Abstract: The story of Wuthering Heights happened in a typical patriarchal society. Under the influence of patriarchy, Catherine, the heroine gave up her true love. Her marriage was the result of financial abundance and higher social status, but not fervent love. She seemed to follow the social mainstream ideology. When her true love came back, Catherine broke the bottom line of patriarchy and women's virtue. She showed her feminine consciousness: marriage is an important way for patriarchy to destroy women self-awareness. Catherine began to resist patriarchy. She went on a hunger strike, became mad and then died. These three stages reflect her resistance of patriarchy and her pursuit of feminism. From the original disillusion to patriarchy, then to her sorrow and despair, she was forced to realize the fact that women were helpless in the society, she then firmly fought till death. Death is the sole access for her to look for her true love. As a result, Catherine is an incarnation of females who have realized their dilemma, and begin to resist the female roles established by the society and culture so as to fight for their own rights. Only through dauntless struggle and obtaining independence could females raise their social status.
Key words: Wuthering Heights; patriarchal culture; female consciousness
