The Weather Symbol Analysis

As a farmer, Gilbert is deeply tied to the land. His living depends on it. And, as a painter, Helen is always taking care to keenly observes nature’s rhythm. It makes sense, then, that Brontë would make liberal use of the weather to hint at Helen and Gilbert’s moods, as well as their immediate prospects for happiness and contentment. During the fateful visit to the seaside, the beauty of the May day practically blesses their love with its glory. In contrast, the days following the pivotal moment when Gilbert sees Helen and Frederick walking in the garden and mistakes their filial affection for romantic love are gloomy and wet, as the drizzle and fog match Gilbert’s stormy state of mind. And when Gilbert rides into the country to stop Helen from marrying Walter Hargrave, the day is snowy and cold, an outward manifestation of his dread. Sometimes, though, the weather contrasts with a character’s mood and mocks the character’s reverence for it. For example, alone at Grassdale and desperately missing her husband, Helen experiences the beauties of spring in her new home as an assault upon her sensibilities. Deeply connected to the natural world, both Gilbert and Helen experience the weather as an extension of themselves, a reflection of who they are in different moments in time.