Emily Brontë

Wuthering Heights

The most tormented, most peculiar, and probably the most gifted of the Brontë sisters, Emily Brontë also grew up in the mid-nineteenth century on the Yorkshire moors. As mentioned, she invented imaginary kingdoms with her siblings and filled notebooks with the deeds of their inhabitants, working on that project until her death.

From Wuthering Heights:

“The same conviction had stricken him as me, from the instant he beheld her, that there was no prospect of ultimate recovery there—she was fated, sure to die. ‘O Cathy! Oh, my life! How can I bear it?’ was the first sentence he uttered, in a tone that did not seek to disguise his despair.”

Theirs was not a happy household. Their father was a solitary, depressed eccentric. Their brother Branwell, addicted to both opium and alcohol, was given to violent rages and threats. Emily was a natural recluse. According to her sister Charlotte, “except to go to church or take a walk on the hills, she rarely crossed the threshold of home,” and she was said to prefer the company of her dog, Keeper, to the company of humans. The dog shared her views—he was vicious with everyone but Emily.

Emily’s health was always precarious. She nursed her brother through tuberculosis, and then caught cold at his funeral. She died a month later, also of tuberculosis, having refused all medical help. Her only novel, Wuthering Heights, is a stunning achievement, full of violence, passion, and uncontrolled emotion. Its strange atmosphere, heightened language, and tortured characters destroyed by love would seem to be alien to a shy, retiring parson’s daughter.

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Poems by Currer, Ellis, and Acton Bell. This book is a reproduction of the original 1846 publication, maintaining the same format as the original.

Heathcliff’s Crush

In the beginning of Wuthering Heights, Mr. Lockwood, the story’s narrator and Heathcliff’s tenant at nearby Thrushcross Grange, arrives at Wuthering Heights. Heathcliff commands Joseph to bring up some wine, and insists that Lockwood join him in a drink.

1 oz. Madeira wine

1 oz. berry vodka

2 oz. Elderflower Presse

Ice

Splash of orange juice

Raspberries and blueberries for garnish

Mix Madeira, vodka, and Elderflower Presse in a glass with ice. Add a float of orange juice, and raspberries and blueberries for garnish. Serves 1.