🎬Why I Refuse to Watch the New Wuthering Heights: A Beginner's Guide to the Book Instead
After hearing the movie Wuthering Heights isn't like the book, I skipped it. So here, I'm focusing on the plot, characters, and themes that are in the book to inform your own reading and/or watching.
This month, as we read books with adaptations on Gilmore Girls for our Rory Gilmore Reading Challenge, we are featuring Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë—a new “adaptation” of which is now in theaters!
In episode 4.10 of Gilmore Girls (“The Nanny and the Professor”), Jason “Digger” Stiles says he owns Wuthering Heights—perhaps because he shares the theme of generational trauma?!
So, below, as a reader like Rory Gilmore (whom I think also would have read it; after all, she’s seen reading The Brontes by Juliet Barker on one occasion), I share why I decided against seeing the movie, and why I’d rather prime you on the book instead.1
The New Wuthering Heights Movie Adaptation is Not For Me.
I originally planned to see the new adaptation of Wuthering Heights the day it came out and then write to you about it here. I even bought a ticket!
But a trustworthy friend saw an advanced screening and assured me it was not for me and that I would hate it. Coupled with a bad flu/cold last week, I took her advice and stayed home.
Having consumed an array of reviews now (including a one-star review from The Independent), I don’t intend to see it. What’s not for me? I’ve heard it’s:
overtly sexualized, including some abuse and “consent issues;”2
not true to the book— omitting an entire generation’s worth of characters, plot, and themes; and
marketed as “the greatest love story of all time,” whereas the novel is a dark tragedy about class, race, power, and generational trauma.3
That said, I don’t mean to “yuck” anyone’s “yum!” If it feels “for you,” then go for it!
On the positive side, ALL reviews I’ve encountered praised the aesthetics: the setting, fashion, and hair and makeup.
The merch is also merching!
And from those who did like the film's content, I’m gathering they’re people who crave the physical and emotional intensity of darkly passionate romantic storylines. Think: It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover and 50 Shades of Grey by E.L. James.
Beginner’s Guide to Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë
All that said, I think the best way to handle our featured book of the month is through a beginner’s guide to the book! Whether you’re reading and watching or just watching, it’s important to separate the book from the new movie, which does, in fact, place the title in quotations to show it’s an interpretation, not a true adaptation.
The Plot of Wuthering Heights (No Spoilers)
The story begins when a man named Mr. Lockwood rents a house in the remote English countryside. He becomes curious about his mysterious landlord, Heathcliff, who lives nearby at a dark, isolated house called Wuthering Heights, and asks his housekeeper, Nelly Dean, to explain their history.
She tells how Heathcliff arrived at Wuthering Heights as a poor, orphaned child. He was taken in by the Earnshaw family and formed a deep bond with their daughter, Catherine Earnshaw.
As they grew up, though, their emotionally intense relationship became complicated by social expectations.
Their choices ended up having consequences that affected not only them but also the next generation, who inherited environments filled with resentment, control, and unresolved pain.
Ultimately, Wuthering Heights raises the question of whether people are destined to repeat the past or are capable of changing and creating something different.
(As I’ll discuss later, my understanding is that the new movie omits the story of this generation and focuses only on the “obsessive love” between Catherine and Heathcliff in the first part of the novel.)
The perspective of a “story within a story” in the novel is also of deep interest. It creates distance from the plot, while showing its continuous impact on the present. It also adds a layer of complexity in never truly knowing what really happened.
I first read Wuthering Heights in high school and mostly just recall it feeling really dark and creepy. I intended to reread it this month with you, but was reminded that it had animal abuse (chapter 14; a huge trigger for me) and decided against it.
The Complex Characters at the Core
As mentioned, Nelly Dean tells Mr. Lockwood the story of Heathcliff and Catherine. Heathcliff represents passion in her life, but her second suitor, Edgar Linton, represents status and security.
It should also be noted that Heathcliff is described in chapter one as “a dark-skinned gipsy” with “black eyes,” and thus many scholars believe him to be Black (unlike the movie casting), which adds a thematic layer to the plot.
Two more characters you should know are Catherine’s older brother, Hindley Earnshaw, whose changing relationship with Heathcliff is important to the atmosphere of the household, and Edgar’s sister, Isabella Linton, who is young and sheltered when she is drawn into the dark world of Heathcliff and Catherine.
Without giving away the plot, the later generation (the second part of the story) includes Hindley’s son, Hareton, as well as Cathy and Linton.4 These similar names show the impact of one generation upon the next.
Dark Themes That Make it a Classic
From what I gather, the new movie presents obsessive love and class conflict among Heathcliff, Catherine, and Edgar, but omits the second part of the plot: revenge and generational trauma.
Both versions, however, impart gothic themes at the story’s core. Wuthering Heights itself is like a haunted house where the past lingers, and the moors feel wild, dark, and dangerous. Here, the supernatural vibes aren’t meant to impart salacious thrills and chills, but rather to dig into the deepest crevices of human psychology—the darkest moral conflicts that drive the characters’ flawed actions.
Reading Tips to Help You Tackle This Classic
Besides similar character names, Wuthering Heights is complex in its dual narration (Mr. Lockwood and Nelly Dean) and timelines (past and present).
It’s also heavy on emotional depth and presents characters who aren’t all that lovable. In fact, this story can elicit feelings of anger and even hatred from the reader, making it not exactly your average “romance” read.
That said, now you’re well acquainted with why the reading experience matters so much!
Want a juicy seasonal pairing? The ice-skating saga The Favorites by Layne Fargo is a widely beloved retelling that brings its own unique intensity to the tale of the duo Katarina and Heath. It’s perfect for the winter Olympics season and works great on audio as well.
I also recommend Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy (Rory’s favorite), Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë, Normal People by Sally Rooney, and Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier for well-written dark romance reading.
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I didn’t record a podcast episode for today’s post. In looking at my stats, these types of essays don’t get traction in audio format, so I don’t think it’s an effective use of my time for our community. I’m still considering how best to manage this community, which is ever evolving and difficult from a business perspective. I’ll share more about this once I have a handle on it.
I will leave this statement as I was told it, without further explanation, since I didn’t actually see the movie myself!
Don’t let dreamily romantic quotes like this fool you!: “He's more myself than I am. Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same.”
No spoilers as to who their parents are, but you can learn the Wuthering Heights family tree with spoilers here.
I think it will be interesting to compare book with movie
For me to watch the movie would require a 3-hour drive and I already wrote that idea off. I tried reading the book in high school, but it was hard to get into and hard to follow. I may try again someday, but there's such a long list of amazing options on the RGRL that for now I've got other options.
I did enjoy Jane Eyre fwiw.