Analysis of the Characters in Wuthering Heights by Freud's Structural Theory of Personality

Abstract

Wuthering Heights is a classic British literary work written by Emily Bronte, and this paper aims to analyze the main characters in the work using Freud's structural theory of personality, which can reveal the complex psychological activities and behavior motives of the characters. In this novel, Heathcliff's wild and revengeful behaviors reflect the id impulses, driven by primitive desires and revenge mentality; Catherine's inner struggle and conflicting behaviors reflect the ego in reconciling reality and desire; Edgar Linton's behaviors, representing moral and social norms, show the regulatory power of the superego in individual behavior. This analysis deepens our understanding of the novel's characters while highlighting the value of Freud's theory in literary criticism.