Unfinished Recompose: Wuthering Heights and the issue of Modern Literary Adaptation

Latest adaptation of Emerald Fennell, transforming Emily Brontë’s classic into a modern spectacle.

Introduction

Throughout the history of English literature, there were not many novels been adapted into screen versions frequently as Emily Brontë’s work Wuthering Heights. The newest movie version directed by Emerald Fennell, does not only focus on the love story that people are already familiar with, but also reimagines the story as a visual Gothic romantic exploration of emotional destruction, social classes, and obsession. However, the movie succeeds as an aesthetic product without showing the disturbing emotional core of the original novel.

Settings and atmosphere

Production design is one of the most attractive elements of this movie, which blends the Victorian and modern style, provides a timeless quality. The movie signals its intention to focus on the atmosphere instead of completely retelling the original novel from its beginning scenes. In the movie shots, the Yorkshire moors are presenting a sweeping view with a dreamlike atmosphere. The deliberate softness in photography makes the natural landscape a tool for characters to externalize their emotions. The interiors of Wuthering Heights show a sensation of claustrophobics. The dim candlelight and decaying wall texture increased the sense of oppression. The unique approach reflects Fennell’s confidence on telling the story visually, however, it reveals one of the most central issues of this movie: it weakens the brutality of the original story while aestheticizing Brontë’s world. The structural pacing also weakens the impact. In the first half, Fennell spent substantial time creating mood, and advanced the plot rapidly in later sections, which is too hasty. 

Yorkshire Moors

Interior Design

Introduction for Scene Settings: https://youtu.be/Po_7FdibPks?si=O0dJUprq-JXfwKhm

Performance

In addition, the performances of actors also reduce emotional struggle and brutality from the original novel. The leading female character Catherine Earnshaw, performed by Margot Robbie, is elegant and measured, but her portrayal might be too controlled, especially for a character that drives the psychological tension and in charge of the key advancement of storyline. Catherine Earnshaw, from the original novel, is not only passionate, but also has complex qualities. She is contradictory, selfish, and sometime emotionally destructive. As the movie reduces the complexity of Catherine’s personality, she was reshaped into a protagonist that is more sympathetic. From the perspective of ensuring viewership, the choice of direction and performance is more acceptable for contemporary audiences, but it loses the moral complexity of Catherine, which is an important element of a character in literature. For instance, in the scene of Catherine’s confession to Nelly that she could not marry Heathcliff, Robbie delivers a quiet and elegant pain with restraint, instead of the explosive emotional conflict. This emphasizes Catherine’s misery, but reduces her selfishness, which is softer than the character in Brontë’s novel.

As the leading male character, Heathcliff performed by Jacob Elordi carries greater emotional weight in movie, because of the scenes of rage and depression. However, in the movie version, Heathcliff was reshaped into a figure that is damaged and romantic without the unsettling qualities in the original story. Instead of reappearing the intimidating and emotionally unreadable character from Brontë’s original story, Fennell tends to create a character with more attraction. In Brontë’s novel, Heathcliff’s return shocks everyone, because he transformed into a person who is colder and more dangerous. As Nelly’s description, Heathcliff returns as a person that is “tall, athletic, well-formed man…with a half-civilized ferocity.” But Jacob only delivers the sadness, but not the underlying violence. This makes audiences feel sympathy instead of unsettling.

The restrained performance of the two leading characters also reduces the toxicity of this relationship. In Brontë’s novel, the relationship is far deeper and darker. After Catherine dies, Heathcliff says: “I cannot live without my life! I cannot live without my soul!”, which shows a sick obsession and an emotional possession, instead of a healthy love. But in the final scene of the movie, the two characters embrace silently. Fennell frames their love story as a tragic and beautiful romance, instead of a psychological ruin, which entirely changes the meaning that Brontë expressed. Both actors performed emotionally sincerely, but their interpretations weakened the cruelty between this toxic relationship between Catherine and Heathcliff, which is the central reason why they became the most disturbing couple in English literature.

Heathcliff Return Scene: https://youtu.be/AMmYQX0ZIJA?si=rHwik6JIvBcbzPH_

Margot Robbie as Catherine Earnshaw

Jacob Elordi as Heathcliff

The movie has already caused disagreement from the audience. Some audiences admire the ambitious visual style and atmosphere, while others think the visual effects overwhelm the story itself. The polarized comments make the movie more valuable in cultural discussions, which makes audiences reconsider the novel they are familiar with. Fennell’s version of Wuthering Heights is designed for contemporary audiences in the digital era. It could not replace the original novel but still raises the discussion after two centuries.