WUTHERING HEIGHTS by EMILI BRONTE
Emily Bronte is best known for her only novel, Wuthering HEights and a collection of poems. In my opinion, Wuthering Heights is one of the most intense, original and passionate pieces of literature.
To say that Withering Heights is a love story wouldn’t be accurate.
Wuthering Heights is more of a tragic tale of ill fated love and revenge, with hopes of redemption through the next generation. It spans through two generations. The story opens by introducing the tenant of Thrushcross Grange(a house nearby Wuthering Heights), Mr. Lockwood. He braved the cold winter as he made his way to Wuthering Heights, hoping to get acquainted with his one and only neighbour among the wild moorlands.
There, he meets Mr. Heathcliff and other characters. Due to the weather, he was forced to spend his night there and he got the shock of his life after something frightening happened. The next day, back at the lodge, he found out all about the strange, absurd but nevertheless possible sequence of events that made Wuthering Heights to what it was.
Then, the story proceeds from the house-keeper, Ellen Dean’s point of view. It starts one generation ago. One of the characters central to the progress of the story is Catherine Earnshaw. At that time, the Earnshaws lived at the Heights and Ellen Dean was a constant patron of WUthering Heights(since her mother nursed Mr. Earnshaw). She tells of how Catherine fell in love with Heathcliff who was degraded to the level of servants by her brother, Hindley, after their father’s death. Then, she narrates how Catherine accepts the marriage proposal of another man, Edgar Linton. Catherine then later tried to explain her reasons to Ellen, (a servant at the Heights by then).
Ellen knew that Heathcliff was in the kitchen but hidden in the dark when Catherine came in but doesn?t tell her that. Then, Catherine says that she feels that if she married Heathcliff, they would be poor and other flimsy, superfluous reasons for marrying Edgar. She then compared her love for Heathcliff and her love for Edgar by uttering ?My love for Linton is like foliage in the woods; time will change it, I?m well aware, as winter changes the trees. My love for Heathcliff resembles the eternal rocks beneath, a source of little visible delight, but necessary.?
After pronouncing these and a few other dialogues, she grew worried as heathcliff was late for a meal. Then, after Ellen hinted that he might have overheard their conversation, she runs out into the rain to look for him. He wasn?t found. After a period of time, Heathcliff turns up again. A series of events follow, including Catherine?s death, Issabella?s foolish heart and others confirming the Ellen Dean?s doubts of Heathcliff?s character being a dark one.
Then, the story moves on to the next generation, the generation of Hareton, Hindley?s son and the Linton and Catherine?s daughter who is named after her mother. And so the plot twists and turns in a way so original an passionate that it pulls the reader into their lives. The sentences are mostly long and complex but certain characters speak simply. Set on the bleak Yorkshire moors, it takes time to thoroughly enjoy the magnetic tale but when the reader succeeds in delving in the passion of the story, it is one unforgettable story.
My favourite parts in the book includes the part where Heathcliff comes to see Cathy at Thrushcross Grange after her illness while Linton is out somewhere and the dialogues were strong, especially there. Descriptions of Heathcliff’s demenour, especially his eyes were distinctly vivid and haunting. Just on a personal note, I enjyed the first part of the book more than the second part. A heart felt admiration to Emily Bronte for being able to create something like Wuthering Heights. Trust me, the story will keep you thinking about it long after you have put down the book and it will definitely evoke strange emotions.