Autumn 2025 Read-Along

The Nature & Folklore Edition

Welcome to the Autumn 2025 Read-Along

In Spring 2025 I focused on literary criticism and symbolism (The Annotated Edition). This September, I will be reading Wuthering Heights again—exploring the Nature and folklore found within the story.

Let’s focus on the Nature and folklore in Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights

Participants in my Spring read-along were often puzzled by what they perceived as a lack of Nature in the novel. I suspect many readers come to Wuthering Heights with a preconceived idea of the story, its characters and especially, its setting…often, these notions are based on television, film and unfortunately, inaccurate book covers.

This read-along is going to be relaxed and casual. Chapter-by-chapter, I’ll be teasing out Brontë’s references to the natural world and folklore. I’ll share a brief summary of each chapter but there is no formal reading schedule. Read the novel at your own pace.

I’ll be here for you and meet you where you are at…

The Autumn 2025 Read-Along begins September 22, 2025—the Equinox.

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Resources for Reading

Almanac • Places • Characters

☛ Content Warning

Wuthering Heights contains Gothic narrative themes and episodes including, but not limited to: paranormal activity, grief, trauma, death, domestic violence, and madness.

Reading Wuthering Heights

This is your warning: every character will disappoint you.

Male or female, these characters often behave in a manner that shocks and repulses a contemporary reader. Also, 18th c language and dialect often prove to be obstacles to enjoyment and comprehension of the story.

Wuthering Heights consists of thirty-four chapters. Or, fourteen and twenty (in 2-volumes).

In the spring I scheduled reading assignments. I broke the novel into 9-weeks (three to six chapters assigned at a time). Visit the website for annotated read-along essays.

Emily Brontë’s chapters are generally quite short. The novel takes the average reader one month to complete; I don’t feel it requires a ‘slow read,’ yet many people stall out when the romance between Catherine and her beloved Heathcliff is not what they anticipate—this season I have chosen to forgo a reading assignment schedule.¹

Read the novel and each summary essay at your leisure—no pressure.

Which Edition?

Wuthering Heights was published in 1847. Needless to say, there are a lot of printed editions available on the new and used marketplace. Read any unabridged edition.

I will be reading the Fifth Norton Critical Edition of Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë (Ed. Alexandra Lewis). It is unabridged, and includes two-volumes.

Why the Fifth Norton Critical Edition? It is based on the first edition of the novel, published by Thomas Cautley Newby in London in 1847; its text, printed in Brontë’s lifetime, follows Newby’s two-volume structure.

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Community

I am an introvert. When I join a read-along, I tend to keep to myself. If you prefer to simply read-along…you’re welcome to do so. If, on the other hand, you like to discuss each chapter with your fellow read-along participants…please start a conversation in the comments. If you have questions or you’re having trouble navigating the story, I will be happy to chat with you in the comments at any time…navigate to the summary on that chapter & let me know what’s on your mind. I’ll be posting an essay for all 34 chapters. While my essays will focus on Nature and folklore…you’re invited to discuss any aspect of the chapter about which I’m writing. I’ve read the novel dozens of times, I’m always happy to chat about Wuthering Heights. ♡

➣ In September, this page will be pinned to the Read With Me page of the website.

1. Depending on the amount of Nature and/or folklore present in each chapter, summaries will vary in length.