Wuthering Heights is one of those divisive novels that either inspires vicious hate or delulu devotion. Its publication at the height of the Victorian era was met with harsh criticism for its themes of domestic abuse, toxic relationships, alcoholism, and, some would argue, morally bankrupt characters. But even more so because it was written by a woman, Emily Brontë. God forbid a woman write about the dark side of humanity (or even write a novel at all!) It came as no surprise, then, that the announcement of a Wuthering Heights film by Saltburn writer-director Emerald Fennell inspired similarly polarizing views.
Fennell also explores the darker side of humanity in her films, and I have been fiercely anticipating her version of Wuthering Heights since I heard about it last fall. So, too, has much of the internet, as evidenced by the countless social media posts and articles hypothesizing on how the film will differ from the book. The film has also been met with scorching controversy for months because of its period-inaccurate costuming, questionable casting choices, and eroticization of the source material. But with all of the internet debate surrounding the release, does the film actually live up to…
