Narrative Framing: Nelly and Lockwood’s Unreliable Perspectives in Wuthering Heights
Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights is renowned not only for its intense passion and dark themes but also for its complex narrative framing, featuring two key narrators—Nelly Dean and Mr. Lockwood—whose unreliable perspectives shape how readers experience the story. This layered storytelling technique adds depth and ambiguity, making the novel a masterpiece of narrative innovation.
What is Narrative Framing?
Narrative framing is a literary device where a story is told through multiple narrators or within another story. In Wuthering Heights, the main narrative is framed by Lockwood’s initial perspective, while Nelly Dean recounts the bulk of events from her personal experience.
This structure invites readers to critically assess each narrator’s reliability and biases.
Nelly Dean: The Insider with Subjective Bias
As the housekeeper and long-time servant at both Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange, Nelly provides an intimate, detailed account of the characters’ lives. However, her closeness to events and personal judgments influence her storytelling.
Nelly often interprets characters’ motives and actions through her own moral lens, sometimes displaying favoritism or omitting details, which calls into question the objectivity of her narration.
Mr. Lockwood: The Outsider’s Limited Understanding
Lockwood, the novel’s initial narrator, is a gentleman renting Thrushcross Grange. His outsider perspective is limited and often confused by the strange events and characters he encounters. His retelling relies heavily on Nelly’s accounts, making him a secondary, filtered voice.
Lockwood’s misunderstandings and assumptions further complicate the narrative, as readers see the story through his often naive or biased viewpoint.
The Impact of Unreliable Narrators
The use of unreliable narrators creates ambiguity and invites readers to actively interpret Wuthering Heights. The contradictions, gaps, and emotional subjectivity in Nelly and Lockwood’s stories force readers to question truth and consider multiple perspectives.
This narrative complexity mirrors the novel’s themes of passion, revenge, and social conflict.
Conclusion: Narrative Framing Enhances the Novel’s Depth
Emily Brontë’s choice to use Nelly and Lockwood’s unreliable perspectives as narrative frames adds richness to Wuthering Heights, making it a layered exploration of human nature and storytelling itself.
This technique challenges readers to look beyond surface narratives and engage deeply with the novel’s emotional and moral intricacies.
FAQs: Narrative Framing in Wuthering Heights
Q: Why are Nelly and Lockwood considered unreliable narrators?
A: Both have personal biases, limited knowledge, and subjective viewpoints that affect their storytelling.
Q: How does narrative framing affect the reader’s experience?