"Its power is absolutely Titanic: from the first page to the last it reads like the intellectual throes of a giant...one of the most unpleasant books ever written...we stand in amaze at the almost incredible fact that it was written by a slim country girl who could have passed in the crowd as an insignificant person..." (a review of Wuthering Heights written by George Barnett Smith, Poets and Novelists, 1875).
It took me awhile to figure out how people are related. Housekeeper Nelly Dean gave the family history at Lockwood's request.
Young Catherine who lives at Wuthering Heights is the daughter of the woman Heathcliff grew up with. Her name was Catherine too (wow, confusing!) and her brother was Hindley. And to complete the family drama, Hareton, the young man at Wuthering Heights, is Hindley's son.
Young Catherine who lives at Wuthering Heights is the daughter of the woman Heathcliff grew up with. Her name was Catherine too (wow, confusing!) and her brother was Hindley. And to complete the family drama, Hareton, the young man at Wuthering Heights, is Hindley's son.
Catherine could have married Heathcliff, her soul mate, but opted for another guy instead. Okay, so why is her daughter living with Heathcliff? And Harton is the son of the man who mistreated Heathcliff. Why is he at Wuthering Heights too? I guess I have to read further.
Heathcliff's childhood was rocky. He was an orphan living in poverty who was brought to live with Catherine and Hindley by their father. When he first arrived, Heathcliff was referred to as "it." That could give any kid a complex. The Master came to love Heathcliff more than his son. Heathcliff's status changed again when the Master died and the son (Hindley) took charge. Hindley reduced Heathcliff's role to that of a servant.
I felt sorry for Heathcliff but a comment from the Housekeeper made me think otherwise, "He complained so seldom...I really thought him not vindictive...I was deceived completely..."
I felt sorry for Heathcliff but a comment from the Housekeeper made me think otherwise, "He complained so seldom...I really thought him not vindictive...I was deceived completely..."
Do you think Catherine haunts Wuthering Heights or does Lockwood have an active imagination?
Joining me on this read-along are the following friends:
Opening quote from the Barnes and Noble Classics Edition of Wuthering Heights.
I read this earlier this year after I got it as a xmas present. I have reviewed it too, but don't read the review till you're finsihed. I had very mixed feelings about the book, and I will be really interested to see what you think of it as you go along.
ReplyDeleteOh... I missed the "I was deceived completely" line! I'm enjoying this much more than I expected to and am actually having trouble sticking to the three chapter a week schedule. Can't wait to see how it all turns out...
ReplyDeleteI don't believe in ghosts, outside of fiction. But since this is fiction, maybe she really is haunting the house. :-D
ReplyDeleteLockwood, though...I can totally see him having an overactive imagination. He certainly tends to exagerate!
Although I count this among my favorite books, it's been 10 years since I've read it. I'm really enjoying reading it again through the readalong (although I'm a little behind you guys), but I've forgotten many of the details and can't wait to find out many of the things you brought up in this post--mostly why are Catherine junior and Hareton living with Heathcliff.
ReplyDeleteI always thought a family tree in the front of the book would have been helpful--so many characters to figure out!
Happy reading!