Emily Bronte’s gothic tale of love and revenge on the moors has fascinated readers for decades. In addition to the many films one may wish to see, there are also several “Wuthering Heights” sequels that continue with one aspect or another of the twisted saga. One is called “H: The Story of Heathcliff’s Journey Back to Wuthering Heights,” which was written by Lin Haire-Sargeant. Amazingly, Charlotte Bronte appears in this novel, sharing a train compartment with Mr. Lockwood. She reads a letter from Heathcliff to Cathy explaining his absence. Although Nelly Dean was supposed to deliver the letter to Cathy all those years ago, she chose instead to keep it hidden for 60 years. The tale of where Heathcliff was during his 3 years away from Wuthering Heights unfolds as the letter details his experiences as the protégé of one Mr. Are of Thornfield.
For those who are familiar with the works of The Bronte sisters, the very word Thornfield will bring Jane Eyre and Rochester to mind. They also appear in Ms. Haire-Sargeant’s novel, which is available on Amazon.com and Alibris.com. The book was given some good reviews for being quite readable and well written, however fantastical all this may seem.
When Mr. Earnshaw brought the ragged little orphan boy home from the streets of Liverpool, he set off a chain of events that caused jealousies to fester and grudges to be held long after he was gone. Earnshaw seemed to favor Heathcliff just because he was the one who brought him home and, perhaps, to compensate for the xenophobia of the other household members. However, once Heathcliff was able to appreciate which way the wind blew, he often used his position as Mr. Earnshaw’s “pet” to torment Mr. Earnshaw’s natural son, Hindley,
It is generally believed that the mortal blow dealt to Healthcliff was done when he overheard Catherine telling Nelly Dean that it would degrade her to marry him. This viewpoint assumes that Heathcliff would not have been cruel if Catherine had married him. Unfortunately, there really is no reason to believe that the relationship between Hindley and Heathcliff would not have continued to be adversarial had they become brothers-in-law. Indeed, the moment they were able to grasp any power at all, Heathcliff and Catherine would most certainly have taken particular enjoyment in finding ways to make Hindley’s life a living hell, as he had done to them when the power was in his hands.
Hindley, while not a very sympathetic character, suffers some pretty heavy traumas in his life. He believes that he has been replaced in his father’s affections, his own sister prefers Heathcliff’s company to his, and the woman he loves dies not too long after giving birth to their son, Hareton. The death of his wife must have been the last straw for him and Hindley turns his pain inward, succumbing to alcoholism. He dies at the age of 27, “drunk as a lord,” leaving only Nelly Dean to wonder if he had been treated fairly.
Perhaps a sequel about Hindley would be entertaining, explaining how he felt about being “the dispensable one,” particularly if his ghost came back sober and was able to relate how Heathcliff really conned him into gambling his home away. Heathcliff must have pretended to let bygones be bygones to get his foot in the door. Nevermind what Healthcliff told Nelly and Catherine. As Isabella pointed out, he was a “lying fiend.” Perhaps Joseph could tell us, preferably with the aid of a good translator.
The one major talent that Heathcliff displayed upon his return to Wuthering Heights was the ability to exploit other people’s weaknesses for his own profit or twisted aims. So whatever Heathcliff was doing in the 3 years he was away, it doesn’t stretch the imagination much to think he came into money by deceitful methods. In a different sequel, simply entitled “Heathcliff,” author Jeffrey Caine offers his perspective on how Heathcliff made a fortune during those 3 years – in the underworld in London. Caine’s sequel can be found on Alibris.com.
Had Heathcliff stuck around long enough to hear the rest of Catherine’s plan to raise him to a better position in the world by marrying Edgar Linton, he probably would left in a fury all the same. Hardly anyone would subscribe to the notion that help from or through Edgar Linton was something Heathcliff would have welcomed. Heathcliff’s hatred of Edgar Linton hinged more about being treated as an inferior, and although Heathcliff later tells Nelly Dean that he would not “harm a hair” on Edgar’s head, if he were the one married to Catherine and she chose to be Edgar’s friend, who really believed that? Frankly, I have never been able to see Heathcliff as anything other than the classic sociopath that he was. Nevertheless, these sequels provide more on Heathcliff for those who found him the most fascinating character.
Another sequel follows up on the lives of Hareton Earnshaw and Cathy Linton. It is entitled “Return to Wuthering Heights,” written by Anna L’Estrange (pen name of author Rosemary Ellerbeck) and is also available on Alibris.com. In this story, Lockwood’s son learns of Heathcliff and Catherine’s story and sets out to learn what happened after Heathcliff’s death. Whom should he meet but Nelly Dean’s great-niece Agnes? She has carried on the tradition of service to the Earnshaws and Lintons and is also perfectly willing to carry on the tradition of spilling the beans to a Lockwood. While Bronte’s original story left some hope for change, given Hareton’s and Cathy’s unbalanced upbringing, some readers may have been skeptical of their chances and those readers will not be disappointed. Neither will those who felt that it was strange indeed that Linton Healthcliff inherited absolutely nothing in the way of looks or mannerisms from his father. This sequel provides another son from Heathcliff to help history repeat itself.
That should be plenty to keep Bronte fans entertained, and if you don’t like any of the above sequels, you can always write your own.
