Von Sneidern 1995

Overview

  • Title: Wuthering Heights and the Liverpool Slave Trade

  • Author: Maja-Lisa von Sneidern

  • Source: ELH, Spring 1995, Vol. 62, No. 1 (Spring, 1995), pp. 171-196

  • Published by: The Johns Hopkins University Press

  • Access: Available on JSTOR

Introduction to Themes

  • The essay explores the racial and historical context surrounding Wuthering Heights.

  • Quotes from Michel Foucault and Heathcliff emphasize power dynamics and the oppressive nature of tyranny and slavery.

Historical Context of Slavery in Britain

  • Sommersett Case (1771): A significant case in which a black slave, James Sommersett, sought freedom in England, highlighting the legal complexities around slavery.

    • Lord Mansfield ruled that slavery is so odious that it requires positive law for support, marking a crucial moment in the abolitionist movement.

    • The ruling did not abolish slavery but shifted public perception.

  • Liverpool's Role: By the late 18th century, Liverpool emerged as a leading slave trading port in Britain, surpassing both London and Bristol with over 84% of the British transatlantic slave trade by 1804.

    • The city embraced the commerce of slavery, which was often culturally represented through public iconography.

Racial Otherness in Wuthering Heights

  • Heathcliff as a Symbol of Otherness: Heathcliff, a character of ambiguous racial origin, is introduced as "dark almost as if it came from the devil."

    • His background, having been found on the streets of Liverpool, reveals societal anxieties about race and class.

    • Nelly's speculations about his noble origin signify a fascination with and anxiety over racial identity.

Conflict of Cultures

  • The Heights represent an insular world of Anglo-Saxon purity disrupted by Heathcliff's arrival, leading to chaotic relationships.

    • Pre-Heathcliff, the Heights were marked by order; his presence instigates issues of identity and social hierarchy.

  • Hindley’s Tyranny: As a cruel master figure, Hindley reflects the corrupting influence of power, resembling the tyrants of the slave trade.

    • The household dynamics illustrate the detrimental effects of oppression in both slavery and familial ties.

Themes of Love and Possession

  • Cathy and Heathcliff’s Relationship: Their bond is marked by intensity and addiction, conflating love with possession and dominance.

    • Cathy's declaration of being Heathcliff signifies deep, intertwined identities, set against a backdrop of societal constraints.

    • The power dynamics resemble those of master and bondsman relationships, marking love with elements of control and subjugation.

The Disintegration of Identity

  • Cathy’s illness after Heathcliff's departure indicates the boundary between love and madness, hinting at the psychological impacts of their toxic relationship.

  • The text poses questions about the nature of bonds that exceed love, suggesting that the characters’ identities are fragmented by the oppressive settings.

Racial Dynamics and Miscegenation

  • Linton Heathcliff: The offspring of Cathy and Heathcliff embodies society's fears about miscegenation, displaying a combination of both their traits with negative connotations.

    • Challenges the perception of purity and the consequences of blending different racial identities.

Conclusion

  • The essay critiques the ideological frameworks of race and slavery, showing how Wuthering Heights reflects and interrogates the complexities surrounding identity, love, and cultural history.

  • Suggests that slavery’s legacy continues to haunt characters, echoing Victorian anxieties about race and social class.