Wuthering Heights

Brontë, Emily. Wuthering Heights. 2004. 444p. 895 mins. ISBN 0-7434-8764-8. Available at FIC BRO on the library shelves, as well as an eBook and an audiobook from Overdrive.

A young and rich lad, Lockwood needs a vacation from his busy life in the South of England, so he rents a house in Yorkshire. Desiring to pay his landlord, Mr. Heathcliff, Lockwood heads to Wuthering Heights, a lonely farmhouse in the foggy and damp moorlands. Upon his arrival, he discovers Heathcliff has surrounded himself with his miserable daughter-in-law, mean-spirited servants, and a lonesome youth.

A startled and sick Lockwood then hears the story of what happened at Wuthering Heights from his housekeeper Nelly, who was once the housekeeper of Mr. Earnshaw, the previous owner of Lockwood’s residence. She recounts how Heathcliff was adopted by Earnshaw and fell in love with his daughter Catherine, and how he was abused by Catherine’s brother, Hindley. Believing that Catherine did not love him back, because who could love someone so wretched as he, Heathcliff leaves the moors, much to Catherine’s dismay for she did in fact love him.

Heathcliff returns years later a richer man, determined to wreck the lives of those who mistreated him. Using his wealth and influence, Heathcliff begins to undermine the relationships of those around him, forcing Catherine’s daughter into an unhappy marriage with his weak son, and stealing her fortune. However, Heathcliff is never truly alone, with his own demons and the ghost of Catherine haunting the moors.

A psychologically violent novel centered on the selfishness of all concerned, Wuthering Heights remains a great literary example of a complex plot designed to exact revenge. Fans will also enjoy The Count of Monte Cristo, where a similarly wronged individual implements deadly steps to avenge himself.