I’ve generally clung to the prejudice that the first half of this book tramples all over the second half so I’ll be interested to see if I can challenge this view on this re read. So far so good enjoying Nelly’s “you had one job” moment when young Cathy fucks off on her pony.
Also, I think a reason why this book is so much easier to read as a modern reader than other stuff from the era is that Brontë isn’t afraid to highlight and call into question a lot of the social class conventions of the time (who has to call the precocious 13yo “miss” etc).
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Yeah but do we find out where Heathcliff gets the money he lends Hindley in the first place? Maybe we will.
Edit, ah right, he just gambled with Hindley and won? I guess he was better at cards or whatever or we assume Hindley was too drunk to play well, maybe.
Actually found Chapter 17 a bit of a tough read but not sure why, just something about the old style of writing.
The fight between Hindley and Heathcliff feels so funny with its exaggerated asides and moral assertions from Isabella to make sure we (and Nelly) really understand she wants Heathcliff dead but only if she can have zero guilt.
Also unsure if we’re meant to feel sorry for Hindley. Nelly goes big on the grief but we as readers feel nothing. Who is this man except one who bullied his sister and Heathcliff remorselessly and then turned his back on his own son when his wife died?
I’ve decided to just skip it all
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Is Hindley’s knife-gun an actual weapon (like a bayonet I guess?) or is it something he’s sort of jerry-rigged up himself?
Also Heathcliff’s entrance into the house in chapter 17 is very
Summary
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Lots of references to Heathcliff’s posture from Nelly which I think is supposed to hint at the fact that he’s gone in for soldiering and probably made his money in the army/some kind of mercenary militia or whatever whilst he’s been out of the picture. Makes his money through war and then wins more by gambling and winning against a drunkard.
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I got the impression it was a homemade device, TBH, but the Internet describes coach guns with spring-loaded bayonets like this
https://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/object/nmah_414915
presumably because reloading wasn’t likely before a robber got to you.
Helpful, thank you! That thing looks lethal.
I’ve done this week’s chapters. So many deaths! Back and forwards in time. This line is so creepy to me, referencing Catherine’s corpse:
It asserted its own tranquility, which seemed a pledge of equal quiet to its former inhabitants
Inhabitants, plural!
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I really liked
thou saucy witch!’
And obviously I am always here for a little childish snigger at
Penistone
One thing that I assume is down to my free ebook is that twice the word lock was rendered as look, but it made me wonder if it was in the original text
“Do! put the key in the look, and draw the bolts.”
I did not fear her breaking bounds; because the gates were generally looked
Locks like a classic text reader mangling to me.
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Yup, that was my assumption.
Finished chapter 12. Goddamn are Heathcliff and Cathy insufferable. Big fan of Nelly
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will be caught up by end of the week, look forward to reading the thread chat
what a bunch of dickheads. Might also watch the film tonight, not really worried about spoilers since I expect it wouldn’t bear much comparison to the text
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If you catch up then you’ll reach beyond the point that the film ends anyway, most adaptations only bother with volume 1.
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better get my reading boots on then
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wonder if (TV spoiler) Buffy took some influence from this
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Never made that connection which is mad because they’re two of my all time favourite pieces of entertainment.
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just think it’s such a great and interesting narrative to go for in the show, such a downer season but so effective
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