‘For the use of such ghosts as choose to inhabit it?’ I observed. ‘No, Mr. Lockwood,’ said Nelly, shaking her head. ‘I believe the dead are at peace: but it is not right to speak of them with levity.’ At that moment the garden gate swung to; the ramblers were returning. ‘They are afraid of nothing,’ I grumbled, watching their approach through the window. ‘Together, they would brave Satan, and all his legions.’ As they stepped on to the door-stones, and halted to take a last look at the moon-or, more correctly, at each other by her light-I felt irresistibly impelled to escape them again; and, pressing a remembrance into the hand of Mrs. Dean, and disregarding her expostulations at my rudeness, I vanished through the kitchen as they opened the house-door; and so should have confirmed Joseph in his opinion of his fellow-servant’s gay indiscretions, had he not fortunately recognized me for a respectable character by the sweet ring of a sovereign at his feet. My walk home was lengthened by a diversion in the direction of the kirks. When beneath its walls, I perceived decay had made progress, even in seven months: many a window showed black gaps deprived of glass; and slates jutted off, here and there, beyond the right line of the roof, to be gradually worked off in coming autumn storms. I sought, and soon discovered, the three headstones on the slope next the moor: the middle one grey, and a half buried in heath; Edgar Linton’s only harmonized by the turf and moss creeping up its foot; Heathcliff’s still bare. I lingered round them, under that benign sky: watched the moths fluttering among the heath and harebells, listened to the soft wind breathing through the grass, and wondered how any one could ever imagine unquiet slumbers for the sleepers in that quiet earth.”

The afterlife doesn’t always have religious affiliations. Ones own personal spiritual connection doesn’t change depending on whether they are Christian or Buddhist. The afterlife and what happens to an individual when they die is completely unclear, but some might say that a spiritual connection is more closely related to actions rather then a belief system. The last passage in the novel Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte is a microcosm in respect to the entire novel. But what’s displayed in that one passage emphasizes a major theme throughout the storyline, and that theme is the overpowering effect the dead have on the living. The power the dead have on the living is not only a spiritual haunting, but they also have a physical effect on living characters. The main focus of the passage emphasizes how the dead can exert a powerful effect on a character that is still alive; the dead are a catalyst for change, and haunt characters thoughts and feelings.
Although it’s unclear what the after life is, it’s clear that the effect the dead have in memory, and in an unearthly presence is empowering and can change the personalities of the living. Nelly Dean was deeply involved in the lives of the characters that eventually die. Nelly was so involved in the lives of other people that she became distant from herself, but she maintains a calm and collected personality. But when all of the main characters are dead, and young Catherine and Hareton move on in their lives, Nelly is finally left to take care of herself rather then caring for others. But Nelly spent so much time caring for others that she subconsciously discovers she’s distant from herself, and this is apparent in her words. Lockwood comes to the moors for an update and in conversation Nelly says, “’No, Mr. Lockwood,’ said Nelly, shaking her head. ‘I believe the dead are at peace: but it is not right to speak of them with levity.’” In context Nelly is snippy with Lockwood, where before she was open and enthusiastic when telling her tales. Nelly dreads the idea of the dead continuing to haunt the moors and it’s apparent when she tells Lockwood to be respectful, hoping the chances of keeping them away will advance. Heathcliff often confessed to Nelly that Catherine haunts him, but she never believed in such foolishness. But as soon as Nelly is left to deal with herself her own personal ghosts come out to haunt her, and the dead trigger these burdens. These ghosts represent the traumatizing memories the dead characters imbedded in her mind when they were alive, and the reminder that she doesn’t know who she truly is because she never had time for herself. When the characters were alive Nelly was verbal and open, and never believed the after life could effect her. But when the characters are dead Nelly is left alone and therefore her personality transforms, as shown in the last passage.
Lockwood thrives through the simple words that flow out of Nelly’s mouth. He is an outsider in the novel, and never knew two of the three dead characters. The third dead character, Heathcliff, he only met three times. Yet he is still consumed and obsessed with Nelly’s recollection of their lives. Lockwood eventually leaves the moors because he fears the isolation, and after only meeting Heathcliff three times, he fears he may become like the conniving character if he stays. During his time away, Heathcliff dies, and in some ways Lockwood is so consumed by the story that me might have sensed Heathcliff’s death, causing his return. At first glance this return can be seen as an act of curiosity. But deeper down he has become so obsessed with the story that he has let the dead control his mind and actions. When talking to Nelly Dean Lockwood blurts, “For the use of such ghosts as choose to inhabit it?” His thoughts are so consumed by the dead that he almost hopes they will haunt the moors, that way he may get a chance to experience them from a perspective besides a story. Lockwood is well bred and wealthy, yet he exerts this rude and disrespectful question in front of Nelly without hesitation. His obsession starts to lead him from his routinely ways, and his rude statement even reflects the likes of Heathcliff, someone he tried to escape once before. The dead have such a large control over his thoughts and feelings that his own personality starts to alter in reflection of the dead Heathcliff. His emotional attachment to the story is so strong that it takes over his life, and leads him to the cemetery where Catherine, Edgar, and Heathcliff lie. Lockwood observes, “…and wondered how any one could ever imagine unquiet slumbers for the sleepers in that quiet earth.” The control the dead have on Lockwood’s emotions and thoughts come to peace in this scene, much like nature allows the dead to come to peace in the afterlife. When Lockwood physically sees that the dead have rest all conflict and come to peace with nature, it allows his own mind to accept reality and make peace with nature. He is finally able to part with his own ghosts.
What happens to people when they die was unclear in the time Wuthering Heights, and remains unclear in present day. Memories as well as a super natural presence affect the lives of the living characters in the novel; the dead characters have the ability to alter personalities and control mind and emotion. Although the dead has the ability to control and alter the lives of the living, the living has the ability to stop the dead. Both the abilities of the living and the abilities of the dead are displayed throughout the novel, and both are displayed in the last passage. It’s fact that Catherine, Edgar, and Heathcliff have the effect to alter the personalities and emotions of the living characters, but it’s also fact that the living characters are able to overcome their power by finding peace with nature. Ironically, the peace the living characters find in nature is a gift from the dead. The dead characters are able to find peace with nature in the afterlife, and that realization allows the living to find peace with their ghosts.


>>essay I wrote focusing on the thematic motif of death, something that is natural in life and supernatural throughout eternity.