This is a sort of repost from my journal, and since my journal is probably too boring to read, I don't get comments on it. Oh well. How sad.
Anyways, here's what I had come up with at 2,22 a.m. and I would really like to know....
Recently, I came upon a thought that I needed a new picture to try and to emulate (but not plagiarize ), and I wanted something Wuthering Heights related. Which brings me to yet another related topic. Wuthering Heights.
This books is just so shattering, so brilliant, so perfect, that even after having read it over 7 times, it still gets to me how perfect it is. It also shows how perfect it is by being bolded, underlined, and put into a different font, color, and size. Not many titles deserve that. Anyways, I would love to hear your thoughts on this book. Please. Discuss how you hate Heathcliff (although I will argue with that view), or how (in my opinion) Hindley ruined everyone's life. Ask me about that one, and you will get an honest answer. Not something like, 'He was stoopid, and ugly and a drunk. Of course he rooind everee one's life.' or something equally time wasting. But this brings me to my actual question.
Which was your favorite version and WHY? I love discussing this with people. Most often with my friends' parents, as none of my friends seem tolove worship this book as much as I do. What a shame. Or not; I can just drive them nuts with my 178th rendition of an excellent quote from the end of chapter 15.
I terribly, terribly want to know. I think that I may fair burst. That's a lie. However, I do really want to know, because I was looking through pictures to draw (this ties in with both my earlier points) and came upon one that had nothing to do with my search, but inevitably was life altering. Or hour altering, which ever one suits your imaginative fancy better. This was a page from some literary magazine, and had a spread on the merits of each of the Wuthering Heights movies that were made. I prefered the 1992 one, however, Juliette Binoche as Catherine was a slightly bad choice. I did think that Ralph Fiennes (or whatever), who they chose for Heathcliff in it, did a fantastic job.
-Vix
James M. Barrie
If you have it love, you don't need to have anything else, and if you don't have it, it doesn't matter much what else you have.
Anyways, here's what I had come up with at 2,22 a.m. and I would really like to know....
Recently, I came upon a thought that I needed a new picture to try and to emulate (but not plagiarize ), and I wanted something Wuthering Heights related. Which brings me to yet another related topic. Wuthering Heights.
This books is just so shattering, so brilliant, so perfect, that even after having read it over 7 times, it still gets to me how perfect it is. It also shows how perfect it is by being bolded, underlined, and put into a different font, color, and size. Not many titles deserve that. Anyways, I would love to hear your thoughts on this book. Please. Discuss how you hate Heathcliff (although I will argue with that view), or how (in my opinion) Hindley ruined everyone's life. Ask me about that one, and you will get an honest answer. Not something like, 'He was stoopid, and ugly and a drunk. Of course he rooind everee one's life.' or something equally time wasting. But this brings me to my actual question.
Which was your favorite version and WHY? I love discussing this with people. Most often with my friends' parents, as none of my friends seem to
I terribly, terribly want to know. I think that I may fair burst. That's a lie. However, I do really want to know, because I was looking through pictures to draw (this ties in with both my earlier points) and came upon one that had nothing to do with my search, but inevitably was life altering. Or hour altering, which ever one suits your imaginative fancy better. This was a page from some literary magazine, and had a spread on the merits of each of the Wuthering Heights movies that were made. I prefered the 1992 one, however, Juliette Binoche as Catherine was a slightly bad choice. I did think that Ralph Fiennes (or whatever), who they chose for Heathcliff in it, did a fantastic job.
-Vix
James M. Barrie
If you have it love, you don't need to have anything else, and if you don't have it, it doesn't matter much what else you have.
Comments
I was forced to read it in high school by a teacher I hated. At that time, I thought Heathcliff was cool. I read it again a couple of years ago, and my outlook was different. I thought, my God--here are all these people--the Lindens and Earnshaws and all, and Heathcliff just comes in out of the blue and ends up taking ALL of their land! What a grabby asshole!
Hindley was a wuss, but I felt very sorry for Linden.
You are so lucky you have that class. I would die for it.
-Vix
^ My favourite event.
I liked this book a bit. Not so much as you. I didn't HATE Heathcliff and can probably see where you are coming from as regards Hindley. Yet I feel inclined to disagree. But first.. state your position!
I haven't seen any films :)
Well, from the beggining he was sour against Heathcliff, when he really had almost no provacation. The first incidence was when his violin was broken when Heathcliff was first introduced. But, putting Hindley's initial dislike for Heathcliff, Heathcliff himself was not 'child of goodness' and I think that he took advantage of his 'father's' tendency to take his side. However, when Hindley made Heathcliff do horrid things, and made him become some sort of servant and degrade his standing (even though he wasn't truly of their social ranks to begin with), everything went downhill. He impacted what Cathy eventually thought of Heathcliff, and left him out of so many things, like the dance where Heathcliff actually started to go, and Nelly Dean tried to make him look nice (the one time I actually liked her in the book). Altogether I thought he was a cruel man.
-Vix
Ann Dinsdale, a Bronte expert, told the BBC: "The thing about Heathcliff is he turned to domestic abuse, possibly committed murder and certainly dug up the remains of his dead lover. Is this the role model we want for our own prime minister?" Tee hee.
So why don't you hate Heathcliff?
I'm inclinced to agree with you about the damage done by Hindley.
I find it particularly hard to read this book, because I absolutely can't stand Nellie Dean. The way she thinks, the way she speaks, are a huge barrier to overcome and, having spoken to a few people about the book since reading it, not many people seem to. It's fascinating how many people can read a book and simply adopt the views of the narrator without realising it.
What are your views on Cathy? I'm having a heated debate currently with someone who absolutely despises her, but I think he's missed the point. I think to hate her, to consider her arrogant and selfish, is only getting part of the story.
I've never seen an adaptation of it so can't help there...
I don't hate Heathcliff, 1) because he was slightly an idiot and was really compelled to just be stubborn and headstrong, 2) because he was totally and realistically flawed. Not many authors are able to do this, and Emily Bronte was able to put in real flaws in many (or dare I say, all) of her characters. 3)There was some irresistible dangerous charm that went with him, 4)he had an obstinate love for Cathy, which he could have readily given up, seeing as she was a jerk. And even though he by the middle of the book he was this man with a warped mind he wasn't kind, I thought that he had all he right. If your love lives 12 miles away and just blighted their chances together because Hindley decided to be an ass and put him at a lower rank (even though technicallyyyyyy he kinda was) and Cathy was a bit thickheaded in her decision and chose Linton.
But as for Cathy, I don't despise her at all. I disliked her at many times, but over all, I thought that she and Heathcliff were just misunderstood, overly passionate and not communicating correctly.
-Vix
Anywho, great book, the one or two adaptations I saw seemed to miss the point.
As for the movies, I've only ever seen one and I don't really remember which one that it was because it was in High School and I didn't really pay attention. However, in my Brit Lit class I did hear the Wuthering Heights song.
The book is a masterpiece, in my opinion, precisely because the characters are not perfect.
Heathcliff is compellingly evil and therefore sexy, Cathy is the passionate person in all of us and Lockwood is the face we try and present to the world.
I've only seen one good adaption, argue with me if you like, but it was an ITV version with Peter Davidson as Lockwood and Sarah Smart as Cathy Jnr. I can't remember the lead roles, but I know they were spot on in my mind.
Few adaptions fully tell the tale of the second generation but this one did.
-Vix