Wuthering Heights was assigned to me during my senior year of high school. I didn’t read it then. Even though I read a lot of books at that time, I just couldn’t get into classics, and bluffed my way through English class with a healthy collection of Cliffs Notes.

So, what do I think now that I have finally read Wuthering Heights? In some ways, it’s quite stilted because of the writing conventions of the time. Everything is presented through the recounting of a present narrator instead of simply an omniscient one. Pretty much every character has a double, and the entire second half of the book repeats the first half with changes meant to highlight the differences between the first and second generation of characters.

But overall, the book was not what I expected and instead kind of bonkers. Multiple children, women, and spouses are psychologically and physically abused. A character drinks himself to death. Considering Catherine and Heathcliff are one of literature’s most famous couples, I’m not sure “toxic” goes far enough to describe how unsuited they are for each other. She loves him in her way, but chooses another for social status. Once spurned, he dusts himself off and finds someone else. Just kidding. He engages on a multi-generational scheme of revenge with a capital R, marrying a woman he hates, attempting to ruin a child’s life simply because of who his father was, and finally using his own unloved son as part of his vengeance.

As one might expect from a classic, the writing is excellent. Catherine and Heathcliff’s declarations of love for each other are flowery, passionate, generally over-the-top, and probably a big part of why people remember this book as being “romantic” when it’s not. But other lines illustrate the point. How monstrous is Heathcliff? Here’s a line he says about his own son and potential daughter-in-law: “Had I been born where laws are less strict and tastes less dainty, I should treat myself to a slow vivisection of those two, as an evening's amusement.” Or this one, in which he compares his son to the son of his higher-born rival:

But there's this one difference: one is gold put to the use of paving-stones, and the other is tin polished to ape a service of silver. Mine has nothing valuable about it; yet I shall have the merit of making it go as far as such poor stuff can go. His had first-rate qualities, and they are lost, rendered worst than unavailing.

I’m not sure I enjoyed the book, though I did read it quickly so that’s one sign I did. There were parts I thought dragged, and I’m not sure there’s a redeeming character in the entire book, save the narrators. Still, the writing was lush, and the story so dark.... 31 years later, I have to say Mrs. Minnick was right: Wuthering Heights is certainly a book worth reading. Recommended if you, like me, dodged it in your youth.

Wuthering Heights is a beautiful, dark spectacle. Its relentless gloom and utter lack of redemption seem extraordinary for its time, and refreshing in a peculiar way. The choice of removing the narrative by two degrees from the novel's events has the effect of obscuring the motives of the principal characters, which leaves the novel unfortunately prone to a simplistic interpretation. One, however, must read between the lines. These are complex characters, caught in a web of causation that amplifies and perpetuates their flaws. I love the novel's ambiguity, its refusal to guide the reader to a clear destination, forcing you to seek your own way thorough its dark moors.

If you think that spitefulness is romantic, and that people destroying their lives is dramatic, go ahead and read this book. But don't say I didn't warn you.

First read: 2009, Rating: 5 stars
Second read: 2012, Rating: 5 stars
Third read: 2014, Rating: 5 stars
Fourth read: May 2015, Rating: 5 stars
Fifth read: August 2017, Rating: 5 stars
Sixth read: July 2018, Rating: 5 stars
Seventh read: October 2020, Rating: 5 stars

I enjoy character-driven narratives and, so, adored this novel from the first time I read it, nine years ago. The reason this has remained such a firm favourite, and why I try to ensure I reread this at least biennially, however, is that in this intense and focused character study I found myself unaccountably and entirely drawn to every unlikable individual in it. I forgave every flaw and overlooked any ordinarily dislikeable quality in my blind adoration for these passionate creatures.

I was captivated by the raging emotions that dominated, throughout. The wildness of the characters and their uncontrollable fits of frenzy and passion - their deepest of despairs and their most ardent of desires - is also mirrored by the wildness of the landscape surrounding them, creating an eternal and external, extra character in this most infamous of love triangles.

I have reread this so often that I could probably quote every single page, but yet I never fail to find something new to discover on the moors. There is a feeling of never quite being on equal footing that dominates and permeates the entire text. This is a novel that distances the reader: it denies any simple pleasure such as happy-ever-afters or a brief respite from the altering high passions and utter, all-consuming bleakness. I will never feel at home here but I will always long to.

This has remained my favourite book from first reading until now, ten years later, and I think there's no better endorsement for a book than that!

Banjo Twang: a Redneck Wuthering Heights narrative in One Act

•tOle boy Lockwood shacks up at Thrushcross Grange on them Anglish moors, spooky skeery place
•tThe uppity landlord, grumpy old high dollar name of Heathcliff, him stays in the big house o’ Wuthering Heights
•tLockwood goes an asks ole girl Nelly Dean to learn him of the story of Wuthering Heights and all about ole boy Heathcliff
•tLockwood scribbles it all down, all what Nelly tells him
•tNelly had been a serving girl, working for the earlier boss, old man Earnshaw and his folks
•tEarnshaw drags home a little dark skinned homeless boy, that’ll be Heathcliff
•tEarnshaw’s littlun girl Cathy and that boy Heathcliff come of friends but that Hindley boy is right ornery to Heathcliff; but tell of Earnshaw, he likin’ Heathcliff better’n his own boy Hindley
•tHindley goes off’n to the school house
•tHindley comes back a time later, has ole boy Heathcliff work in them fields and Cathy takes up with Linton, boy lives down the way
•tHindley’s wife passes and he takes to the bottle and his youngun Hareton comes up hadn’t a maw
•tCathy gets hitched to ole boy Linton – Heathcliff sets out and comes back a spell after, havin made hisself some money
•tHeathcliff sets on getting back at ole boy Hindley and gets hisself Wuthering Heights
•tOle girl Cathy has a baby girl herself but passes after the birthin – Heathcliff goes on after her ghost and has her to stay and spook him
•tRich ole Heathcliff does some right crafty wrangling and gets both of them houses and treats poorly with littlun Catherine, that’ll be Cathy’s girl. That’s when he rents out Thrushcross Grange to ole boy Lockwood
•tThat’ll be when Lockwood hears of Nelly’s spin and Lockwood gets powerful mad at how Heathcliff has done all wrong and he sets off
•tLockwood comes around a time later and hears how ole Heathcliff has gone plumb crazy with Cathy’s ghost and has hisself passed on, that young’un Catherine and ole boy Hareton are set to get hitched and to get title to both them houses
•tThe end.

3.5⭐️ it's the Brontë sisters' world and I'm just living in it

it's not true love until he wants your ghost to literally come haunt and drive him insane and oh while he's at it also digs your grave a few times to give you a hug.

find yourself a hot psychopath who loves you and only you. never settle for less!

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too soon in 2023 for an emotional breakdown???

n  n
Wuthering Heights is a story of great love and passion. It is a story of betrayal. It is a story of revenge. It is a story of complicated relationships in and between families. It is a story of rebels. It is a story of a few selfish characters who will try to do anything for their benefit. This is the beauty of this novel. It can be viewed from multiple angles, and we can see many embedded themes in it, giving us a different reading experience every time we read it in various phases of our life.

Emily Bronte has crafted this story in such a way that the story of the Earnshaws and the Lintons and Heathcliff and Catherine will stay in our minds forever. If you are a lover of classics, this is unequivocally the book you should never miss.

n  

n    “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.”n  

n

Virginia Woolf says, of the two Catherines in Wuthering Heights, that “they are the most loveable women in English fiction.” I have not read nearly enough English fiction to have an informed opinion on this matter – yet still I have an opinion: I disagree wholeheartedly. In fact, I believe that this book has managed something spectacular, in housing the single most dislikeable cast of characters that I have ever had the pleasure of reading about within one novel. Despite this “setback” (as much as you could call an intentional masterstroke a setback), the story thrives. Emily’s prose is poetry in motion, and it really is a testament to her genius that this work remains a giant of world literature. In anyone else’s hands, it would have been fumbled. I found myself wanting to argue with almost every character in the book, depriving them of their dinner and sending them to their room in order to reflect on how naughty they had been.

So why did I like Wuthering Heights? I felt that it went against the grain. It did not give me what I wanted out of my preconceived notion of the Victorian novel. It made me work for a morsel of meaning, and by doing so, made me feel a lot smarter than I actually am. I would pick out nuances in situations, characters, and interactions that would excite me. Emily’s achievement reminded me of the work of Lev Vygotsky, and his idea of the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD). This idea states that there are a set number of tasks that I am capable of carrying out on my own, and these comprise the first level. The third and final level would be all of the tasks that I cannot do, no matter how I am guided. But the second and middle level is the ZPD. Here is where I can approach tasks and ideas with a bit of guidance, slowly increasing my own capabilities while learning. Emily was my guide, and she did a great job.

I suppose this was a love story. No one said it would be a typical love story. I was in awe of the numerous toxic relationships on display, and the (seemingly) perfectly ordinary patterns of back and forth that they created for the characters. Even for the standards of the Victorian era, some of the conduct between the various lovers was unbelievable, and everyone seemed to be okay with it. It would be completely alright that you could begin the day by slighting your partner, giving them an ultimatum, running out on them, coming back at night, abusing them verbally and emotionally, and go to bed angry. No problems here. I would recommend the book to many just for that aspect alone. It is a perfect study of what not to do in a romantic relationship.

Finally, and on a slightly more facetious note, WHAT IN GOD’S NAME is Joseph saying? My British friends, I am sorry, but I had to resort to a website. I have never been so flabbergasted while looking at dialogue. The seemingly random array of characters was not connecting in my brain. I hope the other Brontës spare me that pain.

"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 fabulous tale begins with bumbling Mr. Lockwood, who wishes to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city and looks forward to the beautiful country life. He’s on a mission to rent Thrushcross Grange from its owner, who also owns Wuthering Heights Manor. He’s welcomed as much as anyone would welcome the plague and is met with harsh treatment, as well as pack of ill-tempered dogs who violently maul him. Add to that a snowstorm that puts him in his sickbed, this rural getaway is beginning to seem like a capital idea!

As Mr. Lockwood convalesces at Thrushcross Grange, he becomes acquainted with the keeper of the house, Ellen Dean. Treading lightly after his previous encounters with these inhospitable people he approaches Miss Dean with caution and inquires after the intriguing inhabitants of Wuthering Heights. Ellen - or Nelly, as she’s known- is of a kinder disposition. She rushes off to get her knitting and settles in to tell the tale of all of the broken souls who haunt the halls of these once-grand homes.

I’m snuggled in with my new friends engrossed in the saga of Heathcliff, the foundling gipsy child and Catherine, the daughter of his benefactor (and their magnetic attraction), eagerly listening to Nelly regale the history of the Earnshaws and the Lintons, her knitting needles clicking away, when she tells of Heathcliff's hasty departure! By now, I am completely captivated, and that’s when Nelly ceases the recounting, stating that Mr. Lockwood needs his sleep. Never mind his sleep! I grumbled. Lockwood and I don't need any sleep, woman! Get on with it!

I wanted to reach into the pages and shake her! Where has Heathcliff gone? And what is going to happen to Cathy? Those two are the Richard Burton and Liz Taylor of their day! Tell! Tell! And be quick about it!

Thankfully, Nelly returned to the story after some urging from my good man Lockwood, and we find that Cathy has married Edgar Linton! She’s living at Thrushcross Grange with Edgar and his sister Isabella, and they are as happy as clams.

Then the poo hits the proverbial fan back at Wuthering Heights.

Mr. Heathcliff comes strolling back into the picture, slick as you please, after three years away. He's looking all Rico Suave as he pops over to Cathy’s new digs, intending to stir the fire in her loins. And here she is married to another. Oh my! Next, the wilting flower, Isabella, upon laying her baby blues on ol' Heathcliff has a mighty yearning for the brooding bad boy, and all the while the devilish rogue is licking his chops at the thought of her juicy money. Cathy turns lime green with jealousy and Nelly is about to have a breakdown over the whole hot mess. It's code red over there!

The outcome for these dismally unhappy folks could hardly be a 'happily ever after' one ... Or could it? I won’t spoil Wuthering Heights for anyone who is yet to read this engrossing melodrama. The story is wild, dark and stormy, and I devoured it as if I was starving. The prose is so evocative as to create a movie in my mind that culminates in a spectacular finish. A story of vengeance, love, greed and the cost of evil deeds; but could there also be redemption?

One of my favorite lines; Cathy says of Heathcliff:
"He's more myself than I am. Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same."

I would urge anyone who hasn’t read this dazzling novel, to please give it a try. I’m still reeling!

I'm utter trash for this thing. Utter trash. Holy shit. This novel started out in the most ridiculous manner ever, and then turned into a friggin' masterpiece, and now everything makes sense, and my heart is full.

Wuthering Heights is Emily Brontë's only novel. It was published in 1847, the year before Emily (at the tender age of 30) passed away. Wuthering Heights was a book of controversy in Victorian England; the stark depiction of mental and physical cruelty challenged the strict ideals of religious hypocrisy and gender inequality.

Early reviews of Wuthering Heights were mixed in their assessment. Whilst most critics at the time recognised the power and imagination of the novel, they were also baffled by the storyline and found the characters extremely forward and uninhibited.

One contemporary reviewer said that there is not a single character who is not utterly hateful or thoroughly contemptible. And whilst I agree that I loathed most characters in this book, I have to say that I am utter trash for Hareton (and will defend him to the end of my days), and also Nelly Dean made me hollering throughout the whole thing. As for Catherine and Heathcliff, they can choke.

So, let's talk about my two faves. There are two things I took from this book: 1) Nelly Dean deserves better, and 2) Hareton is the ultimate bae.

Nelly Dean, the maid, first to Catherine I. and later to her daughter Cathy II., is the narrator of the story and I was living for her. She wouldn't put up with anyone's bullshit and she provided a voice of reason throughout the story (even though her judgement was far off a couple of times).

n  I went about my household duties, convinced that the Grange had but one sensible soul in its walls, and that lodged in my body.n

I mean, c'mon, this girl is hilarious. I was shooketh that Emily Brontë actually constructed a narrative in which the servant seemed more sane than their masters. Granted, Nelly Dean suffers from a clear case of 'the happy maid with no cares of her own' which is highly unrealistic and sells her character short, nonetheless, I just loved that she got so many sassy moments.

I mean that woman is downright shady and cunning, always making sure to cover up her slip-ups and play dumb when she needs to. I also appreciated the #realtalks that she had with the two Catherine's who were just too high up their asses to see what privileged little fucks they were:

n  Example A: If you had any real griefs, you'd be ashamed to waste a tear on this little contrariety. You never had one shadow of substantial sorrow, Miss Catherine.

Example B: When Cathy tells her that she loves Linton, Nelly replies: 'Did anybody ever hear the like! I might just as well talk of loving the miller who comes once a year to buy our corn.'n

Tell 'em, girl, tell 'em!

One of the best moments in this entire story were the ones in which Catherine talked about dying and going to heaven, and Nelly was lowkey judging her so hard being all like 'nah sista, you gonna rot in hell.' QUEEN!

Now onto my ultimate bae – Hareton, who also deserves better, but ultimately actually got better, so I am not complaining.

I could start this segment with a whole discussion on nature vs nurture, and whether one's character gets corrupted by the way we are brought up, or if certain traits are 'pre-installed', but honestly, I just want to gush about my trash children, sooo...

I think that Wuthering Heights is interpreted wrong in most of popular culture (especially in its movie adaptations who often cut out the second half of the novel like HOW DARE YOUUUU). So let's all take a seat and acutally listen to what Emily was trying to tell us here. It is no secret that there are two love stories in this book. The one between Heathcliff and Catherine, and then the one in the next generation between Hareton and Cathy.

Most people think that Heathcliff and Cathy are the big romantic couple of this story, but let me tell you, these people are wrong. Emily makes it very clear that both are absolutely miserable, and were never able to get over their own high opinion of themselves. She shows their unhealthy relationship which eventually lead to death and ruin. Yeah. Such romance.

The actual romantic lovers of this tale are Hareton and Cathy who actually managed to overcome their initial prejudices and learn from one another. They get a happy ending. SO PLEASE TELL ME WHY PEOPLE ARE IGNORING THEM WHEN THEY ARE SO CUTE.

Here are my TOP 10 Hareton and Cathy moments (can ya tell I'm trash):

1) The first time he showed his vulnerability after his cousin made fun of him: "Hareton darkened; I perceived he was very sensitive to suspected slights, and had obviously a dim notion of his inferiority." UGH

2) When he tried to improve himself by learning how to read just to impress Cathy, and just in general how he even wanted to look presentable for her. My awkward baby!

3) The first time he was totally entranced by Cathy: "And, perhaps, not quite awake to what he did, but attracted like a child to a candle, at last, he proceeded from staring to touching; he put out his hand and stroked one curl, as gently as if it were a bird." LIKE FUCK ME UP! This was the moment I knew I was trash for this angsty couple!

4) Hareton asking Nelly if she could ask Cathy to read to them without mentioning that he asked in the first place. MY TRASH CHILDREN ARE TRASH!

5) Hareton making sure Cathy got the letter from the Grange.

6) When Cathy called him out for "stealing" her books: "Earnshaw blushed crimson, when his cousin made this revelation of his private literary accumulations, and stammered an indignant denial of her accusations. The young man evidently thought it too bad that he should be laughed at for his ignorance, and then laughed at for trying to remove it." UGH my man just trying to improve himself!

7) The first time Cathy kissed his cheek to thank him for standing up for her: "She returned to the hearth, and frankly extended her hand. He blackened and scowled like a thunder-cloud, and kept his fists resolutely clenched, and his gaze fixed on the ground. Catherine, by instinct, must have divined it was obdurate perversity, and not dislike, that prompted this dogged conduct; for, after remaining an instant undecided, she stooped and impressed on his cheek a gentle kiss."

8) The first big reconciliation (after the cheeky kiss). ALL THE FEELS!

9) "The intimacy thus commenced grew rapidly; though it encountered temporary interruptions. Earnshaw was not to be civilised with a wish, and my young lady was no philosopher, and no paragon of patience; but both their minds tending to the same point - one loving and desiring to esteem, and the other loving and desiring to be esteemed - they contrived in the end to reach it." THIS IS HOW YOU WRITE ROMANCE PEOPLE!

10) Hareton mourning for Heathcliff, not because he liked him particularly but because he was his father figure after all. And then Cathy actually respecting his feelings and managing to hold her tongue in regards to her hatred for Heathcliff. Look at my trash children actually listening and learning from one another. #BLESSETH

Okay, now that we acutally got that out of the way (you don't even know how giddy I am right now), let's get further along with some analysis.

I will never stop thinking about Heathcliff's ambiguous appearance and whether he can be read as a person of color. I know that he is frequently described as being a 'gyspy', but there are just as many circumstances in which Emily Brontë describes him as dark-skinned. Whatever the 'truth' might be, it is clear that Heathcliff is a social outcast. He doesn't even get a first name.

In the beginning I actually liked him very much because I understood his struggle:

n  Young Heathcliff: "Oh Nelly […] I wish I had light hair and a fair skin, and was dressed, and behaved as well, and had a chance of being as rich as he will be. […] In other words, I must wish for Edgar Linton's great blue eyes, and even forehead."n

He is insecure about his appearance and his status, he just wanted to fit in. It was fascinating to see how his character got corrupted and more malicious as time went on.

As I mentioned earlier I was so not about his romance with Catherine. Their relationship is one of the most toxic that I have ever read about, however, Emily provides us with the most pettiest move in all of history by making Heathcliff remove Linton's lock of hair from Catherine's necklace and putting his own in it, so that she would be buried with something from him instead. I AM HURLING. THAT SHIT IS GREAT! Nonetheless, the melodrama was way too high with these too, and overall their lofty manner was ridiculous as fuck. I mean check this out:

n  Heathcliff: "You teach me now how cruel you've been - cruel and false! Why did you despise me? Why did you betray your own heart, Cathy? I have not one word of comfort. You deserve this. You have killed yourself. Yes, you may kiss me, and cry; and wring out my kisses and tears: they'll blight you - they'll damn you. You loved me - then what right had you to leave me? What right - answer me - for the poor fancy you felt for Linton? Because misery, and degradation, and death, and nothing God or Satan could inflict would have parted us, you, of your own will, did it. I have not broken your heart - you have broken it; and in breaking it, you have broken mine."n

These bitches need to chill the fuck out.

I highly appreciated Emily's criticism of alcohol throughout the whole novel, and that Cathy's illness can be interpreted as a metaphor for depression. In general, I have a feeling that this novel is extremely rich in theme and will get even better upon future rereads. Also, what's up with all these dogs that show up in this narrative???

I am also a huge sucker for the gothic ending which hints that Heathcliff and Catherine are 'haunting' the moors together, and thus becoming local legends. ;)

Overall, I have only one minor criticism, and that is the frame narrative featuring Mr. Lockwood. It seemed pretty useless to me. Also, some of the stylistic choices, especially in regards to Joseph's speech and how every single narrator sounded exactly the same, were a little wacky but I can easily forgive that. I had such a blast reading this!

"Hello, everyone. Welcome to chaos." -Emily Brontë upon publishing this book, probably

Inside me, there are two wolves. (I am saying there are two wolves in order to reference the meme, but what would be more accurate is to say that inside of me there are two boring and nonviolent creatures. Like a pigeon. Or an accountant.)

One wolf, or whatever, has such a constant and undying need to share its opinion that it is currently ranked #1 on Goodreads for most annoying best reviewer. (Don't check if that's still true. I doubt it'll stick and it'll be awkward for all of us if it isn't.)

The other wolf (slash what have you) thinks every other wolf (or entity of your choosing) has a better grasp of every concept on earth than it does, and that it should shut up for one second and let the other wolves talk, like seriously, Jesus Christ, be quiet already, oh my god.

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

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

Here is a list of facts about this book:
- it was published in 1848
- its author had a grand total of about 1 year of formal education
- it was said author's debut and written while she was in her 20s
- it contains barbaric characters, total disregard for etiquette, necrophilia (or intent to commit), 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 maybe make TikTokers consider for one second how often they use that word.

Kind of surprising, no?

In spite of the fact that I was told one hundred thousand million times that this is not a love story, I was told TWO hundred thousand million times that it was. And honestly I went in expecting something like Agnes Grey: it's not a satisfying romance, but there's something there.

I was not prepared for this.

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

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

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

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 ever 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 have now amassed 3 copies of this book, in the hope that one of them will suddenly inspire me to read it