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A review by nuts246
Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Much has been written about Wuthering Heights, and I am not sure I can add anything of substance to it. Let me, instead, add my thoughts.
I read an abridged version of Wuthering Heights in grade 3 or 5, but clearly the "story" didn't make enough of an impact on me to get me to read the original when I went through a "classics phase" soon after I started working. I picked it up this month after signing up for a Bronte Readathon, and nearly abandoned it twice before finally forcing myself to read till the quarter way mark. Once I crossed that hump, finishing the book was easy.
Had I read the book twenty years back, I would have had deep sympathy for the 'gypsy boy' who was 'wronged' by everyone including the woman he loved, and who naturally sought revenge for what had been done to him. With more life experiences behind me, I recognised both Heathcliff and Catherine as the spoilt, selfish and wilful creatures they are. Catherine nailed it when she said, "he's more myself than I am. Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same." Unfortunately the deeply patriarchal nature of the society in which she lived forced Catherine to go against her heart and take some practical decisions. While Heathcliff too would have taken the same decisions had he been in her place, he chose to seek revenge on the people who he held responsible for forcing Catherine to make those choices.
It is to the author's credit that even while romanticising Heathcliff's actions, she doesn't attempt to sugarcoat the cold blooded savagery with which he destroys the people around him. When you read the book through the prism of the victims of his cruelty, Heathcliff emerges not as a romantic hero, but as a man devoid of mercy or remorse. I also appreciated how the book ends on a note of hope- love survives, not hate.
Every book is a product of its time- this one is too. The characters are guided by the norms of the time, yet, their emotions and actions are universal. The book is as relevant today as it was when it was written. Wuthering Heights is considered a classic, and it is easy to understand why.
I read an abridged version of Wuthering Heights in grade 3 or 5, but clearly the "story" didn't make enough of an impact on me to get me to read the original when I went through a "classics phase" soon after I started working. I picked it up this month after signing up for a Bronte Readathon, and nearly abandoned it twice before finally forcing myself to read till the quarter way mark. Once I crossed that hump, finishing the book was easy.
Had I read the book twenty years back, I would have had deep sympathy for the 'gypsy boy' who was 'wronged' by everyone including the woman he loved, and who naturally sought revenge for what had been done to him. With more life experiences behind me, I recognised both Heathcliff and Catherine as the spoilt, selfish and wilful creatures they are. Catherine nailed it when she said, "he's more myself than I am. Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same." Unfortunately the deeply patriarchal nature of the society in which she lived forced Catherine to go against her heart and take some practical decisions. While Heathcliff too would have taken the same decisions had he been in her place, he chose to seek revenge on the people who he held responsible for forcing Catherine to make those choices.
It is to the author's credit that even while romanticising Heathcliff's actions, she doesn't attempt to sugarcoat the cold blooded savagery with which he destroys the people around him. When you read the book through the prism of the victims of his cruelty, Heathcliff emerges not as a romantic hero, but as a man devoid of mercy or remorse. I also appreciated how the book ends on a note of hope- love survives, not hate.
Every book is a product of its time- this one is too. The characters are guided by the norms of the time, yet, their emotions and actions are universal. The book is as relevant today as it was when it was written. Wuthering Heights is considered a classic, and it is easy to understand why.