An Account Of The Popularity Of Wuthering

Heights Essay, Research Paper

An Account for the Popularity of Wuthering Heights

The magnificent work of English literature, Wuthering Heights , written by Emily Bront (1818 – 1848), has been hailed as a transcendent masterpiece , a superb story of passionate love, in which irreconcilable principles of energy and calm are ultimately harmonised ( Bront , Microsoft Encarta 97 Encyclopedia). Indeed, Emily Bront s one and only novel has gone on to become one of the most critically acclaimed stories of passionate love, hate and revenge. Despite much initial criticism when the novel was first published, Wuthering Heights is now deemed a timeless classic, displaying Bront s excellent craftsmanship and documentation. The following essay seeks to provide explanations for the popularity of Wuthering Heights , exploring the novel s ubiquitous themes and applications, its universal importance and the rewards gained from reading such a masterpiece.

One of the most striking features of any classic novel is the presence of universal themes, and how the themes and their applications are portrayed in basic human-kind. In Wuthering Heights , Bront has delved deep into the emotions of passionate love, bitter hate and fierce revenge, resulting in a powerful and moving story that uses these themes so that any reader can comprehend and relate to the plot. It is this basic comprehensiveness that adds to the overall popularity of the book, because its major themes stem from natural human emotions, enabling even the most casual reader to become absorbed in the story.

Not only are the themes in Bront s novel easy to relate with, but the themes she has chosen to shape her novel are of invaluable importance. The never-ending significance of love and hate, how they can be applied and how they can ultimately lead to one s personal anguish. All of these elements are found in Wuthering Heights , elements that were explored in Bront s time, elements that are still being explored to this day, and elements that will provide great significance for future generations to come. It is this limitless aspect of issues that makes Bront s work an invaluable classic, again adding to the novel s popularity.

Because of the novel s limitless aspects of important themes and issues, Wuthering Heights has stood the test of time remarkably well. As time progressed on, the quest to understand the basic emotions in the book did not change. The novel s publication was greeted with troubled reviews to begin with, but this was largely due to the fact that no one had come across such a bold novel before. More than a century-and-a-half later and the issues in the book are still applicable today, capturing the minds and hearts of so many readers still. And because of the story s infinite subject matter, it is destined to remain one of the most acclaimed and popular novels of all time.

Finally, another quality which makes Wuthering Heights so popular is Bront s unique construction of the novel. Although the recounting of the story through the eyes of mostly one person seems a little unrealistic, Bront has used her excellent skills in creating a vivid story in the mind – everything from the dark moors of the setting to the unpredictable (yet thoroughly intriguing) characters. Bront s extensive use of a descriptive vocabulary and her style of writing all add to the quality of Wuthering Heights , yet another reason why her book is so absorbing and very popular.

So very rarely is found a book as detailed and interesting as Emily Bront s Wuthering Heights . An excellent novel, despite shaky beginnings, which contains all the qualities of a timeless classic. With such outstanding features such as its universal themes, its limitless values, and its unique but vivid craftsmanship, Wuthering Heights has been one of the most critically acclaimed novels in the English language, and will go down in history as one of the most popular novels ever written.

Written by Phillip Winwood (e-mail: philtrid@hotmail.com)