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Graphic: Child abuse, Confinement, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Mental illness
Moderate: Chronic illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Self harm, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Terminal illness, Violence, Religious bigotry
Minor: Animal cruelty
Graphic: Addiction, Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child abuse, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Hate crime, Incest, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Sexism, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Xenophobia, Grief, Stalking, Death of parent, Murder, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Drug abuse, Infidelity, Self harm, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Blood, Religious bigotry, Suicide attempt, Colonisation
Graphic: Toxic relationship, Death of parent
Moderate: Bullying, Child abuse, Confinement, Cursing, Death, Classism
Minor: Blood
Graphic: Confinement, Domestic abuse, Toxic relationship
Moderate: Child abuse, Incest, Violence
Minor: Death, Grief, Death of parent
TLDR: an important contribution to the literary canon, but definitely not a 'fun' or 'enjoyable' read.
Graphic: Child death, Death, Racism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Death of parent
Moderate: Confinement, Racial slurs
Minor: Incest, Xenophobia
Wuthering Heights delves into the reality of many people’s lives in Emily’s era, through morbid, selfish characters and of course her narcissistic / sociopathic anti-hero, Heathcliff who becomes a tyrannical patriarch. His ability to do so is enlightening in regards to the ease in which a man can inflict cruelty on those around him, especially women, with impunity from the law. Power-hungry and sadistic, Heathcliff seeks revenge for the way he was treated in childhood and for how his love was stolen from him— the only person who can stir positive feeling in him. Although Heathcliff is abhorrent, he is so intriguing and his devotion to Catherine renders this morally indefensible character understandable to the eyes of many readers. Although we cannot excuse his temperance, cunning and evil nature, we sympathise with the little orphan Romani boy he once was, treated terribly, until Catherine “saved” him, and her father warmed up to him.
I am still reflecting on this novel and I shall be for a while, however here are some quotes which are poignant/of interest:
Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same, and Linton is as different as a moonbeam from lightning, or frost from fire. - Catherine Earnshaw, 78
What were the use of my creation, if I were entirely contained here? My great miseries in this world have been Heathcliff’s miseries, and I watched and felt each from the beginning; my great thought in living is himself. If all else perished, and he remained, I should still continue to be; and, if all else remained, and he were annihilated, the Universe would turn to a mighty stranger…Nelly, I am Heathcliff— - Catherine Earnshaw, 79-80
The moment her regard ceased, I would have torn his heart out, and drunk his blood! - Heathcliff, 143
“I wish I could hold you…till we were both dead! I shouldn’t care what you suffered. I care nothing for your sufferings. Why shouldn’t you suffer? I do!” - Catherine Earnshaw, 152
Well might Catherine deem that Heaven would be a land of exile to her, unless, with her mortal body, she cast away her moral character also. - Nelly Dean, assuming the role of narrator, 152
…and on my approaching hurriedly to ascertain if she had fainted, he gnashed at me, and foamed like a mad dog, and gathered her to him with greedy jealousy. - Nelly Dean, 154
“…Why did you betray your own heart, Cathy? I have not one word of comfort— you deserve this. You have killed yourself…wring out my kisses and tears. They’ll blight you— they’ll damn you.” “I love my murderer—but yours! How can I?” - Heathcliff, 154-155
In regards to the narration, I love Nelly Dean, especially when she portrays Heathcliff in a preternatural, primal light, it fits the dark, gothic mood and it adds a sparkle to his enigmatic, morally grey character.
I finish this review under the misty full moon, left with feelings of repulsion and curiosity towards Wuthering Heights.
Moderate: Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gun violence, Incest, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Toxic relationship, Violence, Toxic friendship
Minor: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Bullying, Confinement, Death, Gun violence, Mental illness, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Gaslighting, Classism
Graphic: Death, Toxic relationship, Classism
Moderate: Bullying, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Violence, Gaslighting
Minor: Confinement, Xenophobia, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Confinement, Death, Emotional abuse, Incest, Toxic relationship, Grief, Pregnancy, Toxic friendship
Graphic: Ableism, Bullying, Child abuse, Chronic illness, Confinement, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Incest, Mental illness, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Terminal illness, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Gaslighting, Abandonment, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Moderate: Alcoholism, Animal cruelty, Infidelity, Self harm, Religious bigotry, Death of parent, Alcohol
Minor: Child death, Eating disorder, Gun violence, Suicide, Forced institutionalization, Medical content, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury
Graphic: Confinement, Domestic abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Violence
Moderate: Rape, Sexism, Classism