Abstract: Wuthering Heights was written by Emily Brontë, who was an English novelist and poet. It is one of the most well-known works in the history of British literature. Wuthering Heights is a story about love and revenge, which tells the story of the tragic and intricate emotional relations between the two generations of the Earnshaws and the Lintons. This thesis is to analyze the causes of Catherine’s tragic fate in terms of Catherine’s own character flaws, the major influences of Heathcliff and Edgar, and the influences of the social environment. Based on the above analysis, we can achieve a better understanding of Catherine, who goes through an eventful life and ends up dying in agony.

Key word: Wuthering Heights, Emily Brontë, Catherine, tragic fate

CONTENTS

Abstract

中文摘要

1. Introduction1

1.1 An Introduction to Emily Brontë. 1

1.2A Literature Review of Wuthering Heights2

2. The Causes of Catherine’s Tragic Fate in Wuthering Heights3

2.1The Character Flaws of Catherine3

2.1.1 Hunger for Fame and Fortune3

2.1.2 Inner Emptiness and Loneliness4

2.2 The Major Influences of Others5

2.2.1 The Influences of Heathcliff5

2.2.2 The Influences of Edgar6

2.3 The Influences of the Social Environment.7

3. Conclusion7

Bibliography.9

Acknowledgements10