Book: Wuthering Heights

[elusivek]

Wuthering Heights
Emily Bronte
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Wuthering Heights is Emily Brontë's first and only published novel, written between October 1845 and June 1846, and published in 1847 under the pseudonym Ellis Bell; Brontë died the following year, aged 30. The decision to publish came after the success of her sister Charlotte's novel, Jane Eyre. After Emily's death, Charlotte edited the manuscript of Wuthering Heights, and arranged for the edited version to be published as a posthumous second edition in 1850. Wuthering Heights is the name of the farmhouse where the story unfolds. The book's core theme is the destructive effect of jealousy and vengefulness both on the jealous or vengeful individuals and on their communities.


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I didn't like this book when I read this for school, I don't know... 10, 15 years ago. For personal curiosity, I decided to read this again. I am sorry I did that. 10, 15 years later, I still don't like it.

Before all the ranting and the bashing, let me just say that I concede that the outcome was rather sweet. The pairing was cute and how the pairing came to be was all warm and fuzzy and, well, cute.

My main complaint for this book is Catherine Earnshaw. I have never hated the name Catherine as much as when I read this book. I have never hated a character this much. She vexed me so!

If the heroine is bratty and gone stupid because she fell in love, then well, I don't really forgive that, (it's your own fault), but well, falling in love is falling in love.

But Catherine Earnshaw was just being a bratty kid because she IS a bratty kid. I so hated her.

I didn't like the stint Cathy Linton did, but as I said, when it's blind love, it is blind love.

I hated Joseph and any one with an accent because I couldn't understand a word. Rahm. Oh yeah. Rahm.

I'm actually surprised that despite my hatred and how the book irked me, I was still able to plough through the end. I believe it's the English used (victorian english? 19th century english?) that made it such a comfortable read (note: Joseph-accent aside).

Strangely though, I didn't hate Heathcliffe. His actions were deplorable, yes, but well, as a character, I didn't hate him (I hated Catherine too much). The the next I hated most was Linton Heathcliffe. I guess... I simply just hated bratty self egoistical kids...

And of course, the eternal question, what happened to Heathcliffe? Why? It will continue to be a mystery.

Comments

[sio-ma.livejournal.com]

I hate this book too and I was forced to read it at school.  None of the character in this book is my favourite and the story is stupid.