So far it seems to me that there is very little nature description or ourdoor scenes in WH--talk about the weather, and the pleasures of the wild outdoors, but most of the action is indoors. I haven't counted and compared, just an impression.
Judy...I'm glad to find this comment here! I agree, on its surface, Wuthering Heights is very much about interior spaces--domesticity. In fact, in the same way the 'romance' is difficult to discover, the Nature is often subtle. It's there though--lunar phases, moorland birds and plants, Brontë's use of nature-imagery to describe people (and their emotions).
Until Volume II, you will not find anyone taking advantage (literally) of the wild outdoors; and when characters venture outdoors in that second volume, it is rarely pleasurable. Much of it must be imagined by the reader (I'm thinking of our 'imagining' Heathcliff taking a ramble w/ Cathy under the dairy maid's cloak).
I *promise* I'll write more detailed essays about these things--lunar phases, weather, flora & fauna and Brontë's allusions to Nature throughout the story--especially after I've completed all the summary essays for the read-along (I don't want to publish too many essays filled with spoilers). ♡
I think I saw that you are writing about doors and windows in WH, but I can't find it. Can you help me out--I am enjoying the group read so far. My first read of WH and I'm old --but I could never get past the confusion of who's who in the first chapters on my own.
Ah yes...doors and windows! I have not written a dedicated essay about the subject YET--but in the Week Four read-along summary I am currently writing, I am going to share a little bit more about the subject. There are SO many doors and windows in Wuthering Heights!
I'm glad you're enjoying the group read! I confess, the first time I read Wuthering Heights I was entirely confused and quite frankly, because it was confusing, I skimmed over subtle bits which actually make it *less* confusing--it took additional readings to discover my error. 😉
I hope my summary essays help readers to pick out the details that make the story easier to follow (comprehend and ideally, appreciate!).♡
I've just found you thanks to Simon at Footnotes. I'm reading WH for the first time. Yes - FIRST. I'm 44 and live in North West England, Brontë country is a mere 45 minutes away. Maybe it's because it's so much part of the heritage of literature that I've taken it for granted. Anyway - here now!
Wonderful! I adore Simon--I took part in his Wolf Crawl in 2024 and loved every minute of it. He is certainly an inspiration here on Substack!
Oh my goodness--you live only 45 minutes from Brontë country, how lovely! You needn't feel bad about only reading WH now--I earned my degrees in English education and only read it for the first time last year!
I'm so glad to have you here. I look forward to hearing how you enjoy the novel. ♡
Here's my confession...I read Wold Hall and Bring Up the Bodies, but I can't bring myself to finish The Mirror and the Light because I know it will break my heart!
This sounds fantastic and I am so excited to follow along. Wuthering Heights is one of the first books I plan to reread in 2025, my Year of Classic Novels!
Wonderful! I am eager to write about food, furniture *and* those ever-fascinating doorways (and windows!)...my underlining and note-taking system assigns different colored pencils to each theme; I'm already well on my way to researching those topics.
So far it seems to me that there is very little nature description or ourdoor scenes in WH--talk about the weather, and the pleasures of the wild outdoors, but most of the action is indoors. I haven't counted and compared, just an impression.
Judy...I'm glad to find this comment here! I agree, on its surface, Wuthering Heights is very much about interior spaces--domesticity. In fact, in the same way the 'romance' is difficult to discover, the Nature is often subtle. It's there though--lunar phases, moorland birds and plants, Brontë's use of nature-imagery to describe people (and their emotions).
Until Volume II, you will not find anyone taking advantage (literally) of the wild outdoors; and when characters venture outdoors in that second volume, it is rarely pleasurable. Much of it must be imagined by the reader (I'm thinking of our 'imagining' Heathcliff taking a ramble w/ Cathy under the dairy maid's cloak).
I *promise* I'll write more detailed essays about these things--lunar phases, weather, flora & fauna and Brontë's allusions to Nature throughout the story--especially after I've completed all the summary essays for the read-along (I don't want to publish too many essays filled with spoilers). ♡
I think I saw that you are writing about doors and windows in WH, but I can't find it. Can you help me out--I am enjoying the group read so far. My first read of WH and I'm old --but I could never get past the confusion of who's who in the first chapters on my own.
Ah yes...doors and windows! I have not written a dedicated essay about the subject YET--but in the Week Four read-along summary I am currently writing, I am going to share a little bit more about the subject. There are SO many doors and windows in Wuthering Heights!
I'm glad you're enjoying the group read! I confess, the first time I read Wuthering Heights I was entirely confused and quite frankly, because it was confusing, I skimmed over subtle bits which actually make it *less* confusing--it took additional readings to discover my error. 😉
I hope my summary essays help readers to pick out the details that make the story easier to follow (comprehend and ideally, appreciate!).♡
I've just found you thanks to Simon at Footnotes. I'm reading WH for the first time. Yes - FIRST. I'm 44 and live in North West England, Brontë country is a mere 45 minutes away. Maybe it's because it's so much part of the heritage of literature that I've taken it for granted. Anyway - here now!
Wonderful! I adore Simon--I took part in his Wolf Crawl in 2024 and loved every minute of it. He is certainly an inspiration here on Substack!
Oh my goodness--you live only 45 minutes from Brontë country, how lovely! You needn't feel bad about only reading WH now--I earned my degrees in English education and only read it for the first time last year!
I'm so glad to have you here. I look forward to hearing how you enjoy the novel. ♡
I read Wolf Hall too, but didn't read the following two. I will do at some point, but my TBR was calling me 📚
Here's my confession...I read Wold Hall and Bring Up the Bodies, but I can't bring myself to finish The Mirror and the Light because I know it will break my heart!
Relatable. I've obviously seen the BBC adaptations, I was sobbing through that last episode!
I wonder what your favorite book is! 😃
This sounds fantastic and I am so excited to follow along. Wuthering Heights is one of the first books I plan to reread in 2025, my Year of Classic Novels!
SO happy to have you along, Mariella! I look forward to your Year of Classic novels, too!
Count me in for any ‘read along’ opportunities Jessica. And yes indeed we must never allow WH to be sexy.
I am fascinated in the food and furniture, doorways at WH and your other essays on this fascinate me.
Merry Christmas Jessica x
Wonderful! I am eager to write about food, furniture *and* those ever-fascinating doorways (and windows!)...my underlining and note-taking system assigns different colored pencils to each theme; I'm already well on my way to researching those topics.
I'm so happy to learn you will be here when I do!
Merry Christmas to you, too, Sharon! ♡