Thanks a lot for the review. 'Wuthering Heights' had an enormous impact on me during my youth, one that still persists... My first encounter was indirect: a short story included in a secondary school textbook, featuring a similarly young girl who was fascinated with the book. She regarded her older sister's relationship with disdain, finding it trivial in comparison. One day, she overheard her sister arguing on the phone and then announcing to the family that she wanted to end things with her boyfriend, who then threatened to commit suicide. The protagonist was astounded; she reproached herself for misjudging him, when he really was a man capable of genuine passion and love. Yet, the next day her sister informed her that he was okay and had returned some borrowed records to her. Seeing her deeply affected, her sister said not to worry, that her ex-boyfriend was fine and would not do anything like that. But the protagonist, as narrator, said she wasn't worried: she was desolate, because at that moment she thought that the love and stories that fascinated her only existed in books. My second encounter, several years later, was when I read the novel myself for the first time and gained from it my most ingrained notion of love. It is, of course, just as you described: forming a unity. The beloved is not necessarily attractive, joyful or beneficial to the lover, but simply indispensable. One might say they are the other part of oneself, whom one cannot do without other than in a painfuly incomplete and shattered manner. This quasi-definition is found in the single most striking lines delivered by Catherine and Heathcliff, respectively, even written in capitals: "Nelly, I AM Heathcliff!" and "I CANNOT live without my life! I CANNOT live without my soul!". For me, it took even more years to weigh, refine and experience, for better and for worse, the plausibility of these amorous ideas. But they never left me. That said, through the years and re-takes, I've grown steadily convinced that Catherine was, so to say, the real 'bad guy' of the story, with Heathcliff as the main protagonist and anti-hero. She was the one who, for base selfish interest, betrayed, abandoned and ruined Heathcliff; whom, whether or not such things as afterlife or ghosts exist, indeed loved her and only her, with limitless passion and devotion, for his entire life. So in the end, for me, W.H. is the tragic story about Heathcliff's undying love for Catherine; which seems consistent with Emily Brontë allegedly having his brother's tragic affair as partial inspiration.
Yes! I also see Cathy as a the main antagonist. As you said, Heathcliff is an antihero. Their love knows no boundaries. Not even their own flaws get in the way of their feelings.
I also really like Wuthering Heights but no, it is definitely NOT a love story (at least not in the classic sense). While reading the book, I remember being absolutely appalled at just how cruel and venomous Healthcliff was portrayed. I believe that people think Wuthering Heights is a romantic story because early Hollywood filmmaking is responsible for misleading those who haven't actually read the book into believing that it was. Yes, it can be a difficult read, but still, always Read The Book!
I love Wuthering Heights so much and I think most people go into it expecting a romance and are shocked and disappointed when they come across all these horrible characters and these horrible things they do. But that's the whole point of it! I went into it fully embracing how it was about revenge, violence, ghosts but yes, also a love story in there. But is mostly about revenge and how it works and how it affects these two whole generations of two families. It's so brilliant.
I would like to thank you for this video, I think you brought a lot of interesting perspectives!! Wuthering Heights is my favourite novel of all time, I discovered it when I was 12 years old and never stopped reading it since then! 😊 Also, I think your channel has a lot of other interesting videos!!
I would pay to read a fan fiction about this 😭. Seriously, it angers me that Heathcliff’s violence against Cathy and grooming of Hareton go unaddressed 💀
I honestly think the novel as it stands could be read this way. What happened to Heathcliff, there at the end? He still couldn't stand young Cathy, but, he seemed to have lost his will to destroy her. He wasn't sorry, he'd got what he wanted. Then, he couldn't eat, his nerves were wracked, his eyes followed something around the room that nobody else could see. It's Catherine, of course, tormenting him as she had always done. The first time she saw him, she spit on him. Nothing has changed. This time she hounds him to death. And the way is clear for Hareton and Cathy.
Thanks so much for this, it’s my favourite book and I can’t stand people trying to romanticise abuse. I understand that the book is romantic but not in the loving way but in the passionate way.
Wuthering Heights is my favorite novel! I want to re read it soon, but I'll admit, I'm afraid 😅 this novel is very complex and sad...and I i think that grief and self love are present very well in this novel.
I HATED this book when I read it a couple months ago but you made such a good argument for it that I'll give it another shot, especially with your saucy interpretation.
Hahahahha thank you!! I’m sorry that you didn’t like it! Perhaps expectations played a role in your reading experience? They did during my first reading. I went into it thinking it was a romance, and I was so confused when I finished it. I still loved it though. This is a novel that causes extreme reactions, so it’s okay if you hated it. You’re not alone 😅.
@@evasliteraryparlour it was totally the expectation of the romance. Jane Eyre is my favorite novel so I also think I held off on this because I thought I would be obsessed? Too many expectations but the plus side is that there’s only going up from here hehe
Thank you for this video, I am almost halfway through Wuthering Heights and I found your insights very interesting. The book seems to be focused mostly on obsession and selfishness and I am not really finding any character that I would call virtuous or good, they all seem petty and selfish. Emily is also exploring the different classes and roles that the people occupy, I think she is trying to say that no matter your role or class you are deep down just a human and are susceptible to all the things every other human is and class doesn't make you better. Keep up the videos, they are all very interesting and insightful.
Thank you for your comment! You are right. This novel really shows people’s humanity in a way that feels very real. Social classes were very relevant in the Victorian era, but as you said, Emily tells us that regardless of their class people are all the same because everyone makes mistakes.
Not unpopular opinions at all. One of the most fascinating elements of WH is how little it placates the reader. Every character is despicable. It's an astounding novel. A total original.
Most of the traditional arguments about the book come from a passive reader when they assess the plot just by it is appearance, otherwise, if we make a close reading depending on the context and historical matters we find new interesting ideas.
That's what I thought as well, but after doing a small research I found that most scholars agree with the general audience. I wonder if it is because even today we don't like female characters that are unfaithful. Perhaps people refuse to see the heroine of this story in that light? 🤔
