"Wuthering Heights" by Emily Brontë (1847): A Review

Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights (1847) is a dark, complex, and haunting tale of passion, revenge, and obsession. Written in a style that was ahead of its time, the novel is often regarded as one of the greatest works of English literature. With its gothic elements, psychological depth, and tragic love story, Wuthering Heights stands out for its intense emotions and its exploration of the darker aspects of human nature. Unlike the more restrained romances of the time, Brontë’s novel is a raw and unflinching examination of love’s power to both heal and destroy.

Plot Summary

Wuthering Heights is set on the remote Yorkshire moors and tells the story of the ill-fated and passionate relationship between Heathcliff, an orphan taken in by the Earnshaw family, and Catherine Earnshaw, the daughter of the family. The novel is narrated by two primary voices: Mr. Lockwood, a gentleman who rents a nearby property called Thrushcross Grange, and Nelly Dean, the Earnshaw family's housekeeper. Through their accounts, the story of Heathcliff and Catherine's doomed love, as well as the generational conflicts that arise in the wake of their actions, is slowly revealed.

The central relationship between Heathcliff and Catherine is intense, fiery, and ultimately destructive. Catherine, who grows up alongside Heathcliff, forms a deep emotional and spiritual bond with him. However, due to her desire for social status and the financial stability that a marriage to Edgar Linton, a wealthy neighbor, offers, she marries Edgar instead of Heathcliff. Heathcliff, devastated by Catherine’s betrayal, leaves Wuthering Heights for a period, only to return later as a wealthy and vengeful man.

Heathcliff's return ignites a cycle of vengeance, manipulation, and torment that affects not only him and Catherine but also the next generation, including Catherine’s daughter, also named Catherine, and Heathcliff’s son, Hareton. The novel weaves themes of revenge and redemption as the characters struggle with the legacies of their parents' actions. In the end, the younger generation finds a form of reconciliation, but the love between Heathcliff and Catherine remains unresolved, an enduring presence that haunts the moors and the two families.

Themes and Analysis

1. Love and Obsession

At the heart of Wuthering Heights is the theme of passionate, all-consuming love. The relationship between Catherine and Heathcliff is portrayed as one that transcends conventional romantic boundaries. It is a love that is almost a force of nature, wild and uncontrollable, but ultimately destructive. Catherine and Heathcliff are soulmates, but their love is intertwined with obsession, and neither can truly live without the other. Their emotional attachment is so intense that it borders on madness, and this obsession drives many of the novel's actions, leading to pain, vengeance, and ultimately, death.

The novel challenges traditional notions of love, presenting it as a destructive, all-consuming force that causes as much harm as it does good. The love between Catherine and Heathcliff is not a conventional, romantic love but a more visceral, spiritual connection that both elevates and destroys them.

2. Revenge and the Cycles of Abuse

Revenge is another central theme in Wuthering Heights. After Catherine marries Edgar Linton, Heathcliff is deeply hurt and seeks to exact revenge on everyone who has wronged him. His desire for retribution consumes him, and he manipulates and harms those around him—particularly Hindley Earnshaw, Edgar Linton, and the younger generation. Heathcliff’s vengeful nature is portrayed as a kind of madness, one that traps him in a cycle of anger and resentment.

This cycle of revenge also perpetuates a cycle of abuse. Heathcliff’s treatment of others mirrors the emotional and physical abuse he suffered as a child. Hindley, who inherits Wuthering Heights after his father’s death, treats Heathcliff cruelly, which fuels the latter’s desire for revenge. In turn, Heathcliff’s own cruelty toward Hindley’s son, Hareton, and Edgar’s daughter, Catherine Linton, mirrors the cycle of abuse he experienced.

3. Nature and the Supernatural

The novel’s setting—the wild, desolate Yorkshire moors—is symbolic of the emotional intensity and isolation of the characters. The moors are an untamed landscape, much like the characters themselves, particularly Heathcliff and Catherine. The isolation of Wuthering Heights, a remote, storm-swept mansion, reinforces the themes of alienation and emotional turmoil. The physical setting is intricately tied to the emotional landscape of the novel, where passion and destruction are inextricably linked to the environment.

Supernatural elements also play a significant role in Wuthering Heights. Ghostly apparitions, particularly the haunting presence of Catherine’s spirit after her death, serve to reinforce the idea that the love between Heathcliff and Catherine is so strong that it transcends death. The novel suggests that the characters are haunted not only by the past but by their own emotions and desires, which continue to torment them long after they have physically gone.

4. Class and Social Status

The theme of class and social status runs throughout Wuthering Heights, particularly in the contrast between the Earnshaw family and the Linton family. Catherine’s desire to marry Edgar Linton is driven partly by the social and financial security that the marriage would provide. Catherine’s struggle between her love for Heathcliff and her desire for social advancement is a key driver of the plot. Her marriage to Edgar represents her attempt to reconcile her passions with the societal expectations placed upon her, but it ultimately leads to her emotional downfall.

Heathcliff’s desire for revenge is partly driven by his status as an outsider in the world of the Earnshaws and Lintons. His rise to wealth allows him to challenge the class distinctions that have limited him, but it also makes him more ruthless and cruel. The novel critiques the class structures that shape the lives of its characters and the ways in which individuals are trapped by societal expectations.

5. Redemption and the Next Generation

While the love between Heathcliff and Catherine is doomed, the novel offers a glimmer of hope in the redemption of the younger generation. Catherine’s daughter, also named Catherine, and Heathcliff’s son, Hareton, initially mirror the cruelty and estrangement of their parents. However, by the end of the novel, they have begun to break the cycle of abuse. Their eventual reconciliation symbolizes the possibility of healing and forgiveness, offering a form of redemption that the previous generation was unable to attain.

This theme of redemption is a critical aspect of the novel’s conclusion, suggesting that while the destructive love of Heathcliff and Catherine cannot be undone, there is hope for the next generation to overcome the mistakes of their forebears.

Literary Style

Brontë’s writing in Wuthering Heights is deeply emotional, lyrical, and atmospheric. The novel’s dark, brooding tone is reinforced by her vivid descriptions of the desolate moors and the turbulent relationships between the characters. The narrative structure is complex, with multiple layers of storytelling: Mr. Lockwood, the narrator, tells the story from the perspective of Nelly Dean, who recounts the events of the past to him. This structure adds layers of complexity to the narrative, as the story is filtered through the subjective lenses of various characters.

Brontë’s use of language is both poetic and haunting, with passages that explore the emotional depth of her characters. The novel is filled with intense psychological insight, particularly into the motivations and inner lives of its two main protagonists, Heathcliff and Catherine. Her exploration of the darker aspects of human nature, including obsession, madness, and cruelty, is both gripping and tragic.

Reception and Legacy

Wuthering Heights was initially met with mixed reviews upon its publication. Critics were often shocked by the intensity of its emotions and the unconventional nature of its love story. Some dismissed it as barbaric and immoral, while others praised its originality and emotional power. Over time, however, Wuthering Heights came to be recognized as a masterpiece of English literature, with its complex themes and characters becoming the subject of extensive critical analysis.

Today, Wuthering Heights is widely regarded as one of the greatest novels in the English language. Its portrayal of the destructive nature of obsessive love, its gothic atmosphere, and its complex characters have made it a classic that continues to resonate with readers and scholars. The novel’s exploration of the dark side of human nature and the emotional depth of its characters have ensured its place in the canon of classic literature.

Conclusion

Wuthering Heights is a haunting, passionate exploration of love, obsession, revenge, and redemption. Emily Brontë’s ability to create a narrative filled with emotional intensity, psychological complexity, and gothic atmosphere makes the novel a timeless classic. The doomed love between Heathcliff and Catherine, their personal failings, and the eventual redemption of the next generation offer profound insights into the destructive power of love and the possibility of healing and forgiveness. Wuthering Heights remains a powerful work that continues to captivate readers, making it one of the most enduring and influential novels in English literature.