Set in the West Yorkshire moors, Wuthering Heights is the story of two gentry families -— the Earnshaws and the Lintons — and their turbulent relationships with Earnshaw's adopted son, Heathcliff. Although Wuthering Heights is now a classic of English literature, contemporaneous reviews were deeply polarized; it was controversial because of its unusually stark depiction of mental and physical cruelty, and it challenged strict Victorian ideals regarding religious hypocrisy, morality, social classes, and gender inequality. The novel also explores the effects of envy, nostalgia, pessimism, and resentment. Published under her male pseudonym, critics were convinced that it was indeed written by a man, as the powerful imagery and unbridled and savage emotions and passions of the characters initially appalled critics. Emily died tragically before knowing the acclaim “his” only novel would eventually receive, now being considered one of the finest literary masterpieces of nineteenth century England.
