Wuthering Heights

Believe it or not, I'm not a fan of this work.

The story itself indeed has its uniqueness and is very original, serving as a precursor for many Victorian thrillers and haunted house spectacles. However, there seems to be no engine in my brain to smooth the reading process. Reading this feels like reading something that is completely mandatory. I suppose it has become a classic simply because enough people have read it to distinguish it from better books.

The character of Heathcliff is like a vampire who drains the life out of everyone in the household at Wuthering Heights and its neighbors. Undoubtedly, a good actor could bring him to life and potentially win an Oscar for the performance.

Nevertheless, the work is extremely complex and labyrinthine, and at times, it is just too difficult to understand. It contains incredibly unappealing sentences (really!), and as a whole, it is irregular and shapeless, offering no pleasure at all.

In my opinion, this work, along with "Catcher in the Rye" and "On the Road," should be removed from the literary canon.

If you've been closely following my status updates as I've delved into this book, you can likely make an educated guess about the nature of this review. (answer: it's going to be the best kind!) So, let's first dispense with the positive aspects and then I can commence with the ranting.

Good stuff: I had a genuine fondness for several of the characters. Ellen was endearing and seemed to be the sole sensible individual within the story. And boy, did she endure a significant amount of hardship. After all she's been through, that girl truly deserves a comforting hug and a relaxing spa weekend. I also took a liking to Catherine II and Hareton - in contrast to their romantic predecessors (and trust me, we'll be getting to those two shortly), they were generally likeable. Granted, they had their moments of idiocy, but considering their respective upbringings, can one really fault them? Moreover, they reminded me of Bender and Claire from The Breakfast Club. As I mentioned earlier, they were somewhat irritating and daft, yet sweet.

I also greatly appreciated the intense passion that permeated the story (and the passionate emotions it evoked within me).诚然，我厌恶希斯克利夫，但即便如此，在他与凯西的最后一幕中，我也不禁为之倾倒了一下。诚然，艾米莉·勃朗特描绘了我所见过的最令人恐惧的爱情故事（《致命吸引力》？哼！），但她确实做得非常非常出色。尽管它令人恐惧。这就引出了我这篇评论的下一部分……

Bad Stuff: I simply cannot, for the life of me, fathom why anyone would consider this a love story. It is, in fact, a horror story of love and passion that has gone horribly, horribly awry, and Heathcliff is one of the greatest villains ever crafted in literature.

Notice that I said "villain" and not "antihero." Heathcliff is not an antihero. He is a sociopath, and for the final fifty pages of the story, I had an overwhelming desire to violently slay him, to the extent that my hands trembled as I held the book. He is pure evil.

Cathy doesn't earn my sympathy either. She was a spoiled, heartless bitch throughout every moment she appeared in the story, and it's only because she met her demise by page 200 that she didn't incite as much anger in me as Heathcliff did - she simply didn't have sufficient time.

But let's return to Heathcliff - I cannot enumerate here all of the evil deeds he committed over the course of the story, as doing so would likely reveal spoilers. Suffice it to say this: I now fully understand why Wuthering Heights is being promoted in bookstores as "Bella and Edward's Favorite Book!" It理应如此. As I stated in a comment on one of my statuses: Edward Cullen is good, but Heathcliff wrote the freaking book on Domestic Abuse Thinly Disguised As Love.

I have no idea why so many readers become all fangirly over Heathcliff. He's an asshole, a sociopath, and even he is aware of how evil he is. As he remarks about Isabella, a girl he marries and then treats so abominably that I can't even discuss it at the moment: "She abandoned them under a delusion...picturing in me a hero of romance, and expecting unlimited indulgences from my chivalrous devotion. I can hardly regard her in the light of a rational creature, so obstinately has she persisted in forming a fabulous notion of my character, and acting on the false impression she has cherished."

Hear that, Heathcliff fangirls? Even he thinks you're all morons for liking him.

And, just to conclude this on a positive note: I've shared this webcomic before, but it's highly relevant here because, let's face it, the Bronte sisters had terrible taste in men.

Ah, the classics. They are truly a fascinating realm where everybody can impose their own agenda upon them. So, let's first start with a concise plot guide that can come in handy during dinner conversations when one feels the need to feign cultural sophistication. And then, we'll move on to the critics' perspectives.

A woman [1:] is deeply in love with her non-blood brother [2:], yet she marries her neighbor [3:]. Coincidentally, the neighbor's sister [4:] marries the non-blood brother [2:]. Their [1,3:] daughter [5:] then marries their [2,4:] son [6:]. Meanwhile, their [1,2:] elder brother gets married and has a son [7:]. Subsequently, everyone meets their demise. One dies of a bad temper, four due to stupidity, three succumbs to a cold, six because he is irritating, and two because he is mean and attempts to rise above his station. Only 5 and 7 are left standing, so they tie the knot. All the women are named Catherine, and most of the men are called Earnshaw. Through intermarriage, everyone becomes a bit of a Heathcliff.

The Marxist critic opines that the oppressed and underprivileged [2:] revolt in an attempt to better their lot in life, but unfortunately fails to form alliances and ultimately loses everything, just as is often the case. The Post-colonialist critic argues that once again, the rich [1,3,4:] meddle in the lives of the poor [2:] under the guise of improving them, when in fact they cause chaos and destruction. The Feminist critic laments that if only the Catherines had read The Feminine Mystique... The Freudian critic exclaims that repeated intermarriage and borderline incest make for such captivating stories! The Shakespearean critic dubs it Much Ado About Nothing. The Entertainment Weekly executive believes that stories told by sources close to the protagonists always sell well because most people live vicariously. And dinnertime has always been the perfect time for juicy gossip.

This is my third time reading this novel, and each time feels like the first. I know I say this about almost every five-star book, but it truly doesn't get any better than this. If anyone still hasn't read this, hands off the wheel, drop whatever you're doing, go to therapy and lock in.

I first discovered this novel from the Harry Styles fanfic 'After' at the age of 12. After reading the novel itself and discussing it with my mom, I constantly wondered why all the heroines in romance novels are crazy about 'Wuthering Heights'. My guess is that when an author writes a romance book, they google 'the greatest romance novel', and bingo - the top result is 'Wuthering Heights'.

The lore is as follows: once upon a time, there was a brother and sister, Catherine and Hindley, living on a remote estate with their family. One day, their father brought home Heathcliff, a homeless boy he picked up starving in Liverpool. The father demanded that the children accept Heathcliff into the family, but Hindley hated him. After the father's death, Hindley sent Heathcliff to the stables. Catherine 'fell in love' with Heathcliff, but she married Edgar due to social position, leaving Heathcliff resentful.
Heathcliff disappeared for a few years and then returned to have an affair with Edgar's sister Isabella. Years later, after Catherine and Isabella's deaths, Edgar brought home his nephew Linton, who was actually Heathcliff's son. Heathcliff threatened Edgar to send Linton to his house. Eventually, Heathcliff died, and Cathy the daughter married her cousin.
Heathcliff and Catherine never had a day together as a couple, only as brother and sister. Catherine was manipulative, constantly whining about loving Heathcliff until her last breath. Heathcliff didn't 'take revenge' on Catherine directly because she was too strong for him. Old Joseph was unbearable, always putting everyone down. Catherine's daughter was Edgar's child, and Heathcliff's son was Isabella's child. Their children had a strange upbringing.
'Wuthering Heights' was not understood or accepted at the time of writing. The author, Emily Brontë, was a pathological introvert and misanthrope. Her novel is about hell on earth, not love. Many people say we can't judge this from a modern perspective, but it's possible and necessary. Love is about listening, respecting, and living peacefully, not the crazy behavior in the novel. I was shocked by Virginia Woolf's review, where she called Heathcliff the most vivid male character in literature. It takes a genius like Emily Brontë to evoke such emotions in readers with just one novel.

I have a particular penchant for reading books that delve into the minds and actions of crazy and downright evil people. There's something strangely captivating about exploring the dark recesses of their psyches. It's as if these stories offer a window into a world that is both terrifying and fascinating. I love reading books about crazy and straight up evil people. However, at the moment, my brain is completely fried, so that's all I'm going to say about this book for now. I need some time to process and absorb all the disturbing yet intriguing details that I've encountered. Maybe later, I'll be able to offer more in-depth thoughts and analysis on this subject.

It's not true love until he desires your ghost to actually come and haunt him, driving him completely insane. And, oh, while he's at it, he even digs your grave a few times just to give you a hug.

Find yourself a hot psychopath who loves you and only you. Never settle for less!

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Is it too soon in 2023 to have an emotional breakdown???

This rather strange and macabre description of love presents a unique perspective. It implies that true love is not the ordinary kind but something extreme and almost psychotic. The idea of a person longing for their deceased lover's ghost to haunt them and going to the extent of digging their grave multiple times to hug them is quite a vivid and disturbing image. It makes one wonder about the nature of love and what lengths some might go to in the name of it. However, it's also important to note that this is a rather fictional and exaggerated concept, and in the real world, healthy and fulfilling relationships are based on mutual respect, understanding, and affection.

As for the question about having an emotional breakdown too soon in 2023, it could be a reference to the various stressors and challenges that people face in life. With the fast-paced nature of the modern world and the many uncertainties that come with it, it's not uncommon for people to experience emotional turmoil. Whether it's due to work, relationships, or other factors, it's important to take care of one's mental health and seek help if needed.

In conclusion, while the description of love in this article may be entertaining and thought-provoking, it's important to remember that real love and mental well-being are both precious and should be nurtured and protected.

Georgia's Sayings, No. 9

"This book posits that one truly ought not to engage in a relationship of such a nature that if the other person were to pass away and be laid to rest, the thought of exhuming them again would seem like a good idea."

This rather unusual saying makes one stop and think about the kind of relationships we enter into. It implies that a healthy and fulfilling relationship should not be one that leads to such extreme or macabre thoughts. It could be a cautionary tale about choosing our partners wisely and ensuring that the connection we form is based on mutual respect, love, and understanding. After all, a relationship should bring joy and growth, not strange or disturbing ideas.

Perhaps this saying is also a reminder to look beyond the surface and truly understand the person we are getting involved with. We should strive for a relationship that stands the test of time and even in the face of tragedy, does not lead us to such odd or unthinkable actions.

I am extremely happy to have reread this book. It truly gets better with each reading. All the romanticism it embodies is not the kind we find in Disney, but the real, extraordinary romantic concept of life and love. Heathcliff is perhaps the most loathed character in the history of all novels. However, in the end, we see him for all the suffering and hardships he has endured. There is only one person in the world with whom he has ever had a connection. And the thing with nature in this book is really great. They are in the middle of nowhere, which makes it frustrating that Heathcliff can get away with anything. I adored reading this again, especially after reading a biography of the Brontes. They are truly remarkable, and their lives are reflected in their stories. Just like this book seems to be such a reflection of the Bronte way of life and household. I loved it very much. Thank you!