Emily Brontë’s novel Wuthering Heights is one of the “greatest works of art” (Kettle 1974, 130) and also “one of the 19 th century’s most evocative novels” (Tibbetts/Welsh 1998, 469).
Emily Brontë is perhaps the greatest writer of the three Brontë sisters. She published only one novel, Wuthering Heights (1847), a story of doomed love and revenge. But that single work has its place among the masterpieces of English literature.
After its release, a lot of reviewers were shocked, mystified and puzzled, though some also expressed admiration for the strange power of the novel. Wilson, Schlueter and Schlueter (1997, 63) point out that “even modern critics have difficulty dealing with the novel, tending either toward a stress on its eccentricity or concentration on very small sections.”
A lot of books and articles have been written about Emily Brontë’s only novel - and there are also a couple of films dealing with the story or with parts of the story.
In my study I will concentrate on the question if there are differences between Emily Bront ë’s novel and the film adaptation by William Wyler (published in 1939). Therefore I am going to describe the most important diversities in detail and give possible reasons for the changes.
But before starting with this I would first like to introduce Emily Bront ë’s biography and a summary of her famous novel Wuthering Heights.
Table of Contents
1 INTRODUCTION
2 BIOGRAPHY OF EMILY BRONTË
3 SUMMARY OF WUTHERING HEIGHTS
4 WYLER’S FILM (1939) IN COMPARISON WITH THE BOOK
4.1 BACKGROUND INFORMATION ON THE FILM
4.2 DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE NOVEL AND THE FILM
4.2.1 Changes of the characters
4.2.1.1 Heathcliff
4.2.1.2 Catherine
4.2.1.3 Isabella
4.2.2 Changes in the course story
4.2.2.1 Deletion of the second part of the story
4.2.2.2 Death scenes
4.2.2.3 Penistone Crag as a symbol
4.2.2.4 Time
4.2.2.5 Narration
4.2.2.6 Dialect
4.2.2.7 Topic
4.3 REASONS FOR THE CHANGES
5 CONCLUSION
Research Objectives and Themes
The primary objective of this academic study is to conduct a comparative analysis between Emily Brontë’s seminal 1847 novel, Wuthering Heights, and William Wyler’s 1939 film adaptation. The work examines the significant structural, narrative, and character-driven deviations introduced in the cinematic version and investigates the potential motivations behind these artistic choices.
- Biographical influences on Emily Brontë's writing.
- Narrative structure and character portrayals in the original novel.
- Identification of key differences in character development and plot progression.
- Analysis of the omission of the novel's second half in the film.
- Evaluation of directorial and studio motivations for adapting literary themes for Hollywood.
Excerpt from the Book
4.2.1.1 Heathcliff
I think that the film portrays Heathcliff in a completely different light than Emily Brontë describes him in her novel.
In the beginning of the novel the reader feels sympathy for Heathcliff. He is a little orphan, alone in the world and is taken into an unknown family.
The master tried to explain the matter; but he was really half-dead with fatigue, and all that I could make out, amongst her scolding, was a tale of his seeing it starving, and houseless, and as good as dumb, in the streets of Liverpool; where he picked it up and inquired for its owner. Not a soul knew to whom it belonged, he said; and his money and time both limited, he thought it better to take it home with him at once, than run into vain expenses there; because he was determined he would not leave it as he found it. (W.H., p. 45)
But growing up, Emily Brontë shows the reader how really twisted and evil Heathcliff is. There is for example the scene in which Heathcliff and Hindley fight over the horses, both boys got as a present from Mr. Earnshaw.
Heathcliff took the handsomest, but it soon fell lame, and when he discovered it, he said to Hindley: ‘You must exchange horses with me: I don’t like mine; and if you won’t I shall tell your father of the three thrashings you’ve given me this week, and show him my arm, which is black to the shoulder.’ (…) ‘Take my colt, gipsy, then!’ said young Earnshaw. (W.H., p. 47)
It seems as though Heathcliff has provoked this quarrel.
Summary of Chapters
1 INTRODUCTION: Outlines the significance of Wuthering Heights as a literary masterpiece and defines the study's scope regarding the comparison with William Wyler’s film.
2 BIOGRAPHY OF EMILY BRONTË: Provides an overview of Emily Brontë’s life, her family dynamics, and the personal experiences that shaped her singular novel.
3 SUMMARY OF WUTHERING HEIGHTS: Offers a concise plot summary of the novel to establish the foundation for the subsequent comparative analysis.
4 WYLER’S FILM (1939) IN COMPARISON WITH THE BOOK: The core section of the study, detailing specific discrepancies in character traits, plot structure, and narrative techniques between the novel and the movie.
4.3 REASONS FOR THE CHANGES: Discusses the potential factors, such as cinematic constraints and audience expectations, that necessitated the deviations in the film adaptation.
5 CONCLUSION: Synthesizes the findings and evaluates the overall success of the film as an adaptation relative to the original text.
Keywords
Wuthering Heights, Emily Brontë, William Wyler, Film Adaptation, Comparative Literature, Heathcliff, Catherine Earnshaw, Narrative Structure, Character Development, Hollywood, Revenge, Yorkshire Moors, 1939 Film.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this study?
The study investigates the differences between Emily Brontë’s 1847 novel Wuthering Heights and the 1939 film adaptation directed by William Wyler, focusing on how and why the narrative and characters were altered.
What are the central themes discussed?
The central themes include the portrayal of characters, narrative structure, the omission of the second half of the novel, the function of setting as a symbol, and the influence of film production constraints on literary adaptation.
What is the primary research question?
The research seeks to identify if, and to what extent, the film deviates from the original text and to provide reasonable explanations for these specific artistic and narrative modifications.
Which methodology is applied?
The author applies a comparative literary approach, analyzing the source text alongside the cinematic adaptation to highlight differences in tone, plot, and character motivation.
What does the main body cover?
The main body systematically contrasts character portrayals (Heathcliff, Catherine), analyzes structural changes such as the deletion of the third generation, and explores directorial motivations for "Hollywoodizing" the story.
How is the work characterized?
The work is characterized by terms such as literary adaptation, character dichotomy, narrative framing, and cinematic transformation.
How is Heathcliff portrayed differently in the film compared to the book?
In the novel, Heathcliff is depicted as a deeply cruel and vengeful figure, whereas the film reframes him as a romantic, heartbroken protagonist whose behavior is justified by his status as an outcast.
Why was the second part of the story deleted in the film?
The study suggests that the second part was deleted primarily to accommodate runtime constraints and because the producers believed a conventional 1930s audience would not respond well to a story involving a complex third generation or an unredeemed villain.
- Quote paper
- Jessica Schulze (Author), 2004, Emily Brontë's novel Wuthering Heights in comparison with a film adaption, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/35420
