Simply Witchcraft
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Wuthering Heights defies review and analysis; it is unlike any other book. It is much, much bigger than the sum of its parts and that is why those who love it discuss its effect in terms of an emotional impact on their lives; their hearts and souls. Those who hate it attempt to analyse its structure, plot, character and the quality of its narrative.
I first read Wuthering Heights at the age of 15 or 16 and it had an immediate and profound impact on me. As soon as I began to read, the words seemed to weave a spell that enchanted my soul; I have been haunted by it ever since. As a writer of fiction, I have tried to analyse what makes it such a powerful book and why so many people cite it as their favourite novel of all time. If only I could find the secret, I say, perhaps I could produce something as magnificent. How many authors must have had similar thoughts? What they wouldn't give to write a novel that possessed such power and beauty, even if, Like Emily Bronte, it is the only novel they ever write.
I consider myself to be a rational being, yet it is tempting to describe the affect of Wuthering Heights in terms of magic or witchcraft. Perhaps Emily did a deal with the devil or drew on some ancient power, buried deep in the Yorkshire Moors. How could someone so reserved and isolated, belonging to a world in which women were largely oppressed and subject to a thousand social rules and restrictions, produce something with such dark, sensual energy, breaking all the rules? Even Emily's sister, Charlotte, felt the need to tone it down and justify its existence.
Wuthering Heights has received much literary criticism since publication, and indeed it breaks many rules of `good' writing in terms of structure and narrative. The main characters have few redeeming features; in fact Heathcliff has been described by some as barely human (I don't agree); surely to root for him would be to root for the devil himself. There are many great books out there that are both powerful and beautifully constructed - Madam Bovary, Anna Karenina, The Unbearable Lightness of Being, to name but a few - they can be heavily analysed and deconstructed and still stand up in a way that Wuthering Heights can't. Yet, somehow, despite all of this Wuthering Heights has survived through the decades, the centuries, to enchant new generations of readers. It's almost as if Emily is still working her magic from somewhere beyond the grave.
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Probably the best novel of all time
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This book is pure genius. I read it again, and again, and always find something new to admire. It is everything a book should be. It has fantastic characters, wonderful plotting, a pacy, suspenseful story which keeps you turning the pages and is so dense that it throws up new treasures after every read.
This is the only work of Emily Bronte apart from a few poems and some juvenailia, and it is my regret that we will never know if she could have surpassed this great book with her next.
The story is well known, but in brief it is the story of Heathcliff, a foundling, who is brought to the home of Catherine Earnshaw one dark and horrible night by her father who has found him on one of his business trips and decides to rescue him. Catherine and Heathcliff form an unbreakable bond which sustains them through great misfortune and on into death, and is one of the most romantic love stories of all time.
Their love however, is also destructive and terrible. It plays out against the background of the louring moors and their terrible grandeur, which reinforces the natural, brutal cruelty of their feelings for each other and everyone else. Their love is sadistic and at times horrific and the more tragedy that is heaped upon them, the more strangled and terrible their expressions of love become.
The characters of Heathcliff and Catherine are at times utterly vile and repulsive and it is a strength of Bronte's writing that despite this you still will them to have their happy ending, and can't help sympathising with them.
The narrative is fantastically complex, with narrators within narrators and stories within stories, so that Bronte is able to give us a 360 degree view of the story and make the characters completely three dimensional, showing all their humanity, good and bad.
This is the one book I would make compulsory reading for everyone, everywhere.
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A genius's masterpiece
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This book is probably the one every writer at the back of their minds wants to write. I know I wish I did. When I first picked it up I thought it would be the typical Victorian romance; boy was I in for a shock! After a slow start it picked up. I remember I was incredibly shocked at the power of the novel & I still am. It is THE most passionate piece of literature ever in the English language maybe because it is so accurate about human emotions but at the same time it shows that human emotions can be uncontrollable/untameable. It seems so unbelievable yet you can't romanticize about the characters especially Heathcliff. The greatest scholars have great difficult analysing this book so I'm not going to start.
Only regret is that Emily didn't live to write any more great literature.
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Great, but..
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I wanted to find out what all the fuss was about Wuthering Heights and so I bought this cd set to listen to in the car as I have little time to read but drive alot (they don't mix!). The story has a lot of complexity especially at the start in terms of who's related to who but the language, structure & errie feel of this book make it a clear classic. One note however, this audio version is excellently voiced & produced and I give it 5 stars for that but I did not realise it was abridged. I don't know if I am happy or upset! Now I have something to look forward to again, the bits of the story I missed. And those times I struggled with the story line, was that because of the missing parts. This edition is 3 cds, there is an 11 cd unabridged version for sale on Amazon from the same publishers. This is a great cd set but if you are serious about reading this book & judging it yourself as a classic perhaps, then I think you must hear the full version as it was written.
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The dark and brooding tale of Cathy & Heathcliff
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What a great experience to finally reread this classic as an adult. Emily Bronte depicts a very gothic and depressing story of two star-crossed (but not terribly likeable) lovers, Cathy & Heathcliff, and the love between them that transcended the grave. Added to that a wonderful depiction of the dark English moors and the local characters with their strange dialects. This was also told in a very unusual style, like a tale within a tale within a tale, adding more layers and perspectives to the story.
How unfortunate that one's upbringing can so affect a person that their grief and bitterness turn what could have been a fine young man into such a hateful and vengeful person as Heathcliff became. And fortunate that Cathy's daughter and Hareton could overcome their dark upbringing to bring a happier light onto the dark moors of England.
I did not read this version of the book, but one including works of the other Bronte sisters, which did not have all the footnotes. I think I enjoyed that better as I wasn't constantly distracted by looking to the back for the notes and just allowed myself to become engrossed with the story. It's one book you have to read at least twice in your life -- of course in school as required reading and then again as an adult to add that perspective of age and experience in life so that one can more fully appreciate a such a classic tale
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