Wuthering Heights

I recall a post that I wrote several years ago around this time (which can be found here). This post stated (in case you decided not to follow the link) that my dad had learned that Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights had been deemed the most romantic book ever, or something to that effect.

Well, I have been assigned to read said book, and, after laboring over it for five hours yesterday (reading 210 pages in the process), I must say, I DO NOT AGREE.

If it were the most romantic book ever, Catherine Senior would not have died and Heathcliff would have been able to chill enough to stop being abusive and win her heart. Also, Linton wouldn't have been so whiny and I'd have been cheering for Hareton and Catherine Junior to get together. (I must admit, I was rather excited when they got together, but there wasn't enough buildup for that, so that's beside the point).

Maybe part of the reason I don't really see the whole romantic side of it is because I read most of it in one day.


At any rate, here are My Two Reasons Why Wuthering Heights Is Not Very Romantic:

1. Heathcliff. Sure, he was sort of cool in the beginning, but he started acting like an idiot towards the end. One could say that it was romantic that he was acting weird because he was seeing the spirit of Catherine Senior, whom he loved dearly, but I dunno. If he loved her so much, why was he so mean to her daughter?

2. Linton. That boy needs to get himself some guts. Also, he needs to get himself some compassion. Really. Catherine Junior helped him through a tough winter by writing to him, and both of them fancied themselves to be in love because of the secret correspondence and their guardians maybe not being cool with that. Sure, it was adorable. But then Catherine Junior's feelings faded slightly, and I think that if she wanted to marry him, she wanted him to propose to her properly, instead of having Heathcliff forcing them into it. As Heathcliff forced her into a union she was unsure about, and wouldn't let her go back to tell her father what was going on or where she'd gone (the dude is DYING, and her only immediate family remaining), AND locked her in a room, of COURSE she'd have a breakdown. And what did Linton do about it? He ranted about how he was more worthy of shedding tears than she was. Sure, that's good in the LONG RUN, but she's freaking UPSET, and he's not doing ANYTHING! How non-romantic is THAT?


Honestly, my favorite character was Hareton. He had the most to be confused and anguished about, and it was nice to see him finally get together with someone cool.

I just wish it wasn't Catherine Junior, because she was a bitch to him for most of the book, and I wish he'd gotten together with someone before chapter 30 of 34, so Catherine could feel torn. Really.