Heathcliff: romantic hero?
Until this month, I had never read Wuthering Heights. As a matter of fact, until Valentine's Day, I had never seen the movie. (except for the scene where Cathy dies...hasn't everyone seen that?) I was always a Jane Eyre girl rather than a Wuthering Heights girl. Jane and Mr. Rochester always seemed far more interesting and romantic than all the heaving passion that Cathy and Heathcliff seemed to offer.
When I got my Kindle, one of the things I downloaded was the Complete Works of the Brontes. I had been told by other admirers of Charlotte Bronte that I would really enjoy Villette, so I splurged about a buck and a half and got the works. So, having an actual copy of WH in my hands, I figured, why not read it?
I remain unimpressed. In my opinion, WH doesn't hold a candle to JE. And honestly? I am flabbergasted that Heathcliff should be considered any kind of a romantic ideal. He is self-centered, vindictive and charmless. He is deliberately cruel to people and animals. Cathy is narcissistic as well, in addition to being obviously mentally ill. Sure, I get the "tragedy" of their respective social statuses and their love story, but I find it impossible to care about either of such unlikeable characters.
The movie sugarcoats some of Heathcliff's most blatant faults, creating a marginally more sympathetic character. And having a very attractive Laurence Olivier in the role makes him easy on the eyes, but even in the nicer version of the story, I found both Cathy and Heathcliff all angsty and tragic and really, really tiresome.The over-the-top emoting reminded of a singer I really like who had one thing to say about the two of them: "Get therapy!!"
I remain a devoted fan of Jane Eyre. Give me my mad women locked up in the attic, not bemoaning their own stupid decisions, and my romantic heroes sarcastic, intelligent and somewhat immoral, not vindictive, cruel and whining.
When I got my Kindle, one of the things I downloaded was the Complete Works of the Brontes. I had been told by other admirers of Charlotte Bronte that I would really enjoy Villette, so I splurged about a buck and a half and got the works. So, having an actual copy of WH in my hands, I figured, why not read it?
I remain unimpressed. In my opinion, WH doesn't hold a candle to JE. And honestly? I am flabbergasted that Heathcliff should be considered any kind of a romantic ideal. He is self-centered, vindictive and charmless. He is deliberately cruel to people and animals. Cathy is narcissistic as well, in addition to being obviously mentally ill. Sure, I get the "tragedy" of their respective social statuses and their love story, but I find it impossible to care about either of such unlikeable characters.
The movie sugarcoats some of Heathcliff's most blatant faults, creating a marginally more sympathetic character. And having a very attractive Laurence Olivier in the role makes him easy on the eyes, but even in the nicer version of the story, I found both Cathy and Heathcliff all angsty and tragic and really, really tiresome.The over-the-top emoting reminded of a singer I really like who had one thing to say about the two of them: "Get therapy!!"
I remain a devoted fan of Jane Eyre. Give me my mad women locked up in the attic, not bemoaning their own stupid decisions, and my romantic heroes sarcastic, intelligent and somewhat immoral, not vindictive, cruel and whining.
Labels: I have too many books
posted by allison | 4:27 PM
3 Comments:
I know there's a lot of misaimed Heathcliff fandom, but I didn't think he was actually *intended* to be any kind of ideal.
How about Vilette, though? That book really sticks with me (though it's hard to really 'like' it for many reasons).
I haven't read Vilette yet. I decided to catch up on the "classic" I missed first, but I will start it soon. Unless I decide to reread Jane Eyre for the twentieth time first!
Oh and I agree that the intent was probably not to make Heathcliff a romantic hero, which is why I am so amazed that popular opinion made him one.
I have read some interesting pieces regarding the contrast between Heathcliff and Rochester and the romantic ideal. Both men are terribly flawed, although Heathcliff is deliberately more cruel than Rochester. Rochester is cruel, of course, both in his actions towards his first wife and in his initial treatment of Jane, but it lacks the vitriol of Heathcliff's. I think the key to both men lies in the women they love; Jane is passionate, but with an inner sense of morality; Cathy is passionate with a need for social standing. Jane is well-balanced; Cathy is volatile. Jane "saves" Rochester; Cathy "dooms" Heathcliff.
The last part of the novel is probably more what Emily Bronte really meant to be the point: how young Cathy and Hareton redeem each other in a way that her mother and Heathcliff never could. But that's not the part of the story that has been embraced. Pity.
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