Welcome to Wuthering Heights Wednesday! Softdrink is hosting a read-along of this classic novel, and we’re reading (and posting about) 3 chapters a week.
Volume II, Chapters 13-20 (final)
My Synopsis:
I doubled-up on this week’s reading so that I could be done with it and move on to other books. If you haven’t yet finished, come back later to read my thoughts as I don’t want to spoil it for anyone.
Here we go…
Cathy escapes Wuthering Heights and ends up back at Thrushcross Grange. Good thing too because Edgar kicks the bucket.
She isn’t there for long, though. Heathcliff shows up at the Grange and orders Cathy to return to WH so that she can take care of her new husband, Linton. Mrs. Dean tries to negotiate a position within WH but Heathcliff wants none of it. Cathy is to live out her miserable existence without Mrs. Dean’s help.
A whole lot of nothing happens. Seriously. Heathcliff decides to dig up Cathy I’s grave, to see her lovely face again and apparently nothing has changed because she looks the same. He is taken aback by this so he sets the coffin lid off-center so that the elements can have their way with her. He instructs Joseph to see that his coffin is placed next to hers when his time comes and to make sure his coffin lid is also set off-center so that he and Cathy can be one in the same.
In the mean time, Linton dies. So what do you think is the next natural step for Cathy? Well, to fall in love with Hareton of course! This is almost enough to do Heathcliff in but not quite.
Out of the blue, Heathcliff begins to wander about the property. We know this because Mrs. Dean has been hired by HC since Zillah up and left. With each night that passes HC seems to be getting happier. Well, apparently he has begun to see the ghost of Cathy I, and this has brought him great joy. So much so that he opens all of his windows and catches his death from cold. Literally.
So Hareton and Cathy are happy. HC is dead and happy to be with dead Cathy. Mrs. Dean is none the worse for wear and Lockwood? Having missed his chance at winning Cathy’s hand, just sort of vanishes. I don’t think Bronte even mentioned what happened to him or if she did, it wasn’t important enough to remember.
My Thoughts:
I really don’t know what Bronte was thinking when she wrote Wuthering Heights. The first half was very dramatic and entertaining but the second half was really hard to get through. Did people live like this? Was this the norm? Why were these people so fragile? The breeze from an open window is enough to do them in, yet the staff live on forever!
When I read books like this, ones that are considered the most beloved classics of all time, I have to wonder…why? Why is this book considered a classic? One definition of a classic, is something that is old, but still popular. It’s old and it’s still popular but why?
I’m glad that I read it, but it’s not nearly as wonderful as I’d hoped it would be. It hasn’t left a lasting impression upon me and I couldn’t really relate to any one character. Can anyone explain to me why this one is considered a classic?
So thank you Fizzy. It’s been a fun, fun time. Better than Moby Dick, for sure.
Reading along:
Book Chatter 
OMG – why couldn’t Healthcliff have opened the window a long time ago?!!!!
I watched the movie last week, haven’t read the book but can say I found the movie odd and wonder right along with you… why is this book so popular?
It might be that the Bronte is a preachers daughter and the shock/outrage over her writing (having thoughts like this) made everyone want to see what the fuss was about.
What are you reading next? I’m finishing Anna soon and might want to read with you guys if it’s not too late to join.
I am planning on doing a read-along with Lit and Life in July for The Space Between Us (Thrity Umrigar). Have you read that one? After that, I may do 1984 as a read-along. Not sure yet.
I am so far behind on this one. It may never get finished. Are you up to do The Space Between Us next month? With the graduation, June really snuck up on me so I’m thinking July for the readalong now.
Sure thing. July works. I am thinking about the next read-along as far as what classic to tackle next. I was thinking a more modern classic like 1984 or something like that.
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I had to finish up, too, but will post the wrap-up next week. I think I liked it more than you, but still can’t imagine how it is considered one of the most beloved classics of all time. It sure was fun to read it with the group!
Most definitely better than Moby. But yeah, I’m wondering why, too. Hateful characters and melodrama do not a classic make.
i’m glad i’m not the only one who didn’t get this book
jane eyre was another one
After seeing your post and everyone else’s responses here I have much less guilt for never finishing this book. I own it as part of a Brontes’ complete works, but I don’t think I’ll be reading it any time soon.