About the book

• Title : Wuthering Heights
• Author : Emily Bronte
• Genre : Tragedy, Gothic
• Year of publication : 1847
• Number of pages : 300

About the author

Emily Bronte, sister of Charlotte and Anne Bronte was born on July 30,1818, in Yorkshire, and was the fifth child of Reverend Patrick Bronte and Maria Branwell Bronte. She was particularly close to Anna, with whom she created an imaginary world, the setting for many of her finest dramatic poems.

Emily had an unusual character, extremely unsocial and reserved, with just a few friends outside her family. She was intensely attached to the moorland scenery of her home and passionately loved nature and animals. She was strongly opposed to formal religion and seldom attended church.

Wuthering Heights, published in 1847, was Emily’s first and only published novel. The novel brings out Emily Bronte’s mastery of an extremely complex structure , acute evocation of place and poetic grandeur of vision .

Analysis of the book

In this epic story of love, envy, betrayal, and revenge, Healthcliff and Catherine come together in a romance that destroys them and those around them.

Set in the lonely and bleak Yorkshire Moors, this classic tale of thwarted passion brings when the new tenant of Thrushcross Grange, a Mr. Lockwood, is forced to seek shelter for a night at Wuthering Heights, the house of the landlord, Healthcliff.

As the night passes, Lockwood learns of the tumultuous past of Wuthering Heights and of those connected with it… of how a homeless gypsy boy had been fostered here; of how the owner’s daughter had fallen in love with him, of how their love had ended tragically; and , finally , of how that Gypsy boy- Healthcliff- had taken a terrible revenge that ruined them all.

“If all else perished, and he remained, I should still continue to be; and if all else remained, and he were annihilated, the universe would turn to a mighty stranger.”

Summary of the story

A man named Lockwood rents a manor house named Thrushcross Grange in the isolated moor country of England. Lockwood meets his landlord, Healthcliff who is very wealthy and lives in the ancient manor of Wuthering Heights. The distance between Lockwood’s manor and Healthcliff’s manor is only four miles.

Healthcliff was an orphan who was adopted by Mr Earnshaw and was most favoured by him. Mr Earnshaw’s own son, Hindley immediately plans to seek revenge on him. Healthcliff and Catherine’s relationship got ruined because after an incident Catherine got infatuated with Edgar. Thus, Healthcliff being heartbroken because of the betrayal of Catherine and being abused by Hindley, runs away from Wuthering Heights and stayed away for three years.

“Catherine Earnshaw, may you not rest as long as I am living. You said I killed you–haunt me then. The murdered do haunt their murderers. I believe–I know that ghosts have wandered the earth. Be with me always–take any form–drive me mad. Only do not leave me in this abyss, where I cannot find you! Oh, God! It is unutterable! I cannot live without my life! I cannot live without my soul!”

When Healthcliff returned after three years, he decided to seek revenge from all who have done wrong with him. He lends money to Hindley knowing that it will increase his debts and after Hindley dies, Healthcliff inherits the manor. Healthcliff forces younger Catherine to live at Wuthering Heights and serve as a common servant, while he rents Thrushcross Grange to Lockwood.

Later, Healthcliff becomes more and more obsessed with the memory of his Catherine whom he used to love a lot, and everything reminds him of Catherine. After the death of Healthcliff, Hareton and young Catherine inherits both Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange.

Conclusion

Wuthering Heights is a true masterpiece and one of the best gothic novels ever written.

“He’s more myself than I am. Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same.”

“I have not broken your heart – you have broken it; and in breaking it, you have broken mine.”

https://www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/1565818-wuthering-heights