Marxist Criticism

I had no idea what the history was behind Marxist Criticism, let alone what it was. I found it very interesting to learn about all the thinkers of the era like Adorno, Lukacs, and Bahktin. The fact that Marx and thinkers like him could not "think of aesthetic matters as being distinct and independent from such things as politics, economics, and history" baffled me. While works of art can be satirical and influenced by economic and political happenings, they are, in my opinion, entirely different beings. However, the concept of the alienation of the worker resulting in the destruction of the arts (pg. 381-82) is something I had never heard of or thought about before, but it interested me greatly and seemed to have some truth behind it. After all, how could those who produce items on a massive scale retain any sort of identity or deviation for what it is that they create for themselves? I do agree with Adorno in his attack on Lukacs' "dogmatic rejection of nonrealist modern literature." Art is indeed a separate being from science, though it may be influenced to some small or great degree by our attainment of new knowledge.

Eagleton makes an interesting analysis of Wuthering Heights, but it seems that much of what the author has to say, we had already discussed in class to a certain extent. Heathcliff's relationship (or lack thereof) to the family, and Hindley's resulting spite for the foreign boy, Catherine's double-standard-lifestyle, substituting love for social status, and Heathcliff's revenge for the years of "arbitrary love," heartbreak, and estrangement from his adoptive family. It all sounds vaguely familiar...Either way, I definitely learned a few things from this section of the book, both about the complex network of relationships in Wuthering Heights and the process that is Marxist Criticism.

Wuthering Heights 2

The latter half of Wuthering Heights was a bit anticlimactic for my taste. After Catherine dies and the haunting of the estate is explained, the story just kind of...peters out. Bronte just seems to sort of kill off her characters while keeping them bickering, or perhaps I wasn't paying enough attention. Granted, it is a happy ending in that young Catherine and Linton grew up knowing nothing of the intense, emotional conflicts from which they came. Maybe I'm too used to today's fiction, but this was definitely not one of my favorite literary endings.

I don't think I will ever fully understand Heathcliff's manipulation over his loved ones, even those who never wronged him! The way he speaks to his son and forces him into courting young Catherine is deplorable. While I respect his cunning and skill in vengeful planning, I doubt I could consider him the hero of the novel.

Wuthering Heights 1

To say the least, I found the opening chapters of this book...confusing. Mainly, the abundance of Catherines was what I had trouble wrapping my head around. Either way, I felt very badly for poor Lockwood, threatened by dogs on multiple occasions, made to walk through a blizzard by himself, and being having the life scared out of him by the ghost of a Catherine, and getting thrown into the mix of the complex relationships and emotions at Wuthering Heights. The guy must not have had many options for himself (ha!).

While, at first, I found Heathcliff to be unfairly cruel and mean-spirited, but after considering how Hindley and Mrs. Earnshaw thought of him and treated him, how could you really expect much different an outcome? And, after all the further foul treatment of Heathcliff by everyone, I don't blame him one bit for wanting revenge on Hindley. I'm sure he takes delight in watching Hindley drink himself to death, and Hindley deserves so. His abuse toward his family and servants is completely uncalled for, especially when he accidentally (not that it matters) drops Hareton over the banister (81).

There aren't really any subtle tones of racism in this book. It's just kind of in-your-face-bro and serves as a reminder that, in those times, locking the black kid in the attic was the normal thing to do. WTF?