Because this is a book that I read for class and it’s difficult to really give a short synopsis, I’m going to skip the usual
format for my reviews and just talk about my experience reading this book. Let me start off by saying, that having finally read this book, I can understand why it has remained so incredibly prolific and beloved to so many people. It is definitely a page turner and the characters are all complex with multiple conflicting motivations and desires. Nothing in this story is sugar coated to sound good: it’s absolutely real.
So what is Wuthering Heights? I always thought it was just a glorified love story. At least, that’s what I got from the various portrayals of Heathcliff and Catherine frolicking around. However, it’s so much more than that. After all, I’m reading this novel in my Victorian Lit class and I’ve already learned that many of the popular writing of the time was Gothic and brought out uncanny elements to deal with the fears of the time. So in many ways, this story is a ghost story. It’s about, I believe, at it’s core, the human condition: the fact that people can fall in love and get jealous and make it their life’s goal to get vengeance on those who wronged them even if it consumes their entire lifetime.
At the end, I felt like it was a heartbreaking tale and couldn’t help but wonder if Heathcliff ever found peace. Even more, it makes you wonder if the two characters left behind: Catherine Linton and Hareton Earnshaw ever can really overcome their family legacy and find happiness together.
So did I enjoy my experience with Wuthering Heights. There were times that I loved this book and couldn’t put it down. However, there were also times when I was frustrated with the decisions of the characters and wanted nothing more than to stop reading the book because I felt like reading another page would just break my heart. That being said, it took me a while to get through the book in its entirety. For the most part, it’s a smooth read. Bronte definitely creates solid characters that come alive and her sense of place is almost uncanny at times, but I think that’s all part of the point of the novel. I’m really glad that I got the chance to read this and encourage those who haven’t to pick it up. There’s good reasons for why it is considered a classic.
Justice Jennifer Reads 