Book Review-"Wuthering Heights"

"Wuthering Heights" by Emily Bronte

This classic Victorian novel is set against the backdrop of Yorkshire moors in England during early 19^th century. The initial narrator of the story is Lockwood who rents Thrushcross grange owned by Heathcliff who stays in a moorland farmhouse “Wuthering Heights” and the next one is Ellen his housekeeper.

It’s about the strange and passionate love between two children Catherine and Heathcliff which transforms into the hatred, revenge and suffering with their growth. Heathcliff is brought as a fondling in Wuthering heights by Catherine's father, but her brother Hindley looks at him with hatred and treats him badly as a servant. Catherine, in spite of her love for Heathcliff, becomes fascinated by handsome and rich Edger which makes Heathcliff leave Wuthering heights. Catherine marries with Edger. After three years Heathcliff returns as a rich and qualified person but obsessed with insane motives. He seduces and marries edger’s sister Isabella.  Catherine dies after giving birth to a daughter called as Cathy (Catherine). Heathcliff’s love for Catherine turns up into revenge adopting cruel ways to execute it on all characters around him. Isabella and Hindley also die leaving their sons And Heathcliff’s vengeance and cruelty continues over the next generation.

Adding to the novel a mysterious and eerie flavour the author introduces the ghost of Catherine causing the catastrophe of Heathcliff which suggests his reunion with Catherine after his death.

The novel is sad, dark, gloomy filled with pathos but also exposes the intensity of emotions like love, passion, anger and revenge. The theme evolves with Heathcliff, an unforgettable character, who dwells on your mind even after finishing the novel. He produces sympathy in the beginning when he is treated as an inferior,which also throws a light upon the class system prevailed during that period, but as the story moves we start feeling contempt on his insane and cruel ways of ruining the lives of everyone around him. Despite of containing  an awful theme the writer introduces strange twists in story which keeps you stuck to reading.

I picked up this book just with the inclination to go through a classic work by renowned literary writer Emily Bronte once again (I’ve read it in graduation course) but this time I enjoyed reading it more. Between readings you may feel a shudder over your spine but won’t be disappointed.