The English Gothic fiction can be traceable back to Horace Walpole’s Castle of Otranto, which was published in 1765. A Gothic novel must contain a combination of certain elements, which are usually a castle, often ruined and haunted, ruined buildings that provoke an appealing melancholy, catastrophic landscapes (rugged mountains, thick forests, icy wastes, extreme weather), omens and ancestral curses, any type of magic (supernatural expressions or at least the suggestion of the supernatural), a passion-driven, wilful villain-hero or villain, a cunning heroine in proper women’s gothic clothing and a tendency to faint frequently and is rescued regularly and so on. The goal of the gothic is to transgress boundaries and portray taboos, anxieties, and societal or emotional disorder, either implicitly or explicitly. The gothic is characterised by dramatic themes such as incest, diabolism, or necrophilia, which produce sensations of gloom, obscurity, and suspense.
In this article we shall be looking at gothic feminism as depicted by Emily Bronte in her novel Wuthering Heights. Emily Bronte was one of the renowned novelists of her time. Even today she is one of the most read female novelists across the world. Emily Bront’s gothic work follows in the tracks of the two writers, namely Horace Walpole and Ann Radcliffe. In addition to conventional gothic characteristics, Bronte integrates feminist gothic aspects in her story. Female gothic arose essentially as a subgenre of gothic. Ellen Moers was the one who first defined it. If you look at a female goth, you won’t find a scared, submissive woman, rather you will find a strong and bold woman dressed in bold coloured outfits, such as a gothic dress or a top with gothic skirt.
Jordash Clothing is an online store in the UK where you will get different types of gothic outfits and accessories.
Let us now have a look at the gothic feminism in Wuthering Heights and along with that we will also look at some of the aspects on how to dress like the gothic characters mentioned in the novel in order to get a strong and bold look.
Wuthering Heights and gothic feminism
A gothic novel’s heroine is an innocent victim whose goal is to employ various techniques (typically passive-aggressive) to prevail over patriarchy. These characteristics, as well as those of female gothic, can be found in at least four of Wuthering Heights’ female protagonists, who all suffered under male dominance in some way: Catherine Earnshaw, Cathy Linton, Isabella Linton, and Frances Earnshaw. In Wuthering Heights, Catherine Earnshaw introduces an initial instance of a persecuted woman. Her nature, however, deviates significantly from the usual pious and virginal goth heroine. The narratives of Nelly and Joseph, who consider her as missing proper manners, represent the traditional viewpoint. She’s wild, which makes her approachable and intriguing to Heathcliff. Catherine is not exactly persecuted by the novel’s monster, indicating another feature that distinguishes her from usual gothic heroines. If you want to be a bold, wild, confident, byronic, romantic and expressive female character like Catherine Earnshaw, then choose those gothic accessories and outfits that properly define this character and your look.
The presence of a tyrannical man and a submissive female figure is an unavoidable aspect of the gothic. Heathcliff & Isabella Linton form such a relationship. Isabella represents the traditional gothic heroine, the polar opposite of Catherine Earnshaw. Her crying over petty stuff exemplifies the clash of personalities between her and Catherine, since such behaviour is typically the target of Catherine’s mockery. Her ignorance is most apparent during her fleeing with Heathcliff. Unlike the typical gothic heroines of Emily Bronte, Isabella Linton is the complete opposite. The time of her escape constitutes a significant turning point in her arc since it is at this point that she finds the actual Heathcliff beneath the façade and embarks on a journey to break free from gothic tradition. Isabella is not manly at first, but she is also not hyper feminine. Considering the character of Isabella, a Victorian gothic look consisting of a bold coloured gown, corset, fishnet, gothic hat and so on will be the best options.
As a gothic heroine, Cathy Linton falls between the two extremities symbolised by Catherine & Isabella. On the one hand, she is raised in the manner of Isabella: an inexperienced heroine, unaware of the world, shielded from all perversities, and therefore unable to comprehend that there are individuals that don’t treat her as her servants and father do. Unlike Isabella, who had to become tougher, stronger, fiercer, and even violent at times to protect herself in Wuthering Heights, Cathy must learn to control her rage and become more connected to Hareton, who may be the key to getting out of her life of perpetual misery.
Summing Up
These are some of the fiercest characters depicted by Emily Bronte in her novel. If you want to get a look that exactly defines these characters, make sure that you are adding certain gothic outfits and accessories to your appearance, such as a gothic gown, gothic top and trouser, gothic cape and so on.