I don't understand why this book is held in such high regard. All of the characters are so unrealistic. The elder Catherine and Heathcliff are so emotionally volatile it's ridiculous, the younger Cathy and Linton are also unstable and unsympathetic. I feel bad for everyone, but the main characters are so cruel to each other it's hard to care about anyone.
Heathcliff is just a monster with no redeeming qualities. His behavior is inexcusable. And apparently, some see this book as romantic because of Heathcliff and Catherine's obsession with each other.
This book is so depressing. All of these people's lives are lived in abuse and misery because of Heathcliff. I don't mean that every book has to be happy to be enjoyable, but there's a feeling of pointlessness to all this suffering. I feel like I got nothing out of this book other than a sense of hopelessness.
I wouldn't say it's valuable commentary on human nature since the characters behave in such extreme ways that it's almost inhuman.
I know I'm looking at it through a modern lens of everyone being traumatized and thus traumatizing each other and wanting for there to be some sort of redemption or recovery that isn't present.
This book feels lost or wasted on me. Can someone help me understand it better or appreciate it?
by StellaZaFella