Wuthering heights by Emily Bronte

Wuthering heights is a classic gothic horror novel written by Emily Bronte in 1947. It tells the tale of Cathy and Heathcliff's tragic love story.

Mr Earnshaw and his family reside at Wuthering heights. Mr Earnshaw often travelled for work- on returning from a business trip in liverpool, he brought back and orphan boy with him. This orphan was Heathcliff. The young boy had dark skin and features and was potentially of romany gypsy origin. The earnshaw children are insanely jealous and automatically hate him, constantly tormenting him and making him feel unwelcome. Catherine, the younger sibling, was clearly under the influence of her older brother, Hindley, as she soon becomes very fond of Heathcliff. It doesnt take long before they are inseperable and do everything together. This makes Hindley detest Heathcliff even more than he did before. To fuel his anger even more, it is made pretty clear that Mr Earnshaw has grown fonder of Heathcliff than of his own son. He sends Hindley away to boarding school after witnessing the way he treats Heathcliff.

Hindley returns three years later due to his fathers death and he then inherits Wuthering heights. He returns to the manor with a pregnant wife, and forces Heathcliff to work as a laborer, in order for him to stay at the house. Heathcliff and Cathy continue their relationship and meet in secret. One night they venture to thrushcross grange where they hope to torment the prim and proper Edgar and Isabella linton. While trespassing, Cathy is bitten by the Linton's dog and her cry prompts Edgar linton to find them on his land. he insists that Cathy is to stay with them until she is well again. Over the six weeks, she falls for Edgar and agrees to marry him. This obviously makes her relationship with Heathcliff even more complicated and confusing.

Hindley's wife, Frances died during childbirth which forced him to turn to alcoholism. His new habits meant that he was even more cruel to Heathcliff. Everything becomes too much for heathcliff and he runs away from wuthering heights, returning three years later. On his return he is full of hate and wishes to seek revenge on all those who wronged him in previous years. Hindley fell into a deeper pit of alcoholism while heathcliff was away and as a result dies shortly after heathcliff's return. Heathcliff then inherits the estate of wuthering heights. Even though he is completely in love with cathy, he marries Edgar's sister, isabella linton. He treats her awfully and makes it clear to her that he loves cathy and not her. During this time Catherine falls pregnant with Edgar's son, she becomes very ill. She gives birth to her daughther and has a short time to live. She asks for Heathcliff to be with her in her last moments. I found this to be a really heartbreaking part of the novel, from all of the characters perspective. Cathy dying having spent the last years with a man she didnt really love and leaving behind a baby and a heartbroken husband, as well as heathcliff being completely devastated. Her husband watched his wife die next to another man by her request. Heathcliff's wife being sad for her brother, but also heartbroken as she can see how deeply her husband loves cathy.

Heathcliff begs her spirit to remain on earth and haunt him. he begs her to 'haunt me, drive me mad, just as long as you never leave me alone'. Cathy supposedly 'haunts' him after her death, although it is not clear whether this is just heathcliff's mind tormenting him. His heartbreak drives him mad and he becomes more and more obsessed with the thought of her ghost. Everything reminds him of her, and he begins to speak to her ghost. He often walked out to the moors at night to speak to her, as this is where they would meet in secret. One night after being on the moors, Heathcliff dies.

I found this book so interesting, I really got into the book as it was so passionate and haunting. I had always wanted to read it and im so glad i finally had an excuse to do so. I really look forward to researching further and designing make up for my chosen character.