Facul ad de Filología
GRADO EN ESTUDIOS INGLESES
TRABAJO DE FIN DE GRADO
CURSO: 2023-24
Tí ulo: W i ing he Female Body in 19 h Cen u y Fic ion: A
C i ical Discussion o Physicali y in Emily B on ë’s
Wu he ing Heigh s and Cha lo e B on ë’s Ville e
Alumno/a: Ma ía Salag e Alba
Fi mado:
Tu o a: Ca olina Sánchez-Palencia Ca azo
Fi mado po SALAGRE ALBA
MARIA - ***7449** el día
14/05/2024 con un ce i icado
emi ido po AC FNMT Usua ios
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Table o Con en s
1.In oduc ion ............................................................................................................................. 3
2.His o ical Con ex ................................................................................................................... 4
2.1. Vic o ian Female Fashion as Gende and Body Poli ics ................................................. 7
3.Wu he ing Heigh s: Ca he ine and Isabella’s Body-Psyche Duali y ...................................... 7
3.1. Mo al Reg e o Going Beyond Physicali y ................................................................... 7
3.2. Female Illness: P egnancy and Psychosoma ic Responses o Emo ional S imuli ........ 11
4. Ville e, a Jou ney owa ds Independence: “The Female Body as a Resis ing Tool o
Pa ia chy” ................................................................................................................................ 17
4.1 Lucy’s Dependen Independence: A Vic o ian Mis i and a He oine ............................ 18
4.2. Ano exia Ne osa: Gene al Dissa is ac ion and Maladjus men .................................. 19
4.3. The Sub e sion o Gende No ma i i y wi hin Gende ed Spaces: Rejec ion o Hype
Feminini y by C oss-D essing .............................................................................................. 24
5. Conclusions .......................................................................................................................... 26
Wo ks Ci ed .............................................................................................................................. 28
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1.In oduc ion
Th oughou his o y, emale bodies ha e been subdued o male pa ia chal alues,
dep i ing hem om hei own agency and eedom. S ic no ms conce ning women’s
physicali y had been a ool o impose no ma i e beha iou s and ca ego ize women o keep hem
silen , basing hei womanhood on hei capaci y o i in o he social s anda ds. None heless,
despi e all e o s o c ea e a pa ia chal sys em ha aliena es women ha s ep ou side he no m,
many his o ical igu es and li e a y cha ac e s sha ed a common a ay o p oblems wi h ega ds
o hei own gende ed iden i y and consequen ly, o he way hei bodies we e pe cei ed,
because, since Wes e n pa ia chy has adi ionally associa ed eminini y wi h physicali y, o
ques ion a woman’s embodied subjec i i y means o in e oga e he e y sel hood. In his pape ,
I will ocus on 19 h cen u y English li e a u e. Mo e speci ically, I will be analyzing wo majo
wo ks: Wu he ing Heigh s by Emily B on ë and Ville e by Cha lo e B on ë. I will also del e
in o he di e en pe spec i es aken by he di e en au ho s o po ay he e ec s o Vic o ian
ep ession on he emale body.
Wu he ing Heigh s has been gi en special a en ion because o he psychological and
psychia ic condi ions mos o he cha ac e s show. None heless, physical illness in he no el
se es as a me apho o injus ice in he land-based pa ia chy o Vic o ian England. Mo eo e ,
he cha ac e s’ physicali y and pos mo em p esence a e also e y ele an opics in he no el.
I will alk abou wha I. Gee ken labels Mo al Reg e and how his al e s he canonical
pe cep ion o emale embodimen and i s link wi hin he Go hic amewo k o B on ë’s wo ks.
I is also wo h conside ing he ea men o p egnancy h oughou he no el, and how i
emphasizes he objec i iza ion o women wi h ega ds o ep oduc i e pu poses.
Ville e, on he o he hand, exempli ies he e na y classi ica ion o women in Vic o ian
li e a u e acco ding o Susan Guba and Sand a Gilbe : The Angel in he House, The Fallen
Angel and The Madwoman, ep esen ed by he wo main emale cha ac e s o he no el: Polly
and Lucy. In his case, Ville e ou lines he lonely jou ney owa ds emale ma u a ion and
pe sonal ul illmen . This no el becomes, in c i ic Jane Ca lisle’s wo ds “a jou ney in o a wo ld
ha is spec al because i is dead, a wo ld ha calls in o ques ion he s abili y and sus ainabili y
o one’s iden i y” (Ca lisle,1979:267). The dicho omy be ween beau y and in elligence will be
emphasized h oughou he no el, clea ly po aying he ecep ion o a Vic o ian public
ega ding his ma e .
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2.His o ical Con ex
In his analysis, I will also con ex ualize each no el in ime, place, and pe sonal
expe ience o bo h B on ë sis e s, and how he au ho s used bodily illness as o e lec on hei
own p oblema ic li e as Vic o ian emale w i e s.
Se ious diseases and p ecocious mo ali y we e e y p esen in he B on ë sis e s' li e.
Chole a, ube culosis, abies, e e s, madness, hys e ia among many o he s pe ade all hei
no els. Dea h was ou ina y in Vic o ian England. In gene al, “ he mo ali y a e was 10.5
pe cen highe han he law conside ed needing special a en ion” (Ba ke , 2012:635). The
a e age age in Hawo h, Yo kshi e, whe e he B on ë sis e s li ed o almos all hei li es, was
only wen y- i e yea s .
Hence i no only ela ed o he heal h issues endu ed in Vic o ian England, bu i also
symbolized and add essed mo e gene alized social p oblems, such as o e popula ion in u ban
a eas and widesp ead po e y, “less manageable han he disease i sel ” (By ne, 2011:15).
Vic o ian socie y was ma ked by p o ound socioeconomic and cul u al changes ha
signi ican ly impac ed on he popula ion. None heless, women aced inequali y exace ba ed by
he p ese a ion o gende oles and male sup emacy, which a ec ed hei physical and men al
heal h and he cul u al ep esen a ions i inspi ed. Fo ins ance, indus ializa ion and
u baniza ion lead o a apid and poo de elopmen o ci ies, causing o e popula ion and
widesp ead po e y.
As Ma k F eeman obse es, la e emphasized by Wo h, he eali ies o u al li e we e
“hidden behind a se ies o pas o al concep ions o he coun yside ha acco ded u ali y a s a us
supe io o ha o u ban cul u al li e” (Wo h, 2018:8). “While he popula ion o England and
Wales ose om 17.9 o 36.1 million in he pe iod om 1850 o 1914, he numbe o people
li ing in u al dis ic s ell om 8.9 o 7.9 million” (Wo h, 2018:9).
These condi ions we e pa icula ly ha sh o women, who we e o en elega ed o low-
paying and p eca ious jobs, such as domes ic se ice o ac o y wo k, wi h ew oppo uni ies
o ad ancemen o inancial independence. This caused he apid de elopmen o he
ube culosis epidemic among lowe classes due o he unheal hy condi ions many had o endu e.
“All women had a special s a us, as emales and all women su e ed disad an ages wi h
ega ds o he law, ma iage, money, business, and employmen , ega dless o hei social class.
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I could be con ended ha women had no social class on hei own accoun , bu i de i ed om
a he s and husbands” (Woj czak, 2003:3).
Medicine du ing his e a was no e y ad anced, and diseases we e sp eading e y
apidly among he popula ion due o limi ed esou ces, lack o awa eness o hygienical
measu es and he ailu e o impossibili y o ea and/ o diagnose ce ain diseases. As
men ioned by Jalland “ he medicine o he Vic o ian gene al p ac i ione was no much mo e
ad anced han ha o his p edecesso s wo cen u ies ea lie because he had ew e ec i e
medica ions” (Jalland, 1996: 78). The cause o dea h and he esul o diseases such as chole a
and yphus emained “deeply obscu ed and much con es ed” (Jalland, 1996: 83).
Doc o s and pa ien s we e awa e o hese limi s, and dea h was su ounded by
unce ain y and inexplicable o ces ha wen beyond science a he ime. E en when pa ien s
we e on pallia i e ea men , a he han c i icizing, hey s ill espec ed and admi ed he doc o s
o hei labo . In addi ion, he a e o in an mo ali y in England was one o he mos ele a ed
ones in Eu ope, apa om Ge many. Acco ding o he PMC, “Na ionally, in an mo ali y ose
in he pe iod 1650-1740, o almos 20 % o all li e-bo n in an s” (Da enpo , 2021:7).
Taking in o accoun he apid sp ead o in ec ious diseases p e iously men ioned, child
labou , malnu i ion and in e ili y we e also key ac o s in he no maliza ion o dea h among
popula ion du ing he Vic o ian e a, which lead o i ualiza ion and complex managemen o
diseases and dea h. One ins ance o his i ual complexi y migh be ound in he de elopmen
o pos mo em pho og aphy as a e y common p ac ice du ing he 19 h cen u y. Al hough i
migh seem unsensi i e nowadays, in Vic o ian England his became a e y common and mo e
a o dable way o commemo a ion o he dea h in a mo e a o dable way and also a way o
cope wi h g ie . Acco ding o BBC jou nalis Be han Bell:
“Dea h po ai u e became inc easingly popula . Vic o ian nu se ies we e
plagued by measles, diph he ia, sca le e e , ubella - all o which could be
a al. I was o en he i s - ime amilies hough o ha ing a pho og aph aken -
i was he las chance o ha e a pe manen likeness o a belo ed child” (Bell,
2016).
Conside ing he abo e p emises, i can be a i med ha amily agedy and dea h
haun ed he B on ë sis e s om a e y ea ly age. Beginning wi h he p ema u e dead o hei
mo he a he age o hi y-eigh due o wha is commonly known nowadays as “u e ine cance ”,
he B on ë sis e s spen mos o hei li es endu ing g ie and loss as a consequence o he

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p eca ious condi ions in Hawo h. Consump ion, o mos commonly known nowadays as
ube culosis, was also a ally c ucial in hei li es. Fi e membe s o he B on ë amily (Ma ia,
Elizabe h, B anwell, Emily and Anne B on ë) died o ube culosis wi hin less han a yea . A
hi y- h ee, Cha lo e was he only sibling ali e. Because o he longs anding e ec s o
malnu i ion, lack o knowledge abou in ec ious diseases and he absence o heal h measu es,
epidemics and mo ali y we e p e ailing in hei li es, becoming cen al o he plo in Wu he ing
Heigh s.
“Wi h he knowledge o mode n medicine, he diseases desc ibed in Vic o ian no els
can be iden i ied wi h conside able ce ain y” (Bloom ield, 2011:293). Special a en ion is paid
o he depic ion o pa ien s wi h ube culosis. Ba nes a gues ha “ ube culosis was he mos
amilia ace o dea h in he 19 h cen u y and so i became a essel in o which could low a
a ie y o ea s, g ie s and emo ions” (Ba nes, 2023:251). While ube culosis was pe cei ed as
a “somehow noble” and gene a ed eelings o sympa hy, men al illness was socially
unaccep able in he 19 h cen u y and conside ed “a disg ace” because, o a g ea ex en , he
men ally ill, ma ginalized om socie y and no mally e ained in ins i u ions, we e o en blamed
o b inging on hei own illnesses and we e some imes seen as ic ims o bad a e, eligious
and mo al ansg ession and e en wi chc a ” (Bloom ield 2011: 296).
His o ical e idence shows ha Cha lo e B on ë isi ed p isons and asylums o wi ness
soli a y con inemen and i s e ec s. Acco ding o Showal e , “in 1853, B on ë isi ed bo h
Pen on ille p ison and Be hlem hospi al and saw i s hand he ea men (e ec i e o o he wise)
o mad pa ien s he e” (Showal e 1985: 68).
By he same oken he his o ical objec i ica ion o women in Vic o ian England as
p e iously analyzed, oo ed in no ions o agili y and he ideal o The Angel in he House, has
long been in e wined wi h socie al expec a ions ega ding eminini y. This cons uc ,
emphasizing women's delicacy, domes ic con inemen , and submission, has pe aded a ious
aspec s o cul u e, including he ealm o ashion. Th oughou his o y, ashion ends ha e o en
been dic a ed by hese en enched ideals, pe pe ua ing ha m ul s anda ds ha p io i ize aes he ic
appeal o e women's well-being and au onomy. F om co se s designed o cinch wais s o
imp ac ical oo wea ha cons ic ed mo emen , ashion has se ed as a ool o ein o cing
pa ia chal no ms, es ic ing women's eedom and agency o he sake o o namen al beau y.
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2.1. Vic o ian Female Fashion as Gende and Body Poli ics
In he Vic o ian e a, ashion and ideals o slimness we e deeply in e wined, la gely due
o he widesp ead popula i y o he co se . The use o he co se had mul iple implica ions on
he bodies and minds o i s use s. I imposed ashion ideals on women, ein o cing he necessi y
o be slim and e ined in o de o be aluable in socie y. Explici ules we e published in many
magazines a he ime, s ablishing beau y s anda ds o women:
“The eason why a small wais is a beau y is because, when i is na u al, i goes oge he
wi h he peculia li heness and ac i i y o a slende ly buil igu e. All he bones a e
small, he shoulde s and a ms pe i e, and he gene al look is dain y and you h ul”
(Haweis, 1878: 120).
The co se ein o ced he idea o idle, ail, and weak woman ha emained in he
con ines o he domes ic space, en i ely dependen on a male powe igu e, ei he ep esen ed
by he husband o he a he . A co se p oduces physical cons ain , comp essing he uppe
co e and specially he wais , aming he ideal agile and weak women “languishing in ennui;
incapable o cons ancy, decision o s a u e, he middle-class woman was, un il ecen ly,
consis en ly dispa aged” (Mcclin ock 2012: 160).
3.Wu he ing Heigh s: Ca he ine and Isabella’s Body-Psyche Duali y
3.1. Mo al Reg e o Going Beyond Physicali y
Wi h ega ds o p e ious his o ical backg ound, i is wo h conside ing he ele ance o
dea h in Wu he ing Heigh s. The na a i e o his book is mo e han a ale abou longing om
he dead. The li e-dea h di ide is comple ely blu ed. Al hough dea h conno a es an a emp o
ansi ion in o a pos -li e s a e, di e en om ha o he li ing, in he wo ld o Wu he ing
Heigh s, dea h and li e can coexis wi hin he same pe son.
In his no el, he e is de ini e p oo ha dead bodies a e no en i ely annihila ed om
li e. Hea hcli cha ac e izes himsel as a me e ansi ion in o a nea by ealm, one anima ed by
he endu ing spi i o Ca he ine. Hea hcli 's esponse o Ca he ine's dea h is go e ned by ange
and o men , ye he main ains a s ead as belie ha Ca he ine's absence is no pe manen bu
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a he a empo a y s a e o being un aceable: "Whe e is she? [...] No he e - no in hea en - no
pe ished - whe e?" (B on ë, 2000:175).
Ca he ine's demise undamen ally eshapes Hea hcli 's inne and ou e wo ld.
Fu he mo e, he passing se es as he pi o al backd op h ough which he en i e y o he
na a i e's en i onmen is in e p e ed and unde s ood. Ca he ine se es as he elemen o
me amo phose Hea hcli ’s in e nal and ex e nal landscape. Acco ding o Gee ken, Hea hcli
su e s om Mo al Reg e h oughou he whole no el. Mo al Reg e is “an expe ience o
p o ound objec loss. Fou majo ac s ha exp ess Mo al Reg e a e: 1) clu ching, 2) co psing,
3) exhuma ion, and 4) incan a ion” (Gee ken 2004, 378).
Hea hcli checks all he boxes. Fi s , he clu ches Ca he ine’s body in a despe a e a emp
o p e en sepa a ion: "I ied o d aw back my a m, bu he hand clung o i " (B on ë, 2000: 32).
Secondly, he iden i ies wi h he dead lo ed one by wha Gee ken desc ibes as “co psing”, ha
is, playing dead. In a way, “co psing makes he expe ience o dea h accessible by ep esen ing
wha i eels like o be dead” (Gee ken, 2004: 380). Thi dly, Hea hcli exhumes he co pse in
o de o ob ain physical in imacy and asks he sex on o lea e a spo o him o be bu ied wi h
he :
“I go he sex on, who was digging Lin on’s g a e, o emo e he ea h o he co in lid,
and I opened i . I hough , once, I would ha e s ayed he e: when I saw he ace again—
i is he s ye !—he had ha d wo k o s i me; bu he said i would change i he ai blew
on i , and so I s uck one side o he co in loose, and co e ed i up” (B on ë, 2000: 209).
“Fou h, he calls on he o haun him wishing o li e ally aise he om he dead: “‘May
she wake in o men !’ he c ied, wi h igh ul ehemence, s amping his oo , and
g oaning in a sudden pa oxysm o ungo e nable passion” (B on ë, 2000: 149).
Somehow, B on ë changes he meaning o li e and dea h h ough he cha ac e s o
Ca he ine and Hea hcli . On he one hand, Ca he ine is esu ec ed as a ghos while Hea hcli
succumbs o dea h. Hea hcli 's despe a e plea o Ca he ine o awaken imbues he spec al o m
wi h i ali y, e idenced by he bleeding in he opening scene: “I obse ed se e al splashes o
blood abou he ba k o he ee, and his hand and o ehead we e bo h s ained” (B on ë, 2000:
150).
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In con as , Hea hcli eg esses o p imal ins inc s, spla e ing blood on he ee's ba k
and emi ing e al c ies. Following Ca he ine's demise, he na a i e dynamics shi , wi h he
wo lo e s exchanging oles. B on ë p esen s he in e wining o li e and dea h, po aying
Ca he ine as li e-in-dea h and Hea hcli as dea h-in-li e, explo ing his duali y as a possibili y
and go hic ea u e in Wu he ing Heigh s.
Ca he ine’s physicali y is e y ambi alen . Fi s ly, Hea hcli endu es wi h Ca he ine’s
dea h as i she we e a “"li ing hing in lesh and blood ... a subs an ial body in he da k” (B on ë,
2000: 290). Ca he ine’s ghos becomes solidi ied due o Hea hcli ’s dependence on Ca he ine.
He whole exis ence is mainly ma ked by abuse, and e en a e he dea h, he memo y, legacy,
and co pse a e manipula ed by pa ia chy. Ca he ine’s agency is ne e espec ed, and bo h
Hea hcli and Edga Lin on’s exploi emale independence. Hea hcli 's possessi e ixa ion on
Ca he ine pe sis s beyond he passing, as he endea o s o exe con ol o e he e en in dea h,
insis ing on being bu ied o es beside he : “o dissol ing wi h he and being mo e happy s ill!”
(B on ë, 2000, 209).
Acco ding o schola Ka h yn Col in, he g a e in Wu he ing Heigh s is po ayed no
necessa ily as a place o sepa a ion, bu a imes as a “sensualised and e en yea ned- o si e o
e o ic union; especially, he emale lo e ’s g a e is a liminal space whe e a man,‘wild’wi h he
winned hunge s o despai and desi e, can seek in his heigh ened s a e o anscend he aboo
bounda y be ween li e and dea h” (Col in 202:385).
Hea hcli 's nec ophiliac longing o Ca he ine's g a e is so in ense ha he inds solace
in a peculia d eam whe e he imagines himsel in e e nal es beside he , his hea ceased, and
his cheek p essed agains he s. Howe e , i is he an alizing idea o me ging wi h he , a sensual
concep o comple e dissolu ion and union— he ul ima e, unb eakable physical in imacy— ha
b ings him e en g ea e joy. This anscenden expe ience ep esen s a pe manen and
immo alized o m o hei lee ing ea hly sexual connec ion, in ensi ying Hea hcli 's
happiness e en u he .
In addi ion, Hea hcli ’s ex eme ixa ion on Ca he ine’s body p o okes him o desec a e
he co in o eplace Edga d’s lock o hai wi h Hea hcli ’s. Hai held signi ican e ishis ic
alue, embodying a ious symbolic meanings deeply ing ained in he cul u al and social ab ic
o he e a. O en ega ded as a po en symbol o eminini y, i ue, and e en e o icism, hai
played a cen al ole in de ining gende no ms and socie al expec a ions. Some pa s o hei
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eade ship. In addi ion, mo he hood ends up agically wi h he li e. Fi s ly, she is abandoned
by he alleged husband in his son’s ea ly yea s. No only ha bu she con ac s ube culosis
om he son, which in he case, will e en ually be he cause o he dea h. He son, al hough he
manages o su i e om ha disease, is desc ibed om he minu e he is bo n as a weak c ea u e:
"He was ch is ened Lin on, and, om he i s , she epo ed him o be an ailing, pee ish
c ea u e" (B on ë, 2000: 133). This could also be alluding o he ac ha he ma iage was as
weak as hei child. In con as wi h Ca he ine, he is a wan ed child, al hough he is comple ely
neglec ed by his pa e nal igu e once he has achie ed his pu pose.
Tube culosis adds up o he weakness and eeble aspec o Isabella. Taking in o
conside a ion he his o ical con ex p e iously analyzed, i makes sense ha B on ë decides o
link his disease o Isabella. Tube culosis was socially in e p e ed in he 19 h cen u y as a
g ace ul demise and gene a ed eelings o sympa hy. The e was nei he shame no s igma on i ,
bu i implied some so o pi y o hose who su e ed and died as a esul o i s in ec ion. As
he disease implied consump ion, Isabella’s anishing om he na a i e (no wi hou lea ing
a pain ul es imony o he su e ing) can be associa ed o he e asu e o he emale exis ence in
a s o y domina ed by powe ul masculine in e es s, hus p o ing he ole as a sac i icial igu e,
in une wi h he de ini ions o Vic o ian no ma i e eminini y.
Isabella is he embodimen o ic imhood. She is no only ic im o ube culosis bu
also ic im o male abuse. In 1878, F ances Powe Cobbe’s uses he e m Wi e-To u e in
England (q d. Pike, 2009: 375). Acco ding o Pike, while Emily B on ë was w i ing he no els,
discussions on domes ic iolence we e occu ing disc ee ly wi hin Pa liamen , pa icula ly in
deba es conce ning di o ce laws and de ining c uel y as g ounds o di o ce (q d. Pike, 2009:
375). B on ë's decision o inco po a e his heme, a opic he sis e Anne also explo ed in The
Tenan o Wild ell Hall a yea la e , spa ked conside able con o e sy du ing ha pe iod.
A e she is exp op ia ed om he o une and amily, Isabella ends up being dep i ed
o he e y li e. A e he ma iage, she no only loses he social s a us bu also he o me
iden i y. She is no longe desc ibed as childlike gi l, bu somehow, she acqui es a deg ee o
coa seness ha allows he o g ow up in o a ma ied woman, di e en om he o iginal. The e
a e some ins ances in he ex ha p o e he a e sion o using he ma ied name. Fo ins ance,
she signs he le e Nelly ecei es simply as Isabella. In addi ion, he le e e e ences indi ec ly
he ac ha she is no longe Isabella Lin on bu Isabella Hea hcli , un ecognizable o hose
who knew he ue Isabella: “My name was Isabella Lin on” (B on ë, 2000:100).

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Al hough he le e showcases Isabella Hea hcli 's de elopmen o a nuanced and
commanding na a i e oice, she emains cons ained by he legal limi a ions o co e u e.
Isabella's inqui y ega ding he husband's possible insani y holds signi icance wi hin he
con ex o he ime. Elizabe h Foys e 's examina ion o Wi e Ba e y spanning om he
Edwa dian e a o he Vic o ian pe iod highligh s how socie al no ms o deco um and he
expec a ion o men o exhibi es ain led o conjec u e, pa icula ly among obse e s o
domes ic abuse, ha he husband's iolen beha io was indica i e o madness (q d. Pike, 2009:
356). Acco ding o Alge non Cha les Swinbu ne “ he de ails o delibe a e o passiona e
b u ali y in Hea hcli ’s ea men o his ic ims make he eade eel o a momen as hough
he we e eading a police epo ” (q d. Pike, 2009: 356).
Isabella and Ca he ine a e clea ly subjec ed o male iolence. Al hough hei
managemen is di e en , psychosoma ic esponses o unhealed auma in bo h cha ac e s a e
p esen h oughou he no el, inally causing hei agic dea hs. Mo he hood and gi lhood in
he Vic o ian E a a e opics co e ed in he no el by he au ho . Emily B on ë's own agic
ela ionship wi h mo he hood can be e lec ed in he no el as well. As s a ed by Guba and
Gilbe , “To be a lady is o be diseased” (Gilbe & Guba , 1984: 269).
4. Ville e, a Jou ney owa ds Independence: “The Female Body as a Resis ing
Tool o Pa ia chy”
As p e iously s a ed, womanhood du ing he 19 h cen u y implied acing gende -speci ic
isks and ulne abili ies. In con as wi h Wu he ing Heigh s, Ville e was w i en by Emily
B on ë’s sis e Cha lo e i e yea s a e Emily’s dea h and ou a e he o he sis e , Anne’s.
This no el seems o se e he as a way o alle ia ing he shock p oduced a e he apid decease
o bo h he sis e s. Ville e highligh s he challenges women aced amids he cons ain s o
Vic o ian socie al no ms, illus a ing hei soli a y pa h owa ds g ow h, and inding ul illmen .
This s o y is “a jou ney in o a wo ld ha is spec al because i is dead, a wo ld ha calls in o
ques ion he s abili y and sus ainabili y o one’s iden i y” (Ca lisle, 1979:267).
The ocus o he analysis will be placed mainly on he bina y opposi ion be ween he
wo main cha ac e s o he no el; Lucy and Polly, and how al hough hey ep esen con a y
ideals, bo h sha e he complexi y o women’s emo ional needs in Vic o ian socie y. Some o
he limi a ions o he emale oles a e exp essed in Wu he ing Heigh s, showcasing he causes
o social emo ional immobili y o Ca he ine. The p ocess o ma u ing is wha damages
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Ca he ine, e en ually causing he dea h. In Ville e, Lucy Snowe se es as a esponse o his,
and could be conside ed “an hones elegy o all hose women who canno ind ways ou and
a e obbed o hei will o li e” (Gilbe & Guba , 1984:403).
4.1 Lucy’s Dependen Independence: A Vic o ian Mis i and a He oine
“Who a e you, Lucy Snowe?” Gine a cu iously inqui es, unable o assign a
con en ional eminine ole o he young eache , la e e e ing o he as “peculia and so
mys e ious” (B on ë, 2018: 307, 309). This quo e encapsula es pe ec ly how Lucy Snowe is
pe cei ed by a Vic o ian eade ship: ”Silen , in isible, a bes an ino ensi e shadow, Lucy
Snowe has no pa imony and no expec a ions, g ea o li le” (Gilbe & Guba , 1984: 400).
Lucy ep esen s gene al misiden i ica ion because o se e al ac o s: he absen amily, he
gende , he in e es and mos impo an ly, he independence. She is a nobody.
Dependency o a man was quin essen ial o women in Vic o ian socie y, conside ed
men ally weake , hence, mo e “ ulne able o insani y han men” (Showal e , 2007:7).
No mally, due o hei own pe sonal ci cums ances, pa e nal y anny, exe ed whe he by he
a he o he husband, occasioned he domes ica ion o women cons ained only wi hin
household ac i i ies and consequen ly, he common de elopmen o men al diseases. Lucy is
he an hesis o gende no ma i i y wi hin Vic o ian England.
Fi s ly, she is o ced o be independen om an ea ly age, as she is an o phan. Secondly,
she does no mee nei he he beau y no he in ellec ual s anda ds o a woman a he ime.
Lucy is desc ibed by G aham as a so o and ogynous sou ce o in ellec wi h whom he could
e en ually hold a con e sa ion: “I belie e i you had been a boy, Lucy, ins ead o a gi l—my
mo he ’s godson ins ead o he god-daugh e —we should ha e been good iends: ou opinions
would ha e mel ed in o each o he ” (B on ë, 2019: 315). G aham acknowledges he in ellec
ha is masculine enough o be alid, al hough no alid enough o us he because o he
gende . “Lucy Snow is o men ed by he ealiza ion ha she has bough su i al a he p ice o
ne e ully exis ing” (Gilbe & Guba , 1984: 400). She becomes awa e o he social dange s
o socie y o being comple ely dep i ed o iden i y and powe .
Mo eo e , al hough i is ne e di ec ly add essed in he no el, i can be in e ed ha his
cha ac e endu es auma ic e en s du ing he childhood, p obably caused by he o phanhood.
This, acco ding o F eudian psychoanalysis could be conside ed he cause o he hys e ical
diso de . None heless, she no only su e s men al p ocesses bu also physical damage, hus
ein o cing he psychosoma ic implica ions o socie al cons ains o Vic o ian women.
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On he one hand, he highly misogynis ic socie y in which all hese au ho s we e w i ing
was he main sou ce o he social illness e lec ed by hei he oines: “Women’s insani y was
based on he expe ience o he biological c ises o mens ua ion and li e cycle du ing which
hei minds we e weakened” (Showal e , 2018:55-56, emphasis mine). The social aboo
su ounding his ma e con ibu ed o he ein o cemen o women’s weake posi ion in socie y
and dependence o masculine igu es, because he public disclosu e o his would ha e iola ed
eligious and social dogmas. On he o he hand, sepa a ing om he no m lead clea
ma ginaliza ion and s igma iza ion o women’s emo ional needs. Lucy su e s he consequences
o a ep essi e socie y ha ei he aliena es he o who she uly is o opp esses he , aking away
he eedom and independence. He sepa a ion om he no m as well as he auma p e iously
endu ed is wha e en ually causes he o su e psychosoma ic diso de s.
4.2. Ano exia Ne osa: Gene al Dissa is ac ion and Maladjus men
One o he clea es examples o he impac o Lucy’s men al s a e on he body is he
as ing a e he solo aca ion:
“I ha dly knew how I was o li e o he end. My spi i s had long been g adually sinking;
now ha he p op o employmen was wi hd awn, hey wen down as . E en o look
o wa d was no o hope: he dumb u u e spoke no com o , o e ed no p omise, ga e
no inducemen o bea p esen e il in eliance on u u e good. A so ow ul indi e ence
o exis ence o en p essed on me—a despai ing esigna ion o each be imes he end o
all hings ea hly” (B on ë, 2019:156).
As p e iously men ioned, women we e commonly labeled as pa hologically ne ous
and physically weak. Vic o ian pa ia chy en o ced gende opp ession p oducing slende
igu es. Food diso de s became closely associa ed wi h eminini y, encou aging es ic i e
ea ing beha io s among middle and uppe -class gi ls. The no ion o The Angel in he House
desc ibed by Pa mo e i idly illus a es he pe cep ion o physical ail y as a symbol o pu i y,
in e io i y, and dependency:
How o en lings o nough , and yokes
He hea o an icicle o whim,
Whose each impa ien wo d p o okes
Ano he , no om he , bu him;
While she, oo gen le e en o o ce
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His peni ence by kind eplies,
Wai s by, expec ing his emo se,
Wi h pa don in he pi ying eyes;
And i he once, by shame opp ess'd, (Pa mo e, 2014: 1-13)
Polly is he li ing example o his cul o emale debili a ion in Vic o ian England which
makes o he “ he pa agon o omance, he pe ec lady” (Gilbe & Guba 1984:428). She is
The Angel in he House and is desc ibed in he no el as a “li le pe son in a mou ning ock and
whi e chemise e, ha migh jus ha e i ed a good-sized doll” (B on ë, 2018:17). “She was a
om disobedien ; bu an objec less conduci e o com o — o anquilli y e en— han she
p esen ed, i was sca cely possible o ha e be o e one’s eyes” (B on ë, 2018:14). The
simila i ies wi h Pa mo e’s poem a e clea , Polly is he Vic o ian s anda d o women in he
doll-size and he obedien and submissi e disposi ion.
None heless, his ex eme adequa ion o socie al no ms ha we e p oli e a ing in
conduc books eleased o Vic o ian emale eade ship is wha pe e s Polly’s childhood and
leads Lucy o he ealiza ion ha she does no wan o become ha . Polly ealizes om an ea ly
age he pe ks o womanhood, and ins ead o ebelling agains hem, she con o ms o social
s anda ds, e a ding he pe sonal de elopmen and lea ing he in a cons an s a e o childhood:
“a demu e li le pe son” (B on ë, 2018: 15). He ull name, Polly Home, an icipa es om he
e y s a he domes ici y ha will go e n he u u e exis ence.
In con as , Lucy Snowe’s name migh be in e ing he coldness o womanhood,
sugges ing a de achmen om he wo ld a ound he . Since she is a mis i , wi h an unlucky a e
in a wo ld o socie al Vic o ian cons ain s, she is any hing bu na u e's a ou i e. He s uggles
wi h loneliness and aliena ion, as well as he possibili y o he o become acquain ed wi h wha
she uly desi es, is wha e en ually allows he o ul ill he sel . “Lucy becomes a uni e sal
model o B on ë's desi ed woman” (Showal e , 1977:112). As s a ed by Lucy he sel : “The
wo ld is e y igh in i s iew [...] ye I belie e ha also I am no w ong in mine” (B on ë, 2018:
309).
None heless, he p ocess unde gone by his cha ac e is no linea and also showcases
he eali y among many women a he ime. He posi ion as an ou cas woman as well as he
auma endu ed h oughou he li e makes he he pe ec a ge o endu e he consequences o
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pa ia chy upon he own body. The humilia ions pe pe a ed by he pupils due o he o igin,
social class, beau y, and age causes a huge ha m o he sel -es eem:
“I suppose you a e nobody’s daugh e …you ha e no ela ions; you can’ call you sel
young a wen y- h ee. You ha e… no beau y. As o admi e s you ha dly know wha
hey a e…I belie e you ne e we e in lo e, and ne e will be. I belie e you ne e in
lo e, and ne e will be… hough you migh ha e you own hea b oken, no li ing hea
will e e b eak” (B on ë, 2018:146).
Lucy’s emo ional ambi alence and inabili y o i wi hin he no m de i es di ec ly in o
he psychosoma ic esponse o an ea ing diso de . Lucy is a p isone o he own gende as he
socie al cons ain s imposed o e he make he unable o unc ion p ope ly. Socie y makes Lucy
ake he de ini ion o The Angel in he House o a comple e ex eme, as an unconscious sane
a emp o p o e he es ic i e and unheal hy na u e o pa ia chy: “du ing he las nine days I
had aken no solid ood, and su e ed con inual hi s [...] an inwa d o ain ness” (B on ë, 2018:
167).
As add essed in p e ious sec ions, he objec i iza ion o he emale body as well as he
ex eme ixa ion on emale weakness we e e y p esen wi hin he canon o Vic o ian women.
“Tigh lacing, as ing, inega -d inking, and simila cosme ic o die a y excess we e all pa s
o a physical egimen ha helped women ei he o eign mo bid weakness o ac ually decline
in o eal illness” (Gilbe & Guba , 1984: 25). Lucy’s a emp o be an adequa e woman, such
as Polly ha possess he “good eminini y”, esul s in bodily dissocia ion aimed o w ongly
e adica e ca nali y.
Fo ins ance, he de ini ion o w ong ca nali y acco ding o he Vic o ian audience, and
Lucy he sel , can be seen in chap e 19: “The Cleopa a” whe e co pulence is seen as a sign o
p omiscui y and i a ionali y. Con ol o e desi es is wha makes a woman wo hy, and he slim
body ep esen s egula ion. Con a y o ha , Cleopa a is desc ibed as an “ex emely well eed”
(B on ë, 2018:195). Deno a i e adjec i es wi h nega i e conno a ions compose he depic ion o
he scene, indica ing Lucy’s posi ion owa ds Cleopa a’s body: “an absu d and diso de ly mass
o cu ain” (B on ë, 2018: 196), “She ough likewise o ha e wo n decen ga men s-a gown
co e ing he p ope ly, which was no he case” (B on ë, 2018:195), “place now Cleopa a, o
any o he slug” (B on ë, 2018: 251). Cleopa a ep esen s he ude and mo e g o esque pa o

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eminini y, one ha is no es ic ed. Lucy’s own ejec ion o lesh, heal h o glu ony showcases
he indi ec discou se ha p e ails in Vic o ian England, one ha is in ended o opp ess women.
In con as wi h Cleopa a and he idea o w ong ca nali y ha his igu e symbolizes,
Vash i is also used o indi ec ly con ey meaning. In chap e 23, Vash i is po ayed as a
powe ul igu e, p e iously a gued by Sand a Gilbe and Susan Guba . None heless, a di e en
in e p e a ion should be conside ed. Vash i is depic ed as “pale” and “was ed” (B on ë, 2018:
250), esponsible o he own des uc ion. Al hough his biblical eminis he oine in e s agency
and empowe men , Lucy celeb a es he “hal -consumed” (B on ë, 2018: 250) body. Vash i
becomes “an emblem o he con ainmen wi hin he nine een h-cen u y socie y” (Johnson, 1990
:624).
Ano he di e ence indica ing Lucy’s an i he ical ela ionship wi h he emale
no ma i i y ep esen ed by Polly, is ha Lucy shows ins ances o appe i e, al hough she
pu posely ep esses i . On he con a y, Polly does no ha e an appe i e. In he case o men, hey
ne e show signs o dep i a ion. They can eely ul ill hei needs and enjoy ood. In his case,
s a a ion ope a es bo h ways: hose whom socie y alues, in his case men, socie y eeds,
whe eas hose whom socie y does no alue, mus s a e, seen in he case o Polly and Lucy.
This in insic necessi y o es ain hemsel es apa om he ac ha i was highly linked wi h
he idea o weakness ha he concep o The Angel in he House p omo es, is also ano he
dis inc ea u e ha emphasizes he wo sepa a ed wo lds o men and women. Men could
de elop hemsel es in e ms o educa ion, wi hin he social sphe e and e en sexually whe eas
women we e expec ed o ep ess he sexuali y and emo ions and emain wi hin he pa ia chal
alues s ablished in socie y. Women es ic i e ea ing habi s unde ly a deepe meaning, ha is,
hei own dep a a ion om public li e, educa ion, and sel - ul illmen apa om ha o he
household.
De ailed desc ip ions o wha ood is consumed a e e y equen in he no el: “o my
g ea joy his ood was limi ed o co ee and cake: “I had ea ed wine and swee s” (B on e,
2018: 127). A ypology on wha a women should ea is s ablished, and mos impo an ly, i
should ne e be in on o a man. As p oposed in by Gilbe and Guba , Lucy is li ing inside a
omb in he sense ha ano exia is deeply connec ed wi h dea h. “I ood equals dea h, women’s
olun a y abs inence o ood would also accoun o hei longing o o e powe hei induced
subjuga ion” (Sanchez-A es, 2007:26). Ins ances o ne ous e e s can be ound in his no el.
Same as Ca he ine in Wu he ing Heigh s, Lucy unde goes episodes o deli ium while as ing,
and he diagnose is exac ly he same: “I canno pu my case in o wo ds, bu my days and nigh s
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we e g own in ole able; a c uel sense o desola ion pained my mind-a eeling wha would make
i s way, ush ou , o kill me” (B on ë, 2018: 180).
D . John's eliance on es ablished medical p o ocols o diagnosing madness causes him
o o e look i s po en ially libe a ing e ec s. Despi e diagnosing Lucy wi h hypochond ia, when
she is con ined wi hin D . John's esidence o he eco e y, she expe iences p o ound men al
dis ess, eeling “ acked and opp essed in mind” (B on ë, 2018:146) due o he isola ion. Lucy's
sense o claus ophobia is no only physical bu also s ems om being con ined by socie al
expec a ions o eminini y, which she ansg esses. Consequen ly, she su e s bo h men ally and
physically o he de iance. I is hus unsu p ising ha D . John's os ensibly nu u ing
en i onmen ac ually imposes a o m o en o ced isola ion, symbolizing Lucy's cons ained
au onomy. Wi hin his con ex , Lucy's longing o p i acy emains un ul illed despi e he
su oundings.
Simila o Ca he ine, Lucy’s inadequacy o he en i onmen can be pe cei ed h ough
he psychosoma ic esponses o si ua ions ha pose he s ess o sadness. Fo ins ance, a e
disco e ing ha D . John had no in e es on he she su e s om e e s, hallucina ions, and
insomnia as well as maniac dep essi e episodes ha isola es he om he eal wo ld: “I am no
qui e su e wha my ne ous sys em is, bu I was d ead ully low-spi i ed" (B on ë, 2018:179).
None heless, some hing ema kable is ha despi e s uggling physically as well as
men ally, she ne e seeks help, e en hough i is wha she c a es he mos . She wan s
“companionship, iendship and counsel” (B on ë, 2018:181). Al hough a a ce ain poin she
accep s s a a ion, he physical eac ion would equi e accep ing he men al disease, one ha
she is well awa e o , and a aid o he consequences, she decides o emain silen : “Now don’
make ou ha I was deli ious, o I know di e en ly“ (B on ë, 2018:181). In con as wi h
Ca he ine om Wu he ing Heigh s, she does no use he men al and physical s a e o manipula e
people o he in e es , bu a he i se es as a jou ney o Lucy o deal wi h he deepes inne
sel and ealize wha she wan s in li e.
The ac ha Lucy is isola ed by D . John a e he b eakdown can be di ec ly connec ed
o he deeply au obiog aphical dimension o he no el o Cha lo e B on ë. The ep essed
po en ial o many women w i e s a he ime is exp essed h ough hei li e a u e. Female
cha ac e s exhibi ing ai s o c ea i i y ound hemsel es descending in o a s a e o madness.
Th ough he use o Lucy, B on ë explo es he consequences o denying women agency and
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au onomy. Madness is he p oduc o socie al ep ession, and he emo ional exp ession o
women in o a s a e o emo ional ins abili y is a ebellion agains he sys em.
4.3. The Sub e sion o Gende No ma i i y wi hin Gende ed Spaces: Rejec ion o Hype
Feminini y by C oss-D essing
As explo ed in p e ious sec ions, Lucy se es B on ë o challenge emale oles and
expec a ions in an e a whe e ep ession and lack o au onomy we e necessa y ea u es o i in
he no m. None heless, no only does she challenge emale agency, bu she also challenges
gende iden i y.
In chap e 14 “The Fê e”, Lucy ac s in a school play o ganized o celeb a e Madame
Beck’s bi hday. Wha is ema kable abou his chap e is he ac ha Lucy, despi e being
eluc an a he beginning, eenac s he ole o a man. Fo a 19 h cen u y audience, emale
ac esses ep esen ing male cha ac e s was no su p ising. F om he Res au a ion pe iod
onwa ds, emale ac esses we e b ough in o he s age. The Vic o ian audience was well
acquain ed wi h his so o ac ing. None heless, wha is ema kable in his scene is he use o
con en ions and male gaze o gain agency and powe and explo e gende iden i y.
Lucy is well awa e o he appea ance. Ea ly in he no el, she is su eilled by Madame
Beck, which makes he able o iden i y how she is pe cei ed and wha she should do o gain
espec , in he scene in which she ips a piece o pape and h ea ens o he s uden s o gain he
a en ion o bo h he class and Madame Beck he sel . In he school play howe e , Lucy
condemns he igu e o he “ lop”, as i is based on shallow p econcep ions on me ely
appea ances.
The “ lop” is used he e o many easons. Fi s ly, i enables Lucy o pu he sel in a
posi ion o powe and au ho i y: “By-and-by, eeling he igh powe come- he sp ing
demanded gush and ise inwa dly” (B on ë, 2018: 137-38). In addi ion, she no only “d esses
like a man” bu she also ac s as one. This idea goes back o Judi h Bu le ’s idea o gende as a
pe o mance. Acco ding o Bu le , ans es ism ques ions eali y, and is in ended o
“dena u alize he e osexual gende no ms” (Bu le , 1993: 85). By pe o ming gende in such a
way, Lucy blu s he line be ween male and emale ai s and showcases he impossibili y o
ca ego ize women wi hin a ixed iden i y. This could also be compa ed wi h Cha lo e B on ë’s
use o male pseudonyms, o a oid being exposed o he p ejudices linked wi h emale w i e s
many edi o s had a he ime. In a way, bo h he au ho and Lucy in ended o asse hei own
oice e ec i ely.
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As al eady examined by Gilbe and Guba , nine een h cen u y emale w i e s ound
hemsel es dep i ed o ole models, in alida ed by he pa ia chal canon, and judged by
educ i e s e eo ypes ea ing hem as ou side s. In his case, Cha lo e B on ë shows “anxie y
o au ho ship” (Gilbe & Guba , 1984:45). In a sense, his scene in which Lucy d esses as a
man in ends o dis ance he sel om he emale sex, anscending he own anxie y. The same
hing happens wi h B on ë. By signing he wo ks as “Cu e Bell”, she bo h accep s he ea o
li e a y dea h and assumes he consequences o he implica ions o eminini y o he p o ession,
epudia ing hem and enac ing a male ole, like Lucy, ha will allow he o ansmi he
message.
Secondly, he ac ha he play is a aude ille2 ein o ces he ac ha he whole play
is a pa ody o he school i sel . The aude ille “li s social cons ain s, sub e s gende iden i y
and dis up s con en ional omance plo ing” (Su idge, 1995:6). Lucy’s c oss-d essing no only
emphasizes pa ia chal hie a chy, bu i is also used by he au ho as a na a i e echnique o
gi e cohesion o he plo line, an icipa ing he ending o he lo e iangle in which hese
cha ac e s a e en angled. Lucy ep esen s Gine a’s eal sui o Co onel Al ed de Hamal, bu
a he same ime, Isido ep esen s D .John ha is also pa o he audience. Gine a a ou s
Lucy no only because she is mo e inclined owa ds he igu e o he “ lop” o whom she will
end up ma ying bu also o keep he o he sui o in e es ed, explo ing hei mu ual a ac ion.
This leads Lucy o ejec D .John, bo h in eal li e and in he play.
I is also wo h men ioning ha Lucy’s e usal o wea men’s ga men goes beyond
pa ia chal discou ses well embedded wi hin he cul u e, bu i could also be an a emp o Lucy
o a oid being sexually objec i ized by he male audience. Women in b eeches scenes ca ied
deep sexual conno a ions, used o he pu pose o sa is ying he male gaze. Lucy seems o be
awa e o i , al hough she consciously a emp s o esemble a man: “Ha ing loosened my hai
ou o i s b aids, made up he long black hai close, and b ushed he on hai o one side”
(B on ë, 2018: 137).
In addi ion, his could also poin o a comple e ejec ion o hype eminine clo hing,
in ended o ep ess women, especially wi h he co se . The use o he co se had mul iple
implica ions on he bodies and minds o i s use s. I imposed ashion ideals on women,
ein o cing he necessi y o be slim and e ined in o de o be aluable in socie y. Lucy op s o
2 A F ench aude ille was a e y popula o m o en e ainmen in he 19 h cen u y. Acco ding o he Ox o d
English Dic iona y: “ 2. A play o s age pe o mance o a ligh and amusing cha ac e in e spe sed wi h songs;
also wi hou a icle, his species o play o comedy”