Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights, published in 1847 under the pen name Ellis Bell, continues to captivate and confuse readers. At its release, critics were divided. Some condemned its “brutal cruelty” and “semi-savage love,” while others recognized its “power and cleverness.” Many simply found it strange.
A Controversial Beginning
In the 19th century, Victorian readers expected clear moral lessons. Wuthering Heights offered none. Clare O’Callaghan, a Victorian literature professor at Loughborough University, notes that readers “did not know what to do with this book.” Three years after publication, Charlotte Brontë revealed that Ellis Bell was her sister Emily. She defended the novel, saying critics had misunderstood its power and depth.
Complex Storytelling
The novel spans 30 years and tells its story through multiple narrators, Lockwood and Nelly Dean, both unreliable. Lockwood, a London gentleman, uncovers secrets as an outsider. Nelly, a family servant, narrates events with emotional bias, often influencing the story with her judgments.
The narrative jumps between past and present, and many characters share similar names. These elements make the story complex and challenging for first-time readers.
Love and Revenge
Though often called a romance, Wuthering Heights is equally a story of revenge. Heathcliff, initially a mistreated orphan, becomes a vengeful anti-hero. His obsession with Catherine Earnshaw drives a cycle of abuse. Catherine’s own pride and spite complicate their bond. Their love is passionate but destructive, affecting two generations.
Heathcliff’s revenge is deliberate. He mistreats Hindley’s son Hareton and manipulates Cathy Linton, Catherine’s daughter, forcing her into marriage to control property. The second half of the novel shows the dark consequences of unchecked vengeance, a part often omitted in film adaptations.
Misunderstood Legacy
Many adaptations skip the novel’s second half, softening its darkest moments. The BBC’s 1967 series remains one of the few faithful portrayals. O’Callaghan explains that Brontë challenges readers with questions about love, violence, and societal norms, rather than offering easy answers.
Despite its darkness, the book includes humor. The servants gossip, the children frustrate readers, and characters like Joseph provide witty commentary. Even Lockwood’s stiff London manners add comic relief in contrast to the Gothic chaos.
Why the Story Endures
Emily Brontë never witnessed her novel’s lasting fame, dying just a year after its publication. Yet her work endures as a masterpiece. Its mix of passion, cruelty, and complexity continues to inspire adaptations, like Emerald Fennell’s upcoming film starring Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi.
Whether you love or hate the characters, Wuthering Heights remains powerful, shocking, and unforgettable. One early reviewer captured it best: “It is impossible to begin and not finish it, and quite as impossible to lay it aside afterwards and say nothing about it.”
