Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte
Pages: 353
Published by Barnes & Noble Classic
Publication Date August 1st 2005
Source: Bought
Genres: Classic
Goodreads
Emily Brontës only novel, Wuthering Heights remains one of literature's most disturbing explorations into the dark side of romantic passion. Heathcliff and Cathy believe they're destined to love each other forever, but when cruelty and snobbery separate them, their untamed emotions literally consume them.
Set amid the wild and stormy Yorkshire moors, Wuthering Heights, an unpolished and devastating epic of childhood playmates who grow into soul mates, is widely regarded as the most original tale of thwarted desire and heartbreak in the English language.
Review
I finished Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte last night and find it very appropriate that it was during a tornado watch as that describes this novel very well. A tornado of disastrous events circles this novel, involving, gambling and alcoholism, violence, death and an overall conniving plot. None of the characters had any redeeming qualities, and would not have cared if they got swallowed up in the moors. If this were to take place in the modern age, all the players would be found in rehab, an insane asylum or prison, due to unlawful behavior.
Nelly, our storyteller is for the most part just watching the events unfold, but our listener, Mr. Lockheart I found very reminiscent of Mrs. Kravitz peeking over a wall to catch the latest obscurity.
I really don’t think there is one particular evil doer in Wuthering Heights, but if it must be narrowed down the obvious answer is Heathcliff. He is so dastardly evil with very calculated, thought out evil plans to slowly bring about the demise of everyone around him. I can very easily picture him twirling a mustache while tying a damsel in distress to the train tracks.
Cathy, well there’s no way to put this nicely, but she is a major bitch. She does almost as much damage as Heathcliff, she’s just more subtle about. I just wish she had been thrown under the bus much sooner that she was.
Edgar and Isabella believed that everything was good in the world, giving everyone the benefit of the doubt only to have it bite them in the ass. Some people are just too trusting and were never taught not to take candy from strangers.
Hindley and Hareton are both ridiculously taken advantage of to further Heathcliff’s plan. They suffer for this through horrid habits that are not easily reversed, swirling into obscurity and ignorance.
Catherine and Linton really had no chance with the gene pool they were given. Isabella and Edgar being while very nice, also wimps and sissies. Cathy and Heathcliff are just plain bad, with both expressing their emotions in irrational manners. So Linton and Cathy naturally fell into this habitat perhaps being brainwashed to the lifestyle and decisions that are made.
See, no redeeming qualities.
I think the last line of Wuthering Heights is ultra creepy leaving chills up my spine.
“And wondered how anyone could ever imagine unquiet slumbers for the sleepers in that quiet earth.”
I have not read this book since high school, but I remember liking it. And now that I think back, I also remember the paper I wrote on it comparing the book to Beethoven's Pathetique Sonata, which I was working on at the time. 🙂
Wow, comparing Wuthering Heights to Beethoven's Pathetique Sonata, that's deep! I hadn't read Wuthering Heights since high school either (don't ask me why) but enjoyed it more now; I think I appreciated and had a better understanding of the characters/plot.
Apart from when Cathy tells Nelly that without Heathcliff the universe would turn into mighty stranger, the last line is my favourite. You are completely right about none of the characters having redeeming qualities although I felt a lot of pity for Hareton. But likeable characters or not this is a wonderful book. I for one would hate to come across Heathcliff on one of his wanderings on the moors.
That brief line spoken by Cathy is great and shows for a slim moment that she is not so one dimensional in her feelings.
I agree with you about Hareton as well, he had such potential only to be squashed like a bug.
Regardless, a fantastic novel.
How perfectly fitting that you finished the book during a tornado watch! I'm sure that's an experience you'll never forget…hope the tornado never materialized!
I just finished this one last month (as a second time read). The characters are all terribly rotten, aren't they? Even so, I just can't help but love this book (I know, I know). I love how you describe Cathy–she is a total major bitch! 🙂