Wuthering Heights is not a love story, it’s a story of intimate relationship abuse.
If you’ve seen Wuthering Heights or have just been online recently, you’ve likely heard people’s opinions on the casting in Emerald Fennel’s film or seen conversations about whether or not the screenplay is accurate to the original book.
But you might not hear as much about the central storyline of abuse and coercive control.
The film was sold to us as an audience as a sweeping romance and “the greatest love story ever told”, but the big themes of the movie and so much of the character Heathcliff’s motivations are about revenge and control.
Revenge and control are abusive behaviours and they aren’t romantic.
The press surrounding the film and the film itself tell us that love should be obsessive, toxic and jarring. And in the movie, we see examples of this when
- Heathcliff outright tells Cathy that he wants to make her life hell as revenge for what she’s put him through, by simply living her life
- He ignores Cathy when she sets boundaries and rushes right past them
- We see his violent behaviours when Isabella takes on a submissive role to Heathcliff, having been given no real opportunity to say no. She even at one point asks ‘if i do this will you be nice to me’.
That isn’t romantic or sexy, it’s abuse, and this isn’t a love story.
Real love stories are filled with respect, peace, and equality.
If you want to learn more about healthy relationships you can check out our page here.
Remember, you deserve to feel safe and at peace in your relationships. If you’re worried, you can take the relationship quiz or chat to us at toointoyou.ie. Or you can call the Women’s Aid 24hour National Freephone Helpline at 1800 341 900.