First published in 1847, Wuthering Heights is an epic romance of passion
and betrayal set in the windy moors of Yorkshire. The story opens with
Mr. Lockwood, the tenant of Thrushcross Grange, stuck at Wuthering
Heights, on a stormy evening. As the hours roll by, he embarks on a
discovery with the help of the housekeeper, Nelly Dean, who narrates to
him the history of the two estates and of the people connected to them,
with Heathcliff and Catherine taking the centre stage. Heathcliff and
Catherine's tale of passionate but angst-ridden love makes Wuthering
Heights one of the most widely loved classics of all time.
Emily Brontë and her family lived in Yorkshire, and this led her to set
the book against the backdrop of the wild, bleak moors of Yorkshire.
Almost every event in the book takes place here, colouring every page
with the author's nostalgia. The central characters of the novel are
said to have been inspired from people in the author's life, including
that of 'Heathcliff', who is said to have been inspired by the author's
brother, Branwell Brontë.
The depictions of mental and physical cruelty, abuse, and morality in
Wuthering Heights raked up a storm when it was published, with readers
being divided about how they felt about the depiction of religious and
societal values in However, it went on to become a classic work of
Gothic fiction in English literature and continues to intrigue readers
with its spellbinding plot and spellbinding characters.
