Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte!

Great thread. When I first read WH, I was blown away by how darned strange it was...I thought, "where on earth did little Emily B get such ideas from, living a quiet life out there on the moors". Ive just finished listening to it on audio tape (read by Hannah Gordon). Hearing it made me feel more annoyed with the characters than I did when reading it. I dont know why. They are very intruiging, selfish, unheeding. God knows how Nellie survived it all! She is the only remotely normal person in the whole book.
I do think its an incredible work. I also would like to kick heathcliffs butt up and down the moors til he bloomin well cheered up.

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I also would like to kick heathcliffs butt up and down the moors til he bloomin well cheered up.

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:lol:....funny, Heathcliff is actually the character I sympathise the most with!
I can't stand Catherine, on the contrary...she behaves like a spoilt child:smash:

I totally agree with you. I sympathised with H and felt he was the most deep and passionate of the characters. Also I cannot say I haven't admired his unconditional and absolute up to the extremes love for Cathy which could transform him into a saint or a demon...

One of my favourites. too. I'm so glad people still like this kind of novels. many friends of mine have found it out-of-date and irritating :-(

My all-time favorite, I've been madly in love with that book since I was 13!!! I always want to be honest, and I confess that I cannot be objective when it comes to Emily Bronte's novel.

Heatchliff is my literary love, and Catherine must be one of the most intriguing and yes, I dare say, charming characters with all her flaws and weaknesses. These characters are humans, never idealised, earthly, dark, mysterious, and passionate. I guess I always fall for everything Gothic, but I fell in love with the novel ever since the first time I read it, and the years in University only managed to increase my love for "Wuthering Heights".

Yes. I think that he is a trully unique character. The scene where Nelly informs him of Catherine's death is soooooo special for me. Remember? "I cannot live without my life! I cannot live without my soul!". These words are so powerful!! As you said, there are scenes and dialogues in the novel that "stays" with you.

I loved Wuthering Heights. It's a dark story with equally dark characters, and that's why I enjoyed it so much. It's a love story with many complexities. I don't like Cathy, and then I do. I feel sorry for Heathcliff, and then I don't. I feel that I understand these two characters, though. They are fallible, just as we all are, and that makes them more realistic to me.

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Originally Posted by Antiquarian

I know people who can't stand that book (for some reason they usually seem to be lovers of Jane Eyre), but I think it's just gorgeous. And so complex.

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I think my reason for hating the book might seem a bit vague. But for some reason I didn't identify with the emotions and the people in the story. It just didn't feel real. I felt that I was watching a bunch of people acting a school play. Too much drama, too much screaming and overall a dark story. I normaly like the Jane Austen kinda stories. There are complications and everything, but you won't feel weird about them. For me, I felt that the story is just a bit too...harsh if you can describe a novel like this.

Without getting into detail (because I've done so on many other threads on this novel) but i consider this the best English novel of the 19th century. Powerful story, magnificent characters, a unique and original world view for its time, perfectly constructed, and marvelous prose. There is nothing I can possibly be critical of in this novel. In many respects this is a forerunner to the modern novel. It's a perfect jewel.

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Originally Posted by Virgil

Without getting into detail (because I've done so on many other threads on this novel) but i consider this the best English novel of the 19th century. Powerful story, magnificent characters, a unique and original world view for its time, perfectly constructed, and marvelous prose. There is nothing I can possibly be critical of in this novel. In many respects this is a forerunner to the modern novel. It's a perfect jewel.

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Absolutely agree with you, Virgil and with others who are supporting the novel; funny, I just voted and noticed all my friends voted for this novel. I guess we all think alike. The novel has such depth of characters and yes, they are absolutely 'human' and therefore have their individual flaws and weaknesses and strengths, as well. The novel is in no way 'one dimensional', but encompasses so much and a deep complexity. I had heard about this novel from my sister for years - she read it in highschool. I didn't read it, until a few years ago and I definitely had a different idea of what I thought this book would be like - it was much darker and I would never venture to call it a simple love story. I think I thought that years back, before reading it. I now have a desire to someday re-read the book, because I am sure I will see so much more in this intricate story and text. It is amazing to me that a young girl wrote this fine novel. Absolutely dark and haunting. One never forgets this novel and it's impact.

Lady Wenthworth, did you ever see the film version with a very young Timothy Dalton playing Heathcliff. I actually find that an interesting alternative to the older film. I found a tape of this film by chance (at thiftstore) for under a dollar; when my sister and I viewed it the tape keep getting a line across it; however, we were so mesmerized with Dalton's performance, we could not stop watching it. Later I invested in the DVD. I was just looking through my DVD's the other night and put it ontop to view again soon.

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Originally Posted by Janine

One never forgets this novel and it's impact.

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Yeah, I'll give it that. You guys make me wanna re-read the story, from your feedbacks I feel that maybe I'm being unjust (since you all know way more about literature than I do :D) Maybe I'll re-read it someday, and perhaps I'll change my mind then.

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Originally Posted by Antiquarian

I know people who can't stand that book (for some reason they usually seem to be lovers of Jane Eyre), but I think it's just gorgeous. And so complex.

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That is funny. I find Jane Eyre to be the best novel of all-time. It is my personal favorite and no other novel could come close. Except for Austen's Persuasion perhaps, but even that has a long way to go to reach the same level of greatness as JE. Anyway, having said that, I really do like Wuthering Heights. I was only 12 when I read it. It did have quite an impact on me. Heathcliff is probably the reason that it did, though. His character was so dark and interesting. So, lovers of Jane Eyre can also love Wuthering Heights. :)

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Originally Posted by Lady Raven

I loved Wuthering Heights. It's a dark story with equally dark characters, and that's why I enjoyed it so much. It's a love story with many complexities. I don't like Cathy, and then I do. I feel sorry for Heathcliff, and then I don't. I feel that I understand these two characters, though. They are fallible, just as we all are, and that makes them more realistic to me.

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You know, you have described my feelings exactly on the book, the reason why I like it. Except that I never liked Catherine. :) Never will. :) Other than that, I couldn't have written the post better myself. ;)

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Originally Posted by Janine

Lady Wenthworth, did you ever see the film version with a very young Timothy Dalton playing Heathcliff. I actually find that an interesting alternative to the older film. I found a tape of this film by chance (at thiftstore) for under a dollar; when my sister and I viewed it the tape keep getting a line across it; however, we were so mesmerized with Dalton's performance, we could not stop watching it. Later I invested in the DVD. I was just looking through my DVD's the other night and put it ontop to view again soon.

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I know OF it. I tried to find it in the library. Then I looked on Netflix, but to no avail. :( I knew they sold it on DVD (I put it on my wishlist, in fact). I figured that he would be good at playing the dark, brooding Heathcliff. After all, I thought he was perfect as the dark, brooding Rochester. :)