March 31, 2022 - I have just completed my third reading of Wuthering Heights.

This reading experience was truly emotionally draining, yet it was worth every single minute. I found myself enjoying it even more this time around.

I have a profound admiration for this book, especially for its tone and setting. It is quite possibly my favorite novel of all time.

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ORIGINAL REVIEW BELOW:

Wuthering Heights is an exquisitely beautiful novel. I would rate it 5 (dark) stars!

I'm not entirely certain what I just went through while reading Wuthering Heights. I firmly believe that Emily Bronte's main objective was to elicit a wide gamut of human emotions through the lives and interactions of the Linton's, Earnshaw's, and Mr. Heathcliff.

I came across this extensive list of human emotions online:

Acceptance
Affection
Aggression
Ambivalence
Apathy
Anxiety
Boredom
Compassion
Confusion
Contempt
Depression
Doubt
Ecstasy
Empathy
Envy
Embarrassment
Euphoria
Forgiveness
Frustration
Gratitude
Grief
Guilt
Hatred
Hope
Horror
Hostility
Homesickness
Hunger
Hysteria
Interest
Loneliness
Love
Paranoia
Pity
Pleasure
Pride
Rage
Regret
Remorse
Shame
Suffering
Sympathy

As I perused through this list, it became evident that Bronte touches upon all (or at least nearly all) of these emotions in Wuthering Heights. The protagonist, Heathcliff, is undoubtedly not a very likable person. However, he is astonishingly complex and multi-faceted. His lifelong quest for inner peace within his soul is truly memorable, and his captivating (and highly emotional) story will remain etched in my mind for a very long time.

The setting at the house, Wuthering Heights, was masterfully crafted. It perfectly complemented the dark, gothic, and macabre plot.

The bright spot in Wuthering Heights is the younger Catherine. The novel took a significant turn for the better for me as a reader when she was introduced, and I absolutely adored her as a character.

Although it is extremely dark and gothic, Wuthering Heights has it all - an unforgettable plot, realistic settings, and truly human, deeply developed characters. I highly recommend it!

SPOILERS

Behold the wild, dark side of love.

“I am Heathcliff – he’s always, always in my mind – not as a pleasure, any more than I am always a pleasure to myself – but as my own being.” This powerful statement by Catherine reveals the depth of her connection with Heathcliff.

Passion, desire, and love – are they truly the same? When we become so intoxicated by someone that we see them as a mirror of our own self, is this love? Sometimes it is, but other times it may be a sign of egotism. Catherine loves Heathcliff, but does she really understand him? By believing he would agree to her plan, she shows a lack of understanding of who he truly is. She is so consumed by passion that she fails to admit the differences between them.

This is a dangerous path to take. When we are so absorbed by passion for someone that we don't care to understand and accept them for who they are, we risk losing the very thing that connects us. Catherine's choice to marry another man and keep Heathcliff as a lover destroys the freedom that was at the core of their love.

When Heathcliff returns, he is heartbroken to find the woman he loved has changed. He spends so much time and energy trying to bring back the girl who no longer exists. But is he still in love with her or just the memory of her? This is a question that many of us face when the person we love changes.

Their tragedy lies in the fact that they are not the same. He wants freedom, while she wants security. Benjamin Franklin's words, "Those who surrender freedom for security will not have, nor do they deserve, either one," seem to apply to Catherine. In the end, she has neither comfort nor freedom.

How well do we really know those we claim to love? We all risk seeing something that isn't there or missing something that is. If we cannot truly accept our loved ones for who they are and try to change them, do we really love them or just the version we want them to be? Can we make such a distinction?

Love is a complex and often cruel emotion. It can bring us joy and sorrow, strength and ruin. But no matter what, staying true to ourselves is always the right choice.

Memory is a treacherous monster.

How else could it lead me to remember this classic, which I read as a teenager, as a SAD LOVE STORY? It's truly impossible to explain the growing surprise on my face and the accelerated beating of my heart after I lazily picked up the new copy of Wuthering Heights that I bought for my daughter's birthday and started reading. At first, inattentive, thinking I knew what was coming, I soon became obsessed and devoured the story, finishing it in a frenzy.

What is this?

A Genealogy of Yorkshire Monsters - as observed over three generations and various family branches? An ambitious writing project with the mission to create only bad characters? If so, who would win? Let's see...

Monster In Chief must be Heathcliff, as he deliberately destroys everything in his path. Naturally, he is portrayed as the dark-skinned orphan with a mysterious past, brought up to feel his difference and underprivilege every single day, and strong-willed and energetic enough to take revenge on a world that never gave him a chance: a combination of biological and social ostracism against a powerful individual character. Mister Monster In The Making only awaits the two additional ingredients necessary to make the Molotov cocktail explode: unreasonable, hopeless love and deep humiliation.

So Heathcliff wins the Monster Prize, along with the Heights and the Grange, but he has strong contenders for the title.

What about the two siblings Earnshaw (first generation)?

Hindley, a sadistic drunkard and careless father, has a horrible role to play. A natural snob and bully, he provides most of the ingredients for Heathcliff's explosion. And the lovely lady of the play? The sweet darling Catherine? Not quite. Meet the entitled, spoiled rotten, fake-tantrum throwing Miss Earnshaw, who adds to the mix by rejecting her true love because it would make her feel "low", while marrying a weak, boring, yet rich and suitable young man gives her the power she craves. And of course, she must keep playing with the heart she has broken - until it snaps. Mrs Linton is barely better than her former self, Miss Earnshaw. And then there is Isabella - the victim of the rest of the egos? Maybe. But only because she is weak. If she had more strength, she would have used it to display exactly the same amount of monstrous cruelty and egomaniac emotional bankruptcy.

Nelly? The sweet creature taking care of all the spoiled brats, one after the other? But she is also causing trouble, meddling, taking things into her own hands and generally acting according to her own favouritism of the moment rather than according to true compassion.

The Holy Joseph, then? The voyeur of evil, preaching hellfire without ever helping a victim?

Generation One is a wild bunch of characters if there ever was one. No wonder the next generation turns out weak, selfish and confused. After all, parenting matters.

So who is surprised that the anti-fairytale can be summed up with a "and so they died unhappily ever after"?

The hint at the end about the ghosts of Heathcliff and Catherine haunting the wuthering heights can hardly be any scarier than their living selves, in my opinion. May they rest in unpeace, but this novel is a riot! I'm glad I reread it and hope I will remember it now.

The experience does cast some doubt on my memory of other teenage favourites, though. Is Anna Karenina really a SAD LOVE STORY? I really hope she is not anything like Catherine, to be honest. But I guess I will have to reread that one as well to be sure.

And last, but not least: I wonder if it was a wise choice to buy this for my twelve-year-old daughter. It is a WILD, WILD story. And she has an amazing memory. I'm sure she won't forget the monsters once she gets to know them.

Wuthering Heights is truly a masterpiece.

However, it is incredibly unpleasant to read, as vox.com so accurately put it.

Upon finishing this achingly beautiful book, I immediately delved deeper into research about it because I am completely obsessed. I believe the above quote sums it up perfectly. This was my first foray into the world of classics, and I'm glad it was this one. Was it a romance? A gothic novel? A tragedy? I would say it's all of the above.

Everything in this novel is highly subjective, but in my opinion, Heathcliff is the most prominent character. His love for Catherine, a strong female character, sets off an absolute rollercoaster of events and emotions. As Alice Hoffman stated, “Read “Wuthering Heights” when you’re 18 and you think Heathcliff is a romantic hero; when you’re 30, he’s a monster; at 50 you see he’s just human.” Currently, I see him as all three, although mainly a monster for reasons I won't disclose to avoid spoilers. Catherine may have been the cause of his awfulness, although I'm not certain. There are many other important characters, but I feel the story revolves around those two. If you want to experience a range of emotions, from saying “aww” one moment to “I can't believe someone would say that” the next, this book is for you. There's so much symbolism and so many emotions! Stay tuned for more classic reviews because I'm officially hooked! Can you tell I'm excited?

This was a fun buddy read with Rex. I'm glad it was my first classic, even though it was a bit confusing at first.

*Trigger warnings for mental/physical abuse, sickness, mental health issues, and multiple deaths*

Wuthering Heights is a multifaceted literary masterpiece. It is a late-gothic ghost story that sends shivers down the spine. It is a tale of love and revenge, filled with passion and hatred. It is a chronicle of violence in all its forms - physical, mental, emotional, and social. It offers a dark peek into the depths of human nature. It is also a condemnation of England's broken class system, presenting a stark contrast to the more refined world of Austen.

I have loved this book since I first read it in grade eight. It was one of the many books that my crazy cool Mom introduced me to during her three-year push of classics that shaped my reading tastes for life. I loved it so much that I even named my daughter Brontë.

However, this time around, I found myself not caring about the main characters like Heathcliff and Catherine. Instead, I was drawn to Nelly Dean. In doing so, I discovered that Wuthering Heights can also be seen as the most circuitous character sketch in the English language.

When reading from Nelly's perspective, the story takes on a whole new meaning. The ill-fated love of Heathcliff and Cathy becomes a means for Nelly to reveal herself. Her unreliability as a narrator becomes an essential part of her character. Every action she comments on, every action she claims to take, and every tale she tells Lockwood cease to be about the other characters and instead reveal her as the true subject.

I wonder what a stage version of this would look like if Nelly's perspective was used and she was made the focus, subverting her attempts to hide her importance. Maybe I should give it a try. Or perhaps I could pass the idea on to my own Brontë. I'm sure she could do something amazing with it one day.

I am Heathcliff - he's always, always in my mind - not as a pleasure, any more than I am always a pleasure to myself - but, as my own being.”--Catherine

Last year, I read Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre with my YA class. It was a great way to introduce them to the historical context of romance novels and the gothic genre. I absolutely loved it. Jane, Jane, Jane! This year, for similar reasons, I read Wuthering Heights with my YA class. I liked it quite a lot, but not nearly as much as I did Jane Eyre.

Such was the case with reviewers when WH came out in 1847, by Charlotte’s younger sister Emily. It’s not a bildungsroman, and that's what some readers wanted. In other words, they preferred a more straightforward coming-of-age, rags-to-riches story with a happy ending.

Emily Bronte puzzled her readers and reviewers in 1847 with this two-part generational narrative structure. If you think the brooding Rochester is complicated, well, the brooding Heathcliff is even more so! There's something to consider in how many great nineteenth-century female authors created their beloved dark and brooding heroes. Take Darcy from Pride and Prejudice, Rochester from Jane Eyre, and now Heathcliff, the beastiest of them all. What's a young man reading these books supposed to think he should do to be attractive to women? Is this where the ideas of frogs in desks and pigtails in ink as signals of attraction came from? Marry me or I will go insane and torment you forever?

“Catherine Earnshaw, may you not rest as long as I am living. You said I killed you--haunt me then. The murdered do haunt their murderers. I believe--I know that ghosts have wandered the earth. Be with me always--take any form--drive me mad. Only do not leave me in this abyss, where I cannot find you! Oh, God! It is unutterable! I cannot live without my life! I cannot live without my soul!”--Heathcliff

I won't go into great detail about the plot. There are already 2,000 reviews for that. But this is a gothic story, complete with moors, wild dogs, storms, ghosts, and over-the-top passionate speeches. It may be a romance, but it's a rather unconventional one. If being driven to animality and insanity can count as love, and if obsession can be considered a kind of love. And while Heathcliff may be a hard sell as a romantic hero (at least to me), Catherine Earnshaw is no typical romantic heroine either. She chooses to marry the wealthier and saner Edgar Linton over her baser instincts for Heathcliff. As she admits, she loves both men, but of Heathcliff she says, “He's more myself than I am. Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same.”

The second half of the book, where Heathcliff tries to marry his frail and whiny son Linton to young Catherine, isn't as interesting as the first half. The conclusion is less memorable, although there are still powerful moments, like Heathcliff's dramatic confrontation with the married and pregnant Catherine. And of course, there are ghost sightings, which are always a plus in a gothic tale. Overall, I'd say Wuthering Heights is worthy of being a classic.

When my book club chose Wuthering Heights, my knowledge of it was extremely limited. I simply thought it was a romance set in the moors. I could recall a movie trailer from the past, with people standing in the rain or fog, staring at each other with intense eyes. Also, a snippet of overly dramatic dialogue popped into my head.

My book club consists of six guys. We started it because we were tired of our wives having all the fun and drinking all the wine at their gatherings. After cycling through the club twice, Adam's wife pointed out that we hadn't read a female author yet. So, Adam chose Wuthering Heights, which had had an impact on him in high school. Based on my initial recollections, I wasn't overly excited about it. I had believed in romance a long time ago, but now it was hard for me to get enthusiastic about love being compared to eternal rocks.

Fortunately for me, Wuthering Heights is not a typical love story. It is set in the bleak and chilly Yorkshire moors. The story begins with the new tenant of Thrushcross Grange, Lockwood, going to meet his landlord Heathcliff at Wuthering Heights. Lockwood is shocked by the strange characters he encounters there. There is a snowstorm, and he has to spend an uncomfortable night at the Heights. When he returns to Thrushcross Grange, he asks his housekeeper, Nelly Dean, about the strange happenings. Nelly then takes over the narration and tells the bulk of the story.
Nelly's tale starts as a love affair between Heathcliff and Catherine Earnshaw. Catherine's father brings the homeless Heathcliff back to Wuthering Heights to live with them. Heathcliff and Hindley, Catherine's brother, don't get along, but Catherine and Heathcliff do. A neighbor, Edgar Linton, also joins the group and woos Catherine. Eventually, Heathcliff runs off, Edgar marries Catherine, and Heathcliff returns, setting off a melodrama.
I'm going to stop with the plot points here. For one thing, I'm not a summary service. For another, the plot is so convoluted that I can't keep it straight myself. There are many characters with similar names, and the emotions involved are very strong. Wuthering Heights is a Romantic novel where emotional illness can lead to physical illness and even death.
At first, I didn't like Wuthering Heights. I disliked the long and tedious introductory chapters by Lockwood, the unlikable characters (except for Nelly Dean), and the hyper-passionate dialogue. However, the more I thought about it, the more I came to respect the book. It is a sinister and psychologically dark work that demands discussion. It has multiple meanings depending on the reader, and no one knows for sure what Emily Bronte intended. Despite my initial dislike, I now see it as a work of imaginative genius.
I've always loved reading but hated being told what to read. This goes back to my English classes and the assigned "classics" over the years. After finishing my last class, I was excited to read whatever I wanted. Sometimes, I'd try to include a classic in my reading list for the sense of intellectual superiority. But I often resented the difficulty and ponderousness of some of these books. Now, I'm realizing the value of grappling with a book. I still prefer clarity in my reading, but I can appreciate the effort of extracting meaning. I fought with Wuthering Heights and ended in a draw, and it didn't end up in the fireplace like Moby Dick.

Hello, everyone. Welcome to chaos. -Emily Brontë might have said this upon publishing this book, probably.

Inside me, there are two wolves. Well, to be more accurate, there are two rather uninteresting and nonviolent entities. Maybe like a pigeon or an accountant.

One wolf has an insatiable need to share its opinion. So much so that it's currently ranked #1 on Goodreads for most annoying best reviewer. (Don't bother checking if that's still true. I doubt it'll last and it'll be awkward for all of us if it isn't.)

The other wolf thinks every other wolf or whatever has a better understanding of every concept on earth than it does. It believes it should just shut up for a second and let the others talk. Seriously, Jesus Christ, be quiet already, oh my god.

The latter wolf wants you to know that there's a very interesting conversation in the comments of this review about the book, its categorization as a love story, and its history. You should scroll down and read that instead.

But the first wolf is going to keep talking up here anyway.

Here are some facts about this book:

- It was published in 1848.

- Its author had only about 1 year of formal education.

- It was the author's debut and written when she was in her 20s.

- It contains barbaric characters, a total disregard for etiquette, necrophilia (or the intent to commit it), the devil embodied in a man (who is also the main love interest), The Royal Tenenbaums-style incest, premarital friskiness by 19th-century standards, violence, emotional abuse, cruelty, and enough gaslighting to make TikTokers think twice about how often they use that word.

Kind of surprising, isn't it?

In spite of being told one hundred thousand million times that this isn't a love story, I was told TWO hundred thousand million times that it was. Honestly, I went in expecting something like Agnes Grey: not a satisfying romance, but something there.

I wasn't prepared for this.

This is a very intense, stunning, and beautifully written novel. If I ever reread it, I think I'll like it more then.

But no matter how hard I tried on this first read, my brain will always group the Brontë sisters and Jane Austen together.

And this wasn't even Jane Eyre-level. It would have given Austen nightmares in a war flashback style.

Bottom line: We'll get em next time!

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pre-review

Well. That wasn't what I thought it would be.

Review to come / 3 or 3.5 stars

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currently-reading updates

Readathons are all about binge-reading books you haven't been able to make yourself pick up until you're in a reading slump.

This is my first time doing one, but I'm pretty sure.

clear your shit prompt one: a book in which somebody dies (just guessing but seems like it)
follow my progress here

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tbr review

Confession time: I now have 3 copies of this book, hoping that one of them will suddenly inspire me to read it.

I approached this book with the anticipation of delving into a beautiful and tragic love story. However, to my surprise, I encountered an intense hate story, a revenge tale where love seemed to be nowhere in sight. In fact, let me rephrase that: there was love at first... but it was merely the beginning, the catalyst. Love was present only to enclose all the hatred, to imprison it. It was not love itself, but rather a small and transparent bottle with a beautiful "love" inscription engraved on it, in a lovely calligraphy adorned with hearts and flowers. And once love was cast aside and shattered on the floor, its contents - hate itself - were set free like a dark red smoke, spreading slowly but surely, like a poison or a curse, intoxicating those around who dared to breathe.

Emily Brontë was highly proficient in her writing, employing shifts in time through flashbacks and different and unreliable narrators to unfold the story of the Earnshaws and Lintons. The book commences in 1801 when a man named Lockwood rents a house called Thrushcross Grange from a wealthy man named Heathcliff, who resides in Wuthering Heights. During a visit to his landlord, Lockwood is compelled to spend his first night there due to a snowstorm. While in his assigned bedroom, his attention is captured by the name "Catherine" written in numerous books lying around. Deeply affected by her diary entries in those books and the entire dark atmosphere of Wuthering Heights, he has a nightmare involving a girl named Catherine. Waking up scared, he screams until Heathcliff bursts into the bedroom to see what the commotion is about - and what follows is a truly impressive scene. In the morning, Lockwood finally departs for Thrushcross Grange, where he meets Nelly Dean, the housekeeper who has been with the family for decades. Still unsure if what he saw was just a dream, he inquires about Catherine, and Nelly begins to relate her account of the events.

Back in 1771, Mr. Earnshaw (father of Hindley and Catherine) returns from a trip, bringing home Heathcliff - a "dark-skinned gypsy in aspect" - whom he decides to adopt. Over the years, Heathcliff becomes Catherine's best friend. Almost ten years later, Heathcliff overhears Catherine say that it would be degrading to marry him and that she intends to marry the neighbor Edgar Linton instead. Deciding to flee and run away, Heathcliff is absent for three years and returns rich and powerful, with a plan of vengeance: to be the sole tormentor of both the Earnshaw and Linton families, not just for one, but for two generations.

It is known that Emily Brontë and her sisters began exercising their imaginations as children by playing with wooden soldiers and creating stories for them. "Wuthering Heights" was written in her late twenties, yet the novel still carried an atmosphere of little soldiers being toyed with inside a small box. Like them, Emily's characters seemed to live in isolation within a gloomy and dark box - almost like an experiment - where it was improbable that they would not become a product of that unsettling environment and impossible that their emotions and feelings would not be pushed to extremes, transforming everything into matters of life and death.

Similar to "Emma" by Jane Austen and "Madame Bovary" by Gustave Flaubert - novels from the same period - I struggled to feel sympathy for the story's protagonists, especially the main couple. Heathcliff was too bitter and hateful towards everyone, and Catherine chose to marry another man instead of the one she truly loved. While there is nothing inherently wrong with considering status and reputation when deciding whom to marry, as far as love stories go, it was difficult to care about both of them. Well, not only for them: it seems not even one character was truly likable. However, the young Catherine - Cathy Linton - is an amazing, vivid character. I constantly expected her to leap out of the pages - in this case, out of my Kindle - and start running around in my living room and flipping through the pages of my books.

It was precisely through the spirited Cathy - and Hareton, her cousin - that the author inserted some hope into her story. Destined to repeat the fate of the previous generation, they ultimately broke Heathcliff's revenge bonds and found solace and love in each other when all seemed lost. Had the Brontë sister not passed away so soon after publishing her greatest literary achievement, perhaps she would have written a true love story: that of Cathy and Hareton.

Rating: I was indecisive between 3 and 4 stars when determining my rating for this book. I ultimately settled on 4 as I greatly enjoyed Emily's prose and believe she excelled in writing characters with such conflicting and fascinating human emotions, even though I wouldn't bring them with me to my toy box.

\\"There are two wolves, and they are always fighting. One is darkness and despair, the other light and hope. Which one wins? The one you feed.\\" - Cherokee legend

I have to start by saying Holy cats! That was not what I was expecting. This story begins with Mr. Lockwood, a man who wants to escape the chaos of the city and enjoy the peaceful countryside. He rents Thrushcross Grange from its owner, who also owns Wuthering Heights Manor. However, his welcome is anything but warm. He is treated harshly and attacked by a pack of dogs. A snowstorm adds to his troubles, leaving him sick in bed.

As Mr. Lockwood recovers, he gets to know Ellen Dean, the keeper of the house. She tells him the story of the people who live at Wuthering Heights, including Heathcliff, a foundling gipsy child, and Catherine, the daughter of his benefactor. Their relationship is intense and passionate, but also doomed. When Heathcliff leaves suddenly, Catherine marries Edgar Linton and moves to Thrushcross Grange.

Three years later, Heathcliff returns, looking suave and sophisticated. He visits Catherine at her new home, causing jealousy and turmoil. Isabella, Edgar's sister, falls in love with Heathcliff, while Catherine is consumed with jealousy. Nelly, who is telling the story, is on the verge of a breakdown.

The outcome of this story is far from certain. It is a tale of love, vengeance, greed, and the consequences of evil deeds. But could there also be redemption? I won't spoil the ending for anyone who hasn't read this amazing novel. I highly recommend it to anyone who loves a good story. The prose is beautiful and the characters are unforgettable. I'm still thinking about it!

\\"He's more myself than I am. Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same.\\" - Cathy

(Book 902 from 1001 books) - Wuthering Heights, Emily Brontë

Wuthering Heights, Emily Brontë's sole novel, was published in 1847 under the pseudonym "Ellis Bell". Sadly, she passed away the following year at the young age of 30. It was penned between October 1845 and June 1846. Before the success of their sister Charlotte's novel Jane Eyre, both Wuthering Heights and Anne Brontë's Agnes Grey were accepted by publisher Thomas Newby. After Emily's death, Charlotte edited the manuscript of Wuthering Heights and arranged for the edited version to be published as a posthumous second edition in 1850.

Thirty years earlier, the Earnshaws resided at Wuthering Heights with their children, Hindley and Catherine, and a servant - Nelly herself. Upon returning from a trip to Liverpool, Earnshaw brought back a young orphan whom he named Heathcliff and favored above his own children. Especially after his wife's death, he neglected Hindley and Catherine. Hindley took out his resentment on Heathcliff by beating him, but gradually, Heathcliff and Catherine became close friends.

Hindley then left for university and returned as the new master of Wuthering Heights three years later upon his father's death. He and his new wife Frances allowed Heathcliff to stay, but only as a servant. Heathcliff and Catherine spied on Edgar Linton and his sister Isabella, who lived nearby at Thrushcross Grange. Catherine was attacked by their dog, and the Lintons took her in while sending Heathcliff home. When the Lintons visited, Hindley and Edgar made fun of Heathcliff, which led to a fight. Heathcliff was locked in the attic and vowed revenge...

Are you a fan of edgy gothic British novels from the 18th century? Then Emily Brontë is the author for you. Her only novel, Wuthering Heights, explores themes of family grudges, revenge, unrequited love, and features blunt language.

Back in high school, when I first delved into classic books and discussed them in class, I was always drawn to the stories of the Brontë sisters. They hold a special place in my heart.

The contents of this novel caused quite a stir in Victorian society due to its controversial themes and morally ambiguous characters. However, over time, it has come to be appraised as a work of literary art. Even after approximately 177 years since its publication, the actions and behaviors of the characters continue to puzzle readers and scholars alike.

The story is set in the late 1700s and early 1800s in the Yorkshire moors. It centers around two families, the Earnshaws and the Lintons, who live in the fictional estates of Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange, respectively. These families are completely secluded and isolated from the traditional rules of civilization, and their lives become intertwined through a fierce and harsh love that has tragic consequences.

•*⁀➷ This Bronte novel might not be everyone's cup of tea; you'll either love it with all your heart or hate it with equal intensity. There is no middle ground. But what Bronte has achieved is no small feat.

With Wuthering Heights, she shatters all unrealistic expectations of relationships. She shows the world that love can be obsessive and obstructive, like two entwined vines covered in thorns, causing pain to everything around them.

The characters in the novel are complex and multi-faceted. Mr. Lockwood is the tenant who rents Thrushcross Grange. Nelly Dean is the narrator and head housekeeper of Wuthering Heights, who was raised as part of the family. Catherine Earnshaw, the female protagonist, is a dramatic, selfish, and mean girl who befriends the orphan Heathcliff and falls in love with him, but ultimately marries the rich Edgar Linton. Heathcliff, the anti-hero, is an orphan taken in by Mr. Earnshaw but grows up to be a cruel and violent man bent on revenge. Hindley Earnshaw is Catherine's brother and Heathcliff's arch-nemesis. The Lintons, Isabella and Edgar, live in Thrushcross Grange. Catherine Linton, the daughter of Catherine and Edgar, is an innocent and adorable child. Hareton Earnshaw, Hindley's son, has a kind heart despite his rough exterior. Linton Heathcliff is the sickly and self-centered son of Isabella and Heathcliff. Joseph is a redundant and fanatically religious servant of Wuthering Heights.

The book begins with the arrival of Mr. Lockwood at Wuthering Heights. He quickly realizes that the people living there are far from kind. He meets Mr. Heathcliff and Joseph, and is also introduced to Cathy Heathcliff and Hareton Earnshaw. Mr. Lockwood discovers that there is no love among the occupants of the Heights, only hatred and spite. He then asks the housekeeper of Thrushcross Grange, Mrs. Dean, to tell him their story.

•*⁀➷ Mrs. Dean proves to be a talented storyteller, vividly narrating the tale with intricate details. The story is filled with angst and sadness, and it's impossible not to feel sorry for all the characters.

Mr. Earnshaw brings home an orphan boy, Heathcliff, from a business trip and raises him as his own. Hindley, jealous of his father's love for Heathcliff, torments him throughout his childhood. Catherine is Heathcliff's only friend, but her selfish nature leads to his downfall. When Catherine marries Edgar, Heathcliff feels betrayed and runs away. He returns three years later with a plan for revenge on Hindley.

Heathcliff and Catherine's love affair is an epic tragedy that shatters every girl's romantic幻想. Their love is narcissistic, obsessive, and self-destructive, bordering on hatred. Bronte portrays the characters as selfish, violent, and conniving, who have endured their own share of abuse and have no qualms about inflicting similar pain on others.

Given this dynamic, they have not only made their own lives miserable but also those of everyone around them. Their influence can be felt even when they are not present. Bronte personifies nature by making the moors a reflection of their miserable lives.

•*⁀➷ The author has masterfully created these characters and their children, who must carry the sins of their fathers and seek redemption on their own. This is not a feel-good love story. Wuthering Heights展现了人性的残酷，毫不掩饰地让读者感受到痛苦和绝望。 Instead of sugarcoating the story, it forces the reader to confront the harsh realities of life and love.

The writing is so powerful that it makes me want to throw the book across the room when Heathcliff acts out of anger and takes it out on those around him. But at the same time, I can't help but feel sorry for him and hope that he will redeem himself. Every death, every birth, every moment of happiness or sadness that the characters experience, all brought to life by Emily Bronte's wonderful penmanship, takes my breath away.

•*⁀➷ Wuthering Heights is truly a literary masterpiece. Emily Brontë's work challenged the Victorian values and patriarchal norms of her time. I believe that if she had revealed her true identity, she would have faced even more criticism from reviewers and society. The novel was ahead of its time in terms of cultural and social conventions, and I think every avid reader should take on the challenge of reading this classic.

Here are some quotes from the novel:

❀⋆.ೃ࿔ ༊ “He’s more myself than I am. Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same; and Linton’s is as different as a moonbeam from lightening, or frost from fire.”.☽༊˚

❀⋆.ೃ࿔ ༊ “My love for Linton is like the foliage in the woods: time will change it, I’m well aware, as winter changes the trees. My love for Heathcliff resembles the eternal rocks beneath: a source of little visible delight, but necessary.”.☽༊˚

❀⋆.ೃ࿔ ༊ “He wanted all to lie in an ecstasy of peace; I wanted all to sparkle and dance in a glorious jubilee. I said his heaven would be only half alive; and he said mine would be drunk: I said I should fall asleep in his; and he said he could not breathe in mine.”.☽༊˚

❀⋆.ೃ࿔ ༊ “Treachery and violence are spears pointed at both ends; they wound those who resort to them worse than their enemies.”.☽༊˚

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