Book Cover
BIBLIOGRAPHIC INFORMATION
Brontë, E. (1847/2008). Wuthering heights. New York, NY/USA: Penguin Classics
PAGES
416
PURCHASING OPTIONS
Original Print $5.95-$10.75
NOOK $0.99-$4.49
Kindle $1.00
Paperback $7.89
Mass Market Paperback from $10.00
ANNOTATION
A classic story of love, tragedy, and revenge among the English moors.
Heathcliff was an orphan found in Liverpool by Mr. Earnshaw who subsequently takes him home and adopts him as a son. He has two children. A son named Hindley and a daughter names Catherine. Catherine and Heathcliff become close childhood friends. However, Hindley hates Heathcliff, because he has become his father's favorite. He is eventually sent away to school, but Heathcliff is kept at Mr. Earnshaw's side.
After the death of Mr. Earnshaw Hindley returns to take over the estate. He brings with him a wife, Frances. He seeks his revenge on Heathcliff and makes him a laborer instead of a member of the family. Catherine and Heathcliff remain close friends even with this change of roles.
One night while sneaking onto the property of the Linton family-the owners of Thrushcross Grange, Catherine and Heathcliff are discovered and Catherine is bitten by a dog. Her injury forces her to stay at Thrushcross Grange to recover. During her stay there she is trained in the ways of a proper lady my Mrs. Linton and Catherine develops an interest in their son, Edgar. This new friendship causes her and Heathcliff to become distant. All while Heathcliff is abused by Hindley. This abuse worsens after the death of Frances due to giving birth to a boy, Hareton. When Heathcliff discovers that Catherine is engaged to Edgar Linton he runs away.
After three years of absence he returns and begins his plot of revenge against everyone at Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange. He becomes the owner of Wuthering Heights Hindley's death, which was accomplished by exploiting Hindley's alcoholism and lack of financial restraint by loaning him money and putting him in extreme debt. He then manipulates Edgar Linton's sister, Isabella Linton, to fall in love with him and marries her, which places him in line to inherit Thrushcross Grange.
Heathcliff and Catherine fight constantly all while confessing their undying love for each other at the same time. Catherine gives birth to a girl and dies, which causes Heathcliff to do into a state of mourning almost to the point of insanity for a period. Isabella, tired of being abused and neglected, runs away to London where she gives birth to a son, Linton.
During the next thirteen years Nelly Dean cares for the late Catherine's daughter, Catherine. Isabella dies and her son, Linton, comes to live with his father, Heathcliff. He is sickly and weak and Heathcliff treats him cruelly. Heraton, the son of Hindley, is treated as a laborer just like Hindley did to Heathcliff.
Heathcliff conspires to get the young Catherine Linton and his son, Linton, to fall in love. He is successful and conspiratorially arranges for them to be married. Soon after the marriage her father, Edgar dies quickly followed by Linton. Young Catherine becomes a widow and is forced to live at Wuthering Heights and is treated like a servant. Heathcliff finally obtains Thrushcross Grange manor.
Lockwood leaves for London, but after six months visits Nelly again and learns that the young Catherine befriended and fell in love with Heraton, and Heathcliff has died. Catherine and Heraton, being the only living heirs of both the Earnshaw and Linton lines, inherit Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange and plan to marry.
SUMMARY *Spoiler Alert*
The story begins with a man named Lockwood how rents an estate names Thrushcross Grange. The landlord is Heathcliff who lives at Wuthering Heights manor 4 miles away. Nelly Dean, the housekeeper of Thrushcross Grange and having been employed between the two manors for many years, tells Lockwood the story of Heathcliff and the others who have lived in these two manors.
After the death of Mr. Earnshaw Hindley returns to take over the estate. He brings with him a wife, Frances. He seeks his revenge on Heathcliff and makes him a laborer instead of a member of the family. Catherine and Heathcliff remain close friends even with this change of roles.
One night while sneaking onto the property of the Linton family-the owners of Thrushcross Grange, Catherine and Heathcliff are discovered and Catherine is bitten by a dog. Her injury forces her to stay at Thrushcross Grange to recover. During her stay there she is trained in the ways of a proper lady my Mrs. Linton and Catherine develops an interest in their son, Edgar. This new friendship causes her and Heathcliff to become distant. All while Heathcliff is abused by Hindley. This abuse worsens after the death of Frances due to giving birth to a boy, Hareton. When Heathcliff discovers that Catherine is engaged to Edgar Linton he runs away.
After three years of absence he returns and begins his plot of revenge against everyone at Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange. He becomes the owner of Wuthering Heights Hindley's death, which was accomplished by exploiting Hindley's alcoholism and lack of financial restraint by loaning him money and putting him in extreme debt. He then manipulates Edgar Linton's sister, Isabella Linton, to fall in love with him and marries her, which places him in line to inherit Thrushcross Grange.
Heathcliff and Catherine fight constantly all while confessing their undying love for each other at the same time. Catherine gives birth to a girl and dies, which causes Heathcliff to do into a state of mourning almost to the point of insanity for a period. Isabella, tired of being abused and neglected, runs away to London where she gives birth to a son, Linton.
During the next thirteen years Nelly Dean cares for the late Catherine's daughter, Catherine. Isabella dies and her son, Linton, comes to live with his father, Heathcliff. He is sickly and weak and Heathcliff treats him cruelly. Heraton, the son of Hindley, is treated as a laborer just like Hindley did to Heathcliff.
Heathcliff conspires to get the young Catherine Linton and his son, Linton, to fall in love. He is successful and conspiratorially arranges for them to be married. Soon after the marriage her father, Edgar dies quickly followed by Linton. Young Catherine becomes a widow and is forced to live at Wuthering Heights and is treated like a servant. Heathcliff finally obtains Thrushcross Grange manor.
Lockwood leaves for London, but after six months visits Nelly again and learns that the young Catherine befriended and fell in love with Heraton, and Heathcliff has died. Catherine and Heraton, being the only living heirs of both the Earnshaw and Linton lines, inherit Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange and plan to marry.
MY REVIEW
The tragedy and redeeming beauty of Wuthering Heights is a rare instance where all the stars aligned perfectly. Emily Brontë's book is a testament to the destructive force of revenge, hatred, resentment, and, yes, even love. It deftly demonstrates how love has two sides: the ability to send a person into raging madness bend on destroying lives for generations, and in contrast how it can heal the wounds of past generations and start anew. There is a type of beauty in the harshness of Heathcliff and Catherine; just as there is a beauty in the tempests and unforgiving land in which their story takes place. Brontë's ability to bring together the darkest of humanity and the best of it into one legendary story will be loved for the next two centuries as much as it has been for the past two.
RATING
Quality Rating: Gold
Popularity Rating: Diamond
Quality Rating: Gold
Popularity Rating: Diamond
GENRE & SUB GENRES
Gothic Fiction
Tragedy
Romance
BOOKTALKING
Emily Bronte encourages, through Lockwood, to be satisfied with one's own self because this is where we really learn who we are and what we want. (Page 28)
Traditional gender roles are challenged when the passive Isabella chooses to leave Heathcliff and raise her son on her own. (Page 140)
Cathy's resolve to love even when that love seems undeserved shows the fundamental need for love we humans have. (Page 284)
DISCUSSION POINTS
What does this novel mean to you? Is this novel about redemption or despair? Perhaps both?
What makes Heathcliff and Cathy three-dimensional characters? Do you agree that they are three-dimensional?
The number two seems to be a recurring theme in this book. Do you think this is intentional? Why?
Do you think the narrators are dependable witnesses? How do they effect the story?
Was Heathcliff naturally evil or was he nurtured to be that way?
What was the role of women in this book? Was this unusual for this time period?
APPEAL FACTORS
Wuthering Heights is a subliminal example English literature. It contains all the pieces of a great book; love, tragedy, revenge, loss, and redemption.
Emily Bronte encourages, through Lockwood, to be satisfied with one's own self because this is where we really learn who we are and what we want. (Page 28)
Traditional gender roles are challenged when the passive Isabella chooses to leave Heathcliff and raise her son on her own. (Page 140)
Cathy's resolve to love even when that love seems undeserved shows the fundamental need for love we humans have. (Page 284)
DISCUSSION POINTS
What does this novel mean to you? Is this novel about redemption or despair? Perhaps both?
What makes Heathcliff and Cathy three-dimensional characters? Do you agree that they are three-dimensional?
The number two seems to be a recurring theme in this book. Do you think this is intentional? Why?
Do you think the narrators are dependable witnesses? How do they effect the story?
Was Heathcliff naturally evil or was he nurtured to be that way?
What was the role of women in this book? Was this unusual for this time period?
WHY THIS BOOK?
Wuthering Heights was a book that was introduced to me when I was 16, and I have loved it ever since. The repulsive character of Heathcliff, the frustrating Catherine, the tragedy of Heraton, Catherine, and Linton, the obsessive love between Heathcliff and Catherine, the redeeming love of Catherine and Heraton all told through the eye of the ever meddling, nosy and wonderful Nelly Dean. This is a book I turn back to often, and I never get tired of it.
THE AUTHOR
REVIEWS
Amazon.com
SIMILAR TITLES/AUTHORS
Mansfield Park by Jane Austen
Test of D'Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy
Shirley by Charlotte Bronte
POINTS TO REMEMBER
- Tragic love story
- This is a classic revenge story
- First read when I was 16
- One of my favorite books
Comments
Post a Comment