ThoughtsorreflectionsonreadingWutheringHeights
ThebookwaswrittenbyEmilyBronte,itpublishedin1847.Butatthattime,itseemedtoholdlittlepromise,sellingverypoorlyandreceivingonlyafewmixedreviews.Ifoundthisinourschoollibrary,Ichosethisbookbecausethetitleattractedme.Thebookisstructuredaroundtwoparallellovestories,thefirsthalfofthenovelcenteringonthelovebetweenCatherineandHeathcliff,whilethelessdramaticsecondhalffeaturesthedevelopinglovebetweenyoungCatherineandHareton.Incontrasttothefirst,thelattertaleendshappily,restoringpeaceandordertoWutheringHeightsandThrushcrossGrange.Inthestory,thetwohouses,WutheringHeightsandThrushcrossGrange,representopposingworldsandvalues.
Ispenttwentydaysreadingthisbook.Afterreadingthisbook,IfeltforHeathcliffatfirst.HeathcliffbeginshislifeasahomelessorphanonthestreetsofLiverpool,andthenhetyrannizedbyHindleyEarnshaw.ButhebecomesavillainwhenheacquirespowerandreturnstoWutheringHeightswithmoneyandthetrappingsofagentleman.Hismalevolenceprovessogreatandlong—lasting.Ashehimselfpointsout,hisabuseofIsabella—hiswifeispurelysadistic,asheamuseshimselfbyseeinghowmuchabuseshecantakeandstillcomecringingbackformore.
Catherinerepresentswildnature,inbothherhigh,livelyspiritsandheroccasionalcruelty.ShelovesHeathcliffsointenselythatsheclaimstheyarethesameperson.However,heractionsaredriveninpartbyhersocialambitions,whichinitiallyareawakenedduringherfirststayattheLintons,andwhicheventuallycompelhertomarryEdgar.Catherineisfree—spirited,beautiful,spoiled,andoftenarrogant,sheisgiventofitsoftemper,andsheistornbetweenherbothofthemenwholoveher.Thelocationofhercoffinsymbolizestheconflictthattearsaparthershortlife.SheisburiedinacorneroftheKirkyard.IncontrasttoCatherine,IsabellaLinton—Catherine’ssister—in—lawrepresentscultureandcivilization,bothinherrefinementandinherweakness.Ultimately,sheruinsherlifebyfallinginlovewithHeathcliff.HeneverreturnsherfeelingsandtreatsherasameretoolinhisquestforrevengeontheLintonfamily.
JustasIsabellaLintonservesasCatherine’sfoil,EdgarLintonservesasHeathcliff’s.Edgargrowsintoatender,constant,butcowardlyman.Heisalmosttheidealgentleman.However,thisfullassortmentofgentlemanlycharacteristics,alongwithhiscivilizedvirtues,provesuselessinEdgar’sclasheswithhisfoil.Heseeshiswifeobviouslyinlovewithanothermanbutunabletodoanythingtorectifythesituation.Heathcliff,whogainspoweroverhiswife,sister,anddaughter.
Thewholestorymakepeople’smoodheavy.Fortunately,theendishappy.
TheauthorEmilyBrontelivedaneccentric,closelyguardedlife.Shewasbornin1818,twoyearsafterCharlotte—theauthorofJaneEyreandayearandahalfbeforehersisterAnne,whoalsobecameanauthor.Herfatherworkedasachurchrector,andheraunt,whoraisedtheBrontechildrenaftertheirmotherdied,wasdeeplyreligious.EmilyBrontedidnottaketoheraunt’sChristianfervor,thecharacterofJoseph,acaricatureofanevangelical,mayhavebeeninspiredbyheraunt’sreligiosity.TheBronteslivedinHaworth,aYorkshirevillageinthemidstofthemoors.Thesewild,desolateexpanses—laterthesettingofWutheringHeights—madeuptheBrontesdailyenvironment,andEmilylivedamongthemherentirelife.Shediedin1848,attheageofthirty.
Ilikethisbookbecauseitrestontheunforgettablecharacters.WutheringHeightsisbasedpartlyontheGothictradition,astyleofliteraturethatfeaturedsupernaturalencounters,crumblingruins,moonlessnights,andgrotesqueimagery,seekingtocreateeffectsofmysteryandfear.Iwouldliketorecommendthisbooktootherreaders.
