I have never read Elizabeth Von Arnim, but Father sounds like a tragic comedy. I like it has a lot of ironic tragedy in it. I have my own theory about Heathcliff and who he may be, and my own theory about Wuthering Heights in general - but I think it's genius is that it has found the right balance of specificity and ambiguity to allow everyone to have a bit of a different theory about it. And I really like your idea that the virtuous people may not in fact be the good people after all HAHA. Thank you Libby, I really enjoyed your video discussion
Thank you. Yes, I would say Father is a bit of a tragic comedy. I was surprised at how modern the writing feels. I love, too, that Wuthering Heights can be so differently interpreted. It almost feels that she meant it that way and utilized the different narrators to that purpose.
Thanks for presenting Elizabeth von Arnim. I had heard of her a couple of times, but so far haven't read anything written by her. You got me interested in 'Father'. On Jane Eyre (I first read it about 25 years ago): I just recently watched the 2011 film (by Fukunaga) together with my daughter and we loved it. I consider this the best film adaptation I've seen of that novel. Do you have a favorite film adaptation? On Wuthering Heights: I fully agree with you on the outstanding way nature is described. I love books where you can tell that the author really is a good and detailed observer of nature. You mentioned in your first video that you love Thomas Hardy, and I think he is also very good at this (also using a lot of symbolism, - e.g. birds).
I love the 2011 Jane Eyre. Visually, I think it is my favorite. I just watched the 1997 version yesterday and I found that Rochester to be an absolute narcissist, which I found interesting because I've never quite been able to reconcile their relationship in romantic terms and it got me thinking about the psychology behind their characters. I need to read more Hardy. I'm thinking Jude the Obscure will be next.
@@libbyreadsGood choice! Jude the Obscure has some heart-wrenching scenes, but I think it is a very convincing 'Bildungsroman' and a strong accusation of the elitist Victorian society that doesn't give a chance to Jude to work up his way into the circles of 'the learned and educated' ones. This is one of my two favorite Hardy novels (together with "The mayor of Casterbridge").
