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Example research essay topic: Belle Dame Sans Merci Wuthering Heights - 1,033 words

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The conflicting theme demonstrated throughout Wuthering Heights is remarkably similar to the theme implicit in La Belle Dame sans Merci. This conflict is in the form of appearances, Illusion vs. Reality and man vs. nature and is personified through the characters, as well as the similarity of Gothic surroundings in both texts. In Wuthering Heights this parallel is shown through Heathcliff, who is vulnerable after falling head over heel for Catherine.

Similarly in La Belle Dame sans Merci the Knight is in exactly the same position, as Heathcliff, as hes entranced by the beauty that is La Belle. Both La Belle and Catherine have an illusional, captivating appearance that charms Heathcliff and the Knight, yet reality strikes when their true personalities are shown through their wild, dangerous nature thats personified by gothic surroundings. La Belle is described as, Full beautiful fairy's child, her hair was long, her foot was light, and her eyes were wild. (14, 15, 16) This description creates a conflicting idea of her, on one hand there is this fascinating, beautiful and innocent woman, yet on the other hand there is this figure with gothic qualities and frightening wild eyes referring to nature. This is comparable to Catherine, A wild, wick slip she walnut she had the bonniest eye, the sweetest smile, and the lightest foot in the parish. (Chapter V, page 42) Catherines depiction is of a wild, untamed creature yet at the same time a beautiful, sweet and childlike girl. The use of wild in both Catherine and La Belles descriptions shows their similarity in nature. The similarities of their descriptions of a charming, appealing appearances compared with their saucy, wild natures demonstrate the comparison of conflict within these texts.

After meeting with the knight, La Belle allows him to temporarily make her his object of affection. Quite coyly, she returns this affection with her looks of love and "sweet moans" (19, 20). The consequences for the knight are disastrous, as hes caught in the snare of her beauty and wiles, blinding him to the warnings of the changes in nature that surround him. This is exactly the case of conflict in Wuthering Heights, where Heathcliff is entranced by Catherine and her beauty in the early stages of his life. This is disastrous, as he is fuelled by jealousy of others close to Catherine resulting in the majority of conflict present in the latter stages of the novel. Heathcliff too, is warned by changes in his surrounding environment, yet he is too obsessed by Catherine to take any note.

Conflict of man vs. nature is prominently shown in La Belle Dame sans Merci. In one of the first scenes the Knight retells how he came to be in a state of anguish, comparable to the helplessness Heathcliff experiences when Catherine dies. At this point, both authors create dramatic interest as the reader is manipulated into a position where they identify with both the Knight and Heathcliff in feeling sympathy for their conflicting losses. At this point, the knight is not only in a state of pale weakness, but nature is also dying. This is similar to Wuthering Heights as the surrounding environment to Catherine and Heathcliff is also cold and desolate coming up to the final months of Catherines life.

Keats and Bronte use writing techniques to effectively illustrate conflict right through their works. Both writers use nature parallels and create gothic surroundings to help portray this idea. In La Belle Dame sans Merci, the on-going interaction between man and nature results in the knight losing out in a spiritual conflict to nature, And I awoke and found me here, on the cold hills side. (43, 44) At this point, Keats also brings about a cold feel to the poem, which is ironic as cold temperatures are associated with loss. Bronte uses similar techniques to Keats in creating Man vs. nature conflicts.

These are embodied through Heathcliff, Come in! Come in! Cathy do come. Oh done more! Oh! My hearts darling, hear me this time but the snow and wind whirled wildly through. (Chapter III, page 39) This shows that Heathcliff battles with himself for his lost love, yet nature answers his calls, creating gothic surroundings.

Stanza eleven in La Belle Dame sans Merci sums up the Knights time perfectly, when he awakens from his death, warning dream, I saw their starved lips in the gloam, with horrid warning gaped wide, (41, 42) His awakening is poignant disillusion, not blissful fulfilment, as he finds himself in a desolate moor, not the fragrant chamber and his lovers presence. In Wuthering Heights, Heathcliff likewise finds himself in same situation. When Catherine dies he runs to the Moors and finds himself in a bleak situation, calling for her, begging her to be with him, Do not leave me in this abyss, where I cannot find you! (Part II, Chapter II, page 167) Both Heathcliff and the Knight find themselves in secluded, isolated situations. At this point Conflict is very obvious in both men, Heathcliff conflicting with himself and nature to find Catherine, the Knight devastated by the loss of his "love, struggling with the fact that hes left to wander the "cold hill's side, " alone, for the rest of his life.

Conflict is crystallized in the outcomes of both texts. In Wuthering Heights the supernatural forces of Catherine and gothic surroundings prevail and allow Heathcliff to ultimately be re-united with Catherine, But country folk would swear on the bible that he walks They's Heathcliff and a women, yonder (Chapter XX, page 333) In La Belle Dame sans Merci supernatural forces also seem to be at work, through La Belle who seems to have power to surpass the boundaries of death, as Princes and warriors continued to crave her kiss and love even after they experienced her deceit. Both women led to the destruction and death of their male companions by the extreme lust the men experienced for the women. This ballad has provided me with insight into man vs. nature conflict and appearances vs. reality conflicts.

Keats techniques, as well as the techniques of Bronte's, have enabled me to fully understand this type of conflict and the effects it has.


Free research essays on topics related to: supernatural forces, belle dame sans merci, surrounding environment, wuthering heights, la belle

Research essay sample on Belle Dame Sans Merci Wuthering Heights

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