Catherine’s Vision of Heaven in Wuthering Heights and Feminist Readings

Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights is a gothic novel set on the Yorkshire moors. It tells the story of the intense and destructive love between Catherine Earnshaw and Heathcliff. The novel explores themes of passion, revenge, social class, and the struggle between freedom and control. Because of its dark atmosphere and complex characters, it has been widely studied through different critical lenses, including theology and feminist theory.

Catherine’s Words

When Catherine says that heaven is not above but buried within the earth, she challenges traditional theological views. According to Christian belief, heaven is usually imagined as a place above, separate from earthly life. Catherine’s idea disrupts that order, showing that her sense of heaven is personal, emotional, and connected to the natural world. In this way, she becomes a heroine because she refuses to be confined by the strict moral and social rules of the Victorian period.

Gilbert and Gubar’s View

The feminist critics Sandra Gilbert and Susan Gubar argue that Wuthering Heights goes against biblical expectations. Instead of following the traditional religious path, the characters decide for themselves what heaven or hell means to them. Catherine’s rejection of the domestic angel in the house role also reflects this. She does not see heaven in a home or in serving others, but in freedom and passion, especially her connection with Heathcliff. For women readers, this vision of heaven could feel liberating, as it opposes the Victorian idea that women belonged only in the household.

Eve and the Fall

According to Gilbert and Gubar, Catherine can be linked to the figure of Eve. They argue that just as Eve broke away from God’s command in the Garden of Eden, Catherine challenges both religious and social expectations. In their view, Catherine’s independence shows rebellion and a desire for self definition. Gilbert and Gubar describe her as both a sinner and a visionary who creates her own version of paradise.

Beyond Tradition

Through Catherine’s unusual vision of heaven, Wuthering Heights opens space for different interpretations that go beyond traditional theology. Critics like Gilbert and Gubar use these moments to highlight how the novel questions fixed roles and offers new ways of thinking about women’s place in society. Whether readers agree or not, these perspectives show the power of the novel to spark ongoing debates about faith, freedom, and identity.

References

Nicolas J & Shafquat T (eds) , ‘Romantics and Victorians’, .