AN ANALYSIS OF THE OBSESSIVE LOVE IN WUTHERING HEIGHTS BY EMILY BRONTE: AN ANXIOUS-AMBIVALENT ATTACHMENT APPROACH

Authors

  • Feby Lorentia Br Barus Universitas Katolik Santo Thomas Medan
  • Bertova Simanihuruk Universitas Katolik Santo Thomas Medan

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.54367/muse.v4i2.6105

Keywords:

Obsessive love, attachment, anxious-ambivalent

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the portrayal of obsessive love in Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights and to identify the underlying factors that shape and influence its intensity. This research employs a qualitative method, with data collection conducted through close and comprehensive reading of the novel, selecting relevant textual evidence, examining concepts and theories related to attachment, and eliminating irrelevant data. The selected data are analyzed using John Bowlby’s attachment theory, particularly the concept of anxious-ambivalent attachment. This study demonstrates that obsessive love is not merely a form of romantic expression but a psychological response shaped by early attachment experiences. The findings highlight the importance of attachment theory in understanding extreme emotional behavior and destructive romantic relationships in literary works.

References

Bachert, A. (n.d.). Ambivalent attachment style: How it affects relationships. Rula. https://www.rula.com/blog/ambivalent-attachment-style/

Bal, P. M., & Veltkamp, M. (2013). How does fiction reading influence empathy? An experimental investigation on the role of emotional transportation. PLOS ONE, 8(1), e55341. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0075810

Bowlby, J. (1969). Attachment and loss: Vol. 1. Attachment. New York, NY: Basic Books.

Bowlby, J. (1980). Attachment and loss: Vol. 3. Loss, sadness and depression. New York, NY: Basic Books.

Brontë, E. (2003). Wuthering Heights. London: Penguin Classics. (Original work published 1847)

Hazan, C., & Shaver, P. R. (1987). Romantic love conceptualized as an attachment process. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 52(3), 511–524. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.52.3.511

Wang, X. (2023). An analysis of attachment anxiety in literary characters: A psychological approach. Atlantis Press. https://doi.org/10.2991/assehr.k.230403.105

Verywell Mind. (n.d.). Anxious attachment style: Causes, signs, and impact on relationships. https://www.verywellmind.com/anxious-attachment-style-5077016

Downloads

Published

2026-01-31

Issue

Section

Articles