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Kim Palmer, AS English Literature student.
I usually put a quote from a book i'm reading/read somewhere.
"Every breath from the hills so full of life, that it seemed whoever respired it, though dying, might revive." - Wuthering Heights |
Wuthering Heights - Emily Brontë (Volume 1) + 0 comment(s)
Let me start by explaining that this novel is split into two volumes, and i figured it best to review the first volume and compare my thoughts to the second once i had finished it. (Also i apologise for any spoilers listed - so maybe you should read it before viewing this.)Brontë writes a novel following the lives of Heathcliff and Cathy Earnshaw told from servant, Ellen Dean's point of view to her current master, Mr Lockwood who is currently the tenant of Thrushcross Grange.
Heathcliff is adopted by Cathy's father, Mr Earnshaw, after a trip to Liverpool. The relationship between Heathcliff and Cathy and Cathy's older brother Hindley starts at a rough, as the children expected presents from their father rather than a grimy child. Although, after time, Cathy begins to appreciate him, and Mr Earnshaw admits to liking Heathcliff more than Hindley, however this doesn't stop Mr Earnshaw leaving the house named, Wuthering Heights, to Hindley after he dies. Hindley clearly doesn't appreciate Heathcliff and their relationship worsens as their lives progress. When Heathcliff and Cathy are around the age of 12, they venture towards the home of the Linton's, Thrushcross Grange, where Catherine is caught and brought into the home to reside there for 5 weeks after misbehaving outside. Cathy returns to Wuthering Heights a new girl with a pleasant attitude and Heathcliff is not too happy about this. Heathcliff quarrels with Hindley and doesn't appreciate that Cathy would rather spend time with the Linton's children (Edgar and Isabella) than him.
Time progresses on further and Cathy agrees to marry Edgar at 22, and move into Thrushcross Grange, bringing Ellen 'Nelly' Dean, one of her servants with her. Heathcliff also dissappears for 3 years. When Heathcliff returns he is a new man, well held and very attractive. He marries Isabella, to which seems to be just to anger Cathy. Time passes and Isabella and Heathcliff return to Wuthering Heights to find Hindley, a widowed old man with a horrible young child. Cathy has been gravely ill after fighting with Edgar and refused food for three days. She longs to be in Wuthering Heights once again. Nelly travels to Wuthering Heights after receiving a letter from Isabella Linton, which states that Isabella wants to see Nelly desperately. During Nelly's visit it proves that Heathcliff and Isabella no longer love each other, and Heathcliff forms a plan to meet with Cathy, persuading Nelly to help him achieve this.
The novel is written with a deep descriptive nature and I admit i had to flick back the pages every now and again to fully comprehend what was happening, as it can be very confusing. However what kept me reading was Brontë's intense, complicated characters. Cathy is a spoilt, angry lady who's blood just seems to bubble through her veins. She is selfish and cruel yet her connection to Heathcliff is what makes you interested in her. Heathcliff's nature at heart is destructive and messy and even as a proper gentleman, despite him being kind to Nelly, his friend, he is ridiculously uncaring and rude toward Isabella, which allows the reader to realise that Cathy and Heathcliff are very similar, and to quote the book; "Whatever souls are made of, his and mine are the same." (Cathy is talking about Heathcliff). The way Brontë allows Cathy in particular to shift from a undesirable, selfish woman into a longing girl, sending her heart out to Heathcliff is beautiful. She does this in the same way how she shows Heathcliff will do anything to be with Cathy. The passion created between these two is intense and wonderful and if you can really get between the lines you can really appreciate the novel, despite the sometimes complicated vocabulary.
Also, the novel does have a slow way of working it's way around the storyline. At one point when Nelly is telling her story to Mr Lockwood, she explains how Heathcliff's tale could be told in "a dozen words" and it leaves you wondering, why she didn't tell it in a dozen words? The rich Victorian vocabulary can also be slightly confusing, and not to mention the way Brontë writes Joseph (a religious servant's) dialect. Now that really is hard to decipher.
Now, despite the vocabulary, and the slow starts, overall i did enjoy the first volume of Wuthering Heights, yet i only really am intrigued to read more by getting to the end of this first volume, as i believe this is where the passion really begins to blossom. It was obvious before that Cathy and Heathcliff were fond of each other. But around this point is where i in particular began to see how dramatic this novel will become. The story itself is wonderfully crafted along these creepy mores in England, which in someways seem to reflect Heathcliff's character, and is a nice story to read and follow.
Please do not be put off by the extravagance of some of the language in this book, and the slightly dull areas for there are certain parts of this novel that really do intrigue the reader and do show the passion beginning to unfold. Overall, it is a beautiful story so far, and the characters created really do intertwine beautifully with the story.
Lets hope the second volume intrigues me more!
(Also i apologise if i got any of that wrong, as i said, the story can be slightly confusing sometimes!)