Jacob Elordi, left, as Heathcliff and Margot Robbie as Catherine Earnshaw in “Wuthering Heights.” Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures via TNS
“Wuthering Heights” by Emily Bront? has had multiple film adaptations over the years, but none have been as controversial as the latest adaptation by “Saltburn” director Emerald Fennell.
Fennell has received major criticism on social media for changing key elements of Bront?’s original work, including Heathcliff’s race and omitting major themes of the novel. Although the film has faced major backlash, it has grossed over $150 million in the global box office since its Feb. 13 release.
The adaptation follows the obsessive and destructive relationship between Heathcliff, played by Jacob Elordi, and Catherine Earnshaw, played by Margot Robbie, as they grow up together and face challenges — including physical abuse from Catherine’s father and their enduring love for each other from afar.
In the novel, Heathcliff is described as a dark-skinned man and an outsider to the Yorkshire moors of northern England. In the film, Heathcliff is portrayed by Elordi, a white Australian actor. Jill Galvan, an associate professor in the Department of English who specializes in Victorian literature, said she believes the reasoning behind changing Heathcliff’s race reflects what directors think audiences want to see.?
“I think where people are asking questions, in this case, is because it seems to simply fall back into a white supremacist mode, where we want to see our lead characters in love as white and we want to erase the history of those characters,” Galvan said. “It’s not just that it’s not faithful, it’s that plus erasing the history and also pandering to what people think audiences want to see — which I don’t even think is accurate.”
As Galvan discussed Fennell’s casting choices, she said she would point to “Bridgerton” as an example of creative and inclusive casting in a period drama.
“I mean that too [is] set in the same era and there’s an inventiveness about the casting and a kind of stretching of realism a little bit,” Galvan said. “But at the same time, you can sense the respect for the attempt to represent different races.”
Ariella Scoburgh, a first-year in computer science and engineering, said she had not read the book and was unaware of the controversy before seeing the film. She said she was drawn to the film because of the prominent actors and her love for films that take place in that time period.
“I think that everyone loves Jacob Elordi and Margot Robbie, especially because of the big roles that they’ve been in the past,” Scoburgh said. “I specifically really like 19th-century-type movies. I just love the culture, the fashion, the country romance sort of thing. For me, that was just something that I wanted to see that I haven’t seen in a lot of media lately.”
When Scoburgh learned about Fennell’s decision to change Heathcliff’s race after seeing the film, she said she was shocked and upset.
“That’s kind of disappointing now that I know that because I feel like the casting could have been more inclusive of different races,” Scoburgh said. “I’m African American, so for me personally, when I see someone that looks like me in a huge role like this — acting with Margot Robbie, who’s one of my favorite actors — I almost feel a little empowered, because people that look like me are getting a chance to act in such a huge production.”
Heathcliff’s race was not the only change Fennell made to Bront?’s story. According to Vanity Fair, the film also omits the second part of the novel, which follows the next generation: Catherine and Linton’s daughter, Catherine, Heathcliff and Isabella’s son, Linton and Catherine’s nephew, Hareton.?
In addition, Fennell excluded the storyline in which Heathcliff is haunted by Catherine after she dies in childbirth, a development that contributes to his descent into obsession and madness. Galvan said by omitting Catherine’s haunting, the film changes how viewers interpret the couple’s love.
“It’s a famous love story that ironically deconstructs love and basically shows all the sides of love, including ones like obsession or narcissism,” Galvan said. “That’s one of the fantastic things about this novel — there is so much narcissism on both Cathy and Heathcliff’s part in their love for each other.”
After seeing the movie, Scoburgh said she would like to read the book, more so now that she knows a significant portion of the story was not included.
“Older books aren’t something that are up my alley, but I feel like, especially since these 19th-century movies are making a big comeback nowadays, old books are becoming more movies … I feel like it’s cool to be able to put pictures to words,” Scoburgh said. “I really love the movie, so I feel like reading the book would just make me love it more and appreciate it more.”
