From Page to Screen: Emerald Fennell’s Wuthering Heights By Eleanor Robinson

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The trailer for Emerald Fennell’s “Wuthering Heights” has recently been released, and it has caused quite the uproar. There has been a lot of discourse online surrounding the accuracy of this adaptation and whether or not it is blasphemous. While the trailer most certainly indicates discrepancies between the film and the book, I must say I am rather excited to watch this storyline unfold. 

The quotation marks must be addressed, as I think this is a large indicator that this film shouldn’t be read as a faithful adaptation. Even the phrasing ‘inspired by the greatest love story’ is significant, since Wuthering Heights is not only deeply traumatic but is driven by social and political undertones. From the trailer alone, it’s clear this film is an adaptation that has a modern audience in mind- something that is perfectly acceptable. If you want the original experience, read the book. The casting of Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi reinforces this contemporary approach-  two very attractive and very current celebrities who will drive a wide audience. Wuthering Heights is not an erotic love story, but is it really a problem if an adaptation is? After all, it is not by chance that romance is one of the best-selling genres, it is what the people (potentially, more specifically- the girlies) want. 

The casting of Jacob Elordi has to be criticised, as it is widely understood that Heathcliff was not a white man. There is already a lack of representation for actors and actresses from diverse ethnic backgrounds and it feels rather disappointing when a role that could naturally offer that representation is instead given to yet another white actor. This feels like a missed opportunity to create a more authentic portrayal of Heathcliff, while still maintaining that sensual and sultry tone that the trailer seems to suggest. The casting of Elordi raises the question about how the film will explore the novel’s socio-political tensions. Can a white Heathcliff really grapple with the dynamics of marginalisation, or has a racial commentary been replaced with a purely class based reading? These are important questions that will only be answered on February 13th. 

If your issues with the trailer are the costumes, plot choices or heightened sensuality, then of course, this is a 21st century reinterpretation. This does not take away from the extraordinary book that is Wuthering Heights. If your problem lies with the whitewashing of Heathcliff, to that, I agree- it is a major disappointment. 

Edited by Gabriella Whiston