Establishment of Mood in Wuthering Heights

I think what has surprised me most about this novel thus far is the incredible talent Ms. Bronte has for establishing a mood with such eloquent language. At first the diction of the novel was elevated to a point that I personally found briefly overwhelming; the words themselves weren't difficult to understand, of course, but their construction was rather intriguing and elevated in a way that can be expected of a Romantic novel; I feel very strongly that this is a Romantic novel.
The setting is described early with a great turn of phrase not only lending itself to the description of the landscape but also to the initial characters, Mr. Lockwood and Heathcliff. Lockwood describes the country as "completely removed from society. A perfect misanthropist's heaven" (3) which allows us as readers to examine not only the geographical isolation but also the inherent misanthropy of both gentlemen.
I found also that the story taking place in winter was very influential in changing the mood to something more somber than originally expected. Lockwood describes the day he first meets Heathcliff as "set[ting] in misty and cold" (7), and his eventual arrival again to Heathcliff's mansion not only helps to continue defining Heathcliff's grizzled demeanor but also the blankness with which he defends himself against the proverbial onslaught of other characters' company. His description of the house is particularly moving; "On that bleak hilltop the earth was hard with a black frost, and the air made me shiver through every limb" (7).
The darkness and bleakness of this novel makes it all the more fascinating and I can't wait to see how the characters interact with such a dark and bleak environment.