The English novel “Wuthering Heights” (1847) by Emily Brontë, which is very popular, has been adapted about fifteen times into movies and television shows, mostly with a strong bias towards romanticizing the violence in the book. “Wuthering Heights,” directed by Emerald Fennell, currently in theaters, is no exception.
A classic of literature, considered the last work of English romanticism, “Wuthering Heights” has been subject to numerous adaptations for television and cinema, with the latest one starring Jacob Elordi and Margot Robbie. The first part of the book tells the story of Heathcliff, a gypsy from Liverpool who arrives in the Earnshaw family, and his tragic love story with his half-sister Cathy. The second part recounts Heathcliff’s revenge against the two families who humiliated him.
Quotes from the novel, such as one by Heathcliff about Isabelle, his rival’s sister whom he married to cause him suffering, raise questions about the romanticized portrayal of the character in various adaptations. Different adaptations of the book often make recurring choices to cut or silence certain aspects of the story that are not politically neutral.
One common choice by filmmakers is to only adapt the first part of the novel, turning it into a cursed love story where Cathy and Heathcliff’s characters are smoothed out to portray them as victims of social and family order, akin to the mythical Romeo and Juliet couple. Emily Brontë drew inspiration from dark and gothic novels of her time, infusing common tropes to make them feel real, as noted by Michel Mohrt in his preface.
The violence of Heathcliff is evident from the beginning of the novel, but in film adaptations, it is subtly softened when the entire book is portrayed. For example, a scene where Heathcliff’s pony is swapped with Hindley’s in a show of dominance is altered in adaptations to present Hindley as the victim instead of depicting the power dynamics accurately.
Another recurring omission in adaptations is Heathcliff’s origin and skin color, which has implications for the underlying violence in the story. While the novel hints at Heathcliff’s non-white heritage, most film adaptations cast white actors for the role, erasing the racial aspect crucial to understanding the character’s motivations.
The deliberate romanticization of violence, particularly in portraying the relationship between Cathy and Heathcliff as enviable, overlooks the darker themes of the story where the characters’ actions have catastrophic consequences. The nuances of the complex narrative are often simplified or removed altogether in favor of a more palatable version for audiences.
The portrayal of incestuous undertones in the story, with suggestions of Heathcliff being Earnshaw’s biological son, adds a layer of complexity that is rarely explored in cinematic adaptations. By glossing over these darker themes, filmmakers risk presenting a sanitized version of the story that deviates from the unsettling and morally ambiguous nature of the original text.
In essence, the various adaptations of “Wuthering Heights” tend to sanitize the characters and their relationships, distorting the nuanced portrayal of violence and unhealthy dynamics present in the novel. The romanticization of toxic behavior for entertainment value raises questions about the perpetuation of harmful stereotypes and gender roles in popular media.
