Abstract:Emily Bronte is one of the most famous writers of the 19th century. Wuthering Heights is her only novel, which lays high status in the history of the English literature and of the world literature. It has a significant influence on the development of the English literature. The story tells us about the love and hatred between two generations on the wasteland in north Britian. It has aroused special attention since it was published. The success of the novel largely owes to the shaping of the main characters, and Heathcliff is one of those. But opinions vary on the hero. After reading the novel carefully, it’s obvious to see that Heathcliff is a typical Byronic Hero, who is ruthless but at the same time is tender and passionate. This thesis will have a careful analysis of Heathcliff and the formation of his characters with the intention to enrich the study of the novel.

This thesis consists of five chapters. Chapter one makes a brief introduction to Emily Bronte, her Wuthering Heights and the recent years’ studies on it. Chapter two gives a brief introduction to Byronic Hero. Chapter three analyzes Heathcliff’s characters as a Byronic Hero. Chapter four analyzes the formation of his characters. Chapter five is the conclusion part.

Keywords: Emily Bronte  Wuthering Heights  Heathcliff  Byronic Hero

Contents

Abstract

摘要

Chapter One Introduction-1

1.1 Emily Bronte, a Great Genius in Literary Community-1

1.2 Wuthering Heights, Emily Bronte’s Only Novel-2

1.3 Studies about Wuthering Heights-3

Chapter Two A Brief Introduction to Byronic Hero-4

2.1 Definition of Byronic Hero-4

2.2 Features of Byronic Hero-4

Chapter Three An Analysis of Heathcliff, a Typical Byronic Hero-6

3.1 A Strong Rebel and Avenger-6

3.2 A Social Protester-7

3.3 A Passionate but Tortuous Lover-8

3.4 Tragic Fate-9

Chapter Four Formation of Heathcliff’s Characters-10

4.1 Childhood Experiences-10

4.2 Betrayal of Catherine’s Love-10

4.3 Low Social Status-11

Chapter Five Conclusion-13

References-14