Date of Award
4-30-2026
Degree Type
UG Dissertation (Restricted)
Department
English
Chief Supervisor
Prof. Jason Harding
Abstract
In Brontean Studies, Emily Brontë’s only novel, Wuthering Heights, has long puzzled critics with its morally unsettling revenge and labyrinthine narrative structure. While there have been ample thematic readings of the novel, scholars have yet to address how the narrative mechanics actively construct and sustain revenge. The thesis applies Gérard Genette’s narratological framework to analyze revenge in Wuthering Heights. It argues that revenge is not only Heathcliff’s psychological motif, but also the narrative logic of the novel. Brontë’s use of order, frequency, narrator, focalization, and duration turns Heathcliff’s revenge into the construction of the novel. The romance of the second generation structurally mirrors the first’s, but is revised by loosening Heathcliff’s desire for revenge. The thesis combines Thomas Vargish’s thematic insight with Genette’s theory and reveals how the form and theme intertwine in this novel.
Language
English
Copyright
The copyright of this dissertation is owned by its author. Any reproduction, adaptation, distribution or dissemination of this thesis without express authorization is strictly prohibited.
Recommended Citation
Lau, C. T. J. (2026). Embodying revenge: A Genettian Narratological reading of Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights (UG dissertation, Lingnan University, Hong Kong). Retrieved from https://commons.ln.edu.hk/eng_fyp/99