of the spectacles of her mother by Frank Churchill; second, the
talk about the baked apples sent by Mrs. Wallis; third, the talk delivered immediately
arriving at the house of the Coles; fourth, the talk at the Crown Inn hall i.e. at the
dancing party. Miss Bates is all thankful and grateful for the slightest service done to
her or to her grandmother or to Jane or to anybody else. Miss Bates considers it her
duty to thank everybody on behalf of everybody. Emma, however, complains that the
company of Miss Bates is most boring. Miss Bates’s chatter is so life like that those
who know nothing about the art of creation might suppose it to have been taken down
by a shorthand writer.
A Useless Wit

Miss Bates can never speak ill of anybody although she may be most
unguarded in her talks. She regards every man and woman as god, excellent,
remarkable, noble and possessing at least one great virtue by himself or herself. Miss.
Bates’s speeches are always interesting and entirely free from any text of vanity and
presumption. Indeed she goes to the opposite extreme. While Mrs. Elton blows her
own trumpet incessantly, Miss. Bates in ever humble and ever grateful. The contrast
between the two women is most pronounced in every aspect of their character. Her
manners to Harriet Smith are unpleasant, sneering and negligent. She is always full of
gratitude and humility. A visitor to her residence is received with the utmost
solicitude and hospitability. Every enquiry about her mother or her niece is answered
with the warmest expression of thankfulness. She is most well-meaning, harmless
creature incapable of saying a harsh word or doing a harsh deed to any one in the
world. She sees only the best side of every person and every object. Her great
optimism and contentment in spite of her numerous afflictions and drawbacks are
admirable. She is a standing lesson of how to be happy.

5.6 CHARACTER SKETCHES PREVIEW

Emma Woodhouse – The protagonist of the novel

Mr. George Knightley – Emma’s brother – in – law and Woodhouse’ trusted
friend.
Mr. Woodhouse – Emma’s father and the patriarch of Hartfield.
Harriet Smith – A pretty Seventeen – year – old woman of uncertain
parentage.
Frank Churchill – Mr. Weston’s son and Mrs. Weston’s Stepson.
Jane Fairfax – Miss Bates’ niece
Mrs. Weston – Formerly Miss Taylor, Emma’s beloved governess and
companion.
Mr. Weston – The widower and proprietor of Randalls.
Mr. Elton – The village Vicar, a handsome and agreeable man considered a
welcome addition to any social gathering.
Mr. Robert Martin – A twenty – four – year – old farmer.
Miss Bates – Friend of Mr. Woodhouse and aunt of Jane Fairfax.
Isabella Knightley – Emma’s older sister.
Mr. John Knightley - A lawyer, Emma’s brother – in – law, and Mr. George
Knightley’s brother.
Mrs. Elton – formerly Augusta Hawkins.
Mrs. Churchill – Mr. Weston’s ailing former sister – in – law and Frank
Churchill’s aunt and guardian.
Colonel Campbell – A friend of Jane Fairfax’s father
Mrs. Dixon – The Campbells’ daughter and Jane’s friend.
Mr. Dixon – Husband to the Campbells’ daughter.
Mrs. Goddard – Mistress of the local boarding school.
Mrs. Bates – Mother to Miss Bates and Friend of Mr. Woodhouse.
Mr. Perry – An Apothecary and associate of Emma’s father.
Elizabeth Martin – Mr. Martin’s kind sister.
Mr. and Mrs. Cole – Trades people.
5.7 A DETAILED ANALYSIS OF THE TEXT – PARAPHRASE – PARTI

Chapter – 1
The narrator began the novel with the description of the protagonist, Emma
Woodhouse. She was beautiful, clever and rich lady. She was the youngest of the two
daughters of a most affectionate, father. Emma dearly loved her father. Her mother
had died long ago and she was alone.

Miss. Taylor was the governess to the two sisters and was married to Mr.
Weston, a widower. She was particularly fond of Emma. Emma’s sister, Isabella was
married and settled in London. Her husband and their little children would visit
Emma, only at Christmas.

Mr. Knightley, a sensible man about 37 or 38 was not only a very old and
intimate friend of the family, but particularly connected with them as the elder brother
of Isabella’s husband. He was a welcomed frequent visitor and always brought some
good news of Isabella’s well – being in Brunswick Square.

As Emma was interested in making a match, Mr. Woodhouse prayed that she
should not make any more matches. But Emma told him that she would make one
more match, only for Mr. Elton, their young person. Mr. Woodhouse and Mr.
Knightley both agreed that it would be better to invite Mr. Elton to dinner but to leave
him to choose his own wife.

Chapter – 2
Mr. Weston was born of a respectable family, a native of Highbury. He had a
good education and joined the militia of his country. Captain Weston was a general
favorite. He came in touch with Miss. Churchill belonging to a wealthy and
aristocratic family of Yorkshire. She fell in love with him and married him despite the
objections from her brother and his wife. She was a great spendthrift and soon made a
bankrupt of Mr. Weston. However, she died after a three years of marriage, leaving a
child behind.

Mr. Weston now quit the militia and engaged in trade. He now amassed good
fortune, purchased Randalls, a little estate adjoining Highbury, and obtained Miss.
Taylor as his wife. He was happy to marry Miss. Taylor who had helped and advised
him in his plans after his return to Highbury. He had his son, Frank Churchill, born
for his first wife and brought up by Churchills, uncle family of Weston. He saw his
son every year in London, and was proud of him.

Chapter – 3
Mr. Woodhouse was fond of society in his own way. He wanted to have his
friends come and see him at Hartfield.

Harriet Smith was the natural daughter of somebody. She was a girl of
seventeen. Emma was interested in her on account of her beauty and allowed her to be
her companion by the requisition of Mrs. Goddard. Emma, in her superior position
felt a kind of patronizing love for Harriet. She had no friends except in Martins; the
family of her school friend’s who had rented a large farm of Mr. Knightley’s. She had
recently spent some weeks there happily. Emma now felt that Martins must be coarse
and unpolished, and very unfit to be the intimates of a girl who wanted only a little
more knowledge and elegance to quite perfect.

Chapter – 4- 5
Harriet Smith becomes intimate with Emma. And Emma invited her quite
often and approved her in every respect. Certainly, Harriet was not clever but totally
free from conceit, and only desired to be guided by any one. Emma was quite
convinced of her companionship and tried to find out who were the parents of Harriet
but Harriet could not say much on this score. Next, Emma also observed Harriet’s
spending her time with Martins on holidays. Emma soon decided to wean Harriet
from them. She had become rather attached towards the young gentleman – farmer,
Robert Martin who admired Harriet very much.
As an esteemed companion, Emma took great pains to show Harriet the
disparity in social status between Miss. Woodhouse and Mr. Robert Martin who
rented a farm belonging to her brother-in-law, Mr. Knightley. As Emma’s friend,
Harriet was now moving in the society of gentlemen like Mr. Knightley, Mr. Western
and Mr. Elton, and could no longer return to the lower social class in which the
Martins moved.

Mr. Knightley disapproved of Emma’s growing intimacy with Harriet smith.

On the contrary, Mrs. Weston was of different opinion that their pleasant relationship
will be an inducement to Emma to read more herself. But Mr.Knightley is of the view
that being the cleverest of her family spoiled Emma. Both, Mr. Knightley and Mrs.
Weston wondered Emma’s continue to have her own way, quite ready to follow the
whims of her wayward fancy. More over, Emma expressed her unwillingness to get
marry yet Mr. Weston saw no immediate opportunity to tempt her to break her
resolution.

Chapter – 6 – 8
Emma has given a proper direction towards Harriet’s fancy, and raised the
gratitude of her young vanity to a very good purpose. She was quite convinced of Mr.
Elton’s warm praising of Harriet and his fairest way of falling in love. Usually Mr.
Elton paid visit to Hartfield where he passed his compliments on two ladies. Emma
convinced herself and her comparison that the complements were all meant directly or
indirectly for Harriet who was evidently the object his admiration.

When Emma painted the picture of Harriet one day, Mr. Elton duly admired
her various attempts at portraits. Her sister opposed that the picture did not do justice
to her husband, John Knightley. Emma then decided not to attempt any picture where
husbands or wives involved. However, Emma greeted herself on her success in
braining her friend and the young vicar nearer to each other. Mr. Elton was very
much interested on the picture, received it with a tender sigh to take it to London.
Emma thought to herself that he was an excellent young man, and would suit Harriet
exactly.

At the time of Mr. Elton’s departure to London, Harriet received a parcel

contained two songs and a letter which holds a direct proposal of marriage From Mr.
Martin. Therefore, Harriet hurried back to Emma for her guidance in the matter.
Emma read the letter and was surprised to see its style, which seems to be above her
expectations. Emma congratulates her and suggests that Harriet can write a letter
refusing his proposal. And while “Emma continued to protest against any assistance
being wanted, it was infact given in the formation of every – sentence,” afterward
Emma manages to distract her by talking about Mr. Elton and actually influenced her
strongly in rejecting the proposal.

Mr. Knightley told her that Harriet was soon to receive an offer of marriage
from Mr. Robert Martin. But he was much displaced when Emma told him how the
offer had already been made and rejected. He could not understand why the foolish
girl, Harriet had refused a decent gentleman – farmer like Mr. Martin. He blamed
Emma for this. Emma protested that Mr. Elton was far from her thoughts that of the
time – being, she only wanted to keep Harriet with her at Hartfield. However, she was
a little worried on hearing Mr.Knightley views on the kind of marriage, which Elton
was likely to make. Mr. Elton had excused himself by saying that he was going on
very agreeable mission.

Chapter – 9 - 10
Mr. Knightley was certainly displeased with Emma. But her plans and
proceedings appeared to her more and more justified, and endeared to her by the
general appearances of the next few days.

The picture, which was elegantly framed, hangs over the mantelpiece of the
common sitting room safely to hang soon after Mr. Elton’s return from London. Mr.
Elton sighed out his hail sentences of admiration. This pleased both Emma and
Harriet. Both Emma and Harriet engaged in collecting and transcribing as many
riddles. Mr. Elton said that he had never written anything of this kind in his life. He
learns of it, though he takes it gallantly.

Emma had a charitable visit to pay to a poor sick family who lived a little way
out of Highbury. Mr. Elton was found them passing by the bend of the lane, and very
soon he joined them to accompany to that cottage. As they walked on, Emma
succeeded in separating for a time from them so that he could propose to her friend.
But though nothing of the sort happened, Emma flattered herself that both Harriet and
Elton had found the occasion very enjoyable. Mr. Elton would not propose till he was
sure that he would be accepted.

Chapter - 11- 12
The Knightleys and their five children, and some nursery maids all reached
Hartfield in safety for Christmas vacation. This occupied Emma’s attention for ten
days. Mr. Woodhouse was very happy and passed most of his time with his daughter,
Isabella. He could not reconcile himself to the idea of losing Miss. Taylor. Emma
tried to comfort his feelings by saying that it was not proper on their part to stand in
the way of Miss. Taylor’s making such a good marriage.
The people of Highbury still looked forward to the visit of Frank Churchill, a
handsome man of twenty-three. They were very curious to know about him. Actually
her father told Mrs. John Knightley all about Frank Churchill.

That evening Mr. Knightley is to dine with them. In order to manage their
argument with him, Emma, with good calculation has her eight – month- old niece in
her hands when he arrived. The evening was quite and conversable for Mr.
Woodhouse to have a comfortable talk with his dear Isabella. The brothers talked of
their own concerns and pursuits while Mr. Woodhouse talked with Isabella about the
health of her children. He considered it very unwise to have taken them to a seaside
resort, and attributed his own views to his doctor, Mr. Perry. Mr. Knightley put a full
stop to the discussion by saying that he was the man to decide as to where his family
should spend their holidays and that Mr. Perry “would do as well to keep his opinion
till it is asked for.”

Chapter – 13
This short visit to Hartfield afforded much joy to Mrs.Knightley. She visited
her old friends and talked with her father and sister in the every evening. An evening
before the party, Harriet was severely attacked by cold and fever, and Emma thought
Mr. Elton would have no more interest in the party. She told him that he could very
well be excused from attending the party. When she had almost succeeded in getting
Mr. Elton off, Mr. Knightley offered to take him in his carriage, and Mr. Elton
accepted the offer most gratefully. Emma was quite astonished at the young man’s
eagerness to attend the dinner when his beloved Harriet lay sick at a little distance
from Randalls.
To regulate the behaviour of Mr. Elton, Mr. Knightley told Emma that Elton
seemed to have a great deal of good will towards her. Emma assured Knightley that it
was not like that and she never be the object of Mr. Elton’s love.
Emma was in dismay to find Mr. Elton at Randalls in good and cheerful
spirits, not at all concerned about Harriet.

Chapter – 14 – 15
Mrs. Weston listened a very hearty talk of Emma about herself and her father.
During this conversation Emma determined to think as little as possible of Mr. Elton’s
oddities and enjoy all that was enjoyable to the utmost.

But Emma’s project of forgetting Mr. Elton for a while, made her rather sorry
to find, that he was seated close to her and was continually obtruding his happy
countenance on her notice.

In spite of Emma’s resolution of never marrying, she was always interpreted

by the idea of Frank Churchill. She had frequently thought that if she were to marry,
he was the very person to suit her in age, character and condition. On the whole she
had a great curiosity to see him.

After dinner, Mr. Elton came to the drawing room, and seated himself between
Mrs. Weston and Emma on a sofa. He professed himself extremely anxious about
Harriet’s sore throat. This sort of behaviour form Mr. Elton offended Emma and she
left the sofa.

The carriages were carried for. In the first carriage, Mr. Woodhouse, Isabella
and John Knightley were seated. In the second carriage, as it so happened, Emma was
followed by Mr. Elton. Now Mr. Elton resumed his unwelcome attentions to Emma
with great zeal. He openly declared his love for her in the most impassioned words.
At this declaration Emma was too over-whelmed by unpleasant feelings to make any
reply and Mr. Elton thought that her silence implied a favourable attitude. She had
never consciously encouraged him and she only felt sorry for her friend who had
believed herself admired by Mr. Elton. As far as Emma herself was concerned she had
no thoughts of matrimony at the time. The rest of the trip is spent in angry silence.
After learning him at Vicarage, the carriage takes her to Hartfield, where she finds
everyone in peace and comfort – everyone except herself.
 Chapter – 16
After, she had gone to bed Emma evaluated the evening events and consider
“the evil to Harriet” she wonders, “How she could have been so deceived!” and
reviewed all the events in connection with Harriet.

Emma concluded that Mr. Elton had no real affection for her and wants only
to enrich himself through her as an heiress of thirty thousand pounds. She obliged in
honesty to admit that her complaisance, courtesy, and attention might have led him to
misunderstand her. She felt ashamed for the first and worst error at her door and
resolves “to do such things no more.” Next her thoughts turned towards Harriet within
a moment and about soothing her friend’s disappointment.

Emma got up on the morrow more disposed for comfort that she had gone to
bed; more ready to see alleviations of the evil before her, and to depend on getting
tolerably out of it. However there was still an evil hanging over her in the hour of
explanation with Harriet. This made it impossible for Emma to be ever perfectly at
ease.

Chapter – 17
The John Knightleys were not detained long at Hartfield. So the whole party
set off. The very same evening of the day brought a note from Mr. Elton to Mr.
Woodhouse that he was proposing to leave Highbury the next morning in his way to
Bath.

Emma was most surprised about this. Mr. Elton’s absence just at this time was
the very thing to be desired. She admired him for contriving it, though not able to give
him much credit for the manner in which it was announced.

Emma now resolved to keep Harriet no longer in the dark and had to destroy
all the hopes, which she had been. The confession completely renewed her first
shame, and the sight of Harriet’s tears made her think that she should never be in
charity with herself again.

Emma got Harriet to Hartfield and showed her the most unvarying kindness.
She strived to occupy and amuse her by books and conversation to drive Mr. Elton
forms her thoughts. There must be the cure to be found where the wound had been
given. Emma tried her maximum to see her in the way of cure, till then there could be
no true peace for her.

Chapter 18

Mr. Frank Churchill did not come when the proposed time drew near. Then
the arrival of a letter of excuse was justified Mr. Weston’s fear. Mr. Weston was
exceedingly disappointed. Emma was not really care about Mr. Frank Churchill’s not
coming at that time. Emma talked the matter over with Mr.Knightley, and she blamed
the Churchills for not allowing him to come. Mr. Knightley pointed out that the
Youngman could have come if he had wanted. Mr. Frank Churchill was the one who
was often seen at the popular pleasure resorts like Bath and Weymouth. Mr.Knightley
blamed the Churchills whom allowed him to go where pleasure prompted but prevent
his going where duty beckoned. Emma tried to argue for Mr. Frank Churchill saying
that the habit of dependence and obedience in him, which he had been confirmed
from childhood, would make it impossible for him to over ride the wishes of the
Churchills and make his visit to Randalls. But Mr. Knightley chose to differ from
Emma’s views on subjects. Emma felt this attitude very unusual in Mr. Knightley
who was never unjust to the merits of others.

Chapter – 19
One morning, Emma and Harriet were just approaching the house where Mrs.
And Miss Bates lived. She determined to call upon them and seek safety. The visitors
were cordially and even gratefully welcomed. Then Miss Bates actively began
speaking of Mr. Elton and his doings at Bath as described in a letter, which their
neighbour Mr. Cole had from the Vicar. It turned out that Jane Fairfax was expected
to be there in a week and Miss Bates extremely happy about it. Emma’s imagination
suggested something shady in all this. But she did not want to waste any more time
listening to the endless talk of Miss Bates and so she hastened to Hartfield along with
Harriet.

Chapter – 20
Jane Fairfax was an orphan, the only youngest daughter Mr. Bates. By birth
she belonged to Highbury. At the age of nine, a certain Colonel Campbell of Lt.
Fairfax’s regiment offered to undertake the whole charge of her education.

Jane Fairfax had known nothing but kindness from Campbells and fallen into
good hands. She had been given an excellent education and thus, she was a cultured,
disciplined and talented girl.
Miss. Campbell fell into the affections of Mr. Dixon, a young man, rich and
agreeable. They were acquainted and happily settled, while Jane Fairfax had to earn
for her bread. She had never been quite well since the time of Miss. Campbell’s
marriage and till she should have completely recovered her usual strength. However,
Emma did not like Jane Fairfax. Mr. Knightley had once told her that she didn’t like
her because she saw in her the really accomplished young woman, which Emma
wanted to be thought herself. Jane Fairfax was very elegant. Her height was pretty,
her figure particularly graceful and her size a most becoming medium. Her eyes are a
deep gray, with dark eyelashes and eyebrows. More over, her skin had a clearness and
delicacy in which Emma was forced to admire her elegance.

Emma determined that she would dislike her no longer. But that was hard to
her; she could not quite like Jane who was disgustingly and suspiciously reserve in
her words and manners. She met Mr. Frank Churchill at Weymouth. Emma asked her
about his appearance and manners. The answers were polite but not very evasive.
Emma’s dislike increased on her because of the caution, which spoke of Mr. Frank
Churchill.

Chapter – 21
Emma could not forgive her, Mr.Knightley pleased to observe Emma’s
behaviour and how she had got over her dislike of Miss. Fairfax. Miss Bates told her
that Mr. Elton was going to be married with Miss. Hawkins of Bath. Emma was so
completely surprised that she could not avoid a little blush at the news. Mr. Knightley
had been to Mr. Cole on business, where he had been shown Mr. Elton’s letters; and
Mrs. Cole had written a note about it to Miss. Bates.
 After their visitors had left Emma was alone with her father. She was mute in
pondering over the very amusing piece of news in which, Mr. Elton could not have
suffered long but she was sorry for Harriet. Emma could hope was by giving the first
information herself, to save her form hearing at abruptly form others.

Mr. Robert Martin had hurried after her when she left the shop. She tried to
over come with the genuine emotion reflected in Mr. Martin’s conduct that the news
of Mr. Elton’s engagement did not produce the same effect as it would have done at
any other time. Emma was rather pleased at this meeting with the Martins.

Chapter – 22
Mr. Elton had gone away deeply offended by Emma, came back engaged to
another (to Miss Hawkins). He returned a very gay and self– satisfied, eager and busy,
caring nothing for Miss Woodhouse, and defying Miss Smith.

The charming Augusta Hawkins was in possession of an independent fortune,

so many ten thousands. Mr. Elton had caught both substance and shadow, both
fortune and affection, and was just the happy man he ought to be. The wedding was
no distant event, and it was guessed that when he next entered Highbury he would
bring his bride.

Miss. Hawkins was youngest of the two daughters of a mode rately rich
Bristol merchant. Her father and mother had died some years ago, an uncle remained.
Her elder sister was very well married, to a gentleman in a great way.

Harriet’s mind wavered between Mr. Elton and the Martins. Mr. Elton’s
engagement had been the cure of the agitation of meeting Mr. Martin. The
unhappiness produced by the matter of that engagement had been little put aside by
Elizabeth Martin’s calling at Mrs. Goddard’s a few days afterwards. Harriet had not
been at home but a message had been prepared and left for her. It was in a very
touching style.

Chapter – 23
Emma appeared in her carriage and put a stop to the visit. She got over her
own unpleasant sensations by the resentment of the Martins and the suffering of
Harriet.

Emma was riding away disappointed when suddenly she found the carriage
stopped by Mr. and Mrs. Weston who were returning home. They told her that Frank
Churchill was expected next day.

The next day, Emma was surprised to see Mr. Weston and his son, Mr. Frank
Churchill sitting with her father. Frank Churchill was a very good looking young man
with agreeable manners. He was never tired of praising Mrs. Weston. This only made
Emma like him all the better as she loved to hear the praises of her beloved Mrs.
Weston. On leaving, Frank Churchill enquired after the house of Miss. Jane Fairfax
whom he had the opportunity of knowing at Weymouth. His father immediately told
him to call on her while her went on some business.

The son was not particular to make the visit that very day. But his father told
him that any neglect of Miss Fairfax at Highbury should be avoided as she was living
with her poor grandmother and would therefore feel slighted at any want of attention.
Upon this, Mr. Frank Churchill was persuaded to call upon Jane on his way home.
Emma felt very happy at being acquainted with the agreeable youngman and looked
forward to many happy occasions of meeting him during his fortnight at Highbury.

Chapter – 24 – 25
The next morning, Mr. Frank Churchill came along with Mrs. Weston to
Highbury. Emma had hardly expected them. All three of them walked about together
for an hour or two. He was delighted with everything. He solicited Miss Woodhouse
to exert her influence so that they should have frequent balls at the Crown. He seemed
to have all the amiable spirits and social inclinations of his father.

Emma now asked him how he thought of Miss Fairfax looking. He told her
that she was looking very ill- a most deplorable want of complexion. Emma would
not agree to this and began a warm defence of Miss Fairfax’s complexion. They
discussed about the nature and hidden talents of Miss Fairfax.

Emma’s very good opinion of Frank Churchill was shaken the following day
by hearing that he was gone off to London, merely to cut his hair. Emma found that
he was a very pleasing and sensible young man. Mr. Weston gave her to understand
that Frank admired her extremely – thought her very beautiful and charming and this,
coupled with the feeling that he was marked out for her by their joint acquaintance. It
made Emma pleasantly disposed towards the youngman, though she had no thought
of marriage.
Mr. Knightley regarded Frank Churchill just as a silly fellow. He considered it
quite silly of him to drive his way to London and back for a hair cut.

Chapter – 26

Mr. Frank Churchill came back after had his haircut and laughed at himself.
Unlike Mr. knightly Emma did not consider him silly. She was glad at the prospect of
meeting Frank at the Coles’ party on the following Tuesday. Emma left her father in
the company of Mrs. Bates and Mrs. Goddard, and set out for the Coles party. Mr.
Knightley also went there in his own carriage and both the carriages arrived at the
same moment. The Westons also arrived there, and they extended their looks of love
and admiration for Emma. The party was rather large. Miss Bates, Miss Fairfax, and
Miss Smith were to come in the evening. Mrs. Cole was talking about a new piano,
which war sent by Col. Campbell to Jane Fairfax. But Emma imagined that it was
from Mr. and Mrs. Dixon because Mr. Dixon admired Jane and her music so well. Mr.
Frank Churchill also agreed with Emma and said that it was a gift of love from Mr.
Dixon.

In the evening, Frank made his way to Emma and she introduced him to her
friend Miss Smith. In her behaviour Emma saw a consciousness of sin. She found him
staring intensely at Jane across the room. But he managed the situation that he was
staring at Jane’s strange hair style. He further admits that he would go and ask her
whether it was an Irish fashion as like he engaged in talking with her for sometimes.
From, his little acts of kindness and consideration to Jane, Mrs. Weston had come to
believe that Mr. Knightley was interested in her.
 Chapters – 27 – 28
Emma felt quite pleased with her visit to the Coles except on two points,
which she was not quite easy. She doubted whether she had not transgressed the duty
of woman by woman, in betraying her suspicions of Jane Fairfax’s feelings to Frank
Churchill. She did regret the inferiority of her own playing and singing. She also most
heartily grieves over the idleness of her childhood and was then interrupted by
Harriet’s coming in. On the way, Miss Bates spoke about the kindness of Mr.
Knightley who had sent them his whole store of apples for the use of Jane who
relished them so much.

However, Frank Churchill was yet able to show a most happy countenance on
seeing Emma again. Jane sat down to the pianoforte and gave a good performance at
that time. Mrs. Weston and Emma praised her for it. Mr. Frank Churchill asked Jane
to play something more.

He brought all the music to her, and looked it over together. Emma took the
opportunity of whispering that he spoke too plain. For this reason she felt half
ashamed of his conduct and expressed her regret at having shared with him about
Jane’s secret suspicions. Shortly afterwards Miss Bates, invited him to come but he
did not oblige her saying he had urgent work. Soon after he rode away Emma and the
others left.

Chapters – 29 – 30
Frank Churchill had danced once at Highbury and longed to dance again. Mr.
Weston entered into the idea with through enjoyment and most willingly undertook to
play music as long as they could wish to dance. The rooms at Randalls were too small
to accommodate the ten couples, so it was decided to hold the party at the Crown Inn.
Everybody approved of it.

Jane Fairfax, like Emma, was very enthusiastic about the party and eagerly
looked forward to it. She enjoyed the thought of it to an extraordinary degree. Two
days of joyful security were immediately followed by the overthrow of everything. A
letter arrived from Mr. Churchill to urge his nephew’s instant return. As Mrs.
Churchill was unwell, Mr. Frank Churchill must return to Enscombe without delay.
Mrs. Weston instantly forwarded the substance of this letter to Emma. Soon after
receiving his uncle’s note, Frank arrived at Hartfield to take leave of Emma. He
expressed the greatest regret for going away unexpectedly. Emma made a promise
that they would have the party when he came next to Highbury. After his leave –
taking, Emma was so listless and sad that she felt she must have been falling in love
with Frank who had nearly declared his love for her.

Chapter – 31 – 32
Emma continued to entertain her and no doubt of her being in love. She had
great pleasure in hearing Frank Churchill’s talk than ever in seeing Mr. and Mrs.
Weston. She was very often thinking of him and quite impatient of a letter, that she
might know how he was. When his letter and Mrs. Weston arrived, Emma had the
perusal of it. She read that letter with a degree of pleasure and admiration. Her name
appeared more than once in the letter.
 As Frank Churchill’s arrival had succeeded Mr. Elton’s wedding – day was
named. Mr. Elton and his bride were in everybody’s mouth, and Frank Churchill was
forgotten. Emma grew sick at the sound. She had three weeks of happy exemption
from Mr. Elton and Harriet’s mind had been lately gaining strength.

Emma felt that she could not do too much for her. At last Emma told that her
(Harriet’s) allowing herself to be so occupied and so unhappy about Mr. Elton’s
marriage. She could not give her a greater reproof for the mistake she (Emma) had
fallen into.

Chapter – 33
Mr. Elton appeared to Emma whenever they met again as self – important,
presuming, familiar, ignorant and ill – bread. She had a little beauty and a little
accomplishment, but a little judgment that she thought herself coming with superior
knowledge of the world. Mr. Elton thought himself happy and proud.

Mrs. Elton grew even worse than she had appeared at first. Her feelings
altered towards Emma. Her manners too, and Mr. Elton was unpleasant towards
Harriet. Mrs. Elton took a great fancy to Jane Fairfax from the very first. She also
tried to impress upon Miss Woodhouse to exert them and endeavour to do something
for her. Emma did not enthusiastically support these proposals and could hardly
understand how Jane Fairfax who had known better company could tolerate the
insufferable Mrs. Elton for long.

Chapters – 34 – 35
Thus Emma was obliged to invite them to Hartfield for dinner. On the
appointed day, Mr. John Knightley arrived with his two boys and took the place at
table, instead of Mr. Weston who was called away on business. The other guests were
Mr. Knightley, Jane Fairfax and Mrs. Weston. Though Mrs. Elton was as insufferable
as on other occasions, the evening turned out to be pleasant, especially because Mr.
John Knightley was in unusual good humour.

Mrs. Elton showed great interest in Frank Churchill and said that Mr. Elton
and she would lose no time in calling on him. They both would have great pleasure in
seeing him at the Vicarage. Mr. Weston talked at great length about his son and the
Churchills. He also told her about the social standing of the Churchills and how Mrs.
Churchill was suffering from pretended illness.

Mr. John Knightley produced a letter for Emma from her sister, Isabella and
proved more talkative than his brother. He told her that he would be leaving the next
day. Mr. Knightley proposed that when Emma was too busy with her visits or parties,
she must send the little boys who were left under her care to Donwell. But Emma
teased him by saying the he would have less time for his nephews and no way better
suited to take care of the little boys.
5.8 SUMMARY
Emma woodhouse, a very young and energetic twenty – year- old girl
imagines herself to be naturally gifted in conjuring love matches. She lost the mind
and convinced that she herself will never marry. After self – declared success at
matchmaking between her governess and Mr. Weston, a village widower, Emma takes
it upon herself to find an eligible match for her new friend Harriet Smith. Mrs.
Goddard mistress of the local boarding school introduces Harriet to the Woodhouse.
Though Harriet’s parentage is unknown, Emma is convinced that Harriet deserves to
be a gentleman’s wife and sets her friend’s sights on Mr. Elton, the village vicar.
Meanwhile, Emma persuades Harriet to reject the proposal of Robert Martin, a well –
to – do farmer for whom Harriet clearly has feelings.
Harriet becomes infatuated with Mr. Elton under Emma’s encouragement, but
Emma’s plans go away when Elton makes it clear that his affection is for Emma, not
for Harriet. Emma realizes that her obsession with making a match for Harriet has
blinded her to the true nature of the situation. Mrs. Knightley, Emma’s brother – in –
law and treasured friend, watches Emma’s match making efforts with a critical eye.
He believes that Mr. Martin is a worthy young man whom Harriet would be Lucky to
marry. He and Emma quarrel over Emma’s wedding, and as unusual, Mr. Knightley
proves to be the wisest of the pair. Elton is spurned by Emma that Harriet is his equal,
leaves for the town of Bath and marries a girl there almost immediately.

5.9 TERMINAL QUESTIONS

SECTION A:
ANSWER THE FOLLOWING IN A SENTENCE OR TWO:

1. What Emma is known for?

2. Who is Mr. Knightley?
3. Who is the governess to Emma?
4. Who sends a letter to Harriet?
5. How many children did the Knightley’s have?
6. What resolution did Emma have at the beginning of the novel?
7. What made Emma get an unpleasant sensation?
8. Who extended the looks of love and admiration for Emma at Coles party?
9. Why did Mr. Knightley regard Frank Churchill a silly fellow?
10. Who introduced Harriet smith to the Woodhouses?

SECTION B:
ANSWER THE FOLLOWING IN PARAGRAPHS:

1. Trace some of points of humor in the novel ’Emma’.

2. Make a character study on Mr. and Mrs. Knightley.

3. Compare and contrast between Emma Woodhouse and Harriet Smith.

SECTION C:

ANSWER THE FOLLOWING ESSAY QUESTIONS:

1. How far do you think, Emma is a domestic novel?

2. Elucidate Emma as a Psychological novel.

3. Discuss Emma as a Comedy of Errors.

 CHAPTER – VI
EMMA - JANE AUSTEN

6.1 INTRODUCTION
This chapter carries a detailed analysis of the text. It also highlights some of
the famous literary criticism on Jane Austen’s “Emma”. An overall summary of the
story is also provided for better understanding of the students.

6.2 A DETAILED ANALYSIS OF THE TEXT – PARAPHRASE – PART II

Chapters – 36 – 38
Mr. Woodhouse resigned to the prospect of spending the evening at Hartfield
with Mrs. Bates and his two grand – children while Emma went to the ball at the
Crown.

On the day fixed for the ball, Frank Churchill reached Randalls before dinner.
Emma arrived at the Crown along with Harriet just after the Westons. Two more
carriages arrived one after the other, the occupants of these carriages had been
entreated to come early for the purpose of preparatory inspection. Mr. and Mrs. Elton
also arrived. Emma longed to know what Frank’s first opinion of Mrs. Elton might be.
Mr. Frank Churchill and Miss Woodhouse followed.

The ball proceeded pleasantly. Everybody seemed happy. There was one event
however, which Emma thought something of. The two last dances before supper was
begun and Harriet had no partner. In another moment Emma caught a happier sight –
Mr. Knightley was leading Harriet to the set.

His dancing proved to be just what she had believed it, extremely good. Emma
had no opportunity of speaking to Mr. Knightley till after supper, but her eyes invited
him irresistibly to come to her and be thanked. He then asked her to confess that she
had wanted Elton to marry Harriet. Emma agreed to this and said that for this reason
they won’t forgive her. Now Mrs. Weston called on everybody to begin dancing.
Emma hesitated a moment and then replied that she would dance with him if she
would ask her. Mr. Knightley offered his hand to her.

Chapters – 39 – 40
Harriet came one morning to Emma with a small parcel in her hand. She had
come to make her confession before Emma. The parcel contained a pit of court
plaster, which had been handed by Mr. Elton in the early days of their acquaintance
and she had preserved it as a relic of her love for him. Having burnt these articles the
simple girl told Emma that she would never marry. This did not surprise Emma who
had already thought of Harriet’s love for Frank Churchill, who was her social superior
and marriage was out of the question. Harriet asked her hand in silent and submissive
gratitude. Emma was thinking of such an attachment of bad thing for her friend.

Chapters 41 – 42
Mrs. Elton was very much disappointed. It was the delay of a great deal of
pleasure and parade. It was settled that they should go to Box Hill. Mr. Weston had
agreed to choose some fine morning and drive there. Emma was displeased when she
heard about it from the Weston as she very much disliked the Elton’s. Mrs. Elton’s
carriage – horse had become lame. But when Mr. Knightley saw her so much restless
and disappointed, he suggested that they could have a small picnic to Donwell Abbey
and enjoy his strawberries. Mrs. Elton accepted the offer and began to direct Mr.
Knightley how whole thing was to be conducted. She wanted to tell her aunt that she
had returned home as it was late. Emma kindly offered to call her carriage but Jane
declined the offer.Emma then asked him to join them next day at Box Hill. At last he
agreed to join the party at Box Hill. The party was returning and all were soon
collected.

Chapters – 43 – 44
They had a fine day for Box Hill. Everybody reached there in good time.
Emma and Harriet went together; Miss Bates and her niece with the Elton’s; the
gentlemen on horseback. Mrs. Weston remained with Mr. Woodhouse.

At first it was downright dullness to Emma. She had never seen Frank
Churchill so silent and stupid. Frank Churchill asked Emma to choose a wife for him
and teach her to be like herself. Emma thought of Harriet immediately. Poor Miss
Bates admitted that she would be sure to say at least three dull things every time she
opened her mouth to speak. Then Emma, with mock seriousness told her to limit
herself to three dull things and this pained her a great deal very much. He pointed out
that as he was her true friend, he thought it his duty to tell her that she had ill – treated
Miss. Bates. Mr. Knightley had handed her into the carriage and had quickly walked
off. Emma, alone in the carriage with Harriet, found the tears running down her
checks, as she felt quite mortified at her conduct towards Miss Bates and also at her
inability to express her repentance to the true friend who had so justly upbraided her.

Miss Bates came very happy and obliged. Emma now enquired about Jane.
Miss Bates told her that Jane was very much tired after deciding suddenly to accept
the excellent situation as governess in the small ridge family, arranged by Mrs. Elton.
Jane had no intention of accepting the situation. But her mind was made up during
Box Hill expedition and before leaving for home she had closed with Mrs. Elton’s
offer. Frank had dutifully left that very evening.

Chapters – 45 – 46
On her way, Emma remained engrossed in her pensive thoughts. Mr.Knightley
and Harriet had arrived at Hartfield during her absence. Mr.Knightley told her that he
was going to London to spend a few days with John and Isabella.

Short letters from Frank were received at Randalls, communicating all that
was immediately important of their state and plans. Emma now turned her attention to
Miss Fairfax who was not well. She called on her with a view to taking her out in the
carriage for an airing, but Miss Bates very politely declined the offer on the ground
that Jane was too unwell to go out. Miss Bates informed Emma that Jane was too
unwell to see any body. Dr. Perry also confirmed this.
 Mr. Weston who asked her if she could come to Randalls at any time that
morning, as Mrs. Weston wanted to see her, called Emma. Emma immediately
followed Mr. Weston to Randalls. But Emma’s all attempts to know from Mr. Weston
as to what for she was required to be at Randalls went in vain. On reaching Randalls,
Mrs. Weston informed her that Frank Churchill and Miss fair fax were engaged.
Emma even jumped with surprise, and horror-struck Emma asked Mrs. Weston
whether she was serious about it. Emma scarcely heard what was said. Her mind was
divided between two ideas. Both Mr. and Mrs. Weston were terribly shocked at this
because his former conduct had led everyone to believe that he cared only for Emma
herself. She declared at the moment that she did not have any kind of attachment
towards Frank Churchill though sometime ago she had fancied herself to be a little in
love with him. Mrs. Weston also disapproved of Frank’s questionable conduct after
his secret engagement. But as frank had promised to explain everything in a letter, he
was to write them soon.

Chapters 47 – 48
Emma felt miserable on account of poor Harriet – to be second time the dupe
her misconceptions and flattery. Mr. Knightley had spoken prophetically when he
once said, “Emma! You have been no friend to Harriet smith”.

She was extremely angry with herself. Emma now could imagine why Jane
had slighted her own attentions. Emma could not know how to understand as Harriet’s
behaviour was so extremely odd. Her character appeared absolutely charged. She
seemed to propose no agitation, or disappointment, or peculiar concern in the
discovery. Emma looked at her, quite unable to speak.

However, Emma’s surprise knew no bounds when on her talking with Harriet
on the subject of Frank’s engagement; it transpired that Harriet had become attached
not to Frank Churchill but to Mr. Knightley. Harriet even went to the extent of
believing herself loved by Mr. Knightley. Emma cried out that it was a most
unfortunate mistake. What was to be done? Emma asked her it she had any idea of
Mr. Knightley returning her affection. Now she felt sorry that she had taught Harriet
Smith to have the presumption to elevate her thoughts to Mr. Knightley instead of
being content to marry a man of her own class like Robert Martin.

Emma now realized that it was her own doing. It was she herself who had
been at pains to give Harriet notions of self – consequences. If Harriet were grown
vain, it was her doing so. Emma now reflected that she had herself been first with him
for many years past. Inspite of all her faults, she knew she was dear to him. She felt
that Harriet might be disappointed regarding Mr. Knightley. She was not particular to
marry him. She only wanted him to continue the same old Mr. Knightley to her and
her father. Mr. Weston’s communications furnished Emma with more food for
unpleasant reflection.

Chapters 49 – 50
Next day, Emma resolved to be out of doors as soon as possible. She lost no
time in hurrying into the Shrubbery. She saw Mr. Knightley passing through the
garden door and coming towards her.

They walked together. He was silent. She thought he was often looking at her,
and trying for a fuller view of her face than it suited her to give. When Emma wanted
to give him the news, she had already heard about the engagement of Miss Fairfax
and Frank Churchill. He had come to know about it from Mr. Weston. Mr. Knightley
tried to console Emma, but Emma made him convinced that she had never cared for
Frank Churchill. Finding her affections disengaged, he could not help asking whether
he would be allowed to speak of something, which was nearest to his heart. Emma,
thinking that he was going to speak about his love for Harriet, told him not to commit
himself. Emma was overjoyed at this and she lost no time in letting him know that her
heart was already his. But she felt for Harriet whose hopes had been entirely
groundless, a mistake, a delusion, Knightley heard Emma declare that she had never
loved him. Emma was now in an exquisite flutter of happiness. With respect to her
father, it was a question soon answered. While he loved, it must be only an
engagement.

She was thinking of Mr. Knightley, when a letter was brought her from
Randalls. It was a note from Mrs. Weston to herself, along with a letter from frank to
Mrs. Weston. It was a very long letter and having read it, Emma was convinced of
Frank Churchill’s gratitude to Mrs. Weston, his love for Jane Fairfax and his
admiration and respect for herself. Being already in love she was disposed to view the
story of his love more kindly than before.

Chapter – 51
Emma thought so well of the letter, that she desired Mr. Knightley to read it;
because he had seen much to blame in his conduct. Mr. Knightley read it in Emma’s
presence. When he came to Miss Woodhouse in the letter, he was obliged to read the
whole of it aloud with a smile, a look, a shake of the head, a word or two of assent, or
merely of love. He also said that the gift of pianoforte to Jane was the act of the very
young man. Frank Churchill’s confession of having behaved shamefully was the first
thing to call for more than a word in passing. Thus Mr. Knightley condemned all that
smacked of dishonesty and flirtation on Frank Churchill’s conduct in dealing with
Jane and Emma too. Now Mr. Knightley asked Emma to marry him without.
Chapters – 52
It was very great relief to Emma to find Harriet as desirous as herself to avoid
a meeting. Emma had no difficulty in procuring Isabella’s invitation for Harriet; and
she was fortunate in having a sufficient reason for asking it without resorting to
invention. Mrs. John Knightley was delighted to be of use; she was quite eager to
have Harriet under her sister’s side, Emma proposed it to her friend and found her
very persuadable. Thus Harriet reached safely in Brunswick Square.

Now Emma could enjoy Mr. Knightley’s visits. She had resolved to defer the
disclosure till Mrs. Weston was safe and well. She soon resolved, equally as a duty
and pleasure, to employ half an hour of holiday of spirits in calling on Mrs. Fairfax.
She went there and was admitted by Jane herself coming eagerly forward to receive
her. Emma had never seen her look so well, so lovely, and so engaging. She was
overjoyed to receive Emma. Emma was also equally gratified.

Mrs. Elton said that Mr. Elton would soon join her. She whispered to Jane that
she was making a congratulatory visit. He took a long time to make his appearance,
having had to walk to Donwell to see Mr. Knightley. Mr.Knightley was however not
at home, and his servants had no idea where he had gone. Emma, knew that he would
probably, be waiting for her at Hartfield and so she took leave of Jane. Then Emma
enquired of her about their date of marriage. Jane told her that it could be only after
the three months, of deep mourning.

Chapter – 53
Mrs. Weston was blessed with a daughter. Emma remarked that Mrs. Weston
would educate the girl on a more perfect plan. Mr. Knightley also joined Emma about
this issue and said that Mrs. Weston would indulge more that she indulged in Emma.

Isabella sent quite as well an account of Harriet as could be expected. Now

Emma broke the news of her engagement to her father in a very tactful manner. She
made him consent to it, as she would always be there at Hartfield, and also Mr.
Knightley would be there. However, Mr. Knightley also had to play his part in
persuading old Mr. Woodhouse. Mr. Weston also declared that it was a union of the
highest promise of felicity in itself, and without one real, rational difficulty to oppose
or delay it.

The news was universally a surprise whenever it spread, and Mr. Weston told
it to Miss Bates, Mrs. Cole, Mrs. Perry, and Mrs. Elton. In general it was a very well
approved match. But in the Vicarage, the surprise was not softened by any
satisfaction. She knew that Mrs. Knightley would throw cold water on everything.
She also disapproved of the idea of their living together at Hartfield; it would never
do, according to her.

Chapter – 54
Emma was thinking of it one morning. When Mr. Knightley came in, after the
chat of pleasure, he broke the news to Emma that Harriet Smith was to marry Robert
martin. Emma gave a start to hear of it. She was totally amazed. To Emma it seemed
impossibility, Mr. Knightley removed all her doubts by asserting that Robert Martin
had proposed to Harriet and she had accepted. However, Emma said that it did not
make her unhappy, but Mr. Knightley should tell her how all this had come about.
Mr.Knightley narrated the story how it had all happened. Mr. Robert Martin
had gone to town on business three days ago, and he had got him to take charge of
some papers to be handed over to John Knightley.
Emma was actually happy to learn all about it; but she did not want to attempt
any immediate reply, as that would betray a most unreasonable degree of happiness.
When Mr. Knightley asked her to speak about it she told him that she was quite
reconciled to the match. The entrance of her father soon afterwards closed their
conversation.

Emma and Mr. Woodhouse arrived at Randalls. Frank and Miss Fairfax also
arrived there. Emma was extremely glad to see them but there was a degree of
confusion on each side. He congratulated Emma on her engagement with Mr.
Knightley. He had a great deal to say but Emma’s feelings were chiefly with Jane in
the argument.

Chapter – 55
Mr. Robert Martin had thoroughly supplanted Mr. Knightley, and was now
forming all her views of happiness. Harriet was a little distressed and looks a little
foolish at first. Harriet was most happy to give every particular of the evening at
Astley’s. She could dwell on the next day dinner with the utmost delight. Emma could
now acknowledge that Harriet had always liked Robert Martin. Beyond this, it must
ever be unintelligible to Emma.

Harriet’s parentage became known. She proved to be the daughter of a

tradesman, rich enough to afford her the comfortable maintenance which had ever
been hers, and decent enough to have always wished for concealment. Emma how
realized that it was quite fanciful on her part to arrange Harriet’s marriage with Mr.
Knightley, Churchill, or even Mr. Elton. The stain of illegitimacy would have been a
stain indeed.
Harriet was less and less at Hartfield. The intimacy between her and Emma
must sink; their friendship must change into a calmer sort of good will.
Robert Martin and Harriet smith, the latest couple engaged of the three, were
the first to be married. Jane Fairfax had already quitted Highbury and was restored to
the comforts of her beloved home with the Campbells.

The Churchills were also in town, and they were only waiting for November.
Emma and Mr. Knightley had determined that their marriage ought to be concluded,
while John and Isabella were still at Hartfield. John Isabella and every other friend
were agreed in approving it. But Mr. Woodhouse who had never yet alluded to their
marriage, considered it as a distant event.

Mr. Elton was called on, within a month from the marriage of Mr. and Mrs.
Robert Martin, to join the hands of Mr. Knightley and Miss. Woodhouse. The
wedding was very much like other weddings, were the parties have no taste for finery
or parade. Mrs. Elton thought it all extremely shabby and very inferior to her own
while the particulars detained by her husband. Inspite of it, the predictions of the
small bands of true friends who witnessed the ceremony were fully answered with the
perfect union of happiness.

6.3 LITERARY CRITICISM

It is clear that deviating flair for the exact title is superb. The short scene in
which Emma herself is not on the stage; and that one scene is Knightley’s
conversation about her with Mrs. Weston. Emma is the very climax of Jane Austen’s
work; and a real appreciation of Emma is the final test of citizenship in her kingdom.
For this is not an easy book to read; it should never be the beginner’s primer, nor be
published without a prefatory synopsis. Every sentence and every epithet; has its
definite reference to equally unemphasized points before and after in the development
of the plot.

Emma is the novel of character, and of character alone, and of one dominating
character in particular. A rash reader and some, who are not rash, have been shut out
on the threshold of Emma’s Comedy by a dislike of Emma herself. Jane Austen know
what she was about, when she said, ‘I am going to take a heroine whom nobody but
myself will much like.’ She fails to make people like Emma, so far would her whole
attempt have to be judged a failure, were is not that really the failure, like the loss, is
theirs who have not taken the trouble to understand what is being attempted. Jane
Austen loved tackling problems; her hardest of all, her most deliberate, and her most
triumphantly solved, is Emma.
 No one who carefully reads the first three opening paragraphs of the book can
entertain a doubt, or need any prefatory synopsis; for in these the author gives us quite
clear warning of what we are to see. We are to see the gradual humiliation of self
conceit, through a long self-wrought succession of disasters, serious in effect but
keyed in comedy throughout. Emma herself, in fact is never to be taken seriously.
Emma is simply a figure of fun.

- R. Farrer
In the later novel, Emma, where perhaps Miss Austen perfects her processes for
painting humorous portraits, the negative fool is much better represented in Miss
Bates, Miss Bates has enough of womanly kindness and other qualities to make her a
real living person, even a good Christian woman. But intellectually she is a negative
fool. She has not mind enough to fall into contradictions. There is a certain logical
sequence and association between two contradictories, which it required mind to
discover: Miss Bates’s fluent talk only requires memory. She cannot distinguish the
relations between things. If she is standing in a particular posture when she hears a
piece of news, her posture becomes at once a part of the event which it is her duty to
hand down to tradition.
- Richard Simpson

.. “Each heroine is furnished with a pendent, rival or foil; Marianne with

Elinor, Elizabeth with Jane; Catherine with Isabella, Fanny with Mary, Emma with
Jane; Anne Eliot, whose case does not fit this scheme quite neatly has two foils to set
off her beauty. Call her Cordelia, and Miss Eliot assumes the proportions of Goneril,
if Musgrove is an inadequate Regan”.

“All the Jane Austen Characters are ready for an extended life, for a life which
the schemes of her books seldom require them to lead, and that is why they lead their
actual lives so satisfactorily"

- R.W. Chapman

If we put all the villains together we shall see that one quality they share in
common is cleverness, the hypocritical mask of a more or less serious want of
principle; the heroes, on the other hand, share in varying degrees reserve behind
which is honesty and strength of feeling. The only two men who do not fall easily
within the scope of this generalization are Henry Tilney -- though it might be argued
that for him wit rather than reserve is the weapon of self-preservation – and John
Thorpe, whose unconcealable stupidity is part and parcel of his boorishness”.

- H. Wright

“Marianne’s fortunes follow a curve which brings her back, as in some figure
of a dance, to her original position but facing the opposite way…. The curve is
completed with a light, quick hand; Marianne’s original opinion of her lover recalled
by a single brief pleasantry; there is no awkward attempt at explanation”…

- Lascelles
 “One was not all. “Sense” and the other all “sensibility” each had some of
both qualities and what made the story was that the proportions differed. Marianne
has such vivid emotions, such romantic enthusiasms and rejections, that her common
sense at crises was all but swept away till rescued by her generous heart. Elinor, not
much older, brought good sense to bear on her own emotional shocks—indeed on her
general view of life – but it was as much her sensitive awareness of what her mother
and sister would suffer if they knew what she was suffering, that kept her silent to
bear it alone. It was her own sensibility that made her understand the grief of her
sister was undergoing with more clamour.

- Becker

“We feel, in the presence of the virtue and sense of Elinor a rebuke which
never affects us …while Marianne is often exasperating. Edward Ferrars is rather
stiff, and Colonel Brandon is so far removed from us that we never even learn his
Christian name.

- Austen Leigh
“It seems abundantly clear that in reading Jane Austen’s novels we are not
intended to take all the figures in the same way. Some are offered as full and natural
portraits of imaginable people; others, while certainly referring to types of people, we
might easily have come across, are yet presented with such exaggeration and
simplification that our response to them is expected to be rather different.
- Harding

The realism of Jane Austen is ….truly psychological….There is an

extraordinary degree of truth in the picture it paints reality –of a group of human
beings, their relations one with another their clashes and affinities their mutual
influences, their conversations…. And this gift is explained by the immediate
invention. She brings to her study of character …..Her clear, sighted eyes read
through the inner minds of those who live around her, or of the beings whom she
invents and animats, just as if those minds were transparent….Everything shows a
delicacy of touch, a sense of balance, serene reasonableness….

Jane Austen’s work shows us a wealth of character studies….But if she has

reconstructed souls from the inside with the full and finished touch of the great
masters; she has also the talent of picturesque evocation and knows how to sketch
figures with so sure and suggestive a pen that they stand out in a strong and
unforgettable relief. Her power of perception is keen and fresh; she immediately
grasps the individual traits…. Her work represents in an original way the eternal
comedy of life with all its whims and fancies; and as reality only awakens in her a
spirit of amusement without bitterness…she allows the virtual quaintness of whatever
is human to grow active of it…and she abundantly possesses the implicit eloquence of
humour.

- Legouis

Miss. Austen never wrote about what she did not know; she rejected all
suggestions for pretentious plots and held fast to what she called her “little bit of ivory
to inches square”…..Her delightful characters are so real, so different, so amusing,
and so much alive that one forgets they are people in a book and counts them as
personal friends.
- W. Hill

There has never been more searching and convincing delineation of character,
the quite but ever attentive humour, the fine discrimination of individual peculiarities,
the development of personality under the stress of ordinary experience have made her
novels the joy of countless readers…..But though her range is limited, it is the range
of everyday experience with which everyone is familiar and her interpretation of its
persons and happenings is as fresh today as ever.

- Allen

“That young lady had a talent for describing the involvement and feelings and
characters of ordinary life which is to me the most wonderful I ever met with. The big
Bow-Wow Strain I can do myself like any now going: but the exquisite touch which
renders ordinary commonplace things and characters interesting from the truth of
description and the sentiment, is denied to me”.

That exquisite touch brought out for each succeeding generation, characters so
true to life itself that they are true to life today. It is the secret of Jane Austen’s
personal modernity…. We come upon her people with the delight of recognizing
people we know; her novels speak to any age that speaks English….

- Sir Walter Scott

“First and foremost let Jane Austen be named, the greatest artist that has ever
written using the term to signify the most perfect mastery over the mean to her
end….Her circle may be restricted but it is complete. Her world is perfect orb and
vital. Life as it presents itself to an English gentle-woman peacefully yet actively
engaged in her quite village, mirrored in her works with a purity and fidelity that must
endow them with interest for all time. To read one of her books is like actual
experience of life; you know the people as if you had lived with them, and feel
something of personal affection toward them.
- George Eliot

6.4 KEY WORDS

Humour

Humour is a derivative of a Latin word ‘humor’ meaning ‘moisture’.

According to an ancient theory, there are four principal humours in the body. These
depend on the four fluids blood, phlegm, yellow bile and black bile. When any one of
these predominates, it determines the temper of the mind and body. Hence there arise
four expressions such as Sanguine, Choleric, Phlegmatic and Melancholic humours. A
just balance among these four gives birth to a good compound called, “good humour”.
If there is a preponderance of any one of the four it paves the way for a bad compound
called an ill or evil humour. The excess of blood produces sanguine personality such
as happy, kindly, joyful and amorous, that of phlegm, a phlegmatic personality such
as cowardly, unresponsive, that of yellow bile, a choleric personality such as
obstinate, impatient, argumentative and that of black bile, a melancholic one such as
contemplative affected gluttonous etc.

Many writers began to use this theory in their writings in which their
characters were classified according to their humour. During the Elizabethan time, the
word ‘humour’ itself came to signify a variety of things from disposition to
peculiarity. Ben Johnson utilized this theory in his comedies. In his Every Man In
His Humour, he has portrayed many characters with the name suggesting their
controlling trait. There are characters like Brainworm, Downright, Wellbred, Formal
etc. The melancholy Jacques in As You like It, describes his own sadness by using
the characteristic vocabulary of the theory of humour.

Since this term has come to mean something, which makes people laugh, it
begins to indicate one of the two major types of writing, ‘humour and wit’. Humour is
sometimes limited to gentle and sympathetic laughter. But wit is something, which
evokes intellectual and derisive laughter. Addison gives an ingenious genealogy of
wit and humour. According to him, “Truth was the founder of the family and father of
good sense. His son was wit who married mirth and humour was their child.”

Realism

Realism is the record of life as it is. The realist, while describing the actual
happenings in life feels and lives in the happenings he describes. But as an artist, he
shapes all details of real life into form, which issues forth from his personal vision of
reality. Some realists may portray simple everyday people with work worn-out, brave
and kindly faces. But some others may avoid such materials in preference to more
earthly stories.

Realism in literature began in the mid-nineteenth century. Since its beginning,

there have been no set ideals and principles governing the content and technique of
the realistic works of art. Even before the 19th century, there have been traces of
realistic elements even in the works of Daniel Defoe’s ‘Moll Flanders’ and
BenJonson’s’ Bartholomew Fair’. Such realistic elements were mainly concerned
with the accuracy of speech and behaviour of the low characters.

Gradually the accuracy of external details has given way to the complex
working of the mind in the 20th century, which has resulted in the use of ‘Stream of
Consciousness’ device with all its characteristic fidelity to the inner psychological
process of characters. Virginia Woolf and James Joyce are the practioners of this
technique though their psychological realism lacks artistic selections. Then reform
novels, satires and novels of city life tend towards realism because of the aim of the
writers at the depiction of true facts of life. Today realism has come to mean treating
all the varied experiences of life in an unsentimental manner.

6.5 SUMMARY

Emma, the heroine of the novel is left to comfort Harriet and to wonder about
the characters of a new visitor expected in Highbury – Mr. Weston’s son, Frank
Churchill. Frank is set to visit his father in Highbury after having been raised by his
aunt and uncle in of London, who have taken him as their hair. Emma knows nothing
about Frank, who has long been deterred from visiting his father by his aunt’s
illnesses and complaints. Mr. Knightley is immediately suspicious of the young man,
especially after Frank rushes back to London merely to have his hair cut. Emma,
however, finds Frank delightful and notices that his charms are directed mainly
toward her. Though she plans to discourage these charms, she finds herself flattered
and engaged in a flirtation with the young man. Emma greets Jane Fairfax, another
addition to the Highbury set, with less enthusiasm. Jane is beautiful and
accomplished. But Emma dislikes her because of her jealousy upon Jane.

Suspicion, intrigue, and misunderstandings, ensue. Mr. Knightley defends

Jane, saying that she deserves compassion because, unlike Emma, she has no
independent fortune and must soon leave home to work as a governess. Mr. Weston
suspects that the warmth of Mr. Knightley’s defence comes form romantic feelings,
an implication Emma resists. Everyone assumes that frank and Emma are forming an
attachment, though Emma soon dismisses Frank as a potential suitor and imagines
him as a match for Harriet. At a village ball, Knightley earns Emma’s approval by
offering to dance with Harriet, who has just been humiliated by Mr. Elton and his new
wife. The next day, Frank saves Harriet from Gypsy beggars. When Harriet tells
Emma that she has fallen in love with a man above her social status, Emma believes
that she means Frank. Knightley begins to suspect the frank and Jane have a secret
understanding, and he attempts to warn Emma. Emma laughs at Knightley’s
suggestion and loses Knightley’s approval when she flirts with Frank and insults
Miss. Bates a kind hearted spinster and Jane’s aunt, at a picnic. When Knightley
reprimands Emma she weeps.

News comes that Frank’s aunt has dived, and this event pares the way for an
unexpected revelation that slowly solves the mysteries. Frank and Jane have been
secretly engaged; his attentions to Emma have been a screen to hide his true
preference. With his aunt’s death and his uncle’s approval, Frank can now marry Jane,
the women he loves. Emma worries that Harriet will be crushed, but she soon
discovers that it is Knightley not Frank, who is the object of Harriet’s affection.
Harriet believes that Knightley shares her feelings. Emma finds herself upset by
Harriet’s revelation, and her distress forces her to realize that she is in love with
Knightley. Emma expects Knightley to tell her he loves Harriet, “but, to her delight,
Knightley declares his love for Emma. Harriet is soon comforted by a second proposal
from Robert Martin, which she accepts. The novel ends with the marriage of Harriet
and Mr. Martin and that of Emma and Mr. Knightley, resolving the question of who
loves whom After all.

6.6TERMINAL QUESTIONS

SECTION A:

ANSWER THE FOLLOWING IN A SENTENCE OR TWO:

1. Who is the protégé of Emma?
2. What is the central focus of the novel?
3. Where did the Churchills live?
4. Whose’ arrival at Highbury irritates Emma?
5. Who had been secretly engaged?
6. Who were united at the end of the novel?
SECTION B:

ANSWER THE FOLLOWING IN PARAGRAPHS:

1. Describe the plot construction of the novel.

2. Comment on the literary style of Miss Austen.
3. Describe the character of Miss Bates and point out the instances in which she
is important for the satirical delineation of manners.

SECTION C:

ANSWER THE FOLLOWING ESSAY QUESTIONS:

1. Is Emma likeable? Do you agree with her? Why or why not?
2. “Frank Churchill and Mr. Knightley represent two different set of values and
two different understandings of manhood”. Describe the values that each
character represent and explain how the novel judges their value.

6.7 SUGGESTED READINGS

Hughes, R.E. “The Education of Emma Woodhouse,” Nineteenth – Century
Fiction XVI (June, 1961) A Study of Emma’s “Education” in regard to love
and wealth.
Lasceller, Mary, Jane Austen and Her Art. London, 1939, A wide – ranging
study that combines biography with detailed examination of the novelist’s
style and general narrative art.
Albert, Edward - History of English Literature, Fifth edition.
J.N. Mundra and S.C. Mundra - A History of English Literature.
 CHAPTER - VII
GREAT EXPECTATIONS -CHARLES DICKENS

7.1INTRODUCTION
“Great Expectations” by Charles Dickens
Visualizes the social and cultural background of the Victorian Age. And an intent
study of this novel helps to comprehend the historical and biographical facts reflected
in the writings of Dickens.

7.2 SOCIAL AND CULTURAL BACKGROUND OF THE AGE

Charles Dickens belonged to Victorian Age. The writers like Thackeray,
Meredith, Carlyle, Macaulay, and Ruskin and so followed him. The few colonial wars
took place during this age. But it did out seriously disturb the national life. There was
one continental war that directly affected Britain yet caused any profound changes.
The whole age may be fairly described as an age of peaceful activity.
There was a revolution in commercial enterprise due to the great increase of
available markets. As a result of this there was an immense advance in the use of
mechanical devices. The new commercial energy was reflected in the Great
Exhibition of 1851, which was greeted as the inauguration of a new era of prosperity.
Due to the commercial expansion, there was the exploitation of cheap labour; the
painful fight by the enlightened few to introduce social legislation and the slow
extension of the franchise. The evils of the Industrial Revolution were clearly marked
by such writers as Dickens and Mrs. Gaskell, and they called forth the Missionary
efforts of men like Kinsley. It is to the credit of this age that intellectual activities
were so numerous.
There was quite a revolution in scientific thought reflected upon the works of
Darwin and his school. In addition, popular education became a practical thing. Thus
it induced a new hunger for intellectual food, and resulted in a great increase in the
production of the press and also something more in literature. However the age
produced no supreme writers. It revealed no Shakespeare, no Shelley, nor a Byron or
a Scott. Perhaps it was an age, of spacious intellectual horizons, noble endeavour, and
bright aspirations.

7.3 INTRODUCTION TO THE AUTHOR

Charles Dickens was the greatest of the Victorian novelists. He was a great
genius and both as a novelist and a popular entertainer, he ranked very high. David
Cecil says, “He is the one novelist of this school,” in Early Victorian Novelists,
“whose popularity has suffered no sensible decline. He is not only the most famous of
the Victorian novelists but he is also the most typical. It we are to see the
distinguishing virtues and defects of his school at this clearest, we must examine
Dickens.”

Charles Dickens was born on February 7, 1812 at 357 Mile End Terrace,
Commercial Road Land port, Portsea in Hampshire. His father, John Dickens, was a
clerk in the navy pay office. When Dickens was nine years old, his father’s debts
increased and after his struggle for many years in his native town, he shifted to
London and then to Chatham. Dickens had his schooling there. He was much
dedicated to his studies and fond of books. He also participated in the mildest of
games. He lived with his parents for some years happily. But soon his father was
arrested for non-payment of debts. Then his mother established the famous Boarding
for young ladies but no more income they gained.
Family circumstances made him to leave the school at the age of eleven. His
position forced him to enter into the blacking factory. There he happened to meet a lot
of difficulties to earn a few pennies. He was helped by one of his relatives meantime,
his father was also set free from prison and Dickens joined the Willington House
Academy at the age of fifteen. Once again he left this place and this time he became a
clerk in a lawyer’s office. He studied short hand in order to achieve success in his
career as a reporter. Walter Allen writes, “During his spare time he haunted the
theatres and music-halls of London. As a small child, standing on the kitchen table, he
had entertained his father’s friends with comic songs, and this represents a side of
Dickens the importance of which cannot be overestimated. He was a born entertainer,
a man who had to entertain, because it was a need of his nature to impose his
personality on others by making them laugh or making them cry… Indeed, all the
accounts indicate that he was a great actor, and so it was natural that, as a youth, he
should think of becoming one professionally”. In this way, he spent a few years and
earned high praise from his colleagues. Thus he occupied the very highest rank for the
marvelous quickness in transcript.

7.4 HIS CHARACTERISTICS

Dickens is the best of all the English novelists. “Dickens was the first to
introduce to the reading public life of the poor and the oppressed”. He appealed the
readers with a sense of humour. He had a special love for orphan children as he had
been left on orphan himself and had suffered much cruelty in his early years.

Humour

Dickens’ humour was the supreme quality of his genius. It was as a humourist
that Dickens made his name. Humour is the soul of his work. But we could find a
difference between his farce and his sense of humour. True humour always suggests a
thought and throws light on human nature. ‘Pickwick Papers’ abounds in farce but
blending with the higher characteristics of Humour.

Pathos

Dickens’ pathos is in separable from the gift of humour. He is at his best in

bringing out the pathos of child-life. The readers of his book see how closely the truly
pathetic and quick observation is allied in Dickens’ ‘Little Dorrit’, which is strong in
both Pathos and humour. There was no less fertile in pathos than in humour. There is
a foretaste of Dickens’ humour in Moses, the son of Goldsmith’s ‘Vicar of
Wakefield’. “Dickens is truly and profoundly national: of humour the very
incarnation, he cannot think of his country without a sunny smile”.

As a Reformer

Dickens gained the attention of the public that he resolved to use the
opportunity to try to cure some of the evils which produced the suffering, and his
efforts had great success. The measures for the treatment of the poor were improved
largely, through the books like ‘Oliver Twist’ and ‘Mutual friend’. Thus he served a
great service to the society.

As a Novelist

Charles Dickens was not only the most popular novelist of his day but he still
has more readers than any other author of his time. His name is a household one in the
English - speaking world. He produced the characters to the ordinary mind. The most
brilliant work he ever produced is his first novel; Pickwick Papers. It is an epic of
humour, which provides excellent entertainment

As a Realist

The impression of reality differs from one another. An artist must select and
arrange the facts of nature. This is what Dickens does. Besides, it must also be
admitted that he had moral purpose, and this fact conditions his subject, but it is
treated imaginatively like the modern naturalists, but, as Church points out, “he did
great service in bringing the novel back to life, from haunted rivers and Gothic
Castles, and from the romance of highway men then in vogue. He made life, the life
which he knew, the subject of his novels, and in this respect he was a great
innovator”.

7.5 HIS WORKS

Pickwick Papers
The novel is in the style of Smollett, whom Dickens adored with a heroic
fervor, and recounts the adventures of Pickwick, Winkle, Snodgrass, Tupman and so.
“The book contains some sixty distinct situations and more than three hundred and
fifty characters, some of them making their appearance only once to win for them a
lasting place in our hearts. The incidents loosely connected and the chronology will
not bear close inspection, but in abundance of detail of a high quality, in vivacity of
humour, in acute and accurate observation, the book is of the first rank. It is doubtful
if Dickens ever improved upon it.”

Oliver Twist
In ‘Oliver Twist’ Dickens presented the pathos of innocent childhood, and the
protest against the abuses of power, especially on the part of governmental
Institutions. This book is a study in crime and villainy and the punishment, which
encircle wrongdoers. The moral sense of Dickens triumphs at the end.

Nicholas Nickleby
This novel exposes the weaknesses of Yorkshire schools and the horrible
teaching and teachers who were in charge of young boys. The themes of suffering
childhood and oppressive institutions are united in Dotheboys Hall, a composite
picture of the Yorkshire schools.

Old Curiosity Shop

“This novel has greater originality of design. One does not smell the
footlights, but has, instead, delicious wafts of freshness from the fields and lanes of
England. The story has more of symmetry; it moves more regularly to its close, and
that close is much more satisfying. It remains in one’s mind as a whole with no part
that one feels obstructive or incongruous or wearily feeble. In writing the last portion,
Dickens was so engrossed by his theme that he worked at unusual hours, prolonging
the day’s labor into the night. The book gained there by its unity of effect. It is a story
in the true sense, and one of the most delightful in our language.”
Barnaby Rudge
His next historical novel Barnaby Rudge is a failure. It is in part a romance of
private life, in part a historical novel. The novel deals with Gordon anti-popery riots
of 1788 and the principal interest lies in the vivid description of the riot, which held
London terrorized for several days.

Martin Chuzzlewit
Martin Chuzzlewit is considered as one of the finest works of Dickens, though
in fact it is a formless work, without any systematic development of the plot. The
entire novel centres round Martin’s adventures both in England and America.

Dombey and Son

‘Dombey and Son’ is the last of early novels of Dickens. It is a study in pride
represented through the character of Mr. Dombey. Susan Nipper and Captain Cuttle
provide the benevolent humour; and Florence and Paul Dombey furnish Pathos. The
plot is well woven

David Copperfield
Among the later novels Dickens’ ‘David Copperfield’ (1849-50) is the best. It
is his autobiography. “The pen which wrote David Copperfield”, says High Walker
“was often dipped in his own blood.” Dickens once said, “I like David Copperfield
the best.” David Copperfield and his experiences are the experiences of Dickens
himself through all the trials and tribulations of his life.

Bleak House
Dickens’ next novel ‘Bleak House’ was published in 1853. It is a vigorous
satire on the abuses of the old court of chancery, the delays and costs of which
brought misery and ruin on its suitors.

Hard Times
‘Hard Times’ was published in 1854. It is a satirical exposure of the evils of
industrialism and the great misery that follows in the wake of rapid industrialization.

Little Dorrit
Dickens attacks the rigors of prison life in this novel. Dickens gathered the
experiences of prison life from the account of his father, who had been imprisoned in
Marshal Sea prison house

A Tale of Two cities

‘A Tale of Two Cities’ is a historical novel representing the shuddering event
of the French Revolution. It was published in 1859. The two cities are London and
Paris. The characters of this novel are masterly portrayed.

Great Expectations
Great Expectations deals with the adventures of a young boy Pip and is one of
the gripping novels of Dickens. It is a novel of adventure, the sort of adventure that
might well happen to a person who got himself mixed up with questionable
characters, in such a sort as this, close to the convict – ships or in what really were in
those days the wilds of London.

7.6 INTRODUCTION TO THE TEXT

Style
Dickens is the first English humanitarian novelist. He is central to the
Victorian novel as Tennyson to Victorian poetry. The Victorian novelists like Dickens
possess the quality of creative imagination to a supreme degree. Dickens is really very
strong in pure description and in elaborate picturing. He is often named after his
observation. We could not find his style commended for pure idiom or command of
subtle melodies ‘Barnaby Rudge’ is written in a style, simple, direct and forcible.
When he writes some piece of work in his pleasant mood, his style is faultless and
perfectly suited. Alen Clutton Brock says: “Dickens was master of a sound and even
classical prose style. His teachers were Smollett, Fielding and Defoe; and he had
learned from them thoroughly. He wrote like a man, with a masculine weight,
clearness, and balance.”

7.7 THE PLOT

The action of the novel falls into three stages. The first stage ends with Pip’s
departure for London to be ‘created’ a gentleman. The second stage ends with the
appearance of Pip’s real economic benefactor, and the third stage ends with Pip’s
departure for the East. All these three stages correspond to the three stages of Pip’s
boyhood youth and maturity.
Dickens primarily presents three expectations,
i) Pip’s dream of ‘gentility’ away from the forge Joe Gargery, his
illiteracy and manners.
ii) Abel Magwitch’s dream of the gentleman he can create.
iii) Havisham’s dream of the revenge upon all men for the shame
she has suffered on her wedding day.
All these three are inextricably connected. Thus, Pip is the central consciousness of
the novel. He comes into contact with several characters who represent society
becomes attracted to its false, values, suffers and is redeemed. All the incidents centre
on him and highlight the hollowness of class system. Through him Dickens presents
his evaluation of Victorian society.

7.8 SUMMARY
Charles Dickens a literary doyen of Victorian era is best of all English
novelists. His style is simple and plain. His works reflect his special love and concern
for orphan children as he had been left an orphan himself. More than a writer his pen
showed him as a prominent reformer of social evils. His works usually highlight the
evils that prevailed in his age. His works stand as a fine testimony of his hard work
and hardships that he underwent in his life. He is more a realist and a fine artist of
excellent talent. His characters stand for ever proclaiming his name in the world of
literature.
7.9TERMINAL QUESTIONS

SECTION A:

ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS IN A SENTENCE OR TWO:

1. Mention the main trend and the nature of Dickens’s Age
2. . Give the name of Dickens’ father.
3. Dickens belongs to which age?
4. How many stages does the plot of Great Expectations have?
5. Name some of the great works of Dickens.
6. Name Dickens’ first novel
7. Name the novel which is studded with French Revolution.

SECTION B:
ANSWER THE FOLLOWING IN PARAGRAPHS:
1. Give a biographical sketch of Dickens
2. Comment on the style of Dickens
3. Write regarding the major trends of Dickens’ Age

SECTION C
ANSWER THE FOLLOWING ESSAY QUESTIONS:
1. List out some of remarkable features of Dickens novel.
2. Write out the plot construction of Great Expectations.
 CHAPTER – VIII

GREAT EXPECTATIONS - CHARLES DICKENS

8.1 INTRODUCTION
This chapter consists of the detailed analysis of the text - “Great Expectations”
and its special significance, which makes the readers to gain thorough knowledge of
the text. This chapter also carries the literary criticism on Charles Dickens’s “Great
Expectations” and its summary. More over, it brings forth some questions to check
the gained knowledge of the students. Answers are given at the end of this chapter to
help the students.

8.2 GREAT EXPECTATIONS - AN EMPHASIS ON THE PSYCHOLOGICAL

DEVELOPMENT OF THE HERO - DISCUSS

Charles Dickens’s ‘Great Expectations’ is the story of a poor orphan boy. He

became a gentleman by chance and through this experience learned a few lessons
regarding life and its aims. This story is told with a proper emphasis on the
psychological development of the hero.

Pip was an orphan boy who lived in the humble home of a village blacksmith.
His sister, the wife of the blacksmith who was an ill tempered, brought him up, in
contrast to her softhearted and kindly husband Joe. Pip’s only way of escaping from
his sister’s tyranny was the churchyard in the marshes near his home where he could
sit by the tomb-stones of his parents. The convicts at times escaped from the prison,
which was near his home, causing much excitement in the village. Pip was caught by
one of the convicts on one Christmas Eve. He was threatened by the convict and was
forced to bring some food and a file. Pip’s convict was generous enough to confess
that he had stolen food and a file, thus saving Pip from punishment.

Pip imagined how this chance encounters to change his life. He was
introduced to an eccentric old lady, Miss Havisham who had been disappointed in
love and lived the life of a recluse. There he happened to meet Estella, a proud and
elegant girl, Miss Havisham’s ward. She treated him with open contempt. This was
the beginning of a change in Pip’s outlook and ambition. He feels dissatisfied by
blacksmith’s forge and began to dream of becoming a gentleman. He paid visit to
Miss Havisham’s house regularly and was apprenticed to Joe.

Pip continued to dream of a better life. Then immediately he got into the
promise of great expectations. One of a benefactors provided money to help Pip live
in London, get an education, and make he to be a gentleman. Pip’s joy knew no
bounds. Yet he had hope on Miss Havisham. In London Pip was introduced to
Matthew Pocket, a relation of Miss Havisham. His son Herbert and Pip became
friends and began sharing rooms. Pip enjoyed his happy days. He had a false belief
that Miss Havisham would allow him to marry Estella.
 Pip came of age. His allowance was increased. But something made him
unhappy. He was also disappointed in Estella who still kept him aloof and seemed to
be out to break men’s hearts, under the active guidance of her guardian.

Abel Magwitch returned to England and revealed himself to Pip as his

unknown benefactor. Pip came to know about his risk of life and it filled Pip with
disappointment and disgust. With the help of his friend’s suggestion, Pip concealed
his disgust and set about making arrangements for the convict’s escape from England
but the attempt got failed. Estella too married a worthless fellow.
Later Pip decided to make career in Herbert’s firm. His great expectations had
disappeared. He tried to attain only happiness in life not wealth or social rank.
However Pip was united with Estella in ultimate happiness.

8.3 THE LOVE ASPECT IN GREAT EXPECTATIONS

The romantic interest is provided by the love of Pip for Estella in Great
Expectations. It is a strange story of desire and disappointment, where the young man
becomes the target of a woman’s vengeance on the male sex. In the end Pip marries
Estella, but the event causes surprise and smacks of artificiality.

Pip was a poor orphan boy brought up by his sister and her husband, the
village blacksmith. He had been invited to the wealthy lady’s house to amuse her.
There he first met Estella, the adopted child of the rich and eccentric Miss Havisham.
He fell in love with the beautiful Estella at first sight. She treated him with contempt
and insulted him deliberately, yet he was fascinated by her charms. With out realizing
his position, he allowed himself steadily into the trap of Miss Havisham. It was that
woman’s fantastic plan to train and use Estella as a breaker of men’s hearts. In spite
of all, Pip loved the girl.

Estella’s beauty was used to trap Pip. He was made her Playmate. At first she
insulted and discouraged him. But then, after his victory over Herbert Pocket, she
allowed him to kiss her. This made Pip feel encouraged in it. Later on, when
Magwitch began to help Pip without disclosing his identity, Miss Havisham
encouraged him to believe that she was the unknown benefactor. This delusion
encouraged Pip and believes that he might become a worthy husband for Estella.

When Estella was in London after finishing her education, Pip often acted as
her escort. She confessed that she did not know what love was. But all her warnings
were lost on him. As soon as he heard that his heart almost broke when he learned that
she was engaged to marry some-one else. This tragedy came when Pip was already in
a mess. But Pip recovered quickly and faced the situation boldly. Perhaps he felt some
relief when Miss Havisham asked his pardon for what she had done to him.
Fate brought Pip and Estella together again after many years. Estella was then
a widow and all her wealth gone. She made her mind to recognize the purity of Pip’s
affection that she becomes wiser and sadder. Perhaps it is right to say that
circumstances made her play the part of the cruel lady but she actually had bind
feelings for Pip. She must have found contentment and happiness in the reunion of
Pip and Estella.
8.4 CHARACTERS PREVIEW

Pip - the hero of the novel.

Abel Magwitch – The convict whom Pip meets on the marshes, and who
becomes the author of his ‘Great Expectations’
Biddy - an orphan, who comes to help Joe Gargery in the home, on Mrs. Joe
Gargery becoming ill, and on her death, marries Joe Gargery.
Compeyson –the criminal who betrays Miss Havisham and later becomes
Abel Magwitch’s enemy
Clara – the girl whom Herbert Pocket loves, and later marries.
Estella - Miss Havisham’s adopted child, actually the daughter of Abel
Magwitch and a woman of gypsy blood. She first jilts Pip; marries a worthless
youth and on his death marries Pip.
Herbert Pocket - son of Matthew Pocket and nephew of Miss Havisham, who
becomes Pip’s friend, and stands by him at all times.
Joe Gargery - Joseph Gargery, the village blacksmith and Pip’s brother-in-law.
Jaggers - the criminal lawyer who becomes Pip’s guardian in London.
Matthew Pocket - a relation of Miss Havisham who is appointed as Pip’s tutor.
Molly - Jaggers’ housekeeper, who is actually the wife of Abel Magwitch and
the mother of Estella.
Mrs. Joe Gargery - Pip’s sister, wife of the blacksmith.
Night Porte r -Night watchman.
Phillip Pirrip - the full form of Pip. It is also the name of Pip’s father.
Pumblechook - Pip’s uncle.
Wemmick – clerk to Jaggers, the lawyer, and Pip’s well-wisher.

8.5 A DETAILED ANALYSIS – PARAPHRASE OF THE TEXT

Chapter 1
“Great Expectations” by Charles Dickens is an autobiographical novel.
It gives a fine and realistic narration of the life story of Philip Pirrip, nicknamed Pip,
who is the hero of the novel.
The story opens with the narrator, Pip, who introduces himself and describes an image
of himself as a boy, standing alone and crying in a churchyard near some marshes.
Young Pip is staring at the gravestones of his parents, who died soon after his birth.
This tiny, shivering bundle of a boy is suddenly terrified by the voice of large,
bedraggled man who threatens to cut Pip's throat if he doesn't stop crying.

Chapter 2
Pip is much scared and runs home to his sister, Mrs. Joe Gargery, and his adoptive
father, Joe Gargery. Mrs. Joe is a loud, angry, nagging woman who constantly
reminds Pip and her husband Joe of the difficulties she has gone through to raise Pip
and take care of the house. Pip finds solace from these rages in Joe, who is’ mild,
good natured, sweet tempered, easy going, foolish, dear fellow – a sort of Hercules in
strength and also in weakness’. They are united under a common oppression.
During the dinner, Pip nervously steals a piece of bread. Early the next morning, Pip
steals food and a pork pie from the pantry shelf and a file from Joe's forge and runs
back to the marshes.
 Chapter 3
The next morning, Pip sneaks out of the house and goes back to the marshes. He finds
a man, wet and cold and dressed like a convict, but he turns out to be a different
convict from the man who had threatened him the night before. This man has a badly
bruised face and wears a broad-brimmed hat. He runs away from Pip without
speaking to him. Pip finally finds his man and gives him the food. The man reacts
with anger when Pip tells him about the other convict. Pip leaves him filing at his
shackle and returns home.

Chapter 4
Pip returns home to find Mrs. Joe preparing the house for Christmas dinner. She has
invited Mr. Wopsle, the church clerk, Mr. Hubble the wheelwright and Mrs. Hubble
and Uncle Pumblechook who was a "well to do corn-chandler" who "drove his own
chaise-cart." The discussion over dinner was how fortunate Pip should feel about
being raised "by hand" by Mrs. Joe and how much trouble she has gone through in
that endeavour, though Pip's opinion was never requested. Mr. Pumblechook nearly
chokes on some brandy after the meal and Pip realizes that he poured tar water in the
brandy bottle when he stole some for the convict. Mrs. Joe becomes too busy in the
kitchen to afford a full investigation, but then announces that she is going to present
the pork pie. Sure that he is going to get caught, Pip jumps up from the table and runs
to the door, only to meet face to face with a group of soldiers who appear to be there
to arrest him.
Chapter 5
The soldiers do not want to arrest Pip but they do need a pair of handcuffs fixed by
Joe. They are invited in, Mr. Pumblechook offers up Mrs. Joe's sherry and port, and
Joe gets to work on the handcuffs in the forge. They are, in fact, hunting two convicts
who were seen recently in the marshes. After Joe fixes the handcuffs, he, Pip, and Mr.
Wopsle are allowed to follow the soldiers into the marshes. They soon find the two
convicts wrestling each other in the mud. The one with the hat accuses the other, Pip's
convict, of trying to kill him, but the other replies that he would have done it if he
really wanted to. Instead, he had been the one who had called for the soldiers and was
willing to sacrifice him just so the one with the hat would get caught again.
They bring the two back to a boathouse where Pip's convict, eyeing Pip, admits to
stealing Mrs. Joe's pork pie by himself, thus getting Pip off the hook. Joe and Pip
watch as the two convicts are brought back to the prison ship.

Chapter 6
Joe, Pip, and Mr. Wopsle walk back home. Pop decides not to tell Joe the truth about
his file and the pork pie -- he is afraid of losing his respect. When they return, the
topic of discussion is the question of how the convict managed to get into the locked
house. Through his bombastic overbearance, Mr. Pumblechook's argument wins: the
convict crawled down the chimney. Mrs. Joe sends Pip to bed.

Chapter 7
Pip describes a little of his education with Mr. Wopsle's great aunt, a "ridiculous old
lady" who had started a small school in her cottage. The education, as Pip describes it,
is less than satisfactory, but Pip does learn some basics from Biddy, an orphan girl
who works for Mrs. Wopsle.
While doing his homework one night, Pip discovers that Joe is illiterate. Joe explains
that he never stayed in school long because his father, a drunk and physically abusive
to him and his mother, kept him out. Joe goes on to explain to Pip that, because of his
father, Joe stays humble to Mrs. Joe. "I'm dead afraid of going wrong in the way of
not doing what's right by a woman," he says. He lets Mrs. Joe "Ram-page" over him
because he sees how difficult it is to be a woman, remembering his mother, and he
wants to do the right thing as a man. Pip has new understanding and respect for Joe.
Mrs. Joe comes home, quite excited, and proclaims that Pip is going to "play" for
Miss Havisham, "a rich and grim lady who lived in a large and dismal house." Uncle
Pumblechook suggested Pip to Miss Havisham when she asked if he knew any small
boys. Pip was to go tomorrow and spend the evening at Uncle Pumblechook's in town.

Chapter 8
Pip spends the evening at Mr. Pumblechook's and is brought to Miss Havisham after a
meager breakfast. They are met at the gate by a young woman, Estella, "who was very
pretty and seemed very proud." Estella lets Pip in, but sends Mr. Pumblechook on his
way. She leads him through a dark house by candle and leaves him outside a door. He
knocks and is let in. There he meets Miss Havisham, a willowy, yellowed woman
dressed in an old wedding gown. She calls for Estella and the two play cards, despite
Estella's objection that Pip was just a "common labouring-boy." "Well," says Miss
Havisham, "you can break his heart." Estella insults Pip's coarse hands and his thick
boots as they play.
Smarting from the insults, Pip later cries as he eats lunch in the great house yard. He
explores the yard and the garden, always seeing Estella in the distance walking ahead
of him. Finally, she lets him out of the yard and he walks the four miles home, feeling
low.
Chapter 9
Pip is forced to talk about his day to Mrs. Joe and Mr. Pumblechook. Pip tells lies,
making up stories about dogs being fed food. He lies, partly inspite, but also because
he is sure that the two would not understand the situation at the Satis House even if he
described it in detail. Later, Pip tells Joe the truth, and also confesses that he is
embarrassed about being a "commoner" because of his attraction to Estella. Joe
reassures him that he is not common; he is uncommon small and an uncommon
scholar. Referring to Pip's lies, he adds, "If you can't get to be on common through
going straight, you'll never get to do it through going crooked."
Chapter 10
Pip states plainly that he wants to be uncommon and so, taking to heart Joe's advice
that "you must be a common scholar afore you can be a on common one," he asks
Biddy at the small school to help him get educated. The school of Wopsle's great aunt
is little more than a play school and Pip understands that it will be hard to concentrate
on some actual learning, but Biddy agrees and gives Pip some books to start with.
On the way home, Pip goes into a pub to pick up Joe. He finds Joe sitting with a
stranger, a man with one eye pulled closed and a worn hat on his head. The man asks
Joe all kinds of personal questions, some about Pip's relation to him, the whole time
staring at Pip. At one point, the man stirs his drink with Joe's file -- the file Pip stole
to give to the convict! As Joe and Pip depart, the stranger hands Pip a coin wrapped in
paper.
When they get home, Pip realizes that the paper is actually a two-pound note.
Thinking it was a mistake Joe runs back to the pub to give it back but the man is gone.
 Chapter 11
A few days later, Pip returns to Miss Havisham as directed. This time, the house
seems full of people waiting to see her but she sees him first. She brings him into a
great banquet hall where a table is set with food and large wedding cake. But the food
and the cake are years old, untouched except by a vast array of rats, beetles and
spiders which crawl freely through the room. Miss Havisham has Pip walk her around
the room as four guests are brought in: Sarah Pocket, a "vicious," "dry, brown,
corrugated woman;" Georgiana, "the grave lady;" Camilla, an old melodramatic
woman; and her husband, Cousin Raymond. All are, apparently, the same age or a
little younger than the withered Miss Havisham and all come to see her on the same
day of the year: her birthday, which also happens to be the day when the cake was set
out and the clocks were stopped so many years ago; i.e. the day Miss Havisham
stopped living. Miss Havisham continues walking around the room, saying little to her
guests, until the mention of a certain Matthew, whereupon she stops short.
The guests leave, and Miss Havisham once again asks that Estella and Pip play cards
as she watches.
As Pip is once again allowed to explore the yard, he runs towards a pale, young
gentleman who challenges him to fight. Despite the young man's jumping about and
expert preparation, Pip gives him a bloody nose, a black eye, and a general whopping.
They end the fight and the boy, cheerful as ever, wishes Pip a good afternoon. At the
gate, Estella tells Pip that he may kiss her if he likes. Pip kisses her on the cheek.
Chapter 12
Pip returns once again to Miss Havisham, but he does not run into the boy again. He
begins pushing Miss Havisham in a wheelchair from her room to the large banquet
hall, and continues to do so over the course of eight months. Sometimes Estella joins
them and the three sing little ditties together.
During this same time, Mr. Pumblechook makes a habit of visiting Mrs. Joe and
discussing Pip's promising prospects, now that he is routinely seeing Miss Havisham.
But the prospects seem to fall away when one night Miss Havisham asks Pip to bring
Joe to visit her in order that Pip may start his indenture as a blacksmith.
Chapter 13
Joe accompanies Pip to the Satis House the next day. Miss Havisham gives Joe
twenty-five guineas for Pip's service to her and thus buys Pip's indenture as a
blacksmith.
Returning to Mr. Pumblechook's house, where Mrs. Joe is also anxiously waiting, Joe
produces the twenty-five pounds much to everyone's -- except Pip's -- joy. Caught up
in the excitement, Mr. Pumblechook insists that Pip be legally bound by law and
drags Pip and the entourage down to the Town Hall to be bound. Mrs. Joe then brings
everyone out for dinner. At the meal, all but Pip seem to be enjoying themselves: "...I
was truly wretched, and had a strong conviction on me that I should never like Joe's
trade. I had liked it once, but once was not now."
Chapter 14
Pip explains his misery to his readers: He is ashamed of his home and ashamed of his
trade. He wants to be uncommon; he wants to be a gentleman. He wants to be a part
of the environment that he had a small taste of at the Satis House. His greatest fear
allies his greatest shame. He fears, beyond everything else, that Estella will see him in
his current, dirty, blacksmith state.
 Chapter 15
Biddy continues to teach Pip all she knows including an ironic little ditty about a man
who goes to London and lives a fancy life. Pip continues to teach Joe everything he
has learned, though he doubts Joe is taking much of the information in.
Orlick, a gruff man that Joe employs around the forge, begins one day to insult Mrs.
Joe within her hearing. There is a fight between Joe and Orlick, which Joe wins, but
the two continue to work together as if it is all behind them. About a year into his
indenture, Pip revisits Miss Havisham at the Satis House ostensibly to thank her for
paying for his indenture. He is disappointed at the meeting: Miss Havisham does see
him for a few moments, but only to laugh at him when he looks around for Estella.
Estella has, in fact, been sent abroad to be educated as a lady.
Pip returns home to find nearly the whole of the village gathered around his house.
Mrs. Joe has been hit over the head, knocked senseless by some unknown assailant.

Chapter 16
Pip immediately suspects Orlick, though, strangely, his sister was hit with the
shackles that the convict filed off in the first chapter! Because of this connection, Pip
also suspects the one-eyed man that Joe and he had met in the pub, and who had
demonstrated his own knowledge of Pip's past by stirring his drink with the file used
to free those same shackles. His sister has suffered some serious brain damage, having
lost much of voice, her hearing, and her memory. She communicates by writing letters
and symbols on a slate. Furthermore, her "temper was greatly improved, and she was
patient."
To help with the housework and to take care of Mrs. Joe, Biddy is employed and
moves into the house and becomes "a blessing to the household."
Strangely, Pip's sister starts to treat Orlick extraordinarily well, inviting him to have
something to drink, and watching him with an "air of humble propitiation."

Chapter 17
Pip notices that Biddy is turning into a woman, not very pretty, but very bright and
wise. They go for a walk and Pip confesses his desire to be a gentleman. He also
admits that he wants to be a gentleman so that he will be acceptable, and perhaps
loved, by Estella. Biddy wisely suggests that becoming a gentleman to "gain over" a
woman who thinks him course and common does not sound very logical.
Pip knows this instinctively, can't help himself and says as much, amidst tears in front
of Biddy. He tells Biddy that he wishes he were more easily satisfied, he wishes he
could fall in love with her, Biddy. "But you never will, you see," Biddy replies.

Chapter 18
It is the fourth year of Pip's apprenticeship and he is sitting with Joe and Mr. Wopsle
at the pub when a stranger who wants to talk to Joe and Pip alone approaches them.
Pip recognizes him, and his "smell of soap," as a man he had once run into at Miss
Havisham's house years before. Back at the forge, the man, Jaggers, explains that Pip
now has "great expectations." An anonymous sponsor whom Pip is never to try to
discover has given him a large amount of money, to be administered by Jaggers.
Fulfilling Pip's dreams, Jaggers explains that Pip is to be "brought up a gentleman"
and will be tutored by Matthew Pocket -- the same "Matthew" that had been
mentioned at Miss Havisham's. Jaggers give him money enough for new clothes and
leaves, expecting to meet him in London within a week.
Pip spends an uncomfortable evening with Biddy and Joe, and then retires to bed.
There, despite having all his dreams come true, he finds himself feeling very lonely.

Chapter 19
The word has spread through town that Pip has come into fortune and people are
treating him distinctively different. Pip goes into town to buy clothes for his London
trip and stores them at Pumblechook's house because he thinks it would be common
of him to wear them in his own neighborhood. Even Pumblechook is treating him as if
he is a king, and Pip, joining into the arena that he viewed as hypocrisy only a few
chapters before, starts to enjoy it and even starts to like Pumblechook.
Relations between he and Biddy and Joe do not improve, however, especially when
he asks Biddy if she would try and educate Joe so that he could bring him up to
another social level once the full extent of Pip's sponsor's fortune is given to him.
Biddy brusquely tells Pip that Joe has no need, and does not want, to be brought up to
another social level.
Pip visits Miss Havisham. She hints subtly that she is his unknown sponsor, and does
it in such a way that Sarah Pocket, standing near, is given to believe it. The week
finally over, Pip leaves for London. Even while he is in the carriage, however, he
considers turning around and spending another day saying good-bye to Joe and Biddy.

Chapter 20
Pip goes to London and, compared with his last images of the marshes, finds it "ugly,
crooked, narrow and dirty." He meets with Jaggers, who tells him that he will be
boarding with Matthew Pocket. He meets Wemmick, Jagger's square-mouth clerk.

Chapter 21
Wemmick brings Pip to Bernard's Inn, where he will be staying when he is in town.
The Inn appears to Pip to be a fairly run-down, decrepit place. There he meets his
guide and roommate for the next few days, Matthew Pocket's son Herbert. Herbert
Pocket and Pip recognize each other when they meet: Herbert is the pale young
gentleman that Pip fought in the garden of Miss Havisham’s so long ago.

Chapter 22
Herbert Pocket prepares a simple dinner and explains his relationship to Miss
Havisham. His father, Matthew Pocket, is Miss Havisham's cousin. Miss Havisham
was doted on by her father her whole life and shared her only with a half brother, the
son of her father and the cook. Miss Havisham fell in love with a swindler and
Matthew Pocket tried to warn her about him. Angrily, she demanded that Matthew
must leave the house and must not return.
Miss Havisham is then jilted on the day of her wedding, her fiancé leaving her only a
letter. The rumour was that the fiancé had worked in conspiracy with her younger
brother, who may have wanted to exact revenge on the more favoured.
Miss Havisham adopts Estella and raises her to wreak revenge on the male gender by
making them fall in love with her, and then jilting them.
The next day, Herbert brings Pip to meet his father, and his seven siblings, in the
outlying area of Hammersmith.
Chapter 23
The Pocket household turns out to be a comical jumble of children, nurses, and
boarders, all held together loosely under Matthew Pocket's weary gaze. Mrs. Pocket
had been raised with high expectations herself and brought up to be "highly
ornamental, but perfectly helpless and useless." She seems to have little idea of child
rearing, leaving the young ones in the hands of two nurses. Pip observes the chaos
over a meal.
Chapter 24
Pip finds Matthew Pocket to be, like his son, serious, honest, and good. Because
Matthew Pocket was earnest in teaching Pip, Pip feels earnest in learning and
progresses well. At the same time, he is drawn by the city life within London and asks
Jaggers if he can live permanently at the Bernard Inn with Herbert, instead of
boarding in Hammersmith. Jaggers agree. Wemmick brings Pip to watch Jaggers in
court, where Pip observes him "grinding the whole place in a mill."
Chapter 25
While at the Pockets, Pip comes to know the family surrounding of Miss Havisham.
Camilla is Matthew Pocket's sister and Georgiana is a cousin. Pip also grows close to
Herbert. Pip is invited to dinner at Wemmick's whose slogan seems to be "Office is
one thing, private life is another." Indeed, Wemmick has a fantastical private life.
Although he lives in a small cottage, the cottage has been modified to look a bit like a
castle, complete with moat, drawbridge, and firing cannon. Pip finds Wemmick an
entertaining host, far different from the Wemmick at the office.

Chapter 26
The next day, Jaggers himself invites Pip and friends to dinner. Pip brings Herbert as
well as the other Pocket boarders, including Startop and Drummle, a mopey depressed
aristocrat. Pip and his friends find themselves revealing their relationships quite
clearly, specifically all of their irritation at the insulting Drummle. Pip, on Wemmick's
suggestion, looks carefully at Jagger's servant woman -- a "tigress" according to
Wemmick. She is about forty, and seems to regard Jaggers with a mix of fear and
duty.
Chapter 27
Biddy writes to Pip to tell him Joe is coming into London and would like to visit him.
Pip does not look "with pleasure" on this.
Joe shows up for breakfast and tells Pip that Miss Havisham wants him to know
Estella is back at the Satis House. The conversation is apologetic and stilted, Joe
addresses Pip as "sir," and Joe stays only for a few minutes. He tells Pip that he is out
of his element, and that if Pip would like to see the real Joe and sit down and talk like
old times, he should visit the forge.
Chapter 28
Pip journeys back to this hometown to see Estella. He shares the carriage with two
convicts who sit behind him. Pip recognizes one of them as the one-eyed man Pip met
in the tavern years before who stirred his drink with the file and gave Pip a one pound
note. The convict does not recognize him, but Pip overhears him tell the other convict
about the note that a stranger had given him to bring to Pip.

Chapter 29
Pip imagines that Miss Havisham has adopted both he and Estella to raise them to be
with each other. Pip imagines that he and Estella inhabiting the old Satis House and
flinging open the windows to let the sun and the breeze in.
He meets Orlick at the gate of The Satis House and learns that he is now working for
Miss Havisham. He goes in to meet her and Estella, who is now older and so much
more beautiful that he doesn't recognize her at first. Facing her now, he slips back
"into the coarse and common voice" of his youth and she, in return, treated him like
the boy he used to be. She is coming from France and on her way to live in London.
They talk of his new friends and his old friends: "Who is fit for you then is not fit for
you now," Estella said, asking about Joe. Pip agrees and, at that moment, decides not
to go see Joe and Biddy.
It is here that Pip sees something strikingly familiar in Estella's face. He can't quite
place the look, but an expression on her face reminds him of someone.
Later, they all have dinner with Jaggers, who, curiously, does not look at Estella the
whole meal.
Chapter 30
Pip and Jaggers return to the inn in town. Pip mentions to Jaggers that Orlick may not
be a trustworthy assistant to Miss Havisham and Jaggers tells Pip that he will see him
fired.
Pip stays away from Joe and Biddy’s house and the forge, but walks around town,
enjoying the admiring looks he gets from his past neighbors. This pleasant walk is
disturbed by the Trabb boy who makes fun of Pip, imitating the snobbish way he
walks and barking out, "Don't know yah!" to onlookers.
Pip returns to London and talks to Herbert about Estella. Herbert himself reveals that
he is in love with a woman named Clara, though it must be kept secret because his
mother would think he was marrying "below station."

Chapter 31
Herbert and Pip go to see Wopsle in Hamlet, which turns out to be a horrible piece of
theater, but a very humorous evening nonetheless because of the crowd's wisecracks.
They invite Wopsle home for dinner and listen to him rant about his performance.

Chapter 32
Pip receives a note from Estella that she is coming to London. She asks if he will meet
her at the carriage stop. While waiting for the carriage, Pip meets Wemmick who is
on his way to Newgate prison to conduct some business. The prisoners are friendly
with Wemmick, even offering to send him presents before their executions.
As Pip returns to wait for Estella, he wonders at the fact that things associated with
the criminal element have strangely intercepted his life at various times, starting with
the convict at the beginning of the story. He feels as if the stain of criminality is still
on him from his visit to Newgate prison and how that contrasts with the beautiful
Estella.
As the carriage pulls up, Pip once again sees a familiar expression in Estella's face,
but cannot place it.
Chapter 33
Estella is to go on to Richmond, accompanied by Pip, and the two sit in a nearby cafe
as they wait for the outgoing coach. Estella is to educated by a wealthy woman in
Richmond with a single daughter.
Estella tells Pip that all of Miss Havisham's relatives hate him because they Miss
Havisham to be his benefactor. They are always gossiping jealously, but Estella
believes that Pip is still alright in Miss Havisham's eyes.
The carriage comes and they ride to Richmond talking of trivial things. Pip believes
that if he were to be with her forever that he would be blissfully happy -- but this
contradicts his knowledge that whenever he is with her he is "always miserable."
 Chapter 34
Pip's conscience bothers him with regard to Joe and Biddy who he continues to
ignore. As well, he feels guilty for leading Herbert into a life of debt by carrying him
along on a very expensive lifestyle of dinners, drinks and shows.
Pip describes his life at Bernard's Inn with Herbert: "We spent as much money as we
could, and got as little for it as people could make up their minds to give us. We were
always more or less miserable and most of our acquaintances were in the same
condition... our case was in the last aspect a common one."
They "check their affairs" by shuffling papers and bills and realize that, though they
are in far in debt both, are quite unsure just how far in debt they have gone.
After one evening of "checking their affairs," a letter comes for Pip announcing the
death of Mrs. Joe Gargery.
Chapter 35
Pip returns home to attend the funeral -- which turns out to be a ridiculous affair put
on by Trabb the tailor and made worse by the pompous Pumblechook and the foolish
Hubbles. Later, however, Joe and Pip sit comfortably by the fire like times of old. Pip
finds out that before she died, his sister put her head on Joe and said, "Joe... Pardon...
Pip."
Later, Biddy and Pip go for a walk and Pip asks what she will do now. She tells him
she is going to open her own school. Biddy insinuates that Pip will not be returning
soon as he promises. Pip leaves insulted.
Chapter 36
Pip "comes of age," that is, turns twenty-one, and hopes that his benefactor will
present her/himself. His hopes seem to be on the mark when Jaggers makes an
appointment with him for early that evening.
In fact, Jaggers reveals nothing about Pip's benefactor and tells him that he does not
know when the benefactor will chose to reveal them. The only thing that has changed
is that Pip is now in charge of his own stipend which is now set at five hundred
pounds a year. Jaggers then dines with Herbert and Pip at the Bernard Inn. After he
leaves, Herbert echoes both he and Pip's thoughts: When they are in Jagger's presence,
you always feel as though you've committed some outrageous crime that not even you
yourself are aware of.
Chapter 37
Pip goes to Wemmick's castle for dinner and is introduced to Miss Skiffins. Pip asks
Wemmick for advice on how to give anonymously gives Herbert some of his yearly
stipend (one hundred pounds a year).
With help from Miss Skiffins' brother, who is in finance, Wemmick and Pip put
together a plan whereby Herbert will be given a job with a young merchant.

Chapter 38
Pip dedicates a chapter to his relationship with Estella while he lives in the city and
she lives in Hammersmith. "I suffered every kind and degree of torture that Estella
could cause me," he says.
On a number of occasions, he accompanies Estella on her frequent visits to Miss
Havisham. In his presence, Miss Havisham demands to hear of all the hearts that
Estella has broken, complete with names and details.
Pip blindly interprets this as meaning that after Estella has wreaked appropriate
revenge on the male gender; Miss Havisham as a reward will give the two of them to
each other. Miss Havisham's concentrated effort to raise a child who can feel no love
comes back to work against her, however, as Pip witnesses an argument between
them. Miss Havisham, an older woman from when Pip first met her, has moments
when she needs to be loved and appreciated. Unfortunately, Estella is incapable of
love and cannot, therefore, give affection to even her adoptive mother. Miss
Havisham did her job too well.
While fraternizing with his men's club, "the Finches of the Grove," Pip finds out that
Drummle has begun courting Estella. Despite knowing how Estella treats men, Pip is
miserably upset that Estella has begun seeing the most repulsive of Pip's
acquaintances.
Chapter 39
Pip has his twenty-third birthday and seems to be doing very little with his life. Mr.
Pocket no longer tutors him, though they remain on good terms. He tries for a few
occupations, but doesn't stick to any of them. Instead, he finds that he is spending a lot
of time reading.
A rough sea-worn man of sixty comes to Pip's home on a stormy night. Pip invites
him in, treats him with courteous disdain, but then begins to recognize him as the
convict that he fed in the marshes when he was a child. The man reveals that he is
Pip's benefactor. He has been living in Australia all these years and making money as
a sheepherder. But since the day that Pip helped him, he swore to himself that every
cent he earned would go to Pip.
"I've made a gentleman out of you," the man exclaims. Pip is horrified. All of his
expectations are demolished. He has been living his life off the hard workings of a
convict. There is no grand design by Miss Havisham to make Pip happy and rich,
living in harmonious marriage to Estella.
The convict tells Pip that he has come back to see him under threat of his life, since
the law will execute him if they find him in England. Pip gives the convict Herbert's
empty bed, and then sits by the fire by himself, pondering his miserable position.

Chapter 40
Pip gets up and eats breakfast with the convict, who tells him his name is Magwitch
though he is going by Provis while in England. Pip is disgusted with him, though, at
the same time, he wants to protect him and make sure he isn't found and put to death.
Pip buys some clothes for him that will make him look like a "prosperous farmer."
Pip goes to Jaggers to verify that this man is his benefactor. Indeed, Jaggers assures
him that Miss Havisham had nothing to do with his great expectations.

Chapter 41
Herbert meets Magwitch. Pip brings Magwitch to a nearby inn, then returns to discuss
with Herbert "what is to be done." Pip feels that he cannot take any more of
Magwitch's money, mostly because Pip is still proud and it is the money of a criminal.
At the same time, Pip does not want Magwitch's execution on his hands, which will
surely occur if it is discovered he is back in England. Pip wants to protect Magwitch
since he has risked his life to come back to see him.
The two decide that Pip will try and convince Magwitch to leave England with him.
After that, they'll see what happens. Magwitch returns for breakfast the next morning,
and Pip asks him about the other convict that Pip had seen him fighting with in the
marshes on the Christmas day long in the past.
 Chapter 42
Magwitch tells them the story of his life. From a very young age, he was alone and
got into trouble. Mostly, he stole out of hunger and cold. At that same young age, he
was impressed with the fact that others referred to him as hard, as a criminal, and
predicted that he would spend his life in and out of jail. Indeed, his life ran along this
very path.
In one of his brief stints actually out of jail, Magwitch met a young well-to-do
gentleman named Compeyson who "had the head of the devil." Compeyson had his
hand in everything illegal: swindling, forgery, and other white-collar crime. When
Magwitch met him, Compeyson was working with a half-crazed man called Arthur,
who saw visions of a woman dressed all in white, with a broken heart, who came to
haunt him. On one of these haunts, Arthur gave up his own ghost and died.
Compeyson then recruits Magwitch to do his dirty work and soon gets Magwitch into
trouble with the law. Both standing before the judge, Compeyson, being a gentleman,
is given a lesser sentence than Magwitch, a career criminal. Magwitch hates the man.
Herbert passes a note to Pip: "Young Havisham's name was Arthur. Compeyson is the
man who professed to be Miss Havisham's lover."

Chapter 43
Pip finds out that Estella is at the Satis House and feels he needs to go back to visit
both she and Miss Havisham.
He returns to his hometown and, at the town inn, meets Drummle, who is obviously
courting Estella. The two pass rude words to each other, then they depart on their own
ways.
Chapter 44
Pip finds Miss Havisham and Estella in the same banquet room in the Satis. Pip tells
Miss Havisham that he is unhappy with the way she led him on to thinking that she
was his benefactor and the manner in which she hinted that he and Estella were
destined to be together. It was his own fault, says Miss Havisham, just like it was the
fault of her relatives to believe this was the case as well.
Pip tells her that Herbert and Matthew Pocket are different from her other relatives.
They are the same blood but they are kind and upright. Pip breaks down and confesses
his love for Estella. Estella tells him straight that she is incapable of love -- she had
warned him of as much before -- and she will soon be married to Drummle. Even
Miss Havisham seems to be finally feeling sympathy toward Pip, holding her heart as
if remember how her own was broken. Pip walks back to London. At the gate to his
house the Porter written by Wemmick gives him a note: "Don't Go Home."

Chapter 45
Pip gets a room at a nearby inn and in the morning visits Wemmick at his castle.
Wemmick tells Pip things he has learned from the prisoners at Newgate. Pip is being
watched, he says, and may be in some danger. As well, Compeyson has made his
presence known in London.
Wemmick has already warned Herbert as well who, heeding the warning, brought
Magwitch to his fiancée Clara's house in a neighborhood that Pip does not frequent.
As well, the house is right next to a dock on the Thames, making an escape by river
more easily accomplished. Pip spends the day with Wemmick's deaf old relative, the
"Aged," and leaves as it starts to grow dark.
 Chapter 46
Pip goes down to Clara's to find Magwitch and Herbert. Herbert introduces him to
Clara. Clara has no relatives except her father, a drunk, bed-ridden old sailor who
lives on the second floor (Herbert has never met him) and constantly claims Clara's
attention. Pip tells Magwitch that he is being watched and this is the best place for
him now. In order to stay safe, Pip and Magwitch must only have contact through
Herbert. Pip is a little sad to leave him. The rough old convict appears to have
"softened" a bit.
Chapter 47
Pip goes to dinner alone one night, then to the theater where he sees Mr. Wopsle in
one of his productions. Mr. Wopsle stares strangely at Pip throughout the play, getting
quite out of character.
Afterwards, Mr. Wopsle asks Pip whom it was that he came with. Pip says he came
alone. Mr. Wopsle tells him that there was man sitting behind Pip for much of the
production and that he recognized him as the second convict that he, Pip, and Joe had
hunted with the soldiers when Pip was just a child, Compeyson!

Chapter 48
Pip has dinner with Jaggers and Wemmick at Jaggers' home and learns from the host
that Drummle has indeed married Estella. Jaggers' verdict on the subject is that
Drummle, because of his "spidery" character, will either beat her or "cringe," that is,
become a browbeaten husband himself. The whole conversation pains Pip, who has
been trying to avoid the subject even with Herbert.
During the dinner, Pip finally realizes what had been so familiar about a certain look
he had seen in Estella. It was a look that he had seen in Jaggers' servant woman as
well. Pip knows instinctively now that Jaggers' servant woman is Estella's mother!
On their way home together, Wemmick tells the story of Jaggers' woman servant, the
"tigress" as Wemmick refers to her. It was Jaggers' first big break-through case, the
case that made him. He was defending this woman in a case where she was accused of
killing another woman by strangulation. This is why Jaggers' likes to show off the
poor woman's hands to company. The woman was also said to have killed her own
child, a girl, at about the same time as the murder.

Chapter 49
Miss Havisham asks that Pip come visit her. He finds her again sitting by the fire, but
this time she looks very lonely. In fact, as she begins to speak, Pip sees that a big
change has come over the cold woman. She seems almost afraid of Pip. Pip tells her
how he was giving some of his money to help Herbert with his future, but now must
stop since he himself is no longer taking money from his benefactor. Miss Havisham
wants to help, and she gives Pip nine hundred pounds to continue to assist Herbert.
She then asks Pip for forgiveness. Pip tells her that she is already forgiven and that he
needs too much forgiving himself to be able not to forgive others.
"What have I done?" Miss Havisham repeats again and again. "What have I done?"
Pip asks her about the history of Estella. Miss Havisham says that Jaggers brought her
as a mere infant during the night.
Pip goes for a walk around the garden then comes back to find Miss Havisham on
fire! Pip takes his jacket and the tablecloth from the old banquet table, and puts the
fire out, burning himself badly in the process. The doctors come, announce that she
will live. They put her on the banquet table to care for her (where she said she would
always lie when she died.)
Chapter 50
Pip goes home and Herbert takes care of his burns. Herbert has been spending some
time with Magwitch at Clara's and has been told the whole Magwitch story.
Magwitch was the husband of Jaggers' servant woman, the Tigress. The woman had
come to Magwitch on the day she murdered the other woman and told him she was
going to kill their child and that Magwitch would never see the baby again. And
Magwitch never did. Pip puts it all together and tells Herbert that Magwitch is
Estella's father.
Chapter 51
Pip wants to make sure that he has the whole thing straight and goes to see Jaggers the
next morning. Pip tells Jaggers that he knows his servant woman is the mother of
Estella and that Jaggers brought her to Miss Havisham. He also tells him Magwitch is
the father. Jaggers was not aware of this and is as visibly amazed as Jaggers can get.
Then Pip asks him to give him more details on the story and appeals to Wemmick,
standing by, to help him. While doing so, he tells Jaggers of Wemmick's warm castle
and of his "Aged" relative. Jaggers is amazed at this as well, and tells Pip more of the
story.
Jaggers had, in fact, talked his servant woman out of keeping the child and knew that
Miss Havisham was looking to adopt. His reasoning amazes Pip, and Wemmick, with
its humanity. Jaggers says he wanted to save the child, to give it a chance in life,
because he had seen too many children in her situation grow up in and out of jails and
surrounded by the dangerous world of crime.

Chapter 52
Wemmick sends Pip a note indicating that now may be a good time to escape with
Magwitch and get him out of the country. Herbert and Pip plan to take the boat out
with Magwitch in a few days, take him down the Thames until they run into a steamer
headed for a foreign port.
In the meantime, Pip gets another letter, this one by an anonymous author, telling him
to come down to the limekiln in the marshes that night. Once again, Pip goes to his
hometown and walks out to the marshes.

Chapter 53
Pip goes to the marshes to a shack near the limekiln where he is to meet the
anonymous writer. There Orlick who ties him up and tells him that he is going to
promptly kill him jumps Pip. Pip does not want to die, not because he values his own
life, but because he still has moral obligations to fulfill with Magwitch and Joe.
Orlick admits to hitting Mrs. Joe over the head, but says it was Pip's fault because Pip
was the favored one and Orlick was jealous. Orlick says he is working for Compeyson
and assures Pip that Compeyson will make sure that Magwitch does not leave the
country. Just as it appears Orlick is going to kill him, Herbert, Startop and Trabb's boy
burst through the door. Orlick escapes.
Pip had dropped the anonymous letter at home and Herbert found it. He and Startop
came to the town and got Trabb's boy to show them where the shack was. Pip rests a
day at home; the following day they plan to escape with Magwitch.
 Chapter 54
They get up the next morning and start rowing down the river, picking up Magwitch
at the preappointed time. They row downstream all day and put in on shore at an inn
for the night. They start off the next day and are within a few feet of a steamer that
they hope to board when another boat pulls alongside to stop them. In the confusion,
Pip sees Compeyson leading the other boat, but the steamer is on top of them. The
steamer crushes Pip's boat, Compeyson and Magwitch disappear under the water, and
Pip, Startop and Herbert find themselves in a police boat of sorts.
Magwitch finally comes up from the water. He and Compeyson and wrestled for a
while, but Magwitch let him go and now Compeyson is presumably drowned. Once
again, Magwitch is shackled and arrested. Pip sits down next to the injured and
exhausted Magwitch, and feels that he will stay by Magwitch's side until the end. Pip
also realizes that the English government will take all of Magwitch's fortune.

Chapter 55
Magwitch is in jail and quite ill. Herbert is leaving for Egypt with the firm in the
position that Pip, and now Miss Havisham, had secretly set up for him. Herbert plans
to marry Clara as soon as her drunken old father dies. He offers Pip a job as his clerk
in the company as well as a place to stay -- with he and Clara, once they get settled.
Pip cannot give his answer for the job until he sees the Magwitch situation through,
but asks Herbert to keep the position open for a few months for him. Wemmick
invites Pip to his castle on a Monday, the first holiday Wemmick has taken in over
twelve years. Pip and he go for a walk. They walk to a church where Miss Skiffins
and Wemmick's "Aged" relative are waiting. With Pip as witness, Miss Skiffins and
Wemmick proceed to get married.
Chapter 56
Pip attends to the ailing Magwitch daily in prison. "The kind of... resignation that he
(Magwitch) showed, was that of a man who was tired out."
Magwitch is condemned to die and the sentencing is carried out with thirty two other
convicts also condemned to die. Within ten days of the sentencing, Magwitch dies in
prison. Before he does, Pip whispers to him that the daughter he thought was dead is
quite alive. "She is a lady and very beautiful," Pip says. "And I love her." Magwitch
kisses Pip's hand in response and passes away.

Chapter 57
Pip, weakened by his burns, the fight with Orlick, and the general psychological
stress, falls into a fever for nearly a month. Creditors and Joe fall in and out of his
dreams and his reality. Finally, he regains his senses and sees that, indeed, Joe has
been there the whole time, nursing him back to health. Joe tells him that Miss
Havisham died during his illness, that she left Estella nearly all, and Matthew Pocket
a great deal. The rest of the relatives were given very little. Orlick has been put in jail
because he broke into Pumblechook's house. Pip slowly regains his strength. Seeing
this, Joe slips away one morning leaving only a note. Pip discovers that Joe has paid
off all his debtors. Pip is committed to returning to the forge and to ask for
forgiveness for everything he has done. He also wants to ask Biddy to marry him.

Chapter 58
Pip returns to his hometown and is treated with certain coldness by the town that was
so kind to him when he was on his way to great expectations. He meets Pumblechook,
who tells Pip his misfortune is due to him because he was ungracious and ungrateful
to his earliest benefactor and friend -- meaning, of course, not Joe but himself,
Pumplechook. Pip walks toward the forge, creating a picture in his mind of the simply
happy life he will have with Biddy. Pip comes to the forge and indeed finds happiness
-- but the happiness is Joe and Biddy's. It is their wedding day. Pip wishes them well,
truly, and asks them for their forgiveness in all his actions. They happily give it. Pip
goes to work for Herbert's' firm and lives with the now married Clara and Herbert.
Within a year, he becomes a partner. He pays off his debts and works hard.

Chapter 59
Being out of the country working for Herbert's firm, Pip has not seen Biddy or Joe in
eleven years. He visits them finally and meets their son, a little Pip, sitting by the fire
with Joe just like Pip himself did years ago. Pip tells Biddy that he is quite the settled
old bachelor, living with Clara and Herbert and he thinks he will never marry.
Nevertheless, he goes to the Satis House that night to think once again of the girl who
got away where he meets Estella. Drummle treated her roughly and recently died. She
tells Pip that she has learned the feeling of heartbreak the hard way and now seeks his
forgiveness for what she did to him. The two walk out of the garden hand in hand, and
Pip "saw no shadow of another parting from her."

8.6 CHARACTERIZATION IN GREAT EXPECTATIONS

1. Pip

Phillip Pirrip (Pip) is the hero of the novel, plays the major role. He is kind
and good. He is the central figure of the novel’s interest and is the narrator of the tale.
At the outset, he is introduced as a boy and gradually reaches manhood and settled in
a married life, with a hopeful future before him at the end. He alternatively carries
hope and bitter disappointment. It teaches him a hard lesson and makes him alive to
what is noble and good in life. His experiences convince him that happiness is
something that arises from a person’s attitude and nature.

As a little boy, he is not different from others of the same age. He possesses a
kind of boyish fears and impulses. It is only that fear compels him to help the convict.
He seems very natural in the house of Miss Havisham and reacts something normal to
the beauty of Estella. He obtains great expectations suddenly and his dreams to
become a gentleman are realized. In his new role he comes to look down upon his
brother-in-law and his forge. Yet a certain shame fills his mind at times. Then the
return of Abel Magwitch shatters everything. It opens his eyes to life’s realities. On
the part of adversity he learns the dignity of honest labour. All through these varying
experiences Pip remains quite natural, acting and thinking in the way we expect him
to do. He is often a victim to circumstances but essentially he possesses a good, even
noble character. He shows genuine affection towards Biddy and his love for Estella is
sincere. He respects her gentle, good nature.

Though Pip’s one of his relations, Miss Havisham has made him a tool in her
scheme for revenge on all men, he showed her consideration and Pity. He never tries
to hate her. Even at the end he runs a risk to save her life. It is quite true that his
conduct is too good to bear hatred towards anyone.
 Pip’s character shows the reactions of a young mind to a change of
surroundings. Ambition makes him to improve himself. Pip’s character is an
interesting study in human psychology.

2. Miss Havisham

Miss Havisham is the daughter of a rich brewer, born to him by his first wife.
She has a brother born to her father by his second wife. After her father’s death, she is
left with a great fortune. She falls in love with a good looking and well-educated
Compeyson. But she fails to realize a cheat and criminal in him. She makes
arrangements to marry him against the wishes of her cousin Matthew Pocket. The day
was fixed for her marriage. The day comes but not Compeyson. Thus she is deserted
on the bridal morning. She feels greatly wounded and began to hate men.

Mss Havisham starts to lead a life of recluse. Everything in the house is left as
it is on the day of her marriage. The years passed but she could not forget her
disappointment. She has decided to wreak vengeance on all men that she adopts an
orphan girl Estella to serve her evil purpose. She trains her how to break the hearts of
men. She thoroughly poisoned the mind of Estella too. Estella becomes very proud
and arrogant in her look and behaviour. Pip becomes the victim of Miss Havisham’s
wicked plan.

Miss Havisham makes Pip move with Estella. Pip falls in love with Estella but
Estella proudly rejected his love and behaved in an arrogant manner. Pip decides to
become a gentleman of fortune in order to marry her. But Estella marries a worthless
youth and breaks the heart of Pip. Thus Miss Havisham had her great expectations
shattered. She simply enjoyed the sufferings of Pip like a saddist. However she makes
her revenge to get complete. But she is not completely evil for which she feels very
sad for her heartless action against pip and asked him to forgive her for her evil deeds.
Her end is violent and tragic. Her dress catches fire. Pip saves her life, but she is
seriously injured. She lingers for sometime and then dies of her injuries. She lingers
for sometime and then dies of her injuries.

3. Abel Magwitch

Abel Magwitch begins his life as an orphan. His life is full of endless
sufferings. He carries to the criminal ways of life and becomes a criminal partner to
Compeyson in his criminal activities. As a result, he has spent most of his lifetime
inside the prison than out of it. Once he is arrested along with his accomplice for
circulating the stolen bank notes. But Compeyson’s counsel put entire blame on Abel
Magwitch. Therefore Abel Magwitch gets punishment twice as heavy as that of
Compeyson. His anger knows no bounds and vowed to wreck vengeance on
Compeyson. It shows clearly how criminals are not born but made. It is an indifferent
society that often ruins fine human material. In the case of Magwitch we find that he
becomes a criminal almost from necessity.

One day the change that comes over Magwitch is the most beautiful episode in
the story. He has got escaped himself from the prison and meets Pip unexpectedly.
Then he threatened Pip to provide him with a file and food. He encounters another
escaped convict Compeyson who was his archenemy. When he is arrested he has the
goodness to confess to the theft of these articles, thus saving Pip. He is transported to
Australia, and there for the first time he gets a chance to make good. He prospers and
in his prosperity his chief desire is to help the boy who has shown him kindness. Then
he returns at the risk of his life chiefly to see Pip as a gentleman. We can somewhat
feel that his love for Pip is genuine. He exposes it in every word and gesture. Pip
comes to realize it and he remains with the man in his last days.

In the last moments of his life, Abel Magwitch knows the peace that has been
denied to him but he is happy in finding Pip by his side, his willing friend and nurse.
When he dies, he is at peace with himself and with the world.

4. Estella

Estella is the heroine of this novel. She introduces as a girl of amazing beauty,
who has been adopted by Miss Havisham. Later we could find that she is the daughter
of Abel Magwitch and the woman who becomes housekeeper to the lawyer Jaggers.
Estella is intended by Miss Havisham to serve a purpose. Miss Havisham, who is
bitterly disappointed by her lover on the fixed day of her wedding, wanted to wreak
her vengeance on the whole of male sex. She has decided to make use of Estella’s
beauty as the instrument of her revenge. Pip is happened to be the first person for her
attack. It is thus Pip and Estella comes together. Estella plays her past well. She treats
Pip with superior contempt, making insulting comments on his coarse manners and
rough hands. At times she openly laughs at his language. But the next time she shows
some consideration towards him.

When Estella has grown into a woman she must have realized the utter cruelty
of the part she is playing. Yet she deserves no courage to oppose the wishes of her
mistress. She never tails to advise him not to bestow his love on her, because she has
no place for love in her heart but Pip does not take the warning. At last as per her
mistress’ word she has got married with a worthless young man. Thus she plays her
part on the success of Miss Havisham’s scheme.

Estella plays the part against her wishes. We can also find that in the days of
her trouble she must have brooded over the sincere and good Pip whose happiness she
has destroyed. Late at the end, she is a sadder and a wiser woman. Her husband is
dead. Bitter experience has given her beauty a rich maturity. She was essentially
sincere and honest. She too, like Pip, has to pass through bitter experiences before her
inner beauty and goodness.

1.7 SUMMARY

A boy named Phillip Pirrip lived in a little village on the coast of England,
some distance from London. He was called Pip. Pip was an orphan and he lived with
his sister who was the wife of the village blacksmith, Joe Gargery.

One cold afternoon, a powerful man, suddenly seized Pip with chains on his
legs, when he was sitting in the churchyard near his mother’s grave. He was a convict
and on threat of death Pip promised to get him food and a file in the morning. He stole
some food and on the way he happened to meet another escaped convict. Pip’s family
was at dinner when the soldiers appeared. Pip and Joe accompanied them and crossed
the convicts engaged in a terrible struggle. They were arrested again and taken back to
the ship.
 Miss Havisham, a rich and mysterious lady lived some distance from Pip’s
house. One day, Pip, was asked to go and play in the lady’s house. Pip was left alone
in the house whereas she sat in a room, dressed in all her wedding finery in the
upstairs. There he also met a proud girl, Estella who is the adopted child of Miss
Havisham. She treated him with contempt. The visits continued at the set of intervals.

Pip became very friendly with a girl called Biddy, a relation of a neighbour.
He dreamed of higher things. His dreams were realized when a London lawyer called
Jaggers, came to the village. He decided to give Pip a start in life by taking him to
London and make him a gentleman. Pip was overjoyed that preparations were made.

Pip went to London and took up lodgings with Herbert Pocket. His father,
Matthew Pocket, was Pip’s guardian and tutor. He heard the strange story of Miss
Havisham from Herbert Pocket, how as a rich heiress many people have courted her.
She fell in love with one of handsome but unscrupulous fellows. He failed to turn up
unfortunately on the wedding day, leaving her disappointed and half-mad.
Pip paid visit to Estella who had grown into a very beautiful woman. Miss
Havisham went on urging him to love Estella. He returned to London and discussed
this with his friend, Herbert Pocket. Some time later Estella herself came to London
and pip was asked to conduct her to Richmond. It was at this time that he also
received the news of his sister’s death.

Pip came of age and was given five hundred pounds to mark the occasion; Pip
and Herbert now lived in a good flat. He often met Estella but she was quite often
cold towards him. Two years passed in this way and some unexpected events changed
Pip’s life.

One stormy night, when Pip was alone, a stranger knocked at his door. He
recognized that he was the convict whom he had met in the marshes but he is at risk
of his life Herbert and he decided to hide the man somewhere and then help him to
escape out of England. The man told them the story of his life. Before he left England,
Pip went down to see Miss Havisham at her request. There he knew that Estella was
married. Miss Havisham was repentant for what she had done, but she wanted Pip to
inform Estella that she had forgiven her. While he was there Miss Havisham’s dress
caught fire and he saved her. She died of her injuries later.

Pip now fell seriously ill. Herbert had gone to Cairo as manager of the firm in
which he was a partner. Joe came to London and nursed Pip back to health. He went
back to the forge, and found Joe and Biddy happily married. Pip decided to join in
Herbert’s firm that he returned to London and then reached Cairo. When he went back
to his native village, he met Estella who had been left a widow two years before.
Thus, after a chain of hard trials, the two were united and lived happily.

8.8 TERMINAL QUESTIONS

SECTION A:
ANSWER THE FOLLOWING IN A SENTENCE OR TWO:

1. Who is the narrator of the story?

2. Who did Pip meet in the marshes?

 3. Name the girl who works for Mrs. Wopsle.

4. Name the young girl, whom Pip sees at Miss Havisham’s House.

5. What type of girl is Estella?

6. Whom does Joe employ in the forge?

7. What made Mrs. Joe sick?
8. What is Pip’s great expectation?
9. Who is Jaggers?
10. Name the tutor of Pip
11. Who does Pip guesses to be his benefactor?
12. Name the Inn where Pip stays?
13. Who is the son of Mathew Pocket?
14. What is Wemmick’s slogan in life?
15. Name the girl with whom Herbert was in love.

SECTION B:
ANSWER THE FOLLOWING IN PARAGRAPHS:
1. Give an account of Pip’s life at home.
2. Narrate the story of Miss Havisham as told by Herbert to Pip.
3. How does Pip long to become a gentleman?
4. How does Pip learn about Estella’s story?

SECTION C:
ANSWER THE FOLLOWING ESSAY QUESTIONS:
1. Narrate the story of Pip’s Great Expectations.
2. Pip’s adventures on the marshes - Discuss.
3. Give an account of the love story of Pip and Estella.

8.9 SUGGESTED READINGS

 Albert, Edward - History of English Literature, Fifth edition.
J.N. Mundra and S.C. Mundra - A History of English Literature.
 CHAPTETR - IX

WUTHERING HEIGHTS - EMILY BRONTE

9.1 INTRODUCTION

Emily Bronte ‘S Life and Works

Emily Jane Bronte was born at her father’s parsonage at Thornton in the parish
of Bradford on 30 July 1818. She was the fifth child in a family whose eldest was
only four years and three months old. Close as they were in ages, it proved a happy
thing for Emily when yet another sister, Anne, was born on 17th January 1820, for
Anne became her life long confidante and friend.

Only two facts are known about her infancy: apart from the date of her birth,
noted in the diary of her parent’s young friend Elizabeth fifth, the one record
concerning her is of her christening at her father’s church, St. James’s, Thornton, on
20 August and Mrs. John Fennel, and their daughter Jane, who was married to Mr.
Bronte’s best friend the Revd. William Morgan. From the Fennell ladies, both called
Jane, Emily derived her middle name. Mr. Bronte’s eldest Sister, who died about the
time of Emily’s birth, was also called Jane. The surviving servants, garrulous in old
age about Emily’s clever sister Charlotte, said nothing more of Emily than that she
was ’the prettiest of the children’.

Of all the influences on Emily’s life, the landscape of the home at Haworth
had the greatest effect in quickening her mind and in shaping her character. Of human
influences, there can be no doubt, her father was the most lasting; a countryman born
with a keen love of nature, he eagerly opened her eyes to the natural world lying at
her door. Echoes of the little moorland birds, of the invisible larks, of the linnets
chattering in the eaves of the houses, are a feature of that region; Emily grew up on
the sound.

While material prosperity was never the prime consideration of their home it is
not true to say that the children lacked the things that mattered to their happiness.
They had love, they had security they had toys, marionettes, ninepins, bricks, they
had successive boxes of soldiers which in time fired their imagination to become
adventurers, epic writers, chroniclers; above all, they had books, as they grew.
Reading came to them like an epidemic; as soon as one could read they were all
infected.

Mr. Bronte had been happy indeed in marrying an intrepid young woman with
high ideals who regarded poverty as a positive advantage in the pursuit of perfection.
Her courage was, unfortunately, not equalled by her health, and within eighteen
month of the family settling at Haworth she died of cancer, aged only thirty-eight. Mr.
Bronte at the age of forty-four was left without a wife, to his lasting misery and
increasing oddity, and the children were subjected to the authoritarian rule of a
maiden aunt. She was their mother’s elder sister, Miss Elizabeth Barnwell, who came
north from Penzance to keep house for her brother-in-law and bring up his children.

The need to provide education for his five daughters other than their aunt’s
rudimentary instructions, determined Mr. Bronte on sending them to school. He
wished keenly to give them the best education that is circumstances permitted. He
sent them first to the famous and rather expensive Crofton House School at
Wakefield, and then to the Clergy Daughters’ School opened in January 1824 at
Cowan Bridge near Kirk by Lonsdale. Bronte took his two eldest girls Maria and
Elizabeth to Cowan Bridge on 1st July 1824. Charlotte followed them on 10 August.
Emily joined her sisters at the Clergy Daughters’ School on 25th November. The
severe regime of the school was unsuited to the delicate little Brontes. Even the best
of boarding schools is not as comfortable as home. So it came about that gentle Maria
developed tuberculosis, and in February 1825 was sent home ill. She died on 6 May.
Elizabeth was by this time also ill with tuberculosis, and came home on 31st May .She
died on 15 June.

The early deaths of her sisters had no comparable effect upon Emily. Nor do
the teachings or the sufferings on Cowan Bridge appear to have left any mark on her.
She was the only one of her family not to go through a religious crisis in adolescence-
which was a secondary effect of the Calvinistic teaching of Carus Wilson I
Charlotte’s case, and of their aunt’s influence in the case of Branwell and Anne.
Emily’s extreme youth would appear to have spared her not only the actual rigours of
the school establishment, but also the realization of their consequences for others. She
appeared to come away from the six months’ ordeal of institutional life unscathed in
mind and body.

From 1825 to 1831 the remaining Brontes _ Papa, Charlotte, Branwell, Emily,
Anne _ and their aunt Miss Branwell, lived together in Haworth Parsonage. These six
years when they were all at home together were an extremely important formative
period in the young Bronte’s lives. Lacking payments, they learned to wish for none.
They roamed in the moors. They cherished pets. Emily’s famous mastiff, Keeder, and
Anne’s silky spaniel, Flossy, are later examples in a long series of dogs, cats, birds.
Ailing or damaged birds and animals found in the parish were often brought to the
Brontes, who nursed them tenderly back to health. Any persons who showed a harsh
or careless attitude towards the animal world earned the Bronte’s contempt.

But the important point is that during these six years they began to create, to
invent, and to write their inventions down in fictitious forms. We have accounts from
charlotte and Branwell of how this story-making began. In 1831 a change came into
their lives. In the autumn of 1831 Mr. Bronte had a very severe attack of congestion
of the lungs, and this awakened his anxiety about his children’s future.

In 1837 Emily took a post as governess in a girls’ boarding school of forty

pupils, known as Law Hill, kept by a Miss Patchett at South – owram, on one of the
many Pennine hills surrounding the town of Halifan. The account of her duties there
is appealing. It is difficult to imagine her holding out for the longer period, yet her
poem beginning. ‘A little while, the noisy crowd and barred away which seems
clearly to relate to school life, is dated December 1838, so she may have done so. She
continued to write poem sometimes of Gondal, sometimes of Yorkshire, throughout
the period. The most interesting feature of her stay is that Law Hill…is not far from
High Sunderland on the one hand, Shibeden Hall on the other, two fine old houses
each of which presently contribute to the setting of Wuthering Heights’.

Charlotte held her job for three years. In the may of 1830 Charlotte left the
school. Her health and spirits had utterly failed her, and the doctor consulted and
advised her that if she values her life, she must return home. She did so, and was
slowly restored to tranquility. She was twenty-two. Barnwell was not only a source of
worry, but also a source of expense; and Charlotte as soon as she was well enough,
felt herself obliged to take a situation as a nursery governess. It was not the work he
liked. Neither she nor her sister liked children, any more than their father did. She
heated to be in a dependent position, and was continually on the look-out of affronts.

Charlotte had long been toying with the idea of keeping a school of her own,
with her two sisters, and now she took it up again; the whites, who seem to have been
very kind, decent people, encouraged her, but suggested that before she could hope to
be successful she must acquire certain qualifications. Though she could read French,
she could not speak it, and knew no German, so she decided that she must go abroad
to learn languages. Miss Branwell was persuaded to advance money for the cost of
this; and then Charlotte and Emily with Mr. Bronte to look after them on the journey,
set out of Brussels. The two girls became pupils at the Pensionnat Heger.

After ten months, the two sisters were returned to England by the illness of
Miss Branwell. When Charlotte returned home in January 1844, she felt her
enthusiasm tamed, her eager hopes of life broken; and Haworth seemed a lonely quiet
sport, buried away from the entire world. She decided sensibly that her need was for
action, and revived the project of a Bronte school. The three sisters issued
prospectuses, and Charlotte wrote to her friends asking them to recommend the school
they intended to start.

In 1845 the young Brontes were all at home together, living in domestic
misery all too some degree failures. Then an even occurred, apparently very minor,
which changed the course of their lives and added riches to English literature. Emily
had been copying her poems into two notebooks, one for Gondal productions.
Charlotte accidentally lighted upon one notebook and read it contents. Honour must
always be paid to Charlotte for her instant conviction that these poems were quite out
of the ordinary, terse, vigorous, and genuine, with a peculiar music, intrusion on her
privacy; it took hours to soothe her, days to convince her that such poems merited
publication. Meanwhile, Anne quietly produced some of her poems, which Charlotte
estimated, again justly, as sweetly sincere charlotte estimated, again justly as sweetly
sincere charlotte added some of her own and the Brontes decided to bring out a
volume of poems by all three sisters.

After a good deal of anxious correspondence on charlotte part about print,

paper, format and review copies, poems by Currer, Ellis and Acton Bell appeared
from Messrs. Aylott and Jones May 1846, paid for by ten guineas from each sister,
later increase by one sum of five pounds. ‘All of it that merits to be known wrote
charlotte later, ‘are the poems of Ellis Bell’. This is true but the merit referred to is
very great. The critic of the Athenes to his eternal honour, spoke of Ellis Bell’s
evident power of win but in spite of this and the expense of two pounds on advertising
the volume was a complete financial failure, only two copies being sold.

But to see one’s words in print is a great stimulus to a writer. The three sisters,
now each begin to write, and finished a novel. Charlotte’s novel was called The
professor, Emily’s novel was called Wuthering Heights and Anne’s novel was called
Agnes Grey. They were refused by publisher after publisher: but when Smith Elder
and Company, to whom Charlotte’s The Professor had finally been sent, returned it,
they wrote to say that they would be glad to consider a longer novel by her. She was
finishing one, and within a month was able to send it to the publishers. They accepted
it. It was called Jane Eyre. A publisher has had also at last accepted Emily’s novel,
and Anne’s, had also at last accepted by a publishers Newby by name, and they had
corrected the proofs before charlotte sent Jane Eyre to smith, Edger & Co. Though the
reviews of Jane Eyre were not particularly good, readers liked to and it became a best
seller. Mr. Newby, upon this tried to persuade the public that Wuthering Heights and
Agnes Grey, which he then published together in three volumes, were by the author of
Jane Eyre. They made however, no impression, and indeed were regarded by a
number of critics as early and immature work by Currer Bell. As 1848 advanced, and
the re-issues of their successful works and the publication of their new ones, occupied
Charlotte and Anne Emily as resolutely withdrew, not only from the race to fame
from authorship. The conditions that had made the writing of Wuthering Heights
possible no longer existed, either within herself or in her home.

Emily Bronte, although she led an almost secluded life, was not completely
cut-off from literature. She read fairly and widely. She and the other members of her
family knew the older authors, especially Shakespeare, and also other contemporary
romanticists like Scott, Wordsworth and Byron. Emily Bronte was fond of reading the
articles, reviews and stories, especially with a Gothic flavour, which were published
in Blackwood’s Magazine. As children, the Bronte sisters came strongly under
romantic influences and created a world of fantasy from their very childhood. They
were highly imaginative and fond of creative writing, even when they were mere
children.

It was probably towards the end of 1845 that Emily Bronte started writing
Wuthering Heights although she might have conceived it earlier. This novel received
little favourable notice by the contemporary world, the main reason for which,
according to The Quarterly Review, was that people like elder Cathy and Heathcliff
were too odiously and abominably pagan to suit the tastes of even the most shameless
class of English readers.

Emily never went out of doors after the Sunday following Branwell’s death.
She had a cold and a caught. One morning Emily got up as usual dressed herself and
begin to sew; she was short of breath and her eyes were glazed, but she went on
working. She grew steadily worse. About noon she was visibly worse and her sisters
urged her to go to bed. The only concession she would make was to lie down on the
sofa. Her last audible words, spoken in compassion for her sisters no doubt, were ‘If
you’ll send for a doctor I’ll see him now’, and before he could come, she was gone.
She was torn out of life on 19 December 1848.

9.2 INTRODUCTION TO THE TEXT

Wuthering Heights was published in 1847 under the pseudonym of Ellis Bell.
Emily Bronte probably began writing this novel towards the end of 1845, though it is
possible that she may have conceived the story earlier. It was completed by the
summer of 1846. In summer 1847 a publisher by the name of Thomas Cautley newly
agreed to publish it. According to the publisher’s contract with Emily Bronte, the
latter had to pay a certain amount towards the expenses of the publication. The early
reviews of this novel were a mixture of approval and disapproval. More than one
commentator expressed in the same breath his condemnation of the subject matter of
this novel and his recognition of its originality and genius. Wuthering Heights is the
story of two families and an outsider. The two families are the Earnshaw family living
at a place called Wuthering Heights, and the Linton family residing at a place called
Thrushcross Grange, which is situated, in the Valley at a distance of about four miles
from Wuthering Heights which is situated on a hill. Moors and hills separate the two
abodes from each other. At a small distance from Thrushcross Grange lies the village
of Gimmerton with its church.
The story covers almost three generations. Mr. and Mrs. Earnshaw, living at
Wuthering Heights, have two children, Hindley and Catherine. Mr. and Mrs. Linton,
living at Thrushcross Grange, have likewise two children, Edgar and Isabella.
Subsequently, after their respective marriages, Hindley Earnshaw begets a son who is
named Hareton while Cathy gives birth to a girl who is also named Catherine.
Isabella, the daughter of the Lintons marries Heathcliff who is an outsider. Of this
marriage is born a son who gets the name Linton. Towards the close of the novel,
Hareton and the younger Catherine are preparing to get married. It is in this way that
the novel deals with three generations. The novel is clearly divisible into two parts.
The first part deals with love of Cathy and the outsider Heathcliff. This Heathcliff was
picked up as an orphan by Mr. Earnshaw from a Liverpool slum and brought to
Wuthering Heights, where, after having lived for a few years, he disappeared and
came back to Wuthering Heights after an interval of three years. Both parts of the
novel are dominated by the figure of the outsider, Heathcliff. His personality and
actions constitute the real substance of the book. Heathcliff dominates the plot like a
colossus, and he largely determines the course of the story. Heathcliff is the central
character of the novel, and even Cathy comes next to him. Around him, the story
revolves, and he imparts to the book its real interest. If we take away Heathcliff from
the novel, the story falls to pieces. Heathcliff is, indeed, the most forceful character in
the novel, and he makes a powerful impact upon our minds. He is a truly memorable
figure. The leading theme of Wuthering Heights may be stated as Heathcliff’s love for
Cathy and the revenge he takes upon various persons, the revenge being prompted by
the frustration of his love and by the social contempt heaped upon him by Hindley
Earnshaw and Edgar Linton Orphan in order to be brought up there, Hindley began to
adopt a superior attitude towards the boy. When Hindley became the master of
Wuthering Heights on the death of his father, he further degraded Heathcliff by his ill
treatment of him and by making him work on the farm like any other servant. This
degradation of Heathcliff made it impossible for Cathy to marry him even though she
told Nelly that her love for him was eternal like the rocks.

The novel employs a most original technique of narration. We have two

narrators in the book Lockwood and Nelly. Lockwood is a city-dweller who comes to
Thrushcross Grange as a tenant to spend a year or so in the countryside. He meets his
landlord, Heathcliff, who is living at Wuthering Heights, and Lockwood’s curiosity
about the inmates of Wuthering Heights is aroused, especially because of two
strange, dreams, which he sees in his sleep when he is compelled by circumstances to
spend a night at the Heights. Lockwood then asks, Nelly, the housekeeper at
Thrushcross Grange, if she knows anything about the inmates of Wuthering Heights.
Nelly knows all about them and about other members of the two families who are no
more in this world, and she, in compliance with Lockwood’s request, begins to tell
him the story of the two families and the outsider.
 Lockwood then becomes Nelly’s audience for the story, and we too are the
audience along with Lockwood. Towards the close, Lockwood once again becomes
the narrator, but Nelly relates the circumstances of Heathcliff’s death to Lockwood.
The novel closes with Lockwood as the narrator, just as it began with Lockwood as
the narrator. In short, while there are two narrators, the major portion of the story, the
entire history of the two families, is narrated by a Nelly. While Lockwood is
completely detached, Nelly is an active partly participant in the Action even though
she tries to given an objective account of events and happenings.
9.3 CHARACTERS PREVIEW

Mr. Earnshaw - The owner of Wuthering Heights

Mrs. Earnshaw - Wife of Mr. Earnshaw

Hindley Earnshaw - Son of Earnshaw

Catherine Earnshaw - Daughter of Earnshaw

Heathcliff - adopted son of Earnshaw from Liverpool

Mr. Linton - The real owner of Thrushcross Grange

Mrs. Linton - Wife of Linton

Edgar Linton - Son of Linton

Isabella - daughter of Linton

Hareton Hindley - Son of Hindley

Catherine - Daughter of Catherine

Young Linton - Son of Isabella and Heathcliff

Mrs. Nelly Dean - Servant maid

Mr. Lockwood - A tenant of Heathcliff

Joseph - Servant

Zillah - Servant maid

9.4 A DETAILED ANALYSIS - PARAPHRASE OF THE TEXT

Chapter – 1

Lockwood, a young man is frustrated in love and wants to spend his life
peacefully in a secluded village. He comes to Thrushcross Grange as a tenant of
Heathcliff from London to live for few months. As a custom he pays a visit to
Heathcliff who lives at Wuthering Heights. The house is situated on a hill and gives a
charming look to the visitors.

Lockwood does not receive any hospitality from his landlord. Heathcliff
seems to be a strange-man in his manners. An old servant, Joseph, serves Lockwood
with some wine. Lockwood does not find any human company in the house, but
spends his time with the company of violent dogs. Unfortunately the dogs attack him
ferociously, and he seeks help from some one uproariously. Auspiciously a
maidservant rushes to rescue him from the dogs. At the end of the awful situation the
landlord appears in front of Lockwood. He says that he and his dogs receive the
guests hardly. When lock wood says adieu to Heathcliff, he has the intention to pay
another visit to withering heights. But Heathcliff expresses his reluctance to receive
Lockwood again.

Chapter – 2

Lockwood arrives at the Heights on the following day. It is a dull and cold
day. He knocks at the gate of Heathcliff, but nobody opens it. After sometime a young
man appears and takes him into the room. The room is familiar to Lockwood, because
Joseph formerly receives him. This time he finds a young woman inside the house
whose face is very calm and does not want to greet any guest. As a formal talk, she
asks him to have a cup of tea. Lockwood is very curious to know about the
Youngman, but the man remains strange to him.

The arrival for Heathcliff is a surprising event for both of them. Heathcliff
does not except his second visit to the Heights. The sky is very dark and there starts
the snowstorm. Lockwood finds some difficulty to precede his return journey in a new
weather. He expects guidance from someone to reach his place. The young woman is
asked to prepare tea by Heathcliff. The death silence prevails in the room, when they
sit together and have their tea. Heathcliff breaks the silence and tells the young
woman is his widowed daughter-in-law. Heathcliff answers the unasked questions of
Lockwood by saying there is no relationship between the young man and himself.

Lockwood needs some company, as the weather condition is new to him.

None is available to guide him, so he decides to stay there for the night. But
Heathcliff denies him to stay there and says he does not want to give any
accommodation for his guest. Lockwood is wounded by his words and decides to
move away immediately. When he leaves the house, the dogs attack him. Lockwood
becomes very sick by an unexpected attack, and forces to stay at the Heights. Zillah,
the housemaid gives some first aid and makes him to sleep according to the order of
Heathcliff.

Chapter – 3

Lockwood is put in a room upstairs. Zillah informs him that her master never
allows anybody to reside there. But she is helpless to give the reason. When
Lockwood glances for the bed, he finds number of old books on which he sees the
names like Catherine Earnshaw, Catherine Heathcliff and Catherine Linton.
Lockwood later comprehends that these names are refers the same woman, Catherine.
In the library of Catherine he selects to read her dairy, which unfurl the knot of
ignorance of Lockwood. He comes to know the life history of Catherine and
Heathcliff, who are ill treated by her brother, Hindley.

Lockwood discerns from the diary that Catherine has soft corner for
Heathcliff and she extremely objects her brother’s attitude towards him. She revolts
against her brother who considered Heathcliff as a vagabond. As Lockwood goes
through the diary, he falls asleep. Lockwood begins to dream. In the first dream, he is
in the church accompanied by Joseph. When a sermon is going on, he is assumed and
attacked by the priest.

The second dream is more distressed than the first. Lockwood finds his land
being held by a mellifluous hand of a child who asks to allow her to come in. Instead
of showing sympathy, he treats the child cruelly, as he hears the name of the child is
Catherine Linton. Lockwood suddenly wakes up from this dreadful dream and sees
Heathcliff enters into the room with a candle in his hand. He is annoyed by the
presence of Lockwood in his particular room. Lockwood tells about his strange dream
to him and immediately Heathcliff sends him out of the room. Heathcliff gets on to
the bed and bursts into tears by uttering the name ‘Cathy’. He is highly excited and
says, “Come in, come in Cathy, do come. Oh do once more Oh! My heart’s darling!
Hear me this time Catherine, at last!

Lockwood sees a great anguish in Heathcliff’s voice. He decides to leave

Wuthering Heights. Before he leaves, he becomes a witness to a harsh argument
between Heathcliff and his daughter-in-law. Heathcliff accompanies him and leaves
him at the entrance of Thrushcross Park. It is twelve when he enters the house.

Chapter – 4

Lockwood is very curious to know about the inmates of the Heights. He asks
the housekeeper, Mrs. Dean to say about the family. As Mrs. Dean knows a lot about
them, instigates to till the following details to Lockwood. Mr. Earnshaw, the real
owner of Wuthering Heights, brings Heathcliff to the family. Heathcliff is a pale, dirty
orphan from Liverpool. Earnshaw has two children. His son, Hindley was fourteen
years old and daughter, Catherine six years, when Heathcliff is brought home. As
Catherine and Heathcliff are nearly of the same age, she has an intimacy with
Heathcliff. But Hindley, who is much older than Heathcliff and Catherine, does not
like him. He is very aggressive to Heathcliff. Mrs. Earnshaw, the mother of Hindley
and Catherine dies after two years of Heathcliff’s arrival. Even after the death of his
wife, Mr. Earnshaw is very affectionate to Heathcliff. As he is new to the
surrounding, Heathcliff remains calm and submissive. Even then he is ill treated by
Hindley, his patience is remarkable. Heathcliff suppresses all his feeling, he never
complains to Earnshaw. The endurance of Heathcliff creates an uncontrollable
passion in the mind of Mr.Earnshaw. Mrs. Dean also recollects how Heathcliff was so
sick when he was a child.

Chapter – 5

Meanwhile, Mr.Earnshaw’s heath condition becomes worst. He persists to be

inactive and strengthless. But his love for Heathcliff is strong and meaningful. It is an
unanswerable question why Earnshaw gives such a preference for Heathcliff. On the
contrary, Hindley’s hatredness towards Heathcliff is undisturbed. Day by day his
aversion is increased. So he is sent to the college to get his education. After the
departure of Hindley from Wuthering Heights, the friendship between Catherine and
Heathcliff is increased.

Catherine is mischievous by nature and she is always fond of Heathcliff. If

she does something wrong, the great punishment for her is to keep her separate form
Heathcliff. In such a way their intimacy is deepened. But there comes a great
misfortune by the death of Earnshaw. One October evening, he is found dead in his
armchair. It is an unbearable loss for both Catherine and Heathcliff. They console
each other and believe that his soul has gone to heaven.

Chapter-6

After a long time, Hindley returns to Wuthering Heights to attend his father’s
funeral. But now he is not a single man, he gets married. Hindley never gives any
information regarding his marriage to his family. Every body in the house shocks,
when he enters into the house with his wife. He hardly says about her birth and
parentage. She is a young, thin and fair-complexioned woman. She is highly excited,
by the new experience. Her eyes are sparkled like a glittering star, when she looks at
the mountain and the beauty of Heights. But Mrs.Hindley shows dislike to Heathcliff
from the very first sight.

After the death of his father, Hindley becomes the master of the Heights.
Again he gets a chance to reveal his rivalry. As an outcome of his enmity, Hindley
starts to treat Heathcliff as a servant. He orders him not to come inside the house and
to work only in the farm. Heathcliff takes this degradation also in a favourable way,
because he learns a lot from Catherine. As Heathcliff is asked to work in the farm, he
finds plenty of time to work and play with Catherine. They have fine time for their
amusement in the field.

One day Catherine and Heathcliff fail to return from moor after their day’s
work. Hindley is more tyrannical; he asks to shut the door, so that they should suffer
in the cold wind. But Mrs. Dean awaits their arrival; she ignores her master’s words.
She is surprised to see Heathcliff alone and anxiously enquires the whereabouts of
Catherine. Heathcliff briefly says what had happened in the Grange. The dog wounds
Catherine, when they try to know how the Lintons pass their time. So Lintons have
detained Catherine for the treatment, and they strictly ask Heathcliff not to stay there.
He does not like their rudeness towards him, he returns alone to the Heights.

The next day, Mr. Linton visits to the Heights to inform Hindley of what had
happened. Catherine has a new experience with the children of Lintons. Isabella is
eleven years, about a year younger than Cathy, and Edgar, two years older. But she
too dislikes their behaviour towards Heathcliff.

Chapter – 7

Catherine stays at Grange for five weeks. She has a new experience; all her
behaviours and manners have changed. She is a new girl, when she returns to the
Heights. Hindley is very glad to look at his sister’s beauty and dignity. He asks
Heathcliff to welcome Cathy like other servants. But Catherine rushes to see
Heathcliff, she unusually laughs at him. Catherine asks Heathcliff to wash his dresses
and comb his hair properly. Heathcliff highly offends, when Catherine says, he looks
so dirty. He replies in better words: “I shall be as dirty as I please; and I like to be
dirty and I will be dirty.”

The following day Linton’s children, Isabella and Edgar visit the Heights.
Their mother instructs them to keep away from Heathcliff. In the presence of Linton’s
children Heathcliff realizes that he is really a dirty boy. He wants to be clean and neat,
he requests Nelly to change him as a clean boy. As Nelly has a soft corner, she
washes him and says Heathcliff looks like a prince. But Edgar Linton makes an
unfavourable comment on his new appearance. This affects Heathcliff’s mind, and he
throws a plate at Edgar’s face. Edgar feels insulted by the way Heathcliff behaves, but
Catherine tries to bring reconciliation between the two. But Hindley wants to punish,
he orders to lock Heathcliff in a room. Catherine upsets by the punishment given to
Heathcliff. It is Christmas Eve, everybody is very cheerful, and dance well. Catherine
secretly meets Heathcliff she never forgets him at any moment. But Heathcliff tells
Nelly that he wants to take revenge Hindley for the way he treats him.

The main event of this chapter is Catherine grows equally interest in

Heathcliff and Edgar. She has become conscious of the fact that Heathcliff looks dirty
and does not bother to wash himself and to brush his hair. But later Heathcliff realizes
the truth; he seeks the help of Nelly to make him handsome.

Chapter – 8

Nelly ceaselessly says to Lockwood about the birth of Hindley’s son. Mrs.
Earnshaw gives birth to a handsome male child on the morning of a fine June. The
child is very healthy but the mother is consumptive. Hindley is very happy by looking
at the face of his boy. The physician tells that the mother will die soon. Hindley does
not believe the words of the physician, he is careless. Mrs.Earnshaw is very cheerful
till within a week of her death. After her death the child is now entrusted to Nelly to
be brought up by her. The child is named as ‘Hareton’.

The death of his wife deeply torments Hindley. However he neither weeps
nor prays God; he cruses both men and God. He becomes more tyrannical towards his
servants than before, especially his treatment of Heathcliff is more brutal. All the
servants, except Nelly and Joseph run away from the Heights. Due to his strange
behaviour an unpleasant atmosphere is created in the house.

Meanwhile, Catherine is now fifteen, she is considered as the queen of the

countryside. She becomes a haughty and head strong person. As she spent five weeks
with Linton family, she maintains acquaintance with Edgar and Isabella. Edgar often
pays visit to the Heights, Isabella too is affectionate towards Catherine. Heathcliff is
now sixteen, appears to be even cruder than before. He has been deprived of the
opportunities for getting educated, with the consequence he has now no longer any
love for books or desire for learning. He could not compete with Catherine in studies.
In spite of all this matter, Heathcliff and Cathy are constant companions during their
leisure time. Under the orders of Hindley, he has to do the farm-work.
 One day Catherine expects the arrival of Edgar and Isabella to the Heights.
Heathcliff does not like their visit, he asks Catherine to ignore them. He suggests that
she should be intimate only with him. But Catherine gives a rude reply that he is
always very serious and incapable of any interesting conversation. Heathcliff does not
expect this rude replay from Catherine. As Catherine is irritated by his talk, she
becomes restless.

Meanwhile Edgar enters into the house, he is very glad by the unexpected
welcome. Nelly is engaged by her work in the room, Catherine asks her to go away.
At hat time Catherine loses her temper and slaps Nelly in the presence of Edgar.
When Edgar blames her for his action, she slaps Edgar also. After this incident Edgar
no longer wants to stay at the Heights; but Cathy says she will cry till she fell ill. So
Edgar stays back, instead of parting each other in anger, Catherine and Edgar declares
their love to each other.

Chapter – 9

Hindley’s treatment of Hareton and of Heathcliff is very rough. His attitude

towards his son is wholly depends upon his mood. At one time he is fascinated, while
at another time he treats him horribly. He dashes him against the wall and beats him
brutally. The previous night, in his drunken state, he talks to his son affectionately.
But the little boy does not show any interest to his love, he begins to curse his son.
However, he tries to kill his son, Nelly cries out to rescue the child. He throws his
son, fortunately Heathcliff catches the innocent child suddenly he is very violent
towards Heathcliff also. He asks Nelly to keep the child out of his sight.

On the following day Catherine enters into the kitchen and wants to talk with
Nelly. She asks the whereabouts of Heathcliff to Nelly. Nelly replies that he is
engaged in his work in the stable. Catherine informs Nelly that Edgar proposes her
marriage and that she has accepted his proposal. She asks Nelly whether her decision
is correct or not. Nelly is not concern her decision. Then Cathy tells Nelly that she
wants to marry Edgar, because he is rich, handsome and young. She will be proud of
having such a husband.

Catherine never fails to express her love towards Heathcliff also. She utters
that there is deep attachment between him and her. She vividly differentiates her
affinity for Heathcliff and her love for Edgar. She keeps on to say that her love for
Edgar is subject to change but her love for Heathcliff is immortal. Unfortunately,
Heathcliff happens to overhear Catherine saying that for her to marry Heathcliff will
be degradation. Nelly notices Heathcliff’s presence. Heathcliff grieves on hearing her
words and then he stays to hear no further. Heathcliff leaves from the Heights
immediately. Very soon Joseph comes and says that he could not find him anywhere.
It is a storm night, and many trees are uprooted.

Heathcliff’s disappearance causes a great mental agony to Catherine. She is

spiritless and seriously ill. Her illness remains several days, she longs for his
appearance. During her illness Mrs. Linton pays several visits to the Heights.
According to the suggestion of Mrs. Linton, Catherine is sent to the Grange. But
accidentally Mr. and Mrs. Linton catch the fever from Catherine and die within a few
days of each other.
 After some days Catherine returns to the Heights, but still no massage of
Heathcliff. Three years later Catherine and Edgar get married. Nelly is forced to leave
the Heights and to accompany Catherine to the Grange. She is unwilling to leave
Hareton, who is in her care since his birth. Miserably she bids good-bye to Hareton.

Chapter -10

Lockwood has caught cold. After his recovery, he asks his housekeeper, to
continue the story. One again Nelly resumes her story. After her marriage, Catherine
seem over fond of Edgar, even to Isabella she is very affectionate. Edgar and Isabella
respect her. Edgar is upset, when Catherine is displeased. Nearly half a year they
spend peacefully. One September evening Heathcliff suddenly returns. There is a
change in his appearance. Nelly is surprised to see him again. He asks Nelly to inform
her mistress that a man from Gimmerton wishes to see her. Nelly informs the same to
Catherine, Catherine feels happy at the presence of Heathcliff. Edgar is not excited as
Catherine; he does not want to allow Heathcliff in the sitting room. It means that he
never regards Heathcliff as a social equal.

Catherine catches his hands, and leads him to her husband. Now Heathcliff is
completely a changed man. He is civilized and self-esteemed. Catherine and
Heathcliff are showing their affection for each other, Edgar is irritated by their
intimacy. Catherine blames Heathcliff for his disappearance for three years. Heathcliff
tells that he comes to know about Cathy’s marriage and wants to have a glimpse of
her. He adds that he decides to stay with Hindley at the Heights. It is surprising news
for Catherine and Nelly, because he is the bitterest enemy of Hindley. However he
says that he does not wish to do any harm to Hindley now. But Nelly wonders that
how can he stays with Hindley who always hates him. The fact is that Heathcliff,
Hindley and other people play cards together. Heathcliff offers money to Hindley
whenever he needs. Hindley loses all his money and badly in need of it. As Heathcliff
is a rich man, Hindley feels happy to have him as a paying guest. Thus Heathcliff can
go to Heights with out any hesitation.

Heathcliff occasionally pays visit to the Thrushcross Grange. Catherine is

very glad to welcome him whenever he comes. Additionally, Isabella who is now a
young charming girl of eighteen becomes infatuated with Heathcliff. She expresses
her love for Heathcliff to her sister-in-law, Catherine. But Catherine reveals her
displeasure and says he is an unreclaimed creature. Isabella is an idiot to be in love
with a man like Heathcliff. But she is very stubborn, and ignores the words of both
Catherine and Nelly. So Catherine reveals the love of Isabella to Heathcliff in her
presence itself. After Isabella goes away from them, Heathcliff curiously enquires
whether Isabella well inherits the property or not. Cathy tells that if Edger has a son it
will go to him, not to Isabella. Nelly is quite suspicious for the way in which
Heathcliff becomes a rich man and his staying at the Heights also a cause of great
anxiety to her.

Chapter-11

One day Nelly goes on a visit to the Heights in order to warn Hindley to be
away from Heathcliff. Nelly could not meet Hindley, but she sees Hareton is playing
in the room. Nelly is so happy by looking after him and she tries to talk to him.
Hareton does not recognize Nelly; instead he abuses her in wrong words. It is a
striking event for Nelly, because once she is his foster-mother. She asks him who has
taught him to curse people like this. Hareton utters Heathcliff’s name and says he
teaches him to curse his father specially. Nelly understands that Heathcliff is trying to
spoil the child.

Nelly could witness Heathcliff who is trying to embrace Isabella. She

informs Cathy what she observes from the window. Cathy scolds Heathcliff not to act
against the wish of her own and Edger, because Edgar never agrees to a marriage
between Isabella and Heathcliff. In reply, he says that Catherine has insulted him by
marrying another man, and he wants to take revenge on those who have insulted him.
But he says that he seeks no revenge on Cathy herself.

Then Nelly goes inside and informs the quarrel between Cathy and
Heathcliff. Edger rushes into the room and begins to use some harsh words against
Heathcliff. Heathcliff also equally abuses him and when he calls Edger as coward, he
loses his temper and slaps Heathcliff cruelly. Then Edger moves away from the room.
Catharine urges Heathcliff to go away from the place before Edger’s men attack him.
Heathcliff suddenly departs to the Heights.

Sometime later Edger enters and asks Catherine whether she still wants to
continue her relationship with Heathcliff. He ferocious tells her that she could either
have him or Heathcliff and that he would never allow Heathcliff to enter into his
house. Catherine is unable to give reply, saying, she wants to be leave alone.
Catherine begins to dash her head against the wall and totally vexed. Edgar warns
Isabella not to talk with Heathcliff, and he says that if she marries him, their relation
as brother and sister will come to an end.

Chapter-12

Catherine stops eating. She has failed to come out of her room. Edgar is
miserable at Catherine's attitude. On the third day after the bitter incident, she opens
the door and asks for some water. She strongly believes that she is dying. Catherine
feels sadder, on being said by Nelly that Edger is busy in his own work. She feels no
body is taking care of him, this causes mental struggle to her. Catherine begins to act
differently and she starts to tear the pillow, and talks alone in the room like a mad
woman. Even she is afraid of her own reflection in the mirror. She thinks that the
house is haunted and always imagines that there is somebody else in her room. She
expects the love and care from Edgar. She condemns Nelly of being responsible for
her condition, because she has not informed Edgar that Catherine is dying. When
Edgar knows the real condition of Catherine, he grieves beyond words. He scolds
Nelly for having kept him ignorant of his wife’s real condition.

As Catherine’s health condition becomes worse, they call, Kenneth, the

physician. He suggests that she should be in intense care and peaceful atmosphere.
Just then one of their maids comes horridly and informs that Isabella has eloped with
Heathcliff during the night. On hearing his sister’s elopement with Heathcliff who is
his greatest enemy, Edgar says that the relationship between her and him has ended.
He does not want to see his sister again in his life. He does not fly into a rage, or do
anything rash, and does not make a single inquiry about his sister afterwards.
 Chapter-13

For the next two months, Catherine’s condition declines. She suffers from
brain fever. Edgar attends her with great devotion like that of a mother. His love and
care is beyond the words to describe. He is in extreme happiness when the doctor
informs that Catherine is out of danger. She recovers at the beginning of the following
March. Edgar uses very kind words on her, and he tries to cheer her by the kindest
caresses. But Catherine fails to regain her enthusiasm; she thinks that death is
approaching her.

After six weeks of Isabella’s elopement with Heathcliff, she writes a short
letter announcing her marriage with Heathcliff to her brother, Edger. As Edgar does
not reply to her letter, Isabella writes another letter to Nelly. She requests Nelly to
close the content of the letter to her brother and to meet her at Wuthering Heights,
where she stays now with her husband. Isabella describes in detail about a peculiar
reception she gets, when she goes with Heathcliff to live there.

In addition, Isabella’s letter reveals an unbelievable fact that she is unhappy

and the blunder she has committed in trusting Heathcliff and running away with him.
Although Nelly is already aware of the fact that Heathcliff never really loves Isabella
and that he must have induced her to run away with him with some motives, she is
helpless now. The true nature of Heathcliff has come to her as a stunning shock. The
entire atmosphere at the Heights is very depressing one for Isabella. Heathcliff
devises every method to hurt Isabella. She understands that Heathcliff’s love is unreal.
Isabella learns from Heathcliff of Catherine’s illness, when he ferociously tells that he
will hurt Isabella as much as Edgar hurts Catherine. These wounding words of
Heathcliff cause a great agony to Isabella.

Isabella meets Hindley who is the owner of the house in a miserable state.
Heathcliff spoils the happiness of Hindley also. Now the entire property of Hindley is
in Heathcliff’s possession. But Hindley promises that he will get back his property
from Heathcliff, because he does not want to leave his son as a beggar.

Chapter-14

As soon as Nelly has received the letter of Isabella, she informs Edgar the
desire of Isabella to meet her brother. But Edgar is not reedy to give up his
stubbornness, he allows Nelly to pay a visit to the Heights. Nelly enters the house
without knocking the door. Heathcliff welcomes Nelly as a gentleman and offers her a
chair to sit. The condition of Isabella is really pitiable. She looks a born slattern, while
Heathcliff looks a born gentle man. Nelly bluntly informs Heathcliff that Edgar does
not want to have any relationship between the Heights and the Grange. Isabella
eagerly comes forward to know about her brother. Nelly informs that Isabella should
not expect either a letter or a visit from her brother. Nelly tells them that Catherine is
recovering from her illness under the lovable care of Edgar, but she never retains her
spirit completely. She praises Edgar’s humanity and his sense of duty by the manner
in which he has looked after Catherine. But Heathcliff is impatient to hear her
appreciation; he begins to talk about his love for Catherine. He says that Catherine
could never forget him just as he could never forget her. He goes on to say that
Catherine could never love Edgar, as she loves Heathcliff. He never minds of the
feelings of Isabella, he says all this in the presence of Isabella.

Now Nelly witnesses at first hand Isabella’s miserable plight, which Isabella
has described in her letter. Now Heathcliff appears to be a real devil. Isabella has such
bitter experiences of married life that the single pleasure she could imagine is to die or
see her husband dead. Heathcliff ignores her scornfully and goes on to ridicule
Isabella’s passion for him, which has made her marry him. Nelly advises him to treat
his wife kindly. Heathcliff says that he regards his wife as a pitiful, slavish, and mean
minded woman. But Isabella refuses his view, asks Nelly not to put faith in a single
word he speaks. Immediately he orders Isabella to leave his room, as he wants to talk
to Nelly. On finding her reluctant to leave, he pushes her out of the room. He plainly
says that he has absolutely no pity for Isabella or for anyone else. Now Heathcliff
urges Nelly to make an arrangement to meet Catherine. But Nelly refuses his request,
at last she accepts to carry his letter to Catherine.

Chapter -15

Nelly determines not to give the letter to Catherine till Edgar goes
somewhere. She is able to deliver the letter to Catherine only on the fourth day of her
visit to the Heights, when Edgar has gone to church. Catherine seems not to
understand the writing but simply gazes at Nelly with a mournful look. Nelly tells her
that Heathcliff wishes to meet her. Heathcliff, who has waited for some reply from
Nelly for four days, enters into the room of Catherine. He embraces her, and begins to
kiss her. Catherine also kisses him. Heathcliff observes that Cathy would never
recover from her recent illness and that she is sure to die soon. He tells her that he
dislikes to see her in the miserable condition. Catherine replies that he and Edgar have
both broken her heart and that she would feel no pity for him. He says wildly, ‘Why
did you betray your own heart, Cathy? You loved me-then, what right had you to
leave me? What right-answer me-for the poor fancy you felt for Linton? Because
misery and degradation and death, and nothing that God or Satan could inflict would
have parted us, you, of your own well, did it. I have not broken your heart-you have
broken it; and in breaking it, you have broken mine”. Both Catherine and Heathcliff
are shedding tears.

Now Nelly grows uncomfortable for she expects her master back from the
church any moment. She insists Heathcliff to leave without further delay. However,
before Heathcliff’s departure, Edgar arrives and seeing Heathcliff in the room, rushes
to attack him. But before Edgar would attack Heathcliff, they notice that Catherine
has collapsed and fainted. Edgar summons Nelly, and with great difficulty and after
resorting to many means, they manage to restore her to consciousness. Edgar, in his
anxiety for her, forgets Heathcliff. Nelly asks Heathcliff to depart soon. She tells him
that Catherine is better, he should hear from her in the morning how she passes the
night. So Heathcliff leaves the house, reminding her to keep her word.

Chapter-16

Death of Catherine is the main incident in this chapter. About twelve o’ clock
that night, Catherine gives birth to a female child; and two hours after she dies after
having never recovered sufficient consciousness to Miss Heathcliff or knows Edgar.
The delivery is premature because the child is born only seven months after the
conception. This is the child whose name is also Catherine and whom Mr. Lockwood
has seen as a grown-up girl at Wuthering Heights on his first visit. After her death,
Cathy’s face looks perfectly peaceful and tranquil as if she is reposing in heaven.

Next Morning Nelly goes to see Heathcliff in the garden. He has been
standing still for a long time there. He already knows the death of Catherine before
Nelly informs him. He asks Nelly the manner of Cathy’s death, because he wants to
know whether Catherine mentions his name before her death. Nelly replies that
Catherine never regains consciousness and she recognizes nobody. Catherine dies
quietly like a lamb. Heathcliff thus expresses his feelings at this time: “Oh God it is
unutterable! I cannot live without my love! I cannot live without my soul!” What he
means is that Cathy is both his life and his soul, and that now his existence will
become unendurable to him.

Catherine’s funeral takes place on the Friday following her death. Hindley,
her brother is invited to attend the funeral but he does not come. Isabella is not
invited. A special grave is dug for Cathy’s dead body on a green slope in a corner of
the churchyard. At the same spot Edgar is buried afterwards when he dies.

Chapter-17

The summer has come now. Even after a month of Catherine’s death, Edgar
never comes out of the room. He feels heart-broken. Nelly is looking after Catherine’s
little daughter who has also been given the name, Catherine. Suddenly Isabella
arrives at the Grange one day. She looks very pale and feeble. She appeals Nelly not
to reveal her arrival to her brother, Edgar. She wants Nelly to arrange for a carriage to
drive her away from this place to the village of Gimmerton from where she intents to
go somewhere else. Isabella explains that her life with her husband, Heathcliff is
intolerable and that she decides to go out of the sight of Heathcliff.

Isabella goes on to say that Heathcliff has wounded her beyond the words to
describe. His conduct towards her has completely extinguished her love for him
though she still remembers how much she has loved him at one time. She has given
her heart, but he tramples upon it. Then Isabella proceeds to give an account of what
had happened on the previous day. Hindley is in the drunkard state. Heathcliff has not
eaten a meal for nearly a week, and remains silence.

Isabella is sitting beside Hindley who is no good company for her but who is
the only company she could have, because she hates both Joseph and Hareton.
Hindley says her that if he and she combine against Heathcliff, they could take
revenge upon him who is torturing both of them. Hindley plans to attack Heathcliff
when he enters the house. He wants to put an end to the violence of Heathcliff. But
Isabella is reluctant to accept his plan; she says that they would be guilty forever. This
shows still she is in love with Heathcliff.

Hindley without considering the words of Isabella attacks Heathcliff with his
knife. As Heathcliff snatches away the knife from Hindley, it causes a deep wound on
Hindley’s wrist. Then Heathcliff knocks him down forcefully, Hindley falls down
senseless with blood from his wound. However, Heathcliff does not want Hindley to
die; he binds a piece of cloth round Hindley’s wound cursing him all the time. Joseph
appears on the scene and says that he will run to the Grange to inform the matter to
Edgar who is a magistrate and who will take the necessary action against Heathcliff.

Heathcliff arrogantly turns to his wife and says that she has conspired with
Hindley against him, so he wants to teach her also a lesson. He shakes Isabella and
throws her on the ground vigorously. This unexpected attack of Heathcliff gives
unending grief to Isabella. So she no longer wants to stay at Wuthering Heights. The
next morning, again Heathcliff behaves in a bitter manner towards Isabella. Heathcliff
is still felt for Cathy, whom he loves very much. As Isabella has no feeling for
Heathcliff, reminds him that he is the cause for the death of Catherine. Suddenly
Heathcliff loses his temper and rushes to kill her with the knife, but luckily he has
missed the aim. Heathcliff’s brutal nature is here emphasized as much as his grief
over Catherine’s death. She hastens out of the room and starts running towards the
Grange and has not stopped anywhere on the way. Under this awful circumstances
Isabella comes to the Grange and gives an account of her experience to Nelly.

Isabella ceases speaking; she is ready to leave by the coach, which Nelly has
arranged for her. She kisses Edgar and Catharine’s portrait, bestows a similar salute to
Nelly, and moves away. As a result on her visit to the Grange a regular
correspondence between Edgar and her is deep-rooted. Her new way is in the south,
near London. Now, one could find a change in the attitudes of Edgar towards her
sister. He forgives his sister who has done a blunder by marring Heathcliff. Edgar
feels contented, because Isabella leaves Heathcliff. After few months of her escape
she gives birth to a son. The boy has been named Linton.

After the death of Catherine, Edgar throws up his office of magistrate, ceases
even to attend the church, and avoids the village occasions. Now he leads a secluded
life, only visiting the grave of his wife every now and then. He becomes a kind of
hermit. Meanwhile one day Heathcliff meets Nelly in the village and inquires, the
whereabouts of Isabella. But Nelly refuses to give the information, but he discoverers
through some of other servants both her place of residence and the existence of the
child.

After six months of Catherine’s death, her brother Hindley also dies. He is
just twenty-seven at the time of his death. Nelly gets the news from the village
physician. She wants to assist the last duties to the dead. Hindley’s death comes as a
great blow to Nelly, because she is of the same age and has played together. She calls
on Hindley’s lawyer and asks him what will happen to the property of Hindley. The
lawyer reveals the fact that Hindley has died in debt and that Heathcliff Thus
Heathcliff will take the whole property becomes the owner of Wuthering Heights
while Hareton; Hindley’s son is in a state of complete dependence on Heathcliff.

Chapter-18

Twelve years pass; it is the blessed period of Nelly. Cathy’s daughter

Catherine is under the care of Nelly. Catherine reaches the age of thirteen. She is
spiritual, fortunately, curiosity and a quick intellect urge her into an apt scholars; she
leans rapidly and eagerly. She never hears of Wuthering Heights or Heathcliff. But,
sometimes she expresses a strong desire to visit penistone crags, and to see that place
at close quarters. But Edgar says her that he will allow her to visit the hills when she
grows older.

Isabella lives about twelve years after quitting her husband. At the end of that
period she has an attack of an incurable fever. She writes a letter to her brother to
inform her illness and she wants to deliver her son, Linton safely to Edgar. After
Edgar meets her, she dies peacefully. Edgar is away for a period of about three weeks.
The first two or three days Catherine sits in a corner of the library, too sad for either
reading or playing. Nelly foolishly allows Catherine to travel round the park grounds
and indulges her with a patient audience of all her real imaginary adventures, when
she returns.

One day Nelly waits and waits for Catherine, but she does not return. As she
is anxious and alarmed, sets out in search of Catherine. Nelly promptly judges that she
must have gone towards the penistone crags. The crags situates about a mile and a
half beyond Wuthering Heights. Besides, Heights is on the way to the crags. One has
to pass the house of Heathcliff to reach the crags. Catherine has surely decided to visit
the crags. She has by chance meets Hareton who has taken her inside the house. When
Nelly arrives at Wuthering Heights in search of Catherine, she is relaxed to find
Catherine safe. Unfortunately Catherine has gone to the wrong place and meets the
wrong people. Catherine’s arrival at the Heights disturbs Nelly’s mind. Catherine first
mistakes Hareton as the son of the owner of Wuthering Heights. But when Hareton
replies that he is not the owner of the son, she mistakes him for a servant. She is upset
at the bare notion of relationship with Hareton. After some time Hareton recovers
from his disgust at being taken for a servant. Even though he is offended, he treats her
kindly, and then Nelly takes Catherine back to the Grange. It’s her duty to keep
Catherine’s adventure a secret from her father, Edgar.

Chapter-19

Edgar sends a letter to announce his return. Isabella has died, Edgar returns
to the Grange with his young nephew, the only son of Isabella and Heathcliff. Linton
is just six months younger than Catherine, Edgar’s daughter. Now Edgar is
responsible for bringing up Linton. The evening of their expected arrival comes.
Catherine is fully excited to see her father after three weeks. Edgar introduces Linton
to Cathy and asks him to rest and enjoy himself in the house. Catherine is happy at the
chance of getting a playmate of her own age.

Inspite of Catherine’s intimacy and Edgar’s attention, Linton grows restless

and he is not amused himself in a strange place. Catherine is kind towards him and
offers him tea. This regard of Catherine pleases him and he smiles cheerfully. Young
Linton is a weak, pale, and delicate boy; he strongly resembles his uncle, Edgar, in his
appearance. Heathcliff is disappointed by the intention of Edgar to bring up Linton
under his own charge. In the evening of the very day of Linton’s arrival at Thrush
cross Grange, Heathcliff sends Joseph to inform Edgar that Heathcliff, being the
father of Linton, has a valid and legal claim to the boy. So Joseph determines to take
away the boy at that very time, he will not stir from the place even when he is
informed that the boy will be sent to the Heights on the following day. As he is very
stubborn, he has to be pushed out of the house by Edgar. Edgar realizes that he would
not be able to keep the boy at the Grange against the wishes of Heathcliff. Joseph
warns Edgar that Heathcliff would himself come to take away Linton.

Chapter-20

Next morning Edgar asks Nelly to take the boy early. Linton is reluctant to
move away from the Grange. Edgar does not like the arrival of Heathcliff to his
residence personally in order to take his son. On the way to Wuthering Heights,
Linton asks Nelly many questions. He looks sad not knowing the reason for this
shifting. His mother has never told him anything about his father, not even the fact
that the man is existed. Nelly tells young Linton that his father has black hair and
black eyes and that he looks sterner than Edgar. Nelly vividly tells him that his father
would not appear to be as gentle and kind as his uncle Edgar.

When they reach the Heights, the family has just finished breakfast, and a
servant is cleaning the table. Joseph stands by his master’s chair, and Hareton is
preparing for the hay field. Heathcliff gets up and walks to the door. Hareton and
Joseph follow him in gaping curiosity. Linton stands infront of the unknown person;
he runs a frightened eye over the faces of the three. On seeing his son Heathcliff
laughs scornfully. Nelly asks Heathcliff to be kind to the boy. Heathcliff then
proceeds to tell his plans for his son, Linton. He seems to have made up his mind on
one point just as he has already become the owners of the property of the Earn Shaw
family; he has now a plan to gain the property of the Linton family also. He also tells
Nelly that he has engaged a tutor who would come three times a week to teach the
boy. When Nelly is leaving the Heights to go back to the Grange, young Linton
begins to cry. When Nelly bid fare well to Heathcliff, he says that he has arranged
everything with a view to develop superiority complex in his son’s mind.

9.5 SUMMARY
Lockwood, a young man from London, has rented Thrushcross Grange, in
order to recover from a disappointment in love. He goes to meet his landlord at
Wuthering Heights. The forbidden house and surroundings are new to Lockwood. He
meets the grim, black browed figure, Heathcliff, and the rest of the house hold are a
young girl, his daughter-in-1aw, an old-servant, a woman – servant and a dog. An
atmosphere of hatred and tension hangs over them all. A heavy storm blows up, and
Lockwood is refused hospitality for that night. He tries to set out alone, but is attacked
by the dogs. The maidservant rescues him and puts him to sleep in a small bedroom
with an old-fashioned enclosed bed built against the window. Lockwood finds the
names like Catherine Earnshaw, Catherine Heathcliff, Catherine Linton scratched all
over the paint. Then he sees a diary among the books in the library, which is dated
some twenty-five years before. As he reads the diary, falls asleep and has a strange
dream.

On returning next morning to the George, Lockwood falls ill; during his
convalescence he hears the story of the inmates of Wuthering Heights from his
housekeeper, Nelly Dean, who spends the best part of her life there. Wuthering
Heights is the house of an old family of gentle men farmers, the Earnshaws, and Nelly
Dean’s mother worked there. Nelly Dean was brought up with the children of the
family. Her story starts with the arrival of Heathcliff at the Heights ‘a dirty, ragged,
black haired child,’ whom Mr. Earnshaw had found homeless in the streets of
Liverpool and had brought back to the farm from an impulse of pity. Mrs. Earnshaw
does not like the gipsy boy. At once his presence sows argument among the Earnshaw
Children.

Heathcliff and Catherine become fast friends, but Earnshaw’s favouritism of

Heathcliff, of which Heathcliff takes advantage, makes Hindley jealous. As a result,
Hindley illtreats the boy and often beats him mercilessly. When any complain made to
the master, he takes the side of Heathcliff and warns Hindley. Unfortunately, Mr.
Earnshaw dies quietly in his chair one summer evening. His early death gives power
to pursue his malice, and he reduces Heathcliff’s position. He begins to torture him in
all the ways. After Earnshaw’s death Hindley marries Frances, an unknown woman,
and neglects his duties towards Catherine.

One Sunday evening Heathcliff and Catharine go to Thrushcross Grange

where Catherine is forced to stay by the Lintons. Next morning Mr. Linton writes to
the Heights, and advises Hindley to take better care of his sister. Mr. Linton does not
like Heathcliff, so Heathcliff is told to keep himself aloof from Catherine. After
spending five days at the Grange Catherine returns to the Heights and is warmly
greeted by Hindley and his wife. Then begin the visits of young Lintons to the
Heights. Edgar’s good nature and good looks undermine Catherine’s loyalty to
Heathcliff.

One night Heathcliff overhears Catherine telling Nelly that it would degrade
her to marry Heathcliff, and without listening further he runs away. Catherine expects
that he would come back, but there is no trace of Heathcliff. About midnight the
storm comes rattling over the Heights in fury. Catherine falls seriously ill next
morning. Old Linton pays several visits to the Heights. During the convalescence
Catharine is taken to the Grange. Unfortunately Mr. and Mrs. Lintons suffer from
fever, and they die within few days of each other. Catherine returns to the Heights,
saucier, sobre passionate, and dull than ever. Hindley, who is a widower, now, allows
Catharine whatever she pleases to demand. He waits earnestly to see her bring honour
to the family by an alliance with the Lintons. Similarly Edger Linton marries
Catherine after his parent’s death. Nelly Dean who had been given charge of Hareton,
Hindley’s little motherless son, accompanies Catherine to Thrushcross Grange. The
first few months after Catherine’s marriage to Edgar pass happily. But Heathcliff
suddenly intrudes on their happiness.

Heathcliff returns, educated and obliviously well –to-do, after an absence of

three years. After paying a brief visit to Hindley at the Heights, he comes to the
Grange. He meets Nelly on the house steps by the kitchen door, and asks her to carry
the news to Catherine; Catherine comes down to meet Heathcliff. Catherine is beside
herself with overjoyed to find that her old lover has returned to her. But Linton is
irrigated when he finds his wife welcoming a runaway servant as a brother. Heathcliff
has returned not only to meet Catherine but also to be avenged on his few old enemies
– Hindley and Edger Linton. An irresistible desire for revenge aroused by frustration
in love now possesses Heathcliff’s mind. He finds that Hindley has become a rebel
against God and goodness during his absence from the Heights.

Now, Hindley becomes an addict to his habit of drinking and gambling.

Heathcliff encourages Hindley to pursue his evil ways, and offers him money on loan
for drinking and gambling. He takes possession of Hindley’s estate cunningly and
plans to keep Hindley’s son uneducated and fit only for farm labour. Thus Heathcliff
takes revenge for the injustice Hindley had done to him. While all this is going on at
the Heights, he pays regular visits to Catherine at the Grange. During his visits to
Thrushcross Grange he discovers that Isabella, the sister of Edgar Linton has fallen in
love with him. In his infatuation for the young girl, Heathcliff finds an opportunity to
spoil Edgar Linton who has deprived him of the bliss of his life by marrying
Catherine. As Catherine comes to know his plan, she tries to prevent him from
marrying Isabella. But Heathcliff encourages her and arranges a secret meeting with
Isabella.

9.6TERMINAL QUESTIONS

SECTION A:

ANSWER THE FOLLOWING IN A SENTENCE OR TWO:

1. Who is Mr. Lockwood?

2. Name the birthplace of Heathcliff?
3. When does Mr.Earnshaw die?
4. Why do Catherine and Heathcliff visit the Grange?
5. Who is the narrator of this novel?
6. Who is Hareton?
7. What is the name of the Physician?
8. Why does Heathcliff marry Isabella?
9. What is the name of Catherine’s daughter?
10. Why does Isabella run from the Heights?

SECTION B:

ANSWER THE FOLLOWING IN PARAGRAPHS:

1. Give a brief sketch of treatment of love and passion in Wuthering Heights.

2. Discuss the major works of Emily Bronte.

3. Give an account of the social background of Emily Bronte.

SECTION C:

ANSWER THE FOLLOWING ESSAY QUESTIONS:

1. Discuss the subject matter of the novel, Wuthering Heights.

2. Trace the character study of Mr. and Mrs. Earnshaw.

 CHAPTER-X

WUTHERING HEIGHTS - EMILY BRONTE

10.1 INTRODUCTION
This chapter brings forth the detailed analysis of the summary of the novel,
characterization, and important questions to inculcate the knowledge of the students
towards the better understanding of the novel.

10.2 A DETAILED ANALYSIS – PARAPHRASE OF THE TEXT – PART - II

Chapter – 21

When Catherine receives the news of Linton’s departure that morning, she is
extremely sorry and begins to cry passionately. Edgar himself is obliged to soothe her
by affirming her cousin should return soon. Time passes, Nelly learns from the
housekeeper of Wuthering Heights about Linton. She comes to know that the boy
continues in weak health. He merely lies in his bed all day, suffering from cough and
cold and pains of one kind or the other. Nelly also learns from them that Linton is
always asking for milk.

Now Catherine attains the age of sixteen. It is her birthday anniversary, but
they do not celebrate it, as it is also the death anniversary of Catherine. A dead silence
prevails in the house; Edgar certainly spends his time alone in the library and walks
every now and then to the graveyard at Gimmerton. He fails to take part in the family
activities, leads a secluded life. On her sixteenth birthday, young Catherine happens to
meet Heathcliff in the course of one of her rambles and is informed by him that he is
her uncle and that he had never visited the Grange because her father had once
quarrelled with him and brought to an end the relationship between them.

Heathcliff suggests that Catherine should go with him to Wuthering Heights,

but Nelly refuses to take Catherine there. Heathcliff frankly tells Nelly that his plan is
to introduce Catherine to Linton, so that the two cousins may fall in love and get
married. By this plan, Heathcliff hopes that the property at Thrushcross Grange would
become his son’s property and, in case Linton dies prematurely, the properly would
become his and not Catherine’s. This meeting between Catherine and Heathcliff is a
crucial one. Heathcliff plays a cunning role, again uses Catherine as a powerful
weapon to get Edgar’s property. Catherine is quite happy to learn that Heathcliff is
not a stranger but a close relative of hers. She still does not have a good opinion about
Hareton whom she has previously met on her first visit to Wuthering Heights.

Catherine and Nelly stay at Wuthering Heights till the after noon and Nelly
has to put great effort on Catherine to agree to leave for the Grange. As soon as they
reach Grange, Catherine argues with her father about his quarrel with Heathcliff.
Edgar explains that the quarrel has taken place because Heathcliff is a most diabolical
man who takes pleasure in hurting and ruining those whom he hates. But Catherine
hardly seems to convince, she says that the quarrel between her father and Heathcliff
must have been due to her father’s fault.

A correspondence soon begins between Catherine and Linton, although

Edgar rejects her request to have a friendly attitude towards Heathcliff. A milk-
fetcher, who comes from the village of Gimmerton, serves as a mediator between
Catherine and Linton by carrying their letters. When Nelly discovers the secret, she
puts an end. Nelly burns all the letters of Linton which Catherine preserves frutively.
Catherine is dismayed about it.

Chapter- 22

Edgar’s heath condition begins to decline. Catherine’s love for her is father
further increased. Catherine is very sad, as she is prevented to correspond with Linton.
In the course of another rample, once again Catherine and Nelly visit Heathcliff.
Heathcliff forces Catherine to meet his son Linton. He goes on to say that Linton is
felt depressed, since Catherine has stopped writing to Linton. He urges Catherine to
visit young Linton in order to comfort him. When he finds Catherine is hesitating to
act against her father’s wish, he threatens her by saying that he would send all the
letters which she sends to Linton to her father. He tells her that Linton is really in love
with Catherine and that he is dying for her.

Heathcliff is determined to carry out his purpose of bringing about an

alliance between Catherine and his son Linton. But Nelly appeals to Heathcliff not to
put pressure on Catherine to visit the Heights, because her father is against to such
visits. Nelly reminds him that it is a tough task to pursue his plan of bringing about a
marriage between Catherine and young Linton, because Linton’s health is in poor
condition, he could never live very long. However, Heathcliff is not in the least
influenced by Nelly’s request.

Nelly finds Catharine sinks in gloom, when they return home. Catherine
bluntly says Nelly that she wants to visit Linton and convince him that she has not
stopped writing letters to him of her own free will but only because of her father’s
opposition. Nelly is helpless and she could not stop her to see young Linton.

Chapter-23

Catherine’s visit to the Heights is willful. In accordance with her strong

desire, Catherine goes to Wuthering Heights accompanied by Nelly. Catherine
grieves, when she looks Linton in a very bad state of health. Linton is in irritable and
depressed condition. However as soon as he sees Catherine, he feels muck relaxed
and consoled. Linton says to Catherine that he does not like anybody in the house.
Linton is terribly sick of the persons around him, he complains that Hareton is very
brutal towards him and mocks at him. Linton not only hates Hareton but also the
others. He is completely vexed during the absence of Catherine and her letter.

Catherine too is in love with Linton as much as he is in love with her. She
says to him that next to her father and Nelly she loves him better than anybody but the
difficulty is that her father hates Linton’s father. Catherine replies that Linton’s father
is a wicked man, because he has deserted his wife, Isabella. Young Linton persists in
defending his father while Catherine defends Isabella. Thus there is an angry
atmosphere prevails between the two, but the very next moment they both become
calm.

It is rather odd that a beautiful, healthy girl should fall in love with an ailing
young man who, as Nelly clearly points to Catherine, might not live beyond the age of
twenty. Catherine regrets herself for hurting Linton. Linton also replies that she has
hurt him so much that he would lie awake all Night. He requests Catherine to keep
visiting him in order to cure him of his illness. Catherine assures him that they would
now be friends. After returning to the Grange, Catherine feels herself matured. She
says that Nelly should not act as her jailer and that the Grange is not a prison. She
determines to visit young Linton until he recovers completely. Meanwhile, Nelly is
ill, she remains confined to bed for three weeks. During these three weeks, Catherine
behaves like an angel in waiting upon Nelly and cheering Nelly’s solitude.

Chapter -24

During the illness of Nelly, Catherine visits Heights daily. When Nelly
recovers from her illness, Catherine tells her in detail about her visit and meeting with
young Linton. She is highly exited by their meeting. On their meeting Linton and
Catherine have a plenty of conversation. Though there is a great mutual attraction
between them, there are dissimilarities also. Linton wants to spend his time in an
ecstasy of peace, while Catherine wants to be in the company of many people. She
has found Hareton to be almost illiterate and therefore makes fun of him whereupon
he has been rough in his talk both towards her and young Linton. On account of this
incident; Hareton has even tried to attack Linton physically, and Linton’s shrieks has
brought a dreadful fit of coughing.

One of her visits of the Heights Linton admits to Catherine that he is

worthless, bad in temper and bad is spirit. Another redeeming feature about Linton is
that he appreciated Catherine’s kindness towards him. These words have moved
Catherine to tears so that both of them have cried much of the time that they are
together on that occasion. After giving a full account of these visits to Wuthering
Heights, Catherine expects that she should be prevented by anyone. At the same time,
her visits to the Heights greatly hurt her father. Nelly privately consults her master. As
a result of this consultation, Nelly tells Catherine the next morning that her secret
visits to Wuthering Heights must end. The only concession that could be granted is
that young Linton would be allowed to visit her at the Grange.

Chapter -25

As Catherine is very interested to meet Linton, Edgar writes a letter to young

Linton telling that he would be permitted to come to the Grange to meet Catherine.
But he is reluctant to allow Catherine to visit him at Wuthering Heights. As a father,
Edgar has a deep concern about the marriage life of his daughter, Catherine. He is not
quite sure what kind of a husband young Linton would prove for Catherine if she
marries him. In reply to Edgar’s letter, Linton writes that if Catherine is not permitted
to visit him at the Heights, she should at least be allowed to meet him on the moors
and that he would have no objection if her father accompanies her on such occasions.
In the same letter he assures Edgar that his own character is not the same as his
father’s. In accordance with young Linton’s suggestion in his letter, Edgar permitted
his daughter to have a ride or a walk accompanied by Linton once a week on the
moors, under the guardianship of Nelly. Thus Edgar is good naturally towards his
daughter.

Chapter-26

This chapter is uneventful. Hardly anything happens here. Catherine and

Linton meet one again, in the open air on the moors. This time Catherine finds young
Linton to be even more sickly and pale than ever before. She knows that he is hardly
capable of much conversation with her. It even appears from his manner that instead
of feeing pleased to meet Catherine; he endures her company as a kind of punishment.
However, when, in view of his Indifferent attitude, Catherine gets ready to leave him.
Young Linton feels uncomfortable, as soon as requests her to spend another half an
hour with him at least. Linton tries to explain his state of ill health by saying that it is
heavy weather and the heat that make him dull. Though he is not well, tries his best to
be normal. He also wants her to convey to his uncle that that he is in fairly good
health. When Catherine is indifferent, he urges her to meet him again on the following
Thursday.

Catherine is dissatisfied by the manners of Linton. She asks Nelly why

Linton has wanted to meet her at all in this state of ill-temper. Nelly points out to her
that young Linton’s heath has greatly become worse. Linton, over hearing the
conversation, begins to weep. It seems from the way he talks that he is under the
influence of some unseen presence. Catherine tells him that she must now leave and
that she must not conceal the fact that she has felt sadly disappointed to meet him on
this particular occasion. Just then Heathcliff is seen approaching. Linton clunks to
Catherine’s arms and begged her not to leave him. However, Catherine assures him
that she will meet him again on the following Thurs day and then she leaves in
Nelly’s company. Back at the Grange, Catherine feels a strange mixture of pity and
regret mingled with a vague, uneasy doubt about Linton’s actual circumstance,
physical and social.

Chapter-27

On the following Thursday, Catherine and Nelly meet Linton at the same
spot. On this occasion Linton receives them with great animation, but this animation
is not resulting from high spirits or joy, but from fear. However, his mood is such that
Catherine once again feels disappointed with him and so she asks him why he has
asked her to meet him again if the only result of their meetings is to be the feeling of
distress on both sides. Catherine tells him that her father is very ill. Linton says that he
in worthless, cowardly wretch, and that he is too mean for her anger. Catherine now
loses her temper and calls him a foolish, silly boy. Linton is in terror. He begins to
sob, saying that he dares not to tell her the real facts. He says that his life is in the
hands of Catherine and that, if she leaves him, he would die. Linton explains that his
father has been bullying him and that he is terribly afraid of his father. Catherine
replies that she is not a coward and that, no matter how afraid he is of Heathcliff. At
her words, Linton begins to weep, and he kisses her hands.
 At that time, Heathcliff appears at that spot. He says that he has heard that
Edgar is on his deathbed. Nelly replies that it is true that her master is dying. Young
Linton looks terribly frightened of the presence of his father. Heathcliff suggests
Catherine to accompany Linton to the Heights. At last, Catherine and Nelly see no
alternative but to accompany young Linton and Heathcliff to the Heights.

When they have all entered the house, Heathcliff locks the door from
inside and tells his guests that they must have tea. In a bitter argument between
Heathcliff and Catherine, she asks the key to go out. When he fails to give, she bites
him. Suddenly he slaps Catherine, when Nelly rushes at him furiously Heathcliff
gives her a heavy blow.

Linton explains that his father has made all the arrangements for the marriage
between Catherine and Linton. Nelly becomes furious and says that Heathcliff is mad
to think that such a beautiful lady would tie herself to a dying monkey like Linton.
Catherine says that she loves her pap (Edgar) better than she loves Linton and that she
wants to go out. She appeals to Heathcliff to let her go home; she even gives him a
promise that she would afterwards marry Linton, because her father has no objection
to her marrying Linton. But Heathcliff declares that nobody could leave this house till
Catherine and Linton have been married.

Catherine says that she is ready to marry Linton at that very time if
afterwards she is allowed to go to the Grange to see her dying father. Without
considering her words, Heathcliff insults her. Thus Catherine and Nelly remain
prisoners at Wuthering Heights.

Chapter-28

After five days, Nelly is released from her imprisonment at Wuthering

Heights. On her release she learns a story that has been circulated by Heathcliff that
she and Catherine are lost in the Black horse marsh, and may be given up as dead.
Nelly’s instant reaction to this information is that Heathcliff is a free scoundrel. When
she is about to leave the Heights for the Grange, she is instructed to carry a message
that Catherine will follow soon afterwards in time to attend the funeral of Edgar
Linton. Nelly asks in a shocking tone if Edgar Linton is dead. But she is told that he is
very near to the death.

Nelly talks to young Linton, before leaving the Heights. Young Linton says
that Catherine, now his wife, will not be allowed to go to the Grange no matter how
much she cries. Nelly rebukes young Linton for this callous attitude and reminds him
of the kindness and tenderness with which Catherine has always treated him. Nelly
comes to know that Heathcliff has snatched away the lock of which Catherine wears
round her neck and which has contained the miniature portraits of her father and
mother. Heathcliff has stamped upon her father’s portrait and crushes it. Nelly tries to
talk with Catherine before leaving the Heights, but her efforts are useless.

Nelly explains to Edgar what had happened at Wuthering Heights. Now

Edgar is on the edge of death. Four men are sent to bring Catherine from the Heights.
But they comeback with the message, Catherine is too ill to quit her room. Mr. Green
the Lawyer, who is to lead the party of those four men, has obliviously been bought
over by Heathcliff. However, the very next moment there is a knock at the front door
and when it is opened; Catherine appears and rushes to embrace Nelly. She sees her
father alive, but close to death. Edgar is able to see his daughter before dying, and he
dies blissfully. The funeral of the Edgar is hurried, according to Edgar’s will; he is to
be buried by the side of his wife, although Heathcliff has tried to prevent this part.
Catherine is allowed to stay at the Grange only till the hour of the burial.

Chapter-29

After the funeral, Heathcliff arrives at the Grange in the evening.

Catherine tries to leave the room as Heathcliff enters, but he catches hold of her arm
and treats her bitterly. He informs Nelly that he has punished his son for having
liberated Catherine against his wish. Heathcliff asks Catherine to come with him to
the Heights. He also says that he has decided to let the property of Edgar to a tenant.
At first Catherine is against Heathcliff, but his attitude is over bearing and ruthless,
and he orders her to leave from the Grange.

Catherine has no way, so she left the room to collect her few belongings. In
her absence, Heathcliff gives an account to Nelly how he has arranged with the sexton
to remove the earth off the lid of the coffin in which Cathy lay, and how he has
opened the lid and sees her face again. It is true very few men can love in the way
Heathcliff has loved Catherine. He has also bribed the sexton to pull away one panel
of the coffin, his object being, that when he himself dies, his dead body should be
buried close to Cathy’s dead body without being any wall between them.

Heathcliff goes on to say that he has a strong belief in ghosts and that
he has seen Cathy’ ghost the very night following the day she has died and been
buried. In fact, he has dug out her grave on that occasion in order to take a look at her
coffin. The same time he has been feeling her presence close to him on many
occasions, and his torture has been intolerable, she has been killing him not by inches
but by fractions and hair-breaths during the past eighteen years by appearing to him
many times. Then Heathcliff leaves the Grange with Catherine. He orders Nelly to
stay on at the Grange and act as the housekeeper for the tenant who will take the
Grange on rent. Heathcliff now becomes the master of Thrush cross Grange through
his son’s marriage with Catherine, whose father is dead.

Chapter-30

Nelly does not have direct contacts with Catherine. Anyway she knows
through Zillah, the housekeeper at the Heights, whom she occasionally meets in the
village of Gimmerton. One evening, according to Zillah’s account, Catherine tells
Heathcliff in a state of alarm that her husband is dying and that a doctor should be
sent for. Heathcliff shows a most unnatural attitude towards his son when he declares
that he is not willing to spend a farthing on young Linton. Young Linton dies that
very night, and Heathcliff shows no sign of grief. Catherine’s grief is, however,
obvious she keeps to her own room for a number of days and even afterwards does
not show any relaxation of spirit. She eats anything hardly; Catherine at last makes
her Heathcliff first move to enter normal life. She is not even afraid of Heathcliff, and
she speaks rudely to him. Hareton tries to please her by his attentions but she would
have nothing to do with him. In the view of Nelly, the only remedy for the present
state of affairs in Catherine’s life is for her to get married again.

Chapter-31

Lockwood visits to the Heights to give notice to Heathcliff of his decision to

vacate the Grange after about six months. When Lockwood enters the home,
Heathcliff is not at home; Lockwood has an opportunity of observing the behaviour of
Catherine. Catherine seems to be sulkier and less spirited than when has seen her first.
Lockwood hands over to Catherine a brief note that Nelly has given to him to be
passed on to her. Catherine is eager to read the note given by Nelly. After she finishes
reading asks few questions regarding Nelly and the Grange.

Catherine is very upset, because Hareton has taken her books away from her.
She is restless without reading books. Catherine blames Hareton that he has no rights
to take away her books, which are her friends. Instantly Hareton goes and returns with
her books and throws in front her. Hareton takes the books in order to learn reading
and wants to improve himself but his efforts are useless.

After Heathcliff returns home, Lockwood informs him of his decision.

Lockwood is asked to dine with Heathcliff. When Lockwood leaves the Heights to
return to the Grange, the thought occurs to him that it will be very nice if he has been
able to develop a love affair with Catherine and been able to take her to London as his
wife.

Chapter-32

Several months after Lockwood’s vacation, he pays a visit to the Grange. As

he is familiar with Gimmerton and the Grange people, he wants to know how the
things happen at the Grange. On her visits he comes to know the fact that Nelly has
shifted to the Heights. So, he goes to the Heights in order to see Nelly. Nelly surprises
to see Lockwood suddenly, she greets him pleasantly.

Nelly tells Lockwood that Heathcliff has died three months back. A
remarkable change has undergone in the attitude of Catherine towards Hareton.
Catherine never enjoys her life for a long time and she is in the stage of depression.
As a result of her agony she begins her friendship with Hareton. Nelly also pleases
very much by seeing their friendship. While Heathcliff treats Catherine bitterly,
Hareton stands by her side. Nelly encourages their friendship especially after the
death of Heathcliff. Even Lock wood notices the intimacy between Catherine and
Hareton. Nelly tells Lockwood that she would now be most happy if Catherine and
Hareton get married.

Chapter – 33

In the first part for this chapter, Nelly describes the events, which have
occurred during the absence of Lockwood from the Grange. The friendship between
Catherine and Hareton is irksome to Heathcliff. Joseph also complains against
Hareton and Cathy for pulling up the bushes. Hareton takes the entire blame on
himself; but Cathy says that she has asked him to pull up the bushes. At this statement
Heathcliff is very much surprised, and angrily tells Cathy that she has no right to
touch a struck about the place. Cathy replies that he should not grudge a few yards of
earth for her to ornament when he has taken all that belong to her and Hareton.

Catherine further tells him that Hareton and she are friends now, and that she
would tell him all about Heathcliff. Heathcliff seems confounded for a moment; he
grows pale, seeing her with an expression of mortal hate. He becomes so indignant at
her insolence that he catches hold of her by her hair and threatens to kill her. Certainly
Hareton rushes to rescue her. After that bad incident frankly tells Nelly that he has the
power to destroy both the houses (Hareton and Catherine). But he no longer has the
wish to destroy them.

Heathcliff also tells Nelly that a strange change is approaching him. In every
natural object such as cloud, tree and flower he sees the image of Catherine. All the
elements of the world remain him of the fact that Catherine exists at one time and he
has lost her whatever Heathcliff does it is under the influence of one thought that
Catherine exists. Whatever objects he notices, is associated in his mind with
Catherine. Heathcliff’s whole being and faculties are governed by a single wish,
which could soon be fulfilled. His life has been, long fight, and he wishes it to end.
This kind of talk from Heathcliff makes Nelly thinks that his conscience has begun to
trouble him and that his conscience has turned his heart to “an earthly hell”.

Chapter – 34

For some days after that incident, Heathcliff avoids meeting the other
inmates of his house at meals. One night, after the family is in bed, he leaves the
house, and does not return till morning. When he comes back he looks very much
excited and cheerful. He has a strange, joyful glitter in his eyes. Nelly sees something
unnatural in those deep black eyes of Heathcliff. There is a ghastly paleness on his
face, and he looks like a goblin. He wants nothing to eat till morning, and goes up to
sleep. He enters into the room in which Catherine used to sleep.

For the next three or four days Heathcliff’s entire behaviour is strange and
unusual. Once Nelly over hears him muttering some words, of which she could catch
the name of Catherine, speaks as one would speak to a person present. One night
Nelly hears him pacing to and fro in his room without any sleep. That night he tells
Nelly that he wants to send for the lawyers, Mr. Green. He wants to write his will and
does not know how to leave his property. He expresses his desire that he could
completely destroy his property and leave no trace of it on the earth.

Nelly remarks that already Heathcliff has done many injustices in course of
his life, and that he must regret for his mistakes and must read the Bible. In replay to
Nelly, he says that he has done no injustices and there was nothing to repent. He also
gives to Nelly some instructions for his burial when he dies. He tells her that no priest
is to be summoned that no religious words are to be spoken over his dead body, and
that he is to be buried close to the dead body of Catherine in accordance with the
directions already give to the Sexton. He says that he has nearly attained his heaven
and that the heaven about which priest’s talks has no value for him.
 Throughout that night Nelly hears him groaning and murmuring in his room.
For three or four days Heathcliff has been avoiding food altogether. In the morning
when Nelly goes out for a walk she finds the window of Heathcliff’s room open. That
night he has slept in the paneled room where he and Catherine used to sleep while
they weres children. At once Nelly gets suspicious, and she rushes upstairs when she
opens the door of the room, she finds Heathcliff lying dead with his eyes open. She
tries to close his eyes, but they would not shut. In fact, eyes seem to mock her
attempts to close them. Although Nelly is sad at Heathcliff’ death, Hareton is the only
open who really suffers much. Hareton sits by the corpse all night, weeping in bitter
earnest.

In accordance with his instructions, Heathcliff is buried. Hareton and Nelly

are presented at his funeral. After the burial some people start seeing Heathcliff’s
ghost roaming about at night on the moors. According to one account, two ghosts are
seen moving, about together, the ghost of Heathcliff and the ghost of Catherine. Nelly
really feels scared to hear to such stores. Nelly also informs Lockwood, after having
given him the above account, that Catherine and Hareton would get married on the
New Year’s Day and that, after their marriage, they would shift to the Grange, while
the house at the Heights would be shut up, to be looked after by Joseph. Lockwood
pays a visit to the churchyard on his way back to the Grange. Catherine, edger and
finally Heathcliff have buried in the same place. Heathcliff and Catherine have been
united together in death. The stories about their spirits roaming the moors symbolize
this union. Thus the love which could no be fulfilled during the life time of the two
has been fulfilled after their deaths.

10.3 CHARACTER ANALYSIS

1. Heathcliff

Heathcliff is the central and remarkable figure of Emily Bronte’s novel

Wuthering Heights. There is no doubt at all about his villainy but at the same time he
manages to win some of our deepest sympathies at certain points in the story.

Heathcliff’s Childhood

We meet Heathcliff first when Mr.Earnshaw brings him to Wuthering

Heights from Liverpool where Mr. Earnshaw had picked him up form a slum. At that
time Heathcliff was dirty, ragged, black – haired child. While Mr.Earnshaw doted on
the child, everybody else hated him. Hindley treats Heathcliff bitterly; he would miss
no opportunity of treating him in an unkind and even cruel manner. As a result of the
ill – treatment he had received as a child from Hindley Earnshaw and the social
contempt, shown to him by Edgar Linton, he becomes a cruel man. So from the very
beginning Heathcliff bred bad feeling in the house.

His Love for Catherine and Frustration

Heathcliff’s love for Catherine is undying and immortal. He has a great

passion for Catherine. Since his childhood Catherine is very intimate with him. After
the death of Mr. Earnshaw, Catherine was the world to Heathcliff; he spends his time
only with Heathcliff. But Heathcliff is frustrated completely in the marriage of
Catherine to Eager. It gives unbearable pain to Heathcliff. Heathcliff already has the
thought of revenge against Hindley and, when Edgar refuses to treat him as a social
equal; his mind is filled with a fierce hatred for Edgar also. Heathcliff first of all takes
his revenge upon Hindley who, being a heavy drunkard and gambler, quickly falls
into his hands. He had started his life as a guest there, but soon he becomes the master
of the place because Hindley has mortgaged all his property to him to pay the debts,
which he had incurred by his gambling. Subsequently, by contriving the marriage of
his son, Linton with Edgar’s daughter, Catherine, he becomes he owner of
Thrushcross Grange as well. In this way the child who had been picked up from a
Liverpool slum becomes the master of two huge properties belonging to highly
respectable and old families both of which is able to ruin and wreck.

A Violent Cruel Man

Heathcliff, the boy, is ferocious, vindictive and wolfish. In early part of the
novel he shows a hot temper, a proud nature, and capacity for implacable hatred. He is
a tragic and sadistic man. One of the devices by which he takes his revenge upon
Edgar Linton is to pretend that he loves Edgar’s sister Isabella who is bewitched by
him and elopes with him. Soon after getting married to her, Heathcliff, begins to treat
her in such a brutal manner that she has to runway from home in order escape from
his perpetual insults and tyranny. The letter which Isabella writes to Nelly gives an
account of the kind of life she has been leading with Heathcliff. It clearly shows the
inhuman treatment she has been receiving from him.

Heathcliff- a Sadist

The manner in which he brings up Hareton, the son of Hindley Earnshaw is

an example of Heathcliff’s brutality and sadism. He seems to have bent his
malevolence on making Hareton a brute, with the result that Hareton has not been
taught to read or write, has never been rebuked for any bad habit, has never been
encouraged to take a single step towards virtue.

Heathcliff does not even have the ordinary parent’s love for his son. He
orders his son to carrying out all his instructions and writing letters to Catherine in
accordance with his wishes, his sole object is to bring about a marriage between them
so that he may eventually grab the property at Thrush cross Grange. He knows that his
son would die prematurely but that thought does not deter him from marrying him to
Catherine. The premature death of his son never gives any grief to him. So
undoubtedly he remains as a sadist throughout his life.

Heathcliff’s change of Heart

A change comes upon Heathcliff towards the end when he no longer feels the
desire to destroy those whom he has hated. Hareton and Catherine are the only
surviving representatives of the two families and he has both of them under his power.
But now he is no longer willing to do any harm to them. Thus towards the close of the
novel, we find him obsessed with the thoughts of Cathy. In every object he sees an
image of Catherine. Everything that he observes or notices is now associated in his
mind with one universal idea, and that is the idea of Cathy with whom he hopes to be
united after death. To conclude, Heathcliff is surely the centre of the novel. He is a
tragic sufferer and a sadistic creature.

2. Hindley

Hindley is the elder brother of Catherine the heroine of this novel. He is one
of the unpleasant characters in the novel. He provides a sharp contrast to other male
characters of the novel.

His hatred for Heathcliff

Cruelty is an outstanding trait of Hindley’s character. From his very

childhood, he begins to hate Heathcliff. He treats the strange boy as a kind of slave
and insults him repeatedly. When they are children, Hindley knocks Heathcliff with a
heavy iron weight and kicks him under a pony’s hoofs. Many years later, when his
property is mortgaged to Heathcliff, he becomes more cruel and violent. He always
carries a pistol with a double-edged spring knife attached to the barrel, and seeks
opportunities of killing Heathcliff. He makes a desperate attempt to kill Heathcliff on
the night after Catherine’s funeral, but he himself becomes the target of Heathcliff’s
horrible cruelties.

An affectionate Husband

Inspite of his cruel and violent temperament, Hindley is a loving husband.

After his father’s death he brings his wife to Wuthering Heights. His wife is silly and
consumptive. But Hindley is so much devoted to her that he tries his best to make the
Heights a delightful home for her. As Nelly says, “Indeed, he would have carpeted
and papered a small room for a parlour; but his wife expressed such pleasure at the
white floor and huge glowing fireplace, at the pewter dishes and delf care, and dog
kennel, and the wide space there was to move about in where they usually sat, that he
thought it unnecessary to her comfort, and so dropped the intention.” He dotes on his
wife so long as she remains alive.

Contrast between Hindley and Edgar

At one point in the story Nelly draws a comparison between Edgar and
Hindley. Both of them, says Nelly, have been fond of husbands and both were
attached to their children; and yet they took different roods. Hindley, with apparently
the stronger head, shows himself sadly the worse and weaker man. When his ship
strikes against a rock, he, the captain, abandons his post. Edgar, on the contrary,
displays the true courage of a loyal and faithful soul; he trusts God, and God comforts
him. Edgar remains hopeful, while Hindley is filled with despair.

His crudity

Hindley has inherited all the crudity of the moors without any of their saving
strength. The premature death of his wife comes as a mighty blow to him. Very soon
he loses control over himself and grows desperate. He neither weeps nor prays, he
execrates God and man, gives himself up to reckless dissipation. He has not the
strength of character to bear the loss of his wife. As Nelly puts it’s “When his ship
struck, the captain abandoned his post; and the crew, instead of trying to save her,
rushed into riot and confusion, leaving no hope for their luckless vessel.” He finds
consolation for the death of his wife in drinking and gambling. He creates riotous
scenes in the Heights, and turns it into a veritable hell. His habits of drinking and
gambling make him a clay pigeon when Heathcliff has prepared himself for revenge.
He borrows money from Heathcliff and goes on indulging in intoxication and
gambling. In course of time he is wholly dehumanized, and becomes a misanthrope.

His death

The end of Hindley Earnshaw is what it might have been expected. Hardly
six months after the death of his sister Catherine, he has died due to heavy drinking
and irregular ways of life bring him to grave. He is barely twenty-seven at the time of
his death. He dies a pauper, and his son becomes Heathcliff’s slave, while Heathcliff
becomes the master of the estate, which once belonged to the Earnshaw family. Thus
he has been depicted in the novel as a monster of cruelty; he is a rake without any
redeeming features in his character. He is a despicable character whose sufferings and
death call forth sympathizing tears.

3. Catherine

Catherine is one of the principal characters of Wuthering Heights. She is the

heroine of the first generation story in the novel. She is a spontaneous creation of
Emily Bronte’s genius. She is one of the most striking portraits in the gallery of the
fiction.

A willful girl

Catherine appears in the novel as a willful and naughty girl. She grows up, in
Nelly’s words, “A wild, wicked slip”: she put all of us past our patience fifty times
and oftener in a day: from the hour she came downstairs till the hour she went to bed,
we had not a minute’s security that she wouldn’t be in mischief. Her over whelming
capacity for living, the ardour with which she experiences both joy and pain, are most
vividly expressed in the passage in which she affirms her oneness with Heathcliff.

A capricious woman

Catherine is selfish and utterly unprincipled woman. She is prepared to use

any means and sacrifice any person who stands in her way. If she is not allowed to
have her own way, she passes into a fit of uncountable anger. She has a famine
jealousy aroused by the discovery of Isabella’s infatuation for Heathcliff and she loses
no time in brutally humiliating the girl by forcibly detaining her and exposing her
passion in front of the object of her passion. Catherine is one of those who will always
demand the best of both worlds. ‘Having sacrificed Heathcliff, because he has no
money or position, to satisfy her hankering after wealth and respectability, she
proceeds without qualms to sacrifice her husband to her real love. Throughout their
relationship she used Edgar Linton quite ruthlessly. She admits to Nelly that one
reason for marrying him is that ‘he will be rich, and I shall like to be the greatest
woman of the neighborhood”. But to her the best reason of all is to help ‘Heathcliff to
rise, and place him out of my brother’s power’. Catherine experiences no sense of
shame over this dubious matrimonial motive, nor any doubt that, when Edgar learns
her true feeling, towards Heathcliff, he will ‘shake off his antipathy and tolerate him,
at least.’

Her intimacy with Heathcliff

Catherine’s affection to Heathcliff is really a notable thing. As soon as

Heathcliff is brought to Wuthering Heights, she begins to like him. She takes special
interests to Heathcliff, while all other inmates of the house hate him. Heathcliff and
Catherine become playmates and often roam in the moors together. Even after the
death of Catherine’s father, when her brother Hindley becomes the master and treats
Heathcliff as a slave and a drudge, Catherine does not stop playing with Heathcliff
and roaming about with him whenever he can snatch any time from his labour in the
field. It is in his company that she stays so far as Thrushcross Grange where she is
attacked by a dog and is slightly hurt. When, after a brief stay at the Grange, she
returns home, she looks a more dignified and elegant person than she was before and
on finding him as dirty and ragged as ever, mocks at him.

Catherine’s comprehension of Heathcliff’s character

Catherine is well aware of the inhuman or monstrous element in

Heathcliff’s nature. That is why she tries to discourage Isabella who has fallen in love
with Heathcliff. Her analysis of Heathcliff’s temperament shows that she has
understood him thoroughly. To Isabella, she describes Heathcliff as an unreclaimed
creature, without refinement. He is a fierce, pitiless and a wolfish man. Cathy is not
being hypocritical here. It is not just that she wants to have Heathcliff exclusive by to
herself, it is that she is really concerned about Isabella’s welfare and happiness and
she knows that Isabella is not the sort of person who can be happy with a husband like
Heathcliff.

A Tragic figure

With her caprices and histrionics Catherine is a tragic heroic heroine. Her
tragedy is mainly due to her attempt to retain a double identity. “Edgar is her pride,
security and tranquility; Heathcliff is the wild, free life of her childhood which she
cannot give up; this she must keep both. If either of them change, or cease to conform,
her life falls apart.” She loses control of both Edgar and Heathcliff in the long run.
With her failure to control the two men she looses her hold on life and sinks into the
deeper delirium, which is, in fact, a delayed reaction to her life’s deeper loss.

Thus Emily Bronte has given a full-length portrait of Catherine in the novel.
She is a highly successful character. From the beginning she seems pitiful tragic to the
readers. As we watch the step-by-step descent of this character into her inferno and
contemplate the whole ruinous process in retrospect, our prominent impression is one
of tragic waste.
 4. Edger

Edgar Linton is one of the ‘good’ characters in Wuthering Heights. He is

the most virtuous man in the novel. He is of considerable interest, as the man must be
who can distract Catherine from Heathcliff paralleling him in many ways.

A civilized man

Thrushcross Grange is the seat of culture and civilization; and Edgar

symbolises sweetness and light. Catherine, specifically, marries Edgar for what
Heathcliff does not have; Education, money, position, ease – the visible elements of
civilization. As a cultured man Edgar is a great lover of books. Books are his never-
failing friends. When with Heathcliff’s return domestic strife becomes the rule in the
Grange, he increases the frequency of his visits to his books. Nelly tells Catherine that
he is continually in the library since he has other society. After Catherine’s death he
introduces his daughter to reading, and arouses in her a genuine lover of books.

A devoted husband

Edgar sincerely loves Catherine from the beginning of their acquaintance.

During one of his visits to the Heights, Catherine, in a rage boxes his ear; yet, having
seen her in her true colours, he remains so utterly under her spell that he is powerless
to depart. As Nelly says, “Edgar Linton, as multitudes have been before and will be
after him, was infatuated; and believed himself the happiest man alive on the days he
led her to Gimmerton Chapel, three years subsequent to his father’s death.”

Edgar is a devoted husband; and knowing that Catherine is a victim of fits of

anger and depression, he never does anything that may put her out of good humour.
Nelly explains that Mr. Edgar had a deep-rooted fear of ruffling her humour. He
concealed it from her.When Catherine falls ill; he takes care of her as a patient nurse,
and shows greatest concern in her recovery. When his wife dies, he receives a terrible
shock but his faith in God and religion consoles him in bereavement. He cherishes the
memory of his dead wife throughout his life.

His affection towards his daughter

After has wife’s death Edgar realizes that his helpless daughter has a claim
on his care and attention, and that he must overcome his interest in life for her sake.
His former love for the mother is now turned to the daughter. He takes her training
upon himself, introduces her to reading, and permits her to share his sanctuary. “She
learned rapidly and eagerly,” comments Nelly, “and did honour to his teaching.” A
tender love exists between Edgar and his daughter. He thinks always of her welfare.
Even during his illness he does not neglect her. He agrees to her marriage with Linton
Heathcliff because, Nelly does not enlighten him about the actual state of the young
man’s health. He dies blissfully because he is given to understand that Cathy would
be happy with young Heathcliff.
A dull man

In spite of his goodness Edgar is a dull man. When he is introduced, Our

sympathy is alienated by the pitiful effeminacy. Thus Edgar Linton has many good
qualities of head and heart. He is a conventional Victorian hero in many respects. He
easily gets our sympathy, but fails to win our admiration because he lacks the vitality
of the positive characters like Catherine and Heathcliff.

5. Hareton

Hareton is one of the most interesting characters in Wuthering Heights. His

character is not developed in any great detail or depth, but he draws our attention from
his first appearance in the books and wins our administration at the end.

A Healthy, handsome boy

Hareton is Nelly’s ‘first boony little nursling’. When he is nearly five years
old, Nelly leaves the Heights and the curate is asked to like after him. But his
education is neglected, and he spends most of his time on the moors. He enjoys
outdoor life and becomes and elf-locked, brown-eyed boy with a ruddy countenance.
He is the last of the ancient Earnshaw stock. He displays the violent disposition of the
Earnshaws. Isabella sees him hanging litter of puppies from a chair back. Heathcliff
does not bully him physically because he has none of the timid susceptibility that
would have given zest to ill treatment.

Brought up as Brute

When Heathcliff returns to the Heights after Catherine’s marriage, he finds

Hareton as a neglected child. Now Heathcliff gets an opportunity of doing harm to his
old enemy Hindley by degrading Hareton. Heathcliff almost takes the charge of the
boy Hareton and begins to exercise his evil influence on him, so the first thing he does
is to teach the boy certain bad words, and to curse people especially his own father,
Hindley.

A Replica of Heathcliff

Hareton is the image of Heathcliff in many ways, but he has little of

Heathcliff’s force. Indeed, he is watered by Heathcliff. Heathcliff looks upon the
young Hareton as personification of his youth. He says to Nelly about Hareton, “…. I
can sympathize with all his feelings, having felt them myself, When a ‘strange
change’ occurs in his life. Hareton and Cathy are “the only objects which retain a
distinct material appearance” because they remind him of himself and Catherine as
they were.

A noble soul

Hareton, says Nelly, has ‘an honest, warm and intelligent nature.’ Though
Heathcliff once ironically saved Hareton from death, when Hindley in a drunken fit
let him fall over the banisters, he takes a savage delight in degrading him as Hindley
once degraded him. Heathcliff boasts of his destruction of Hareton’ but he cannot
corrupt Hareton and render his qualities unavailing, simply because Hareton returns
love for hate. So to sum up his character, Hareton is a typical Earnshaw, but he has
inherited the simplicity and nobility of his mother.. Cathy’s love irritates his soul. And
his character like Edgar and Linton leaves a good impression on our minds.

6. Linton

Linton Heathcliff is the most repulsive character in Wuthering Heights. He is

grotesque figure, but he is made fully convincing in terms of physique, speech and
manners. “He is the means whereby … Emily Bronte secures our understanding of
Heathcliff at time when he is at his most inhuman.”

An ailing, weak boy

Linton is an ailing, weak child. When he is brought to the Grange, he is a

pale, delicate, effeminate boy. He is so weak that immediately after his arrival at the
Grange he wants to go to bed. When Nelly takes Linton to the Heights, Heathcliff
examines his slender arms and small fingers, and says that he is bitterly disappointed
with the whey – faced whining wretch. Linton cannot eat the wholesome porridge
which has nurtured Hareton. “To him, fresh air is ‘killing’; he cannot bear to have the
window left open in the evening; the “salubrious” and ‘genial’ air of the Heights,
which is life – giving to the strong but deadly to the weak and ailing, does not prove
healthier for him. It increases his listlessness.” From the beginning of their
acquaintance Cathy shows maternal affection for him, but he never ceases to display
his sickly peevishness. During his least illness Cathy nurses him night and day, but he
dies. After his death the lively Cathy feels like death.

Representative of his father attitude

Though Linton so strongly resembles his uncle Edger that he might have
been taken for his younger brother, he is a true replica of Heathcliff. Linton’s arrival
at the Grange may be contrasted with the earlier scenes of Heathcliff’s first arrival at
the Heights and later at the Grange. Father and son represent two extremes of
selfishness, which are ultimately been to be akin, and Cathy’s sympathy for Linton’s
sufferings provides a shallow counterpart to Catherine’s sharing of Heathcliff’s
miseries. Linton, at his worst, sometimes recalls genuine Heathcliff violence. When
Hareton shakes him and angrily asks him to go to his own room, he shows his
powerless fury: “If you don’t let me in I’ll kill you! – If you don’t let me in, I’ll kill
you!” Many times Heathcliff clearly shows Linton’s resemblance to himself: “He’ll
undertake to torture any number of cats, if their teeth be drawn and their claws pared.”

A despicable creature

It is as one would expect that the son of Heathcliff and Isabella should turn
out to be a sniveling, sickly creature like Linton, whose morbid preoccupation with
his heath and personal comfort excites everyone’s contempt. Even Cathy shows her
contempt for Linton. “Rise, and don’t degrade yourself into an abject reptile – don’t!”
“He reflects Edger’s weakness and Heathcliff’s willfulness, and perpetually reminds
us of all that is most debilitating in the Linton’s comfort as well as in Heathcliff’s
restless self torment.” Thus Linton is a boy without any amiable qualities. He is a
sorry mixture of the life denying characters in both families. With his sickly
peevishness, selfishness, cowardice and powerless fury he remains the most
despicable character in the novel.

7. Joseph

Joseph, the old family retainer in the novel, is a magnificent character. He is

the single survivor of the original generation, who remains at the Heights when it is
left “for the use of such ghosts as choose to inhabit it.”

A noble servant

Joseph is an old servant of the Earnshaws. He was a servant at the Heights in

the days of old Mr.Earnshaw, when Hindley, Catherine and Heathcliff were little
children. He was very loyal to his old master, Earnshaw. After his death he is loyal to
Hindley. He shows his devotion to the Earnshaw blood even in young Hareton. He
hates Heathcliff and his son Linton because they are usurpers at the Heights, which
rightfully belongs to Hareton. After Heathcliff’s death, ‘he fell on his knees, and
raised his hands, and returned thanks that the lawful master and the ancient stock were
restored to their rights!’

A narrow-minded moralist

Joseph is a narrow-minded Christian. Like Nelly, he constantly expostulates

and moralizes. He advocates the Old Testament doctrine of damnation, threatening
the children with ‘owd Nick’. He denies the children warmth of fire and relief sports,
and makes them pore over dull religious books, which they fail to understand. Thus
his religious favour is more a nuisance than benefit to the inhabitants of the Heights.

A grim -Hero

Joseph is a man of sour temperament. He thinks that gaiety is ungodly.

According to him merry songs are ‘glories to Satan’. While Nelly does all she can to
alleviate the general unhappiness and dissension, Joseph delights to aggravate it and
make further trouble, “His pious ejaculations and sermonizing, three-hour services in
the garret on rainy days, and interminable grace before meals, consort ill with
Joseph’s role as mischief-maker stirring up strife wherever possible. He carries tales
about the young people to Hindley and later to Heathcliff; encourages Hareton’s
coarseness and rough ways; and most scenes of violence have the approval of his
‘croaking laugh’.”

A comic figure

Joseph is a grotesque figure, and his views are always comic. Charlotte
Bronte remarks, ‘a dry saturnine humour’ in the delineation of old Joseph. Like
Shakespeare’s fools, he enriches great scenes by his very earthiness, absurdity, and
misunderstandings, which often have a truth ironically not known to him’. Like Nelly
Dean, Joseph is a faithful servant. He is a scorner of the joys of life. His mental
horizon is extremely limited; and has religious obsessions. Like Linton, he is a
grotesque figure. He is the only source of humour in the novel.
 8. Isabella

Isabella Linton, essential to the plot though she is, barely, exists, being rather
a sharer in the prevailing atmosphere than a personality. She appears in the novel as a
silly victim of the Byronic hero.

A victim of the tyrannical hero

Isabella is a foolish girl who has no knowledge of men of their motives. Her
heart is full of emotions and her infatuation for Heathcliff is incurable. Both Nelly and
Catherine enlighten her about the diabolical character of Heathcliff, but she turns a
deaf ear to their warming. Her brother gives her a solemn warning that if she were so
insane as to encourage her worthless suitor, it would dissolve all bonds of relationship
between her and him. But she is madly in love with Heathcliff, and allows him to woo
her secretly. Finally she runs away from the Grange with her lover. In pursuit of his
revenge Heathcliff behaves roughly towards Isabella. Even before marrying her he
speculates sadistically what he would do if he “lived alone with that mawkish, waxen
face: the most ordinary would be painting on its white the colours of the rainbow, and
turning the blue eyes black, every day or two.” “After the infatuated girl, headless of
warnings, has sealed her own fate, he admits to “the gratification to be derived from
tormenting her!”, and that he is sometimes forced to desist “from pure lack of
invention, in my experiments on what shoe could endure, and still creep shamefully
cringing back!” indeed she is the most helpless victim of Heathcliff’s physical
violence. Heathcliff’s savagery transforms the silly Isabella into a vindictive harpy,
who has a thirst for revenge. As she tells Nelly, she gave Heathcliff her heart, “and he
took and pinched it to death, and flung it back to me.” Embittered by her suffering,
she can feel no pity for his, and ridicules him after Catherine’s death as cruelly as he
has treated her:

An affection sister

Isabella is very much devoted to her brother Edgar from her early life. Edgar
is her guardian, and she willingly obeys him. She disobeys him only when she falls
madly in love with Heathcliff and passion clouds her reason. But she has the good
sense not to embarrass him after her marriage by her unwelcome presence at the
Grange. She is proud of her brother. When Heathcliff says that Edgar is scarcely a
degree dearer to Catherine than her dog or her horse, she protests, and says, “No one
has a right to talk in that manner, and I won’t hear my brother depreciated in silence!”
during her last illness she requests him to come to her if possible. Edgar readily
complies with her request. His presence by her deathbed is a great consolation to her,
and she commits to his care her ailing son Linton. Thus her sweet relationship with
her brother is reestablished before her death.

A pathetic figure

Isabella is a truly pathetic character. She commits a great blunder in her life
when she decides to marry Heathcliff. Heathcliff breaks her heart and her life
becomes a drama of pain. After an adventurous escape form the Heights she settles in
her southern home. She lives above a dozen years after quitting her husband and dies
of an incurable fever.
 Isabella is one of the ‘good’ characters in the novel. She is a weak and
misguided woman. Her sufferings at the hands of Heathcliff make her an object of
pity. She imperceptibly creeps into our sympathy.

9. Cathy

Cathy is the most attractive figure in Wuthering Heights. She is one of the
most successfully drawn characters in the novel. She holds an important place in the
second half of this novel. She is the instrument by which the fates of both houses are
reversed.

A replica of his mother: Cathy strongly resembles her mother in many respects. She
had her mother’s handsome dark eyes. She has inherited the positive qualities of her
tempestuous mother. She has none of her mother’s ungovernable fierceness, either in
anger or in love. She is “in part a reincarnation of Catherine and her story gains
significance through the parallels and contrasts by which it is related to that of her
mother. In scenes of rain and storm, Catherine’s spirit appears to have an independent
existence among the elements

Like her mother, Cathy is a bold and spirited woman. During the last meeting
on the moor between Cathy and the dying Linton who is stricken with terror at the
prospect of Heathcliff’s imminent arrival. Nelly’s wits are paralyzed, but Cathy reacts
with vigour and her contempt for Linton’s cow-cowardice reminds us of the way her
mother might have spoken—“Rise, and don’t degrade yourself into an abject reptile –
don’t!” Like her aunt, Cathy is a victim of Heathcliff’s physical violence. Heathcliff
strikes her when she attempts to escape from the Heights; threatens to kick her when
she tries to coax him to let her go to her dying father; and later, as he wrenches away
and crushes the locket containing her father’s picture, to strangle her if she will not
stop weeping. But Cathy retains her courage even when oppressed, beaten and ill-
treated by Heathcliff. Like her mother, Cathy is proud of her culture and education.
Thus after Linton’s death, She shows her mother’s snobbish pride and thinks it would
degrade her to consort with Hareton.

A lovable daughter

Cathy shows in her character Edgar’s gentleness without his weakness.

From her father she has inherited gentleness and pensive expression. Catherine’s
sauciness and self-will, although encouraged in Cathy by Edgar’s spoiling, are
tempered, by a sensitive, tender and affectionate heart. Edgar is aware of his
daughter’s love and affection for him, and says, “Ellen, I’ve been very happy with my
little Cathy: through winter nights and summer days she was a living hope at my
side.” During Edgar’s final illness the library had become her whole world. Heathcliff
detains her at the Heights in order to increase Edgar’s sufferings, but she manages to
escape from the Heights and returns to the Grange to see her dying father. Her
presence by his death-bed gives Edgar mental peace, and he dies blissfully.
A Soft natured woman

Cathy is a literate and polished woman. Edgar takes her training upon him,
introduces her to reading, and permits her to share his sanctuary, As Nelly comments,
“She learned rapidly and eagerly, and did honour to his teaching.” Like her father she
is a lover of books. Shaken by her experience, she withdraws into the world of books.
But she is not bookish; she is lively and her heart is full of the milk of human
kindness. She lavishes her affection on Linton Heathcliff when her father brings him
to the Granger her aunt’s death. Her love for Linton is based on her compassion for
his plight. To her cousin she says that she loves him next to her father. She marries
Linton, and nurses him with tender love till his death. She is temporarily hoarsened by
Heathcliff. Trapped into a travesty of marriage, she is provoked into regarding his
unhappiness ‘with a kind dreary triumph.’ She learns humility from her sufferings,
and her sweetness of nature finally asserts itself. At first, after Linton’s death, she is
allergic towards Hareton. But very soon she changes her opinion about him. When
she realizes that Hareton is making sincere efforts to improve his mind, Cathy goes
out half way to meet him. Love springs in her heart, and she takes his training upon
herself. Cathy’s love for him ennobles Hareton’s life, and he learns the external
graces of life from her. Thus Cathy’s love performs wonders.

To sum up her character, Cathy has combined in her personality the best of
both parents. Inheriting Edgar’s sweetness of nature without his weakness,
Catherine’s boldness without her savagery, she is a fully developed and more
balanced human being. Cathy, a child of nature, remains the most attractive figure in
the novel.

10. Nelly

Nelly Dean is a structural character in Wuthering Heights. She has been a

participant in the whole course of events, the confidante of all the major characters,
and she speaks and both narrator and chorus. Yet she is a completely real person.

A Noble maidservant Nelly is presented in the novel as an ideal

maidservant. She shows feudal loyalty to the Earnshaws and Lintons. Though she has
affection, she has no personal commitments other than to the Earnshaw and Linton
families. Even her ties with the children he brings up, Hareton and Catherine, are
doomed to be broken, and known to be so before we know what the ties were. Her
loyalties are quite clear in all the ways. Charlotte Bronte aptly describes her as ‘a
specimen of true benevolence and homely fidelity’. Sympathetically she tries to
comfort suffering while riskily reproving the faults, which have caused it.

Stubborn, Courageous woman

When Lockwood comments on her insights and thinks her wisdom comes
from living in the country rather than among the superficial standards of cities, Nelly
says, “I certainly esteem myself a steady, reasonable kind of body…. Not exactly
from living among the hills and seeing one set of faces; and one series of actions,
from year’s end to year’s end; but I have undergone sharp discipline, which has taught
me wisdom; and then, I have read more than you would fancy, Mr. Lockwood.”
 Though she is a servant, Nelly maintains a sturdy, forthright independence.
She plainly speaks out her mind at all times, not only to Catherine – whose tantrums
and self-will she repeatedly derides – but to everyone else too. When Hindley asks her
to lead to the Heights and accompany the newly – wed Catherine to Grange, she tells
him “he got rid of all decent people or to run to ruin a little faster.” She rebukes her
next master Edgar Linton for calling Heathcliff a gipsy. She is not afraid of Heathcliff
even when she and young Cathy are trapped by him at Wuthering Heights.

A moralist

Nelly rebukes Isabella when she rejoices while Heathcliff’s grieves over the
death of Catherine. “Fie, fie miss!” I interrupted. “One might suppose you and never
opened the Bible in your life. If God afflicts you enemies, surely hat ought to suffice
you.” Catherine receives perhaps the largest share of pious homily: shrewdly
catechized about her reasons – all the wrong ones – for marrying Edgar; told that
proud people breed saw sorrows for themselves’, and, ‘when she feels she would be
miserable in heaven – ‘”because you are not fit to go there,” I answered. “All sinners
would be miserable in heaven.”

A middle class countrywoman

Despite her Christian beliefs Nelly is superstitious York shire woman. She
refuses to listen to Catherine’s dream, dreading to hear. When Hindley under
Heathcliff’s influence is rapidly destroying himself, she remembers him as her
childhood companion, and momentarily imagines that she sees him as he was.

When Heathcliff returns after his three-year absence, she is uncertain

whether to regard him as a worldly visitor. In his last hours his face appears to her not
that of “Mr. Heathcliff, but a goblin.” After Heathcliff’s death, she more than half
believes Joseph’s assertion, and that of frightened small boy, that they have seen the
ghosts of Heathcliff and Catherine, and she concludes: I don’t like being out in dark
now: and I don’t like being left by myself in this grim those: I can not help it.”

Though Nelly Dean is a choric character, she has the vitality of the major
character in the novel. She is created to embody the standards of good feelings and
good sense, which remain steady. Emily Bronte’s major triumph lies in the
delineation of this minor character. This independent, pious and superstitious
maidservant remains an unforgettable fictional character.

10.4 TREATMENT OF THE SUPERNATURAL ELEMENTS IN

WUTHERING HEIGHTS

In his book the Bronte Sisters Earnest Dimnet writes that Wuthering Heights
has ‘something troubling like a dream or, too often, a nightmare. But this is also its
magic.’ Much of the mysterious, haunting quality of Emily Bronte’s poetry and of her
one published novel issues form her intense awareness of an unseen world as vividly
present as the visible one. ‘I have a strong faith in ghosts,’ declares Heathcliff. ‘I have
a conviction that can, and do, exist among us!’ His calm assumption of the reality of
the supernatural, which pervades the whole of Wuthering heights, is the author’s own.
 Many other characters experience its spell. Dreams and visions play a vital
part in the novel – and not merely in the minds of simple people like Nelly and
Joseph. Because a man as educated and as prosaic as Lockwood is the last type of
person to fall victim to an overwrought imagination, the terror of his ordeal in the
paneled room is the more chillingly authentic. He describes his vision of a child
knocking at the window as a night – mare (he dozed, and dreamt again: if possible,
still more disagreeably than before) yet it is invested with an actuality stronger than
that of mere bad dream. He stretches out his arm to seize the branch, which seems to
be tapping at the pane, instead of which my fingers closed on the fingers of a little,
ice-cold hand! The intense horror of nightmare came over me: I tried to draw back my
arm, but the hand clung to it, and most melancholy voice sobbed, ‘Let me in – let me
in! … I’m come home: I’d lost my way on the moor!’ As it spoke, I discerned,
obscurely, a child’s face looking through the window. Terror made me cruel; and
finding it useless to attempt shaking the creature off, I pulled its wrist on to the broken
pane, and rubbed it to and fro till the blood ran down and soaked the bed-clothes: still
it wailed, ‘Let me in!’ and maintained its tenacious gripe, almost maddening me with
fear … ‘Begone!’ I shouted, I’ll never let you in, not if you beg for twenty years’. ‘It
is twenty years’, mourned the voice: “twenty years. I’ve been a wait for twenty year!”
I tried to jump up; but could not stir a limb; and so yelled aloud, in a frenzy of fright.

Cathy, too, knows the potency of dreams. She says, ‘I’ve dreamt in my life
dreams that have stayed with me ever after, and changed my ideas; they’ve gone
through and through me, like wine through water, and altered the colours of my
mind’. Then she relates her dream of having been flung out of heaven and waking,
sobbing for joy, on the top of Wuthering Heights.

She also believes, like Heathcliff, in the power of sprits to defy the grave.
When she is delirious she vows that she will not lie in the church – yard alone,
without Heathcliff..

Her ghost leads him home; and ever afterwards, till near the end of his life
teases him with promise of a glimpse of her almost, but never quite vouchsafed to
him:

At the end, as death approaches, Heathcliff does at last see her, at more and
more frequent intervals and each time more vividly. ‘With glittering restless eyes, and
with such eager interest that he stopped breathing during half a minute together,’ he
watches.

Something within two yards distance and whatever it was communicated,

apparently both pleasure and pain in exquisite extremes; at least the anguished, yet
ruptured, expression on his countenance suggested that idea. The fancied object was
no fixed … his eyes pursued it with unwearied diligence, and, even in speaking to me,
were never weaned away. When finally he dies, Joseph and many other local people
swear they have seen his ghost and Cathy’s wandering night together on the moors.

This pervasive presence of ghosts, which contributes much to the wild poetry
‘otherness’ of Wuthering Heights, far more than simple superstition. It is an integral
part of both the author’s belief in the reality of a world beyond this one of the nature,
and of the strength, of the relationship between Cathy and Heathcliff. For neither of
them, any more than for Emily Bronte herself, can death mean the end of existence.
The dying Cathy longs for release from her body into the boundlessness beyond:

‘…the thing that irks me most is this shattered prison, after all, I’m tired of
being enclosed here. I’m wearying to escape into that glorious world, and to by
always there: not seeing it dimly through the walls of an aching heart; but really with
it and in it……….I shall be incomparably beyond and above you all.’

Most people now recognize the possibility of communication between those

who are physically separated-either by distance or death and those who minds and
spirits are tuned into the same wavelength. Today we call it telepathy. Both Charlotte
and Emily Bronte anticipated this recognition over a century ago: the elder sister in
the uncanny rapport between her heroine and Rochester in Jane Eyre, the younger in
her portrayal of the relationship between the protagonists of Wuthering Heights.

10.5 LITERARY CRITICISM

…We might compare it to a work of pagan inspiration, whose

characters are seen less as persons than as great figures simplified and dominated by a
single passion; they are in reality and at their most convincing moments passions
purged of all that is accidental, trivial and secondary by the very intensity with which
they are conceived…
- Derek Traversi

As a love story it belongs to the tradition of Tristan and Isolde, Deirdre and
Naisi, Romeo and Juliet. Such romantic passion must necessarily end in death, since
life is too frail to endure ecstasy. But Emily Bronte did more than depict a strong and
tragic passion; she loaded the outer story with metaphysical implications. And for
these reason the theme, in spite of certain grotesqueness and overstrain, compels our
respect, for through it a poet-novelist communicated the special vision of life that
constitutes her glory.

- S. Diana Nel

10.6 SUMMARY

One day, Edgar, Catherine and Heathcliff meet in the parlour. Their
conversation takes an unpleasant turn and in a fit of anger Edgar gives Heathcliff a
severe blow on his throat. Catherine is so much shocked to see violence offered to
Heathcliff that she has a fit of frenzy. When Catherine regains consciousness she
confines herself in her room and refuses to take food. Soon she falls seriously ill. To
take revenge on Edgar, Heathcliff, in spite of his passion for Catharine, takes
advantage of Isabella’s infatuation for him to elope with her. Some six moths after her
elopement with Heathcliff, Isabella sends a letter to her brother announcing her
marriage to Heathcliff. Two months later they return to the Heights. Isabella sends a
note to Nelly Dean, describing her night marish life at the Heights.

Meanwhile Catherine somewhat recovers from her illness. One Sunday when
Edgar Linton is at church, Heathcliff forces his way into the Grange to see Catherine,
and after a scene of frenzies passion, leaves her insensible. That night Catherine dies
in giving birth to a female child. After Catherine’s death, Heathcliff becomes crueler
towards his wife, Isabella. His passionate hatred of the Lintons begins to fall upon
poor Isabella who finds her unbearable nights at the Heights. One day she escapes
from the Heights and comes to the Grange. She changes her clothes, has a brief talk
with Nelly Dean and then continuous her adventurous movement till she finds her
home in the south near London. A few months after she gives birth to a son who is
named Linton. Now Heathcliff dedicates his life to the ruination, both material and
spiritual of two houses, as his wishes. He lives at the Heights, bringing Hindley to
complete degradation, while he brings up Hareton, Hindley’s motherless child, as a
brutal young savage. At the same time the young Catherine grows quietly and happily
to girlhood at the Grange, dark not knowing the history of her family.

Twelve years pass away. Isabella lives about twelve years after quitting her
husband. Edgar Linton forgives her and pays a visit to her during her last illness; and
after her death, Edgar bring her son to the Grange. But as soon as Heathcliff comes to
know of his son’s arrival at the Grange, he sends a servant to demand that the boy be
sent immediately to his father. Edgar Linton reluctantly sends young Linton to the
Heights. Edgar’s daughter Catherine is all love and pity for her cousin and misses him
sadly, when he is abruptly taken to the Heights. Edgar does not allow Catherine to go
to the Heights to meet young Linton, but she pays clandestine visits. In these visits
Heathcliff again finds an opportunity of furthering his revenge on this Lintons. Now
his plan is to marry his ailing son Linton to Catherine so secure her property and
ensure her misery. Heathcliff applies all his tricks to make his plan successful. He
arranges the meeting of young Linton and Catherine.

Heathcliff makes young Linton to write a love – letter to Catherine so that

her tender felling for her cousin may repine into deep love. At this time Edgar Linton
falls ill and becomes invalid. When he finds that Catharine and Linton are inclined to
each other, he thinks it would not be proper to stand between them. So Edgar allows
his daughter to meet her cousin. Heathcliff knows that his son and Edgar Linton
would die soon. So he is anxious that Linton and Catherine be married, so that he
may possess the entire property of the Lintons, when Linton and Edgar die. One
afternoon he takes both Catherine and Nelly into the Heights, and keeps them as
prisoners in the house. Meanwhile Edgar Linton’s condition grows worse, and it is
evident that he is about to die. After Catherine is forcibly married to Linton, she is
released and goes to see her dying father at the Grange. Edgar Linton dies peacefully
as he is under the impression that it is a happy marriage.

Heathcliff takes his daughter- in -law to Wuthering Heights and keeps Nelly
at Thrushcross Grange as housekeeper. Very soon Linton dies, and Catharine
becomes a helpless dependent on Heathcliff. His ill–treatment makes Catherine a
morose and cynical woman. Hareton the last surviving member of the Earnshaw
family is a servant in Heathcliff’s house. Thus Heathcliff ruins his enemies but also
their children. His vengeance on the Earnshaw’s and Linton’s family is fulfilled. This
is the story Lockwood hears and stumbled. Nine moths later Lockwood returns
unexpectedly, visits Nelly at the Heights. She greets him pleasantly and tells
Heathcliff’s history. In course of time, Catherine develops friendship with her cousin
Hareton. Hareton improves under the influence of her love, and beings to take interest
in book. Very soon he becomes decent young man. While this entire happening,
Heathcliff leads a secluded life. He always thinks of his early love for Catherine and
feels that there is no meaning in his life as long as his unquenchable desire to be
united with Catherine remains unsatisfied. The spirit of Catherine seems to haunt him.
He wanders about for whole nights on the moors, and abundant taking food. He
neglects all company, and is indifferent to the growing attachment between his
widowed daughter-in-law and Hareton. The consuming desire to meet his beloved
tells upon his mind seriously Heathcliff’s eyes appear to be fixed on something
mysterious and he has strange expression of joy on his face. One morning Nelly finds
Heathcliff dead in bed.

The people of the locality see ghost of Heathcliff and Catherine moving
about the moors. Nelly does not like to be alone in the Heights, and she would be glad
to shift to the Grange after the marriage of Catherine and Hareton on New Year’s
Day.

10.7TERMINAL QUESTIONS

SECTION A:

ANSWER THE FOLLOWING IN A SENTENCE OR TWO:

1. When does Catherine meet Heathcliff?

2. Where does Catherine’s graveyard situate?

3. Who is young Linton?

4. Who marries young Catherine?

5. Where does Heathcliff bury after his death?

6. Who does marries Catherine at the end of the novel?

SECTION B:

ANSWER THE FOLLOWING IN PARAGRAPHS:

1. Treatment of supernatural elements in Wuthering Heights.

2. Modernity of Wuthering Heights. Discuss
3. Who is the central character in Wuthering Heights- Cathy or
Heathcliff?

SECTION C:

ANSWER THE FOLLOWING ESSAY QUESTIONS:

1. What is the role of Nelly in the Novel Wuthering Heights?

2. Heathcliff is a sadist- Discuss.

10.8 SUGGESTED READINGS

1. Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights.

2. A critical commentary on Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights, by
Margaret Willy.
3. J. Hewish, Emily Bronte, A critical and Biographical study.

M. Visick, The Genesis of Wuthering Heights.

 CHAPTER - XI

MRS.DALLOWAY - VIRGINIA WOOLF

11.1 INTRODUCTION

A biographical sketch of Virginia Woolf

Virginia Woolf, the English novelist was born at Hyde Park Gate, Kensington,
and London on January 26, 1882 as the younger daughter of Sir Leslie Stephen and
Julia. Her father Leslie Stephen was a distinguished man of letters. He was an eminent
Victorian critic and scholar, philosopher and thinker, editor, mountaineer, rationalist,
alpinist and biographer. Virginia had inherited most of her father’s tastes.
Mr.H.V.Routh says, “Mrs.Woolf inherited as her birthright the artistic privileges for
which most authors have to struggle …… on the other hand, innovation was in her
blood and her environment. So within her limits, anything she wrote would have to be
an adventure in style and thought”.

Virginia was one of the six sisters whose beauty was legendary. She had
particular affection for her sister, Vanessa and her brother, Thoby. Thoby’s sudden
death at a young age of twenty-five during a holiday in Greece had a profound effect
on her health and work. Her health remained indifferent so that she could not have
conventional schooling. Instead she was taught at home by her father and by her
father’s friends as Hardy, Henry James, and Meredith.

Virginia Woolf was born into what has been rightly called, ‘the intellectual
aristocracy’. Hers was a circle where standards of culture, taste and intelligence were
of the highest. This was the social and cultural milieu in which she had much of her
experience of life and from which she gathered much of the material for her novels.
This milieu was composed of a small number of families; most of them intimately
connected and they constituted the top layers of the middle class, primarily by virtue
of their intellectual attainments and moral responsibility. They regarded themselves as
superiors. Virginia Woolf, in other words came from this ‘cultural elite’. She was an
aristocratic intellectual, a lady of blue blood. She knew nothing of poor man or
poverty. Her practical experiences of life were limited. She never saw life in its rough
and raw aspects. To her, life was a gentle smooth sailing.

Her personality

Virginia Woolf had an attractive personality and was gentle and sophisticated
in her activities. Tall in stature, gay in mood, she was not much outspoken. She gave
an impression of sobriety, simplicity and dignity. She was well cultured and rational
in behaviour. There was an appealing simplicity in her dress, seriousness in her
attitude, sincerity in her looks and responsibility in her behaviour. She was always ‘a
scholar and a gentle woman’.

The Bloomsbury Group

After the death of her father in 1904, Virginia Woolf

lived in garden square, London, which was literary district and came to be known as
Bloomsbury square. It began to function after the death of Queen Victoria and went
on functioning until the Second World War. Its principal members were Cambridge
men. Notable among them were Lytton Strachey, J.M.Keynes, Roger Fry, Vaneesa,
Clive Bell, Leonard Woolf, Desmond Mac Carthy, Thoby (Virginia’s brother). They
were called the Bloomsbury group because many of them at one or another time had
flats in the district of London, called Bloomsbury. They were all followers of the
Cambridge Philosopher C.E.Moore, the author of Principia Ethica. This group was
greatly influenced by the philosophy of C.E.Moore and exclusive, strictly non-
practical pursuits of ‘Sweetness and light’ became the ideal of Moore’s followers. The
members believed in the importance of good and pleasant states of feeling in the
individual human life and in all of them, there is a striving passion towards charity,
goodwill and understanding and towards a perception of the passing but real beauty of
the world. Virginia Woolf’s career had an active bloom after her membership of the
Bloomsbury group. In 1905, she began publishing reviews and essays. In 1912, she
married Leonard Woolf, who proved to be a loving and caring husband. Thereafter
she in collaboration with her husband actively participated in politics, particularly the
feminist movement and also published many controversial and modernist articles
through the Hogarth press. In 1920, the Hogarth press became a publishing business
with the effort of Leonard and Virginia. In1940 her London house was bombed and in
1941 she fell a victim to mental illness. Fearing she would not recover from recurrent
mental illness, Virginia Woolf drowned herself in Ouse in 1941. On her death,
T.S.Eliot wrote, “Virginia Woolf was the centre not merely of an esoteric group, but
of the literary life of London. With the death of Virginia Woolf, a whole pattern of
culture is broken. She may be from one point of view only the symbol of it, but she
would not be the symbol if she had not been more than anyone of them in her time,
the mainstay of it”. As an artist and a lady, she knew the only way that was truly hers.
she was a rare spirit:

“Frugal, austere, fine, proud,

Rich in her contradictions, rich in love”

11.2 HER WORKS

Virginia Woolf’s literary career flourished under the brand ‘The Bloomsbury
Group’. She stood unique by adopting a revolutionary technique for the expression of
her vision of life and human nature. She proved to be an expert in handling a new
mode ‘streams of consciousness’ to depict the mind of her characters. Her literary
career can be studied under three phases.

a) The First phase

This phase includes Virginia Woolf’s first two novels. ‘The Voyage out’
(1915) and ‘Night and Day’ (1919).

The Voyage Out

The very title of the novel suggests that the work is the author’s first journey
into an unknown world. The actions in the novel begins in October 1908 and
concludes in the following May. Externally, the structure of the novel is completely
conventional. It contains narration, description and predominantly conversation
between two or more characters. The central story is that of Rachel Vinrace, a young
and inexperienced girl whose practical education is taken in hand by Helen Ambrose
at Santa Marina, a small town to which they have come abroad a cargo ship from
London. Helen Ambrose is the most powerful character in the novel. Rachel is
brought into a variety of experiences with a large number of people. She falls in love
with Terence Hewet and when she has just began to emerge into the life of a normal
young woman, she becomes ill and dies of a tropical fever.

Night and Day

The second novel Night and Day is the longest of Virginia Woolf’s novels and
it is written in the most conventional form. It depicts the life of Katharine Hilbery
who is proud of her ancestry. The scene is London; the time just before the war; the
theme – love, marriage and the family. The novel begins like a comedy of Manner
with a tea party. Katharine Hilbery has for some time been heading towards marriage
with William Rodney in accordance with the social standards of her circle. At first,
she accepts him, but then reaching against her society, she finds another young lady
for him to marry and breaks her own engagement with him and herself marries a
young man from the lower middle class, Ralph Denham, a clerk, whom after a series
of conventionally complicated circumstances, she finds she loves. Against these
characters is set Mary Datchet, a worker, whose love for work finally supplants her
love for Ralph. The novel thus ends with three attitudes:

1. Rodney and Otway accept the society.

2. Mary wishes to reform.
3. Katharine and Denham reject it.

In short, it may be declared a novel, “about silence, the things people don’t
say”.

b) The Middle Phase

‘Jacob’s Room’, ‘Mrs. Dalloway’ and ‘To the Lighthouse’ belong to the
middle phase of Virginia Woolf’s career. These novels represent the true voice of
Woolf and stand as fine samples of ‘stream of consciousness’ technique.

Jacob’s Room (1922)

‘Jacob’s Room’, is a novel one third as long as Night and Day, Spans almost a
quarter of a century, from about 1891 to about 1915 and its action, takes place in
England, France, Italy and Greece. It is divided into fourteen sections, the interval
between each indicating a change of time or place. Each of this section is further
subdivided as the omniscient narrator moves from one character to another or
interrupts to say something from her own point of view. The novel lacks proper plot.
It tells the story of Jacob Flanders, rather than a story about Jacob Flanders, who is
one of the three children, all boys of Betty Flanders.

Mrs. Dalloway (1925)

The novel ‘Mrs. Dalloway’ is concerned with the life of Mrs.Clarissa

Dalloway, the middle aged heroine affecting and affected by others. The entire action
of the novel is related to the critical moments – the conflicts in her mind between
privacy of self and the claims of society that happened on a single day in June in her
life.

To the Lighthouse (1927)

It is divided into three parts,

1) ‘The Window’ – describes a house party on the island of Skye, Prof. Ramsay
and his family.
2) Part II ‘Time Passes’ describes how during the long years of war the house is
left to dust, silence and loneliness, the family without Mrs.Ramsay.
3) Part III ‘The Lighthouse’ describes the visit to the lighthouse after the passing
of years.

This novel is Woolf’s masterpiece projecting her technical ability to display

the unity of effects.

c) The Last Phase

The last phase of Woolf’s career reflects fresh experiments. ‘Orlando’, ‘The
Waves’, ‘The Years’ and ‘Between the Act’ belong to the last phase.

Orlando (1928) is a fantasy, a biography based on the life, personality, ancestry and
literary background of Sackville West, one of Virginia Woolf’s friend.

The Waves (1931)

In this novel the technique of flow of consciousness and inner thought is well
exhibited. Its external pattern is descriptive and dramatic. It depicts a single day on an
English beach near the nursery school. Here, Sea stands as a symbol of the lives of
Bernard, Neville, Louise, Susan, Rhoda and Jimmy.

The Years (1937)

The novel ‘The Years’ is concerned with good and evil, right and wrong. It
can be called a ‘justification’ of the ways of God to man.

Between the Acts (1941)

This is Virginia Woolf’s last and most symbolical novel. The action is
confined within twenty-four hours that takes place in a house and its surrounding
estate. The central event is the historic pageant arranged to take place on the terrace or
in the barn.

11.3 VIRGINIA WOOLF’S STYLE

Virginia Woolf has developed her own style which is distinct and original
through which she seeks to destroy or to transcend the dividing line, the horizons of
experience, vision and understanding which separate one human personality from
another and to display in it the reality – the reality being a compound of spiritual,
emotional, rational and irrational that goes to make a complete human personality. In
short, her style is really individual, peculiar style adapted to the kind of work that she
had to do.
 Her style is enchanting which has the power to change even the strange as
ordinary. Her style is elusive and emotional. Her diction is very near to poetry.
Phrasing, rhythm, rhyming and sounds have a great deal to do in her works. She
echoes sounds and significant words constituting to the use of refrain, which is very
effective way of enlarging the meaning of the explicit moments. Thus Virginia
Woolf’s style therefore possesses all the qualities of a poetic style – Rhyme, refrain,
metaphor etc. Her metaphors stay in the readers mind long. The images which her
metaphors evoke are often more vivid and startling. Thus, Woolf’s style may be
termed ‘Poetic’. Another outstanding quality of Woolf’s style is suggestiveness. Her
words and sentences mean more than what they say. Her images too are suggestive.
Another remarkable characteristic of her style is fluidity. She would begin from a
point, say from the middle of an experience, would enter in to it, and then would
come back from where she had started. For example, in the beginning of the novel
‘Mrs. Dalloway’, Clarissa Dalloway is presented to purchase flowers but suddenly the
story moves back to her young age, then few reflections are made about her friend,
Peter Walsh and again brought back to the flower shop to the point where the story
started. In keeping with her purpose i.e. to express the stream of thoughts as it flows –
Virginia Woolf’s style is free from artificiality. Her style is not only poetic and
figurative but also natural, simple and spontaneous. The words and images come to
her as naturally as breathing to a human being. There is no pedantry, or scholasticism,
nor vagueness or verbosity in her style. On the other hand, her style is polished, well
educated and charming with the loveliness of a poet. She herself reveals her secret:

“Any method is right, every method is right, that expresses what we wish to
express if we are writers; that brings us closer to the novelist’s intention if we are
readers”.

In short her style is natural, original, charming, realistic, elusive, emotional

and poetic.

11.4 VIRGINIA WOOLF’S THEORY OF FICTION

Virginia Woolf’s Theory of Fiction is different from that of her

contemporaries. She is an exponent of new technique and methods of novel. Her
theories and views about fictions are revealed in her essays – The common Reader (1st
and 2nd series) and in her Diary. Notable among them are ‘Modern Fiction’, ‘The
Russian Point of View’, ‘How it Strikes a Contemporary’ and ‘Granite and Rainbow’.
Virginia Woolf believes that the existing technique of the novel cannot express life or
spirit, truth or reality. The task of the novelist, according to her, is to enshrine the
spiritual life in art. The spiritual life is complex, unlimited and changing; hence the
conventional technique of plot, structure and characterization cannot cope with the
task. She believed that the distinctive quality of the novelist is permanent interest in
‘Character in itself’. She says:

“I believe that all novels deal with character, and that it is to express
character – not to preach doctrines, sing songs or celebrate the glories of
the British Empire – that the form of the novel, so clumsy, verbose and
undramatic, so very elastic and alive, has been evolved”.

Virginia Woolf is an innovator who rejects novel as a Criticism of life. To her

novel is a recreation of the inner realities of life. Virginia Woolf “knew the value of
sense” of safety conferred by the system of thought and behaviour. As an artist her
concern was to comprehend the reality as well as the convention, she entirely rejected
the traditional way, replacing emphasis on incident, external description and character
presentation by the ‘stream of consciousness’ method. This method offered
possibilities of mental states, to portray the inner psychic feelings and thoughts.
Fiction for Virginia was not a ‘Criticism of life’ but rather a recreation of the
complexities of experience. Reality or real life therefore cannot be limited within the
limitations of time. So she favours break away from the traditional concept of time.
She rejects traditional plot and traditional methods of narration and characterization.

She says;
“Any method is right, every method is right, that expresses what we
wish to express”.

Thus her attitude is primarily that of an innovator, experimenting, conscious of

infinite possibilities and ready to try anything. She stresses on a new concept of novel
initiated by James Joyce, Dorothy Richardson etc, called the ‘Stream of
consciousness’ technique. She believes that the novelists must “expose him to life and
yet be detached from it”. (Granite and Rainbow)

11.5 INTRODUCTION TO MRS. DALLOWAY

Virginia Woolf’s observations – the source

Virginia Woolf’s novel ‘Mrs. Dalloway’ depicts the little world of people like
herself, a small class, a dying class, a class with inherited privileges, private incomes,
sheltered lives, protected sensibilities and sensitive tastes. Relatively Virginia Woolf
has also dealt with, ‘the reality of life and death’, ‘time and the absolute’, ‘Confusion
and order’, ‘Singleness and oneness’ etc.

Talking of Mrs. Dalloway while the novel was yet to appear in its present
shape Virginia Woolf wrote;

“I adumbrate here a study of insanity and suicide, the world seen by

the sane and the insane side by side – something like that”

‘Mrs. Dalloway’ has been written by Virginia Woolf somewhat at random,

tackling the problems as they cropped up. In short Woolf has tried to conceive Mrs.
Dalloway as a whole, “to foresee it better than the other (books) and get the utmost
out of it”.

In June, 1925, she writes that in this novel,

“I want to give the slipperiness of soul. I have been too tolerant often.
The truth is that people scarcely care for each other. They have this insane
instinct for life. But they never become attached to anything outside
themselves”.

Virginia Woolf through her novel ‘Mrs. Dalloway’ wanted to treat of life and
death and show the social system at work. These observations amply foreshadow the
book to come.
11.6 PUBLICATION AND THE THREE SUCCESSIVE STAGES

‘Mrs. Dalloway’ was published in May 1925, simultaneously in England and

America. Virginia Woolf’s diary states that the book came into being not as a
continuous growth, but in three successive stages, each characterized by a different
state of mind and even a different method of work. But in the very process of writing
over these three different periods Virginia Woolf has discovered a new form, tried it
out and perfected it.

11.7 DEVELOPMENTAL PROCESS IN TWO PARALLEL LINES

The novel “Mrs. Dalloway” has two intertwined parallel lines of development
as its factor of central interest. On the first level, the novel centers around Mrs.
Dalloway, a woman of upper middle class, wife of Richard Dalloway, a member of
parliament, outwardly quite sociable and of course very cultured and sophisticated.
Secondarily, the story spins around Septimus warren Smith, a shell-shocked soldier,
and a half sane man, who talks to himself and dreads the outside world. These two
characters and the people and incidents concerned with them develop alternately,
coinciding momentarily at different points in time and space. Mrs. Dalloway and
Septimus smith never meet in the course of the day (which is actually the total
duration of the novel). The Queen’s or the Prime Minister’s car, aeroplane advertising
a toffee in the sky, a little girl playing in Regent’s park and an old woman singing by
an underground station – all these provide a changing pattern of scenes and severe
sometimes to give insight into a particular character. They give an effect of transition
from one character to another. In the first series, Mrs. Dalloway meets Peter Walsh,
who has been and is still in love with her. Peter Walsh roams about in London, Mr.
Dalloway lunches with Lady Bruton, and Elizabeth goes shopping with an old maid,
Miss Kilman. In the evening all these characters except Miss.Kilman, gather together
at Mrs. Dalloway’s party. The same day Septimus smith goes for a walk to Regent’s
park with his wife Lucrezia. They visit Dr.Bradshaw a brain specialist who advises
that Septimus smith should be sent to the mental home. But when Dr.Holmes comes
to take him there, he commits suicide by throwing himself from a window. The two
stories get linked up only, when Bradshaw tells about Septimus’ death at Mrs.
Dalloway’s party.

11.8 THE PLOT

Virginia Woolf is totally against the traditional concept of plot – construction.

She rejected dramatic ups and downs, dramatic conflicts i.e. raising action - falling
action, love-affairs, quarrels, weddings, reconciliations etc as the common elements of
a plot. She builds her plots around the consciousness of her characters. It is not the
events but thoughts and feelings and relationship of characters which matters most in
the novel. The plot develops not externally but moves internally depicting the inner
traits of the character. The novel Mrs. Dalloway is a fine sample of Virginia Woolf’s
technique called ‘streams of consciousness’.

In Mrs. Dalloway, the conventional form, narration and characterization are

totally rejected. The necessary circumscription is imposed by the narrow framework
of Time. The whole action of the novel takes place with in a day. The whole events in
the novel moves between Mrs. Dalloway’s preparations for her party in the morning
and her presiding over the function in the evening. Within this limited frame work of
stipulated time, the plot moves through the consciousness or thoughts that occur in the
mind of characters, the chief of whom is Clarissa Dalloway. Mrs. Dalloway is a novel
with few events and the importance of these events depends upon their effect on the
consciousness of different characters in the novel. The novel with in the framework of
twenty-four hours, set in London consists of two intertwined lines of development. It
has two stories – one moving around Mrs. Dalloway, an outwardly perfect London
Hostess and the other around Septimus warren smith, a shell-shocked ex-soldier,
which run parallel to each other.

These two sets of characters and incidents in space and time are made concrete
by objects, people and scenes, which flash across the consciousness of the principal
characters in both the series. The few events of the plot include – Clarissa Dalloway
goes out to by flowers for her party, meeting with Peter Walsh who aimlessly roam
about London, Mr. Dalloway meeting with another friend of his wife, lunches with
lady Bruton, who has invited him to put the finishing touches to a letter to the Times,
Elizabeth Dalloway, Clarissa’s daughter going shopping with Miss Kilman who try to
inculcate piety. That evening all the characters except Miss Kilman gather together at
Mrs. Dalloway’s party. The same day Septimus smith and his wife Rezia go for a
walk in Regent’s park before visiting Dr.Bradshaw, a specialist in nervous diseases
who advises sending Septimus to a mental home. But Septimus throws himself, out
off the window and dies. Septimus’ death is reported at the party, which is the only
link between the two stories. Thus the two parallel lines link by the fate in the idea of
death. A still closer fusion is achieved by making Mrs. Dalloway kills herself at the
end of the party. Thus the unity of the plot is achieved by psychological means. Mrs.
Dalloway is not a formless, chaotic, shapeless novel but one of the finest pieces of the
stream-of consciousness school of novels.

11.9 TREATMENT OF CONSCIOUSNESS IN MRS. DALLOWAY

Modern psychology had proved that Consciousness is a fluid existing

simultaneously at a number of points rather than moving in one single direction at a
time, as the novelists in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries used to assume when
they dealt with one aspect of their character’s life to the exclusion of every thing else.
Since consciousness does not move in a straight line, the progress of story in a strict
chronological order sounds unrealistic.

According to Virginia Woolf, experience is a flux, that, it is a continuous succession

of changes, it is like a flowing stream in which it is difficult to say which tract of
water in a stream belongs to which particular geographical area. As all the water in a
stream belongs to the entire stream, so entire human experience belongs to all
mankind. Human beings, it is true, very often live as isolated individuals. But their
basic urges are identical. In Mrs. Dalloway, Virginia Woolf makes a deliberate
attempt to bring all the tracts of experience into a single focus. She also succeeds in
effecting transition from one point to another in such a way that the unity of the novel
is emphasized, rather than weakened by the continual shifts. In the course of a single
day she is able to give an account, not only of her party, her development, her
character, her history, but also is able to describe a whole group of people who are
either directly related to Clarissa Dalloway or Cross her at some moment in the day or
those she happens to think of. Structurally speaking, Virginia Woolf has rejected the
traditional division of the book, traditional concept of time is rejected and single day
in the life of Clarissa Dalloway is represented as the whole of the novel with the
implementation of the ‘stream of Consciousness’ technique with the main stress upon
the thoughts and feeling of the characters.

11.10 INTERIOR MONOLOGUE IN ‘MRS. DALLOWAY’

Experience to Virginia Woolf is a flux and she needed a special device to

communicate it. To her consciousness is an amalgam of past, present and future and
individual’s consciousness is a compound of retrospect and anticipation. So all time,
the past, present and future becomes one for her. Her characters move back freely into
the past without expanding the chronological limits of the novel. In Mrs. Dalloway
too, Woolf depicts beyond a single day. Virginia Woolf very aptly transcends the
limitations imposed by chronology with the help of a device - Interior Monologue.
The device helps Virginia Woolf to condense the past of the character into the present
moment. In Mrs. Dalloway, Clarissa Dalloway and Peter Walsh indulge in the longest
monologues. Monologue, that is, monologue and dialogue are so organized that their
focus is on the temperament, mood and character that the speakers unintentionally
reveal their past, present and future in due course of their speech. It is in other terms,
mind’s dialogue. At the very outset of the story, Clarissa takes a long leap backward
into her past when she was a girl of eighteen. She recalls her relationship with Peter
Walsh, examines in retrospect of it. Peter Walsh too is thrown into his past, his love
for Clarissa, his unsuccessful marriage and regrets that all his life has been a colossal
failure. Thus Virginia Woolf is able to capture the entire career and life of her
character into a single moment with the device-Interior Monologue and adapting to a
technique called ‘streams of consciousness. With the whole past behind and with the
whole future before, with the sweet and sour memories of the past and with the
tickling aspirations of the future - the character’s mind operating at any particular
moment has to work under the impact of its total experience. Right to this concept,
Virginia Woolf has shown a span of a single day, probing into the minds of her
characters and has exhibited their complete history and development without
digression, thus holding up the progress of the story.

11.11 MANIPULATION OF TIME IN MRS. DALLOWAY

The Manipulation of Time and Space is a striking feature in Mrs. Dalloway.

Bernard Blackstone in his book, ‘Virginia Woolf: A commentary’ considers Mrs.
Dalloway an experiment with ‘Time’ for in this novel the novelist has manipulated all
the three kinds of timing,

1) The mechanical or clock time

2) The psychological (Bergsonian) time or the inner time (which Bergson called
‘duree’ or inner time)

3) The historic time.

The clock time and the psychological time have been skillfully manipulated in Mrs.
Dalloway, whereas the historic time is brought out by casual references to the
historical events like war.

Virginia Woolf with intensity to portray the reality in Mrs. Dalloway could not
subscribe to the chronological movement of the story. Time had to be dissolved. The
past, present and future had to lose their separate identities and had to be treated as a
flow where all the three became part of ‘One Time’.

In Mrs. Dalloway the action of the book is limited temporally to a single day
in the life of its chief character, spatially to a single place, London and emotionally to
the relations of Mrs. Dalloway with a few other people.

Thus the clock time refers to the action in a single day in June, the chiming of
Ben etc. It is early morning when Clarisse steps out of her house, it is eleven o’ clock
when Peter bursts in, it is half-past eleven when Peter in Trafalgar square receives a
strange hallucination; it is a quarter to twelve when Septimus smiles at a dead man; it
is twelve o’ clock when Septimus and Rezia meet Sir William Bradshaw, it is half-
past- one when Whitbread and Richard meet for luncheon; and it is six when
Septimus kills himself. Thus the reference to the clock-time, now and then is
meaningful. It denotes the shift from past to present and serves as an artistic purpose,
enabling the author to present the change of thoughts. In short, the technique of clock
time is neutral, impersonal, and implacable and it affects alike all who have physical
existence.

Secondly, the novelist’s device of memory, reflection, flashbacks and

transformation in the personality of Clarissa Dalloway and other Characters indicate
the psychological time. This device has enhanced the novelist to present the past and
the present status of her characters simultaneously.

Finally the narration of complete events of past and the present with in the
network of consciousness of the heroine, Clarissa as well as others and other casual
references to the historical events like the war portray Historical Time in the novel.

Time dominates the world of both Virginia Woolf and Mrs. Dalloway. It
(Clock) helps the novelist in the transition of events and characters for they change
every time the clock chimes. Time further helps in maintaining the essential unity,
form and pattern of the novel and this distinctive treatment of time makes the novel a
typical example of ‘stream-of-consciousness’ technique.

11.12 SYMBOLS IN MRS.DALLOWAY

Mrs. Dalloway is highly a symbolic novel. Virginia Woolf was greatly

influenced by the Russian master- symbolists like Chekhov and Turgnev. Her concern
is not with external reality but with the internal psyche or consciousness. She finds
symbols a helpful medium to reveal the complex mental states. The characters in Mrs.
Dalloway are symbols of different aspects of life and society. Some of the symbols
are discussed below:-

The Dalloway’s (family) symbolize the pompous, showy superficial society,

which is suffering from spiritual barrenness and lacks depth in human
relationships.

The Whitbread’s symbolize the most detestable English middle class life.

Miss Doris Kilman signifies the corrupt religiosity and possessive love
 Dr.Holmes and Sir William Bradshaw symbolize the scientific, evils and
ruthless imposition on others’ will.

Peter Walsh represents the adventurous spirit, truth and knowledge

Sally Seton symbolizes a revolt against orthodoxy.

Septimus smith symbolizes the absence of the body and is a stricture on the
modern war.

Richard Dalloway symbolizes Snobbery and oppression.

Clarissa Dalloway represents the death of the soul

In Mrs. Dalloway, Virginia Woolf draws symbols and images even from the
world of nature. Her major symbols are the five elements- the sky, the earth, water, air
and fire. Other symbols are birds, trees, days and nights, seasons etc.

Thus in Mrs. Dalloway,

Fresh morning symbolizes youth

Rose symbolizes love and fulfillment

Streets stand as the symbol of anonymity and mystery of human life

Houses represent the integration and relationship of a family.

Rooms symbolize protection and intimacy.

The door is the crack in the wall of the loneliness.

The window is symbolic of our outlook on to the world.

The other animate and inanimate actions in the novel also form a link in this
wide span of symbolism. Thus the symbolic setting of London in the novel portrays
‘the despicableness of people’ and ‘the detestable social system’.

The landscape of Norfolk is symbolic of ‘the feeling of rest, quiet’. The calm
nature of ‘country side’ and the flowers symbolize ‘the tender and quiet feelings of
Peter Walsh, Sally and Clarissa. Peter Walsh’s frequent shutting the blade of his old
pocketknife symbolizes his emotional attitude. Similarly Clarissa’s mending the dress
suggests her mind troubled by suspicion.

Thus even the ordinary things and happenings acquire added significance,
enriching to the symbolic quality in Mrs. Dalloway.

11.13 SUMMARY

Virginia Woolf born in the circle called ‘cultural elite’ was an aristocrat intellectual
lady of blue blood. To her life meant a gentle smooth sailing for she did not know
what is poverty and hardship. She was a gentle, sophisticated, simple and dignified.
Her literary career flourished under the brand ‘The Bloomsbury Group’. Her
technique was revolutionary but she never failed to express her vision of life and
human nature. Her style was original, distinct and enchanting. Her works are unique
with a new concept called ‘streams of consciousness’. She believed in a concept
called detached attachment. Her novel ‘Mrs. Dalloway’ is a fine work of ‘Stream of
Consciousness’ technique. The whole novel centers on Mrs. Dalloway, a woman of
upper middle class. The main stress of the novel is upon the thoughts and feelings of
Clarissa Dalloway and whole action of the novel is limited to one single day. Time
further helps in maintaining the essential unity, form and pattern of the novel and this
distinctive treatment of time makes the novel a typical example of ‘stream-of-
consciousness’ technique.

11.14 TERMINAL QUESTIONS

SECTION A:

ANSWER THE FOLLOWING IN A SENTENCE OR TWO:

1. Who is Virginia Woolf’s father and what did she inherit from him?

2. Name Virginia Woolf’s sister to whom she was much attached.

3. Name the group to which Virginia Woolf belongs.

4. Name some notable members of the group.

5. Name some of the famous works of Woolf.

6. What is the main source for Virginia Woolf’s Mrs. Dalloway?

SECTION B:

ANSWER THE FOLLOWING IN PARAGRAPHS:

1. Give a short biographical sketch of Virginia Woolf’s life.

2. Explain Virginia Woolf’s Theory of Fiction.

3. What is special about plot construction of Mrs.Dalloway?

4. Write about Woolf’s style.

SECTION C:

ANSWER THE FOLLOWING ESSAY QUESTIONS:

1. Write about treatment of consciousness in Mrs.Dalloway.

2. Time plays a unique role in Mrs.Dalloway – Explain.

3. Mention some special aspects that made the novel ‘Mrs.Dalloway’ unique.
 CHAPTER – XII

MRS.DALLOWAY - VIRGINIA WOOLF

12.1 INTRODUCTION
This chapter consists of the detailed analysis of the text - “Mrs. Dalloway”
and its special significance, which helps the students, gain a thorough knowledge of
the text. This chapter also carries the literary criticism on Virginia Woolf’s “Mrs.
Dalloway” and its summary. Moreover, it brings forth some questions to check the
gained knowledge of the students.

12.2 CHARACTERS AND PLACES IN MRS. DALLOWAY

Persons
1. Clarissa Dalloway : The Heroine
2. Richard Dalloway : An M.P; Clarissa’s Husband
3. Peter Walsh : An old lover of Clarissa
4. Sally Seton : A girlhood friend of Clarissa
5. Septimus Warren Smith : An Ex-soldier; a neurotic
6. Character
7. Lucrezia Warren Smith : Septimus’s wife
8. (Rezia)
9. Dr.Holmes : A doctor attending on
10. Septimus.
11. Sir William Bradshaw : Another doctor attending
12. on Septimus
13. Lady Bradshaw : Dr.Bradshaw wife
14. Lady Bruton : A friend of the Dalloway, A Representative of
Upper strata of society.
15. Hugh Whitbread : Clarissa’s old friend
16. Evelyn Whitbread : Hugh Whitbread’s wife
17. Elizabeth Dalloway : Clarissa’s daughter
18. Doris Kilman : Tutor of Elizabeth
19. Evans : Friend and officer of Septimus.
He is killed in war.

Places

London : The entire action of the novel is set in this city.

Westminster : The Place where Dalloway’s have their house in the

city, London

The other places mentioned in the novel are,

India (Peter Walsh returns from India)

France (Where Septimus fights during world war-I)

 Milan (Where Rezia’s parents live in Italy)

12.3 A DETAILED SUMMARY OF MRS.DALLOWAY

Paraphrase
Clarissa dalloway’s visit to the market

The action of the novel Mrs. Dalloway is subjected to a single day in the
middle of June. The story opens with Clarissa Dalloway, a middle-aged woman of
fifty-one who is the Central figure of the novel, going to the market to buy flowers for
her evening party. Clarissa Dalloway, the wife of Richard Dalloway, a conservative
member of the Parliament of Great Britain who has been living in Westminster for
over 20 years represents the rich and fashionable society of London.

The novel opens in a fine morning early in June. Mrs. Dalloway sets out to the
market for buying flowers. She is to give a party in the evening. Her maidservant,
Lucy is quite busy in making arrangements and with other domestic duties. So Mrs.
Dalloway herself goes out to buy flowers for the party. The morning as she is going
out is calm and fresh “as if issued to children on a beach”

The periodic striking of the Ben, the church clock appears musical and
pleasing for her ears. The crowded Victoria street, people of all sort with different
moods, the thud of carriages, trams, cars, buses and the sounds of brass bands, barrel
organs and the zooming of the aeroplane, the galloping of horses etc stir her soul and
cause a mood of reflection of the past. This takes her many years back in memory,
when she was a girl of eighteen. She recalls how she used to feel the bracing touch of
the breeze and the freshness of the morning, standing in an open window in Bournton,
looking at the flowers with the smoke winding off the trees. Then Peter Walsh, her
childhood friend, whom she later refused to marry, would say to her “musing among
the vegetables” and this sets her thinking on peter Walsh, who would be back from
India one of these days. Clarissa reflects upon Peter Walsh’s enchanting smiles, his
pocket-knife, his powerful eyes and many other things.

Being completely occupied with past memories, now, Clarissa passes through
the Victoria Street and enters St.James Park, where she meets an old friend, Hugh
Whitbread. He tells Clarissa Dalloway that he has come up to London because his
wife, Evelyn is ill again and they have to consult the doctors. Hugh Whitbread
compliments Clarissa saying that, “she looked like a girl of eighteen”, and goes away
promising to attend her party in the evening. Soon parting from him, her mind starts
again brooding over her past. She remembers that Hugh Whitbread had always been a
nice man who was dutiful to his mother and was quite unselfish. But neither her
husband, Richard Dalloway nor her former lover, Peter Walsh likes him. She still
wonders why Peter hated him and regarded him as a man “with no heart and no brain
and the manners of country gentlemen”. Thus Peter Walsh again occupies her mind,
which personally she thinks a “good sort”. Infact, Peter Walsh was extremely kind
and made a passionate love to her. Still Peter’s manners and hundreds of fine things
remain fresh in her mind. He lovingly called her, “a perfect hostess’. Except for his
possessive nature, Peter is extremely polite. But Clarissa had to reject his hands for,
she thought, in a marriage there must be a little independence, even license, which
Peter would not give and which Richard does not mind. After being rejected by
Clarissa, Peter left for India, highly disappointed. He married a woman whom he met
on a boat, but his marriage proved a failure.

Next, turning the critical searchlight on her, she feels very young and dynamic
and realizes a ‘divine vitality’. She feels proud of her intuitive gift of judging people.
She thinks of her girlhood friend, Sally Seton and her memory shifts from one thing to
another. As she passes by the window of a glove shop, she thinks of her daughter,
Elizabeth who never cares for gloves. Then she reflects upon the nature of her
daughter’s tutor, Miss Doris Kilman, and then thinks about their dog and so on. Thus
Clarissa Dalloway has a strange feeling of being invisible, unseen, unknown, as she
moves up the Bond Street. In short, she realizes emptiness in her life despite the
richness and status that her husband gave her.

The Roar of the Motor Car and the aero plane

Clarissa Dalloway reaches the Bond Street and enters the swing doors of
Mulberry’s, the florist. Miss Pym, the Saleswoman, greets her. She begins to move
from jar to jar-choosing flowers. Soon, she hears a pistol shot from a motor-car just
opposite to the shop. A large crowd encircles the car with the expectation of some
great personage. They even speculate that the person may be the Prime Minister, the
queen or the Prince of Wales. In this crowd are seen Septimus Warren smith and his
wife Lucrezia. (It is here that the novelist introduces her cluster of sub-plot. Now the
action shifts to the consciousness of Rezia).

Septimus smith is a haunted soul. The world appeared to him waver and
quiver and threatened to burst into flames. He always preferred to remain unseen,
unnoticed and always felt that people were pointing at him. One of his friends was
killed in the war. This, and the drastic effect of the war, has turned him a neurotic.
Dr.Holmes, the doctor who attended him has advised his wife that she should try to
make Septimus take interest in commonplace and things of the world.

After the car glides down St.Jame’s street, the crowd is cleared. Soon the roar
of an aeroplane seizes the attention of the crowd. It flew over the trees, letting out
white smoke, which curled and twisted, making some letters in the sky. They were
advertising for a toffee. Lucrezia tried her best to make Septimus take interest in this
fine mode of advertisement, but she failed. Her plight is tragic. She had left her home,
her parents, and her people in Italy for the love of Septimus and here she found
herself alien among strangers, dealing with a crazy fellow who instead of caring her
had become an unbearable liability.

Clarissa Dalloway Returns Home

After buying flowers Mrs. Dalloway comes home back. Her maid, Lucy that
Richard would be lunching out that afternoon with Lady Bruton, informs her. This
depresses Mrs. Dalloway. She suffers from deep anguish. She shivers like a plant on
the riverbed when it feels the shock of a passing oar. She ponders about the nature of
Lady Bruton. Lady Bruton is an old lady with wrinkles. Clarissa fears the time that
could make her old and suddenly she feels that she had grown old. At this stage, she
goes upstairs to her bedroom. She realizes a sense of loneliness and feels neglected
like an attic room.
 She did not lack beauty;

She did not lack intellect;

Yet she lacked something;

She lacked warmth of love.

Mrs. Dalloway now ponders on the aspect of love. She recalls how she was
fascinated with an eighteen-year-old girl, Sally Seton, at her girlhood. Sally Seton had
an extraordinary beauty, dark, large eyes. Clarissa still remembers many things about
her - how she would sit on the floor, with her arms round her knees and smoke
cigarettes. Once, sally ran naked about the corridors, which shocked the total family.
Sally had a charming personality and an amazing power of attraction. In her company,
Clarissa always felt a strong protective love against the world of pretence and fraud.

Thinking of Sally, she remembers how once they walked together with Peter
Walsh. Her thought-stream turns to Peter and she starts wondering whether he would
comment that she had grown old, when he came back from India. Her mind is
coloured by different emotion. She is completely occupied by the conflict between
emotion and truth, between the desire for solitude and longing to share experience.

Arrival of Peter Walsh

Mrs.Clarissa Dalloway decides to wear a green dress for the evening Party. As
it is torn, she takes it to the drawing room to mend. She is completely absorbed in the
work and suddenly the door-bell rings. Opening the door, she is completely taken
aback to find Peter Walsh coming in. Peter Walsh feels a little embarrassed and takes
out his long pocket-knife. In his excitement, his fingers play with the knife, which is
his habit. Peter looks little thinner, a little drier, perhaps, but very much the same still.
Both Clarissa and Peter feel disturbed. They cannot help remembering their past.
Despite their best efforts, their thoughts move backwards. The past rises before them
like a ghastly beautiful moon. Peter remembers his love for Clarissa and her rejection.
In disappointment Peter had left for India. After some misadventures, he had fallen in
love with Daisy, the wife of a major in Indian army, the mother of two children. With
all his experience in “journey, rides, quarrels, adventures, bridge-parties, love-affairs,
works etc”, he is a failure in Clarissa Dalloway’s sense. Peter tells Clarissa that his
wife is dead and he is in love with a Major’s wife and he has actually come to London
to arrange for divorce. Both Clarissa and Peter are not able to control their agitation.
Suddenly, Peter bursts into tears and impulsively Clarissa kisses him. She looks at
Peter with tearful eyes and thinks “Take me with you”, passes impulsively in her
mind. She feels that she had committed a mistake in the past by preferring Richard.
She knew that Peter, who loves her, really would never leave her alone and go for a
lunch with lady Bruton like her husband, Richard.

Now, she realizes that material comforts could not bring her true happiness. It
is a momentary excitement, but during that moment she had lived a whole life. The
moment is soon over, and Clarissa soon comes to present. Clarissa speaks to Peter of
‘her husband’ and ‘her daughter’, Elizabeth fondly. She also invites Peter to her
evening party. Peter takes leave of her with heavy heart.
 Peter Walsh’s Reflections

After leaving Clarissa, Peter now passes through the London streets. The
writer introduced the readers in to the stream of his thoughts, how he feels offended
because, Clarissa had called her daughter, “My dear Elizabeth, “My Party”, thinking
over his past love-affair and relationship and tossing up and down his mind, his
impression regarding Clarissa. After this morning, Clarissa appeared to him
enchanting and new. He feels very young and exquisitely delightful.

Coming to Regent’s Park, he recalls his childhood. Meeting with Clarissa has
taken him back a good deal in years. Sitting down on a bench, he falls asleep. When
he wakes he once again goes into the whirlpool of memories, remembering among
other things how Clarissa had met Richard Dalloway at a dinner party and it started
between them leading to their matrimony. Though Peter is enraged on seeing Clarissa
with Dalloway, he admires her courage, her social instinct, her power of carrying
things successfully.

The episode of Septimus smith and Lucrezia

Leaving Peter Walsh to his reverie, the novelist moves to the story of
Septimus smith and Lucrezia who are also sitting in the Regent’s Park.

Septimus smith, an ex-soldier of war is a “shell-shocked hero” who is

obsessed with “a sense of guilt” and ‘anguish’. He fears the world. He is often
haunted by unseen voice and there is a heavy weight on his eyes, the fear. He
frequently and constantly suffers from mental depression. He always dreams of the
hallucinations of wars and of his friend, Evans whom he had lost in the war. He then
and there heard the voice of Evans. He fancies that people are talking behind the
bedroom walls and doors. His wife Lucrezia, hailing from Milan, Italy, mortifies
herself, wondering ruefully why, she left, all her people for a ‘dead man’ like
Septimus. Septimus’ marriage to Lucrezia is to find a security, but he is sacrificing
her to his own fears. In an advanced stage of nervous breakdown, he threatens to kill
himself. They consult Dr.Holmes, who says that there is nothing serious and suggests
him a good exposure to the world. But, despite of Dr.Holmes assurance, the condition
of Septimus worsens. He now imagines new secrets. He often heard voices; he felt
that he must tell his secret to the prime minister and the cabinet. His secret is that the
trees are alive, that in the world there is no crime and no love.

Now it is time for Lucrezia and Septimus to go to Sir William Bradshaw for
further consultancy. When Lucrezia tells him of that, he starts musing on ‘time’. It
appears to him that his dead friend, Evans is talking to him, from behind the tress. He
cries, out, in fear ‘for gods’ sake, don’t come’ for he hears and imagines a dead man
walking towards him in grey. As they are sitting there, now Peter Walsh passes them.
The poor Rezia looks at him, absolutely desperate. Now, the London clock strikes
Quarter to twelve and Peter is on his way to meet his lawyer. On his way, he observes
the scene of London. He finds London more beautiful and much improved. Peter’s
consciousness is back to many things. He ponders about sally, Hugh Whitbread, his
wife Evelyn, Richard Dalloway, Clarissa etc. He is retrospective about himself.

At a point Peter reaches a crossing, where he sees a poor old woman begging.
As he gets into a taxi, he gives her some money. Rezia also reaches the same crossing
with Septimus. Septimus Smith before joining the war was a brilliant young man with
a lot of promise. Ambition, pride, idealism, cleverness, Seriousness, passion,
loneliness, courage all had gone into making him shy and stammering, anxious to
improve himself. He had been in love with Isabel Pole. Then came the war and
Septimus was first to volunteer, who went France to save England, where he
developed a close bond of friendship with Evans, his officer. When Evans died, he
showed not much emotion, being very reasonable. But after the war, he started
getting, particularly in the evenings, sudden thunderclaps of fear. Back to England, he
started wondering if the world had any meaning. In a fit of madness, he slowly
withdrew from the world and started sacrificing Lucrezia for the sake of fear. She
wanted to have children, she felt lonely and very unhappy. But Septimus lost interest
in life, he wanted to kill himself Dr.Holmes ultimately advised them to meet Sir
William Bradshaw.

Thus the novelist gives a fine narration of the movement of story, through the
consciousness of Peter, Septimus and Lucrezia.

Now the clock, Ben Ben strikes twelve o’ clock. Clarissa Dalloway puts her
green dress on the bed. Also this is the hour of appointment for Septimus and
Lucrezia with Sir William Bradshaw. Both reach the house of Dr.Bradshaw who state
it a complete nervous breakdown and a physical breakdown with every symptom of
advanced stage. William Bradshaw advises to admit Septimus in a nursing home. Sir
William Bradshaw promises Rezia that he would make all arrangement and would let
her know everything by the evening. Rezia returns home broken with great anguish

Lady Burton’s Lunch Party

The clock strikes half-past one as Rezia and Septimus walk towards home
after consulting William Bradshaw and at the same hour, Hugh Whitbread and
Richard Dalloway reach Lady Bruton’s lunch party. Lady Bruton is a conservative of
a family of generals. She is very proud and dignified. She is a perfect Mayfair hostess,
polite and hospitable. In fact, lady Bruton has called Hugh Whitbread and Richard
Dalloway to help her draft a letter to the Times regarding a project for emigrating
young people of both sexes born of respectable parents and setting them up with a fair
prospect of doing well in Canada. She informs them that Peter Walsh is back to
London. Richard feels happy on hearing this.

Richard Dalloway’s Return

After the lunch, Richard walks back home with Hugh Whitbread. Hugh
fancies for a Spanish necklace for his wife Evelyn. To Richard all this looks odd,
since he has not given any present to Clarissa. So he decides to buy some flowers for
Clarissa. Now the clock strikes three, as Richard reaches home. Clarissa is delighted
to see Richard with flowers. But Richard is in a hurry; he has to attend a meeting.
Soon he leaves Clarissa alone with her memories. She continues to ponder over her
loneliness, her emptiness and her loss of happiness.

Elizabeth Dalloway and Miss Doris Kilman

Elizabeth enters the room of Clarissa. Elizabeth is dark with Chinese eyes in a
pale face. She is gentle, considerate, “an oriental mystery”. She has a perfect sense of
humour. The door is ajar and Miss Kilman outside is listening to everything. Doris
Kilman is an ugly, clumsy, poor woman. Clarissa Dalloway always dislikes her. She
is there to take Elizabeth with her to the stores. Kilman felt greatly hurt by the insults
and ways by which Clarissa treated her. But she rationalized the whole thing by
remembering the words of Mr. Whittaker that knowledge comes through suffering.
She takes pleasure in eating. She feels like a wheel without tyre, understandably, a bit
of inferiority complex. She tells Elizabeth that she does not pity herself, meaning
thereby that she pities others like Clarissa. Soon parting from Kilman, Elizabeth waits
in Victoria Street for an omnibus. She always likes to be out in the air. She has an
exquisite beauty and people compared her with early dawn, fawns, running water and
garden lilies. This made her life a burden to her. Beauty is sometimes very
troublesome (Not so much to others) but to the beautiful person herself. She never
likes to go to parties, for everyone fell in love with her and she felt bored. She wishes
to become a doctor or a farmer or possibly go to parliament. But Clarissa, her mother
feels her immature and childish. Elizabeth reaching Fleet strict, boards an omnibus for
Westminster, the place of her home.

Septimus Smith’s Suicide

Septimus smith and Lucrezia relax sitting in sofa. They talk something about
Mrs. Peter’s hat. After many days, they speak for the first time the general matters and
they laugh. Lucrezia is overjoyed and feels greatly relieved to see that Septimus is
taking interest in Mrs. Peter’s hat. She believes that he has become himself. But this
happiness lasts only for a short time. Soon Septimus remembers what Bradshaw had
told them. Septimus feels that Bradshaw has no right to separate them. He grows
violent and orders Lucrezia to bring the papers and things that Bradshaw had written.
‘Burn them’ he cries. These papers are his odes to Times, Conversation with
Shakespeare, his message from the dead, universal love, meaning of the world and
such other meaningless things for others but the most meaningful writing for
Septimus. But Lucrezia instead of burning them ties them up and puts them away.
Soon, footsteps are heard from downstairs. Dr.Holmes has come to visit Septimus.
Lucrezia rushes down to prevent him, but she fails, Septimus in the meantime learns
about the arrival of Dr.Holmes. But he is determined to free himself from the power
that Dr.Holmes and Dr.Bradshaw had on him. The only way to escape from them is to
end his life. But how? There is Mrs.Filmer’s nice bread-knife. But he must not spoil
it. He could shoot himself, but there is no time to get the gun, because Holmes is
coming up. There are razors but Rezia has packed them for she is always careful in
these things. There remains only the window. But he would wait till the very last
moment. He does not want to die .Life is good; only human beings are bad. Holmes is
at the door. “I’ll give it to you”, he cries and flings himself vigorously, violently down
on the railings and there he lies dead.

“The coward” cries Dr.Holmes and advises Rezia to bear all the things
bravely. He gives her something to drink and she falls asleep. The time is six o’clock
in the evening.

Peter Walsh in flux

Peter Walsh on his way to hotel sees the sight of ambulance. He looks morbid
and sentimental. Again his memories move back to Clarissa. Immersed in such
consciousness, he reaches the hotel, where a young lady gives him a letter from
Clarissa. She had invited him to the party. After all she had married Dalloway and
lived with him in perfect happiness all these years. He soon thinks about his new love,
Daisy with her he thought there would be no fuss, no bother; it would all be a plain
sailing. Though he is fifty and she is only twenty-four with two children, he believes
it their relation. At last he decides to attend Clarissa’s party.

The Party

Clarissa stands at the gate welcoming guests saying, “How delighted to see
you”. These words sound very insincere to Peter Walsh, who enters the party. He
considers it a big blunder on his part to have come there. He feels awkward for he
knows none there. Clarissa could understand Peter’s criticism regarding Parties as
idiotic. Life to peter is humiliation and renunciation.

Another person, whose presence is felt in the party, is Septimus smith. Though
dead, references and conversations about him by Dr.Bradshaw make his presence
there, not in life, but in death. Clarissa is apparently angry with Bradshaw for talking
of the suicide of Septimus. She is completely lost and starts imagining how the young
man had fallen down the thud. She thinks that the young man had done well, he had
emancipated himself:

“Death was defiance. Death was an attempt to communicate, people feeling the
impossibility of reaching the centre which mystically evade them, closeness drew
apart; rapture faded; one was alone. There was an embrace in death”.

Thus Clarissa discovers an essential identity with Septimus smith. She recalls,
“If it were now to die, it were now to be most happy”. She feels a terror, an
overwhelming incapacity of her life. She too had then and there wished to die, but she
escaped; the young man had done it by killing himself. Here is a complete
identification of Clarissa with Septimus Clarissa does not pity the young man. On the
other hand, she admires him. She is glad that he had done it, while many like her went
on living. This projects very clearly the sense of insecurity from which she suffered, a
kind of a biting inadequacy in life and a complete lack of adjustment with the world.

In this state of mind Clarissa goes away from her party, steps aside into a little
room, to be alone with the thoughts of Septimus smith.

Peter Walsh wonders where Clarissa has gone to – ‘no doubt she is talking to
one of her celebrities’, he grumbles. He sits chatting with Sally, laughing at Clarissa’s
Party and her snobbery. Though he finds fault with her, all the time he wants her to
come. Peter recalls those green days, which he spent in Clarissa’s company. Sally too
recalls that dreadful ridiculous scene over Richard Dalloway at lunch, when Clarissa
showed preference for Richard rejecting Peter. Soon sally and Peter start talking about
their past and present. Sally is happily married, they had ten thousand a year and she
has five sons. Peter confesses that life has been hard to him and his relation with
Clarissa has not been of a simple nature. Sally comments that Clarissa has cared more
for Peter than for Richard, that her married life is not a happy one. Sally leaves Peter
and goes to say good night to Richard. Peter does not want to leave without talking
with Clarissa. He wonders, “What is this terror? What is this ecstasy? What is it that
fills me with extraordinary excitement? It is Clarissa”.
 Clarissa realizes that she could not be absent herself from the party for a very
long time. Coming out of the room, she goes to meet Peter. Ultimately Peter finds her
heart pious. She appears an adorable creature inspite of all her faults and weaknesses.

12.4 CHARACTERISATION IN MRS.DALLOWAY

1. Mrs.Dalloway

The Pivotal Character

Mrs.Clarissa Dalloway, a gentle lady of fifty one years and belonging to
a middle class family is the central figure in the novel. Virginia Woolf vividly
portrays her many faceted personality through the technique of ‘Stream – of-
Conciousness.Clarissa thus fills in different roles – a girl, a mother, a wife in life and
conventional hostess. She personifies ‘the living image of the surface of the society’.
The novel on its external plane is the story of Clarissa’s party.

Her Personality
Clarissa Dalloway, the wife of Richard Dalloway, a conservative member of
parliament, is a woman of great fascination and exquisite charm. She has a good
figure and is reported to be ‘light, tall, and very upright.’ With immense zest of life,
she loves and builds round herself
‘a tissue of shallow impressions and fantasies’. She is hostess of that evening’s party,
ambitiously arranged for the sake of her husband. There is a touch of bird about her,
of the gay, blue, green, light, vivacious’

Her Love of Beauty

Clarissa Dalloway is a liver of beauty. She is a cultured, intelligent and
sophisticated lady. She loves Nature – Trees, Flowers and Blue atmosphere. Flowers
have a great fascination for her all the time. She goes to buy flowers giving them so
much importance; Richard also brings for her a gift of flowers. She is also equally
fascinated by the beauty of shops and streets. She likes London very much:
“Bond street fascinated her……….Its flags flying.”
Clarissa appreciates beauty in everything and in every aspect of life. She
regards herself as a part of existence of nature.

Her Zest for Life

Clarissa although in her fifties, has a great zest for life. The capacity to
enjoy life is a noteworthy aspect of her character. She is extremely socialable. Her
zest of life is evident from the incessant parties that she arranges. She likes to visit
people, to lunch with them and to meet them and invite them. She loves to bring
people together, and loves to hear them talking. She also loves ‘to dance, to ride’.

Her Sense of Independence

Clarissa is a lover of freedom. She loves independence, to lead life according to
her own notions even after marriage. She loves Peter; yet she rejects him, for she lives
freedom more than love. In a marriage she thinks, there must be a little independence,
even licence, which Peter may not give and Richard will not mind
“With Peter everything had to be shared, everything gone into.”
Her Stream of Thoughts
Clarissa’s chance of meeting with Hugh Whitbread, on her way to the flower
market, evokes in her mind the thoughts associated with Peter Walsh in the past.
Further the sights of the procession, the Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, the aero plane
flying in the sky, etc, make her think of the past. For a moment Clarissa grows
sentimental and is reminded of her association with Peter Walsh, Sally Seton and
Richard Dalloway in the past. Peter’s queer look, ambition, idealism and vain passion
made him interesting to her. But his possessive nature and his varying moods turned
her away from him. With a strong sense of freedom and taste for status and dignity in
life, Clarissa chose Richard Dalloway to be her partner in life. It is a pity that with all
his gifts, Peter has been a failure in life. On her part, she understands Richard
Dalloway and makes a compromise in life.
Clarissa remembers her friendship in youth with Sally Seton. Their relationship
remained impulsive, unconventional and at times rash. The novelist portrays Sally
Seton as a contrast to Clarissa. She seeks joy and comfort in life by marrying a
millionaire.

Her Artificialities
The Dalloway’s embody the manifold aspects of western civilization. Beneath
their happy outlook, a deep sense of inner discontent and emptiness is seen. Clarissa’s
compromise with Richard’s imperfection reveals her pride and possessiveness. She
feels frigid and cold with Lady Bruton when the latter shows discriminating interest in
Richard.

Conclusion
A glimpse of Clarissa’s troubled soul is seen when she misses the love and
affection of her daughter Elizabeth at the instance of the course teacher, Doris
Kilman. Doris Kilman appeared to her, as a “monster grubbing at the roots”.
Clarissa Dalloway brings out the central theme of the novel. “Life is like a
stream, experience is flux. Septimus is drawn as a parallel to Clarissa. He brings out
what Mrs. Dalloway feels in her life – a sense of insecurity. Her life is, made up of
contradictions and inconsistencies. To conclude she personifies the mind of the
novelist, Virginia Woolf and her “sensory, emotional and imaginative awareness”.

2. Peter Walsh
Peter Walsh plays a key role next only to Mrs. Dalloway in the
novel,”Mrs.Dalloway”. He is introduced indirectly through “the stream – of –
consciousness” of Clarissa Dalloway. Peter Walsh was a constant companion of
Clarissa in her youthful days at Burton, some thirty years earlier. Clarissa had known
him as a person interested more in men, science, politics, philosophy and poetry than
nature.
“He preferred men to cauliflors”.

His Love and Fascination for Clarissa

Peter Walsh came to admire Clarissa for her extraordinary
courage, sociability and her “drive” in society. His love for her was so deep and
passionate and possessive that Clarissa was pushed to the necessity of securing her
“inviolable private self” by abruptly ending “his stultifying relationship”. Peter felt
disappointed when she chose to wed Richard Dalloway. In great disappointment Peter
Walsh took the boat to India. But failures continued to haunt him. His hurried
marriage to a girl in the boat failed for want of compatibility. His meeting with Daisy,
the major’s wife developed into an affair and love. However he was unable to forget
his love for Clarissa. When invited, he readily responds to the invitation of Clarissa to
the party.

His Endurance
The novelist meant Peter Walsh to be a foil to the Dalloway
and their materialism. His intellectual pursuits and material successes stand no
comparison with not only the Dalloway’s but also to Hugh Whitbread and Lady
Bruton. At the same time, he has been amply compensated by his travels and
experiences in the life. He has not a victim to materialism and he has been able to
preserve his soul well.
Virginia Woolf presents “the mental conflict” in Peter Walsh
through his “stream – of – consciousness”. At the party, Peter feels lonely and is
emotionally disturbed for a while. Clarissa appears to be “a perfect hostess” to him.
But her cold and prudish ways he would not accept. Being a sentimentalist with
varying moods he sympathizes with her a lot. Her party appears to him both a symbol
and escape from the problems of everyday life.
‘Life has taught him the core lesson of humiliation and renunciation”.
The materialists regard his life as a colossal failure for
even after spending fifty years; he is in search of a job and a wife. He has great
enduring power of suffering, pains and pangs.

3. Septimus Warren Smith

The Tragic Character

Septimus Warren Smith is the counterpart of Mrs. Dalloway in the novel.
Together they make for “the sane – inside and sane – outside” individuals. Septimus’s
function in the novel, as that of Mrs. Dalloway is to show that experience is a flux,
and that persons removed from each other in space as well in their station in life can
make contact. The novelist has intended him to be “Clarissa’s double”.

Victim of War
Septimus along with his wife, Rezia forms an interesting study in the
novel. They are the victim of war and misfortune. Septimus was once a brave soldier
in war. The fatal accident to his friend Evans in the war had tainted his mind beyond
repair and left him “shell-shocked” and “silent”. Strangely enough his “silence”
charmed Lucrezia to become his wife. The two locked up in wedlock present forth a
picture of agony and pity since then. But their deep love and affection for one another
did not wear away or suffer in any way.

His Malady
Septimus is suffering from a neurosis. His moods are extremely
unpredictable. Septimus is obsessed with the fear of the outer world. The sights and
sounds of Ben, the aero plane, etc., deepen his neurosis and he develops suicidal
tendency. His wife Rezia serves him with great responsibility and love. Obsessed with
guilt and lost among his fears and delusions Septimus commits suicide by jumping
from the window. His physical death stands in close contrast to the reference of “the
death of the soul” of Clarissa.
He Dreads the World
Because of his hallucinations, the nervous breakdown and neurosis, he is
haunted by the horrors of war and of loneliness; he dreads the world, and all the time
goes on repeating:
“Let us kill ourselves”.
He finds no delight in the beauties and the scenes of nature or of the universe. The
fear of people like Dr.Holmes and Dr.Bradshaw is on him. He is unable to take
interest in the outside world. Fever of the world and of his life has become an
obsession with him. He imagines that those people are coming to possess his soul and
violate his privacy. So he grows panicky, and in order to escape, kills himself by
throwing himself out of the window.

Septimus – The Other Self of Clarissa

There is a close link between the two characters – Clarissa and Septimus,
“in their search for the meaning of life”. Their thoughts embrace the same elements
and end on the same comforting note. “Fear no more says the heart of the body; fear
no more.”
He fears the world, he fears the life, he fears the people; he wants an escape; he
believes the world is trying to take away his spirit; so he kills himself. Before killing
himself, he has been a victim of hallucinations, vision. Loneliness is rather
intolerable.

A Product and Representative of the Contemporary Civilization

Virginia Woolf invests her characters with symbolic importance. Through
them she portrays the swing of the life between two extremes – the joy and the horror
of life, the tension or the conflict between good and the evil, between action and
contemplation and between men and women in life. Septimus and Rezia symbolize
youthful love and duty and the evil effects of the war, tension of life, and the
unthinking complacent attitude of men representing western civilization.

4. Lucrezia
Lucrezia according to Bernard Blackstone “is one of the most
pathetic characters in modern fiction”. Young and vivacious as she is, she embodies
the frustration, loneliness and patience in life. Lucrezia also known as Rezia is the
young and beautiful wife of Septimus. She is the daughter of a hat-maker of Milan in
Italy. She has a passion to enjoy life, to tour and visit England. But after marriage she
finds that her life is not what she dreamt of it.
Seated with her sick husband, Septimus in an alienated situation, she
resorts to reflection of the past. Her life with her parents in Milan, Italy, was joyful.
She hoped for more easy life in her marriage with Septimus. His “silence” then
appeared to her an indication of deeper involvement in life. It did not take long for her
to find him a schizophrenic patient, undaunted; she served Septimus with love during
his fits of madness.

Lucrezia is the real tragic character. Here is a tragedy of frustrated

love, desire and ambition. She is a devoted wife. She is very anxious to see her
husband set right and cured. She thinks that the perfection of womanhood lies in
becoming a mother. She is eager to be the mother. But Septimus or rather God does
not provide her with such an opportunity. So she feels a great vacuum in her life; she
is really unhappy with her lot.
 She takes her husband from one doctor to another, from one specialist to
another. She is all the time with him. She looks after him properly. When she sees a
glimpse of smile on Septimus after a long time, she is really very happy. She wants to
make her husband take interest in the things of the world outside. She feels very
lonely. She is away from her home, her parents, her sisters and her own people, and
ultimately finds herself completely foreign in a foreign land where she has none to
care for her. Most of the time her husband terrifies her by throwing threats of
committing suicide. The poor creature lives in constant fear and pressure. She is a
helpless and a hopeless creature.
Despite disappointments and frustrations, she confronts life, she does not
desert her neurotic husband – rather she loves him and performs her duty faithfully.
When Sir William Bradshaw decides that Septimus must go to a mad home in the
country, away from her, she feels the greatest pain, the worst spiritual agony. On the
eventful afternoon, Septimus speaks to her with love and affection and laughs at
jokes. But the moment of joy soon disappears. Septimus in fear of Dr.Holmes turns
panicky and jumps down from the window and ends his life, declaring the doom’s day
of Lucrezia’s little world.
Virginia Woolf depicts Lucrezia as a picture of desolation, frustration, fear
and spiritual agony.

5. Sally Seton
Sally Seton is meant to be a sharp contrast to Clarissa Dalloway in the
novel. She is a great friend of Clarissa and her personality is deftly built up when the
stream of consciousness of Mrs. Dalloway and Peter Walsh is traced out. As a girl
Sally was extraordinarily beautiful and charming. People could not take their eyes off
her. Even Clarissa has some incestuous infatuation for her.
In her youth Sally was frivolous, playful, bold, and impulsive. She was
devil-may-care type of robust, unconventional girl who was all the time drinking life
to the full and to the last. She was so reckless that she would go about cycling on the
terrace. She frequently quarrelled with her parents, and at one time she ran away from
them after picking up a quarrel with them, and came to stay with Clarissa at Bournton
without a penny in her pocket. She went to the extent of selling her brooch to pay for
the journey. She acted rashly and impulsively. She would smoke cigars, bicycle round
the parapet on the terrace, and run naked along the corridors to get her sponge. She
imagined herself a freedom loving rebel to break senseless conventions.
Sally Seton is not only rash and impulsive, but also is equally an idealist. She
has a zest for reform. She rejoiced most in Shelley, Plato and William Morris. In short
she is round character. She grows and changes. Peter Walsh and Richard Dalloway
exhibit their contempt for her. She too disregards Hugh Whitbread exclaiming that
“he read nothing, thought nothing, felt nothing – No country but England could have
produced him”
As an ardent representative of the minority intelligentsia of modern society, she
displays her shrewd judgment of men. She marries a rich millionaire and becomes the
proud mother of “five big boys at Eton”. She has mellowed with age and her soft
words reveal her maturity.

6. Miss Doris Kilman

Doris Kilman, a shy and elusive spinster, represents English
middle – class society in the novel. She serves as the mouthpiece of the novelist on
matters regarding religion and life.
 Miss Doris Kilman radiates not only possessive love but also
corrupts religiosity. Religion, to her, is like alcohol. It serves her as a means of escape
from the growing anger and hatred. She wants to have masterity over others, to
subdue them. She teaches history to Elizabeth, the vivacious daughter of Clarissa
Dalloway. Incidentally she trains her to wean herself from religious life and also
draws her out from her mother. She spells out her prejudice towards Mrs. Dalloway
by securing complete control over Elizabeth and transforming her into a rebel at
home.
Miss Doris Kilman is an embodiment of a person with the love
for power under the cloak of religion. The novelist portrays in her the queer lover of
power steeped in invincible stupidity. Clarissa detested in her “the evil” but was
helpless.
The love of Miss Doris Kilman is not unselfish. She has “Impure sentiments”,
“domineering”, “infinitely cruel and unscrupulous love” and never let any grace to
reach her parched hearted. She personifies the society which lays stress on the outer
neatness because of inner disorderliness and an outward show of strength because of
inner weakness.

7. Elizabeth Dalloway
Miss Elizabeth Dalloway is the young daughter of Richard Dalloway and
Clarrisa Dalloway. She is a beautiful teenager. Unlike the rest of the Dalloway’s, she
is dark, has Chinese eyes in a pleasant pale face. She is gentle, considerate and
appears like an oriental mystery. As a child she had perfect sense of honour. Her
mother wants to mould her in her own image; she wants that her daughter should also
like parties, pomp and show of a wealthy family. But Elizabeth does not like all these.
She is very much under the influence of her tutoress, Miss Doris Kilman. She is more
inclined to religion. Young men do not appeal to her.
Elizabeth is young, beautiful, and full of life. She loves the country. People
compared her with early dawn, fawns, running water and garden lilies. She thinks that
young men are silly; she compares them with popular trees and hyacinths. She is
indeed of an impressionable age, and Miss Kilman is quite eager to project into her
mind notions and values, which Elizabeth’s mother does not like.

12.5 THE THEMES OF MRS.DALLOWAY

In Mrs.Dalloway, Virginia Woolf has dealt with the little world of people like
herself, a small class, a dying class like herself, a class with inherited privileges,
private incomes, sheltered lives, protected sensibilities and sensitive tastes. Relatively
she has also dealt with ‘the reality of life and death.’ ‘Time and the absolute’,
‘confusion and order’, ‘singleness and oneness’ etc. Explicitly combining all these
contradictory views, Virginia Woolf has drawn the significance of the flow of
consciousness on which human beings are born from birth to death.

Critics on the theme of Mrs. Dalloway

In the words of David Daiches, the theme of Mrs.Dalloway is, “time, death
and personality, and the relations of these to each other, and to some ultimate which
includes them all”. Thus Mrs.Dalloway mainly concerns with “the nature of self and
its relation to other people, the importance of social contact and at the same time the
necessity of keeping the self inviolable”.
 Joan Bennett in his work ‘Virginia woolf-Her Art as a Novelist’ reflects that
the subject of Mrs.Dalloway, no longer appears to be the life story of clarissa
Dalloway, nor of Septimus Warren Smith, but human life itself, and its inevitable
consummation in death.

According to Karl and Magalaner, “the basic theme of the novel is the reality
of life and death, the significance of the flow of consciousness of which human beings
are born from birth to death”.

Depiction of Clarissa and her life

The main theme of the novel, Mrs.Dalloway is concerned with the life of
Mrs.Clarissa Dalloway, the middle-aged heroine affecting and affected by others. The
entire action of the novel is related to the critical moments, the conflict in her mind
between the privacy of self and the claims of society-that happens on a single day in
June in her life. The absence of material attachment and the pursuit of material life
have caused in her mind a sense of void. She dreams of her youthful days and her
associations with the people around her society. She reflects upon her past association
with Peter Walsh. Clarissa’s prudent decision to favour Richard Dalloway and reject
Peter’s love hastened Peter’s departure for India in disappointment. After five long
years he comes back and his fascination for Clarissa does not diminish. Peter even
confesses that his life is a waste and this confession almost creates an emotional
tumult in Clarissa. She realizes her life to be more a big hallows.

A satiric portraiture of post-war London

As for the story of Septimus and Rezia, Virginia Woolf narrates her theme of
growing consciousness in individuality and of its inability to eliminate conflicts of
life, through interior monologues. In this narration, the novelist turns a satirist on the
post-war western civilization which harboured emptiness, show hypocrisy, greed,
snobbery and material glory and its accompanying neurosis. Septimus Smith
frequently suffered from mental derangement. He often had hallucinations of war, of
his friend, Evans whom he had lost in the war. He fancied that people were talking
behind the bedroom walls, and sometimes he ‘saw’ things that were not present. This
was a terrible source of discomfort and anxiety for Rezia. Virginia Woolf involves the
episode of Septimus and Rezia with accentuated account of Mrs.Clarissa, Dalloway
and Peter Walsh to present a revealing account of the satiric portraiture of post-war
London society in this novel.

The theme of Dissolution of Experience

Another theme of Mrs.Dalloway is the dissolution of experience. The novel

shows how human experience is a stream of thoughts in which it is difficult to say
which drop of water belongs to which place, all drops belong to the whole stream.
Similarly human experience is the common property of all mankind. Thus two
persons, Clarissa Dalloway and Septimus Smith who are totally strangers develop
contact in life, and find themselves in complete identification with each other.
Mrs.Dalloway and Septimus are characters who are so distant from each other, yet so
close.
 Thus desperate people sharing common experience prove that experience is a
flux & develop a contact. This view of experience provokes Clarissa’s reverie as soon
as she hears from Sir William Bradshaw that a young man has committed suicide. She
has never met Septimus Smith, her station is completely different from that of
Septimus, yet the young man’s experience was so much like her own that the news of
his death offers a moment of deep insight into her own life and hence she goes into a
reverie.

The theme of love and death

Mrs.Dalloway is a study of human relationship with special reference to love

and death. However, the theme of death is a sub-theme and is touched in detail on
occasions like the suicide of Septimus and Clarissa’s identification with Septimus’
suicide. The predominant theme is love and all the major characters – Clarissa, Peter,
Septimus, Rezia, Richard Dalloway experience love as the essence of the life. Thus
Clarissa’s love can be shown in different dimensions like,

 Clarissa’s love for Peter

 Clarissa’s love for Richard

 Clarissa’s love for Parties, the artificial material life of London

 Clarissa’s love for Elizabeth

 Clarissa’s love for Solitude

 Clarissa’s love for Death

Thus in Mrs.Dalloway, Mrs. Virginia Woolf has studied love in its great
variety and the treatment is original and psychological.

So there are two patterns in the novel. The one is the prose pattern, which
gives a picture of the modern world with its destructive forces of class struggle,
economic insecurity and war. The other is the poetic level which shows love, death
and beauty of the world in association with the dissolution of experience into a
tenuous insight, that is fleeting glimpses into reality – inner reality of man.

So, the theme may be summed up as,

On the prosaic plane:

a) Portraiture of Clarissa and other characters and their consciousness.

b) A Satiric picture of the contemporary society.

On the Poetic plane:

a) The theme is the dissolution of experience.

1) Love
 2) Life

3) Death

b) Conflict between

Life Vs Death

Hope Vs Despair

Love Vs Hate

Social control Vs Individual freedom

Beauty Vs Ugliness

And so on. .

To conclude, on the psychological plane the novel deals with the stream of
consciousness of Dalloway, Peter, Septimus and Rezia. Socially the novel is a satire
upon the contemporary London society. Spiritually, the novel is about the dissolution
of experience and dramatically, the novel is about the conflict between life and death.

12.6 LITERARY CRITICISM

1) Mrs. Dalloway is an experiment with time. It is a mingling of present

experience and memory, for the most part in Mrs. Dalloway’s mind. The
ostensible action of the novel is a single day, a June day leading up to a dinner
party. We follow Mrs. Dalloway’s activities through the course of this June
day, we observe her relations to her household in Westminster, to her husband
Richard, to her daughter Elizabeth, and to Peter Walsh, an old suitor of hers,
who is just back from India. But interwoven with world of the past, more real
because it exists not only in itself as the present does but also in its
consequences and its relations. The scene is London after the war, but the
scene is also Bourton in the country thirty year’s age.

Blackstone

“Virginia Woolf: A Commentary”.

2) In her novels, Mrs. Dalloway, Virginia Woolf showed that she had learnt how
to select only those impressions that were needed to build up the picture. She
also takes as more continuously through the thoughts, feelings and
impressions of the main characters. As Mrs. Dalloway shops, or talks, dresses
or eats, we are inside her mind, seeing her as she sees herself, sharing her
memories, and knowing the people she knows or has known through her own
eyes. Now instead of our following chronologically through the years, all is
presented in the present. We are with Mrs. Dalloway for only some fifteen
hours, from nine o’ clock on a lovely June morning when she goes to the
florist’s to arrange for flowers for her party that night until the early hours of
the next day when her guests depart. So we are very close to the experience of
 real life, for Mrs. Dalloway is like ourselves reacting, like Bloom in Ulysses,
to all the stimuli of daily life, which attract or repel her, and remind her of
others or of her past.

- Dr.Collins

“English Literature of the Twentieth Century”

3) In Mrs. Dalloway the action of the book is limited temporarily to a single day
in the life of its chief character, spatially to a single place, London and
emotionally to the relations of Mrs. Dalloway with a few other people … ... …
Mrs. Dalloway represents a compromise between the need for formal clarity of
presentation and the formlessness apparently incoherent in the stream of
consciousness technique.

- R.LChambers

“The Novels of Virginia Woolf”

4) Mrs. Dalloway is an impressive work; it shows a brilliance and fineness in

execution that no critic can forbear to admire.

- David Daiches

“The Novel and the Modern World”

5) “- - - the novel is rather a portrait of Mrs. Dalloway’s society than of the lady
herself.”

- A.D.Moody

‘A.D.Moody, Virginia Woolf’

6) Just as Proust introduced something now into french fiction, so . . . Virginia

Woolf into English - - It was left for Virginia woolf - - to arrange human
beings in characteristic attitudes, and to weave tenuous strands of though &
feeling into a firm recognizable poetic pattern.

- R.A.Scott-James

12.7 KEY WORDS

Allegory

An Allegory is a narrative in which the agents and action and

sometimes the setting as well, are contrived not only to make sense in them, but also
to signify a second, correlated order of persons, things, concepts, or events.

Stream of Consciousness

Stream of consciousness was a phrase used by William James in his ‘Principles

of Psychology’ to characterize the unbroken flow of thoughts and awareness in the
waking mind. It has been now adopted to describe a narrative method in modern
fiction. It is a mode of narration that undertakes to capture the full spectrum and flow
of a character’s mental process. It includes long passages of introspection in which
sense perceptions mingle with conscious and half-conscious thoughts, memories,
feelings and random associations.

Metaphor
Metaphor is a derivative of a Greek word ‘metaphora’ meaning ‘transference’. It
is a figure of speech in which one thing is described in terms of another to which it is
not literally applicable. It is based on the idea of similarity in dissimilar ones.
According to Dr. Johnson, metaphor is a great excellence in style. Metaphor is
synonymous with Comparison and Simile but it is different from both in its use.
Comparison and Simile are used with connective words such as ‘like’ and ‘as’. Saying
‘he fights like a lion’ or ‘he fights as a lion does’ is a simple comparison. Simile is
also a comparison but it is an explicit and elaborate one. Milton’s ‘Paradise Lost’ is
full of such similes. In Paradise Lost Book IV, Milton describes that the angels
standing in fear and wrath at Satan’s challenge look like the blades of corn in a field
at the time of harvest.
Metaphor is a simple but an implied comparison. When it is used, there
is no connective word. If we say ‘he is a lion in his fight’ it is a metaphor. We come
across plenty of such metaphors in works of art. In Thomas Traherene’s ‘Centuries of
Meditation’ there is a metaphor when the author refers to boys and girls. He says
‘Boys and girls, trembling in the street and playing, were moving jewels’

12.8 SUMMARY

Mrs.Clarissa Dalloway, a middle aged woman of fifty-one, the wife of Richard

Dalloway, an eminent member of Parliament has arranged for a party, that evening in
the month of June. She makes elaborate arrangements. She moves around despite
physical weakness and recovery from the recent attack of influenza. With a light mind
and gay attire, she goes to the market to buy flowers for the party. The sights and
sounds en-route, west minister abbey, big Ben, James park, busy Victoria street, etc,
stir her soul and cause a mood of reflection of the past. She meets Hugh Whitbread,
her old friend from Bourton. Their conversations touch upon many things of in
particular about her former friend and lover Peter Walsh. Infact Peter was extremely
kind and a passionate lover. Except for his possessive nature, he was extremely polite.
But Clarissa had to disappoint him, when she accepted Richard Dalloway for her
husband. Peter disappointed, parted from her in an emotional scene and went out to
India, where he married other women. But his marriage had been a failure.

Turning critical searchlight on herself, Clarissa realizes her life as empty

despite of richness and status. Returning home, she ponders on the aspect of love of
her past life. She is surprised to meet Peter Walsh back from India. Both are
emotionally disturbed. Clarissa invites Peter for her evening party and Peter leaves.
Now the sub-plot is introduced with the characters, Septimus smith a young war
veteran and his wife Lucrezia (Rezia). Septimus in an advanced stage of nervous
breakdown threatens to kill himself. Dr.Holmes suggests Septimus to meet Sir
William Bradshaw, who advises to admit Septimus in a hospital. Septimus warren
smith seems to recover his-self in the company of his wife Rezia, “He laughed and
joked and was perfectly alright”. But he grows sick when Rezia leaves the room.
Septimus dislikes Dr.Holmes for his idea of isolation. Rezia’s joy is only temporary
and soon turns intensely tragic when Dr.Holmes arrives. Septimus flings himself
violently down on to Mrs.Filmer’s railings. Peter Walsh sees the ambulance bearing
septimus. He thinks, “One of the triumphs of civilization is the ambulance”.

It is evening. Peter Walsh is at the party. Clarissa in her green attire moves
around the guests like an angel. The party is outwardly a success. The Prime minister
and other important persons arrive, and Clarissa feels very much successful as a
hostess. The Bradshaw’s arrive late and Sir William Bradshaw excuses himself by
explaining that one of his patients-Septimus smiths has committed suicide. “What
business had the Bradshaw’s to talk of the death at her party”, reflects Clarissa.
Clarissa realizes that she too has failed in life like septimus. But septimus triumphs
over life by his death. Clarissa moves aside into a room to be alone with the thoughts
of septimus.

Peter Walsh unable to find Clarissa thinks, “She was talking to one of her
celebrities.” He laughs at the party and at Clarissa’s snobbery talking with Sally
Seton. Even when all left, he waits.” what is this that fills me with extra-ordinary
excitement. It was for clarissa”, Peter murmurs. Clarissa too comes out of the room
and the novel ends.

12.9 TERMINAL QUESTIONS

SECTION A:

ANSWER THE FOLLOWING IN A SENTENCE OR TWO:

1. Name the maidservant of Mrs.Dalloway.

2. Whom does Clarissa meet at St.James Park?

3. Give the name of Hugh Whitbread’s wife

4. Who did Peter love after the death of his wife?

5. Who is Septimus?

6. Name the wife of Septimus.

7. Name the doctors who treated Septimus Smith.

8. Whose thoughts often haunted Septimus?

9. Who is Sally Seton?

10. What did Richard Dalloway buy for Clarissa?

SECTION B:

A NSWER THE FOLLOWING IN PARAGRAPHS:

 1) Examine manipulation of time in Mrs.Dalloway (or) “Mrs.Dalloway is an
experiment with time” – Comment.

2) Discuss the symbolic aspects of Mrs.Dalloway.

3) Discuss the use of stream of consciousness technique in Mrs.Dalloway.

4) Sketch the character of Mrs.Dalloway.

5) Peter Walsh is a queer, pitiable figure – Discuss.

6) Bring out the element of Pathos in the life of Septimus Smith.

7) Write upon the minor characters in Mrs.Dalloway.

8) Make a comparative study of Clarissa Dalloway and Sally Seton.

9) Estimate Virginia Woolf as a critic.

10) Give a general estimate of Richard Dalloway.

11) Sketch the character of Lucrezia.

SECTION C:

ANSWER THE FOLLOWING ESSAY QUESTIONS:

1. Experience is a flux and the novelist must communicate it – Discuss with special
reference to Mrs. Dalloway.

2. “The heroine of Mrs. Dalloway is portrayed by the stream of consciousness

method, so is Septimus” – Illustrate.

3. Write on the technique & give a general estimate of the novel ‘Mrs.Dalloway’

4. Discuss Mrs.Dalloway as a satire on contemporary civilization.

5. Comment on Virginia Woolf’s art of characterization in Mrs.Dalloway.

6. ‘Mrs.Dalloway is a study of universal love’ – Discuss (or) Write upon the love
theme of Mrs. Dalloway.

12.10 SUGGESTED READINGS

1. Bernard Blackstone : Virginia Woolf: A Commentary

2. E.M. Forster : Virginia Woolf

3. David Daiches : The novel and the modern world

4. R.L.Chambers : The novels of Virginia Woolf

5. A.D.Moody : Virginia Woolf.