ShmoopTube

Where Monty Python meets your 10th grade teacher.

Search Thousands of Shmoop Videos


19th-Century British Literature Videos 19 videos

The Importance of Being Earnest Summary
123039 Views

They say that honesty is the best policy, but Jack lies about his identity and still gets the girl. Does that mean we should all lie to get what we...

A Christmas Carol
33105 Views

How did Scrooge go from being naughty to nice so quickly, and why? (Hint: contrary to popular belief, it has nothing to do with the ghost of Santa...

A Tale of Two Cities
53963 Views

It may be the best of times for Chuck Darnay, but it's pretty much constantly the worst of times for Sydney. Poor guy.

See All

Wuthering Heights 62862 Views


Share It!


Description:

Check out this video to find out why Wuthering Heights should never be considered #relationshipgoals.

Language:
English Language

Transcript

00:07

Wuthering Heights a la Shmoop. Hope you're not afraid of heights. Wuthering...

00:11

or otherwise. When people don't get what they want . . .

00:15

. . . they don't always react in a positive manner.

00:19

But some people take disappointment to a whole other level.

00:24

Take Heathcliff . . . . . . a broody kind of guy who isn't exactly

00:28

a model for gracious losers. He makes life difficult for pretty much everybody

00:33

he encounters. He ruins Hindley <<HINNED-lee>>. . .

00:36

. . . humiliates Isabella . . . . . . abuses Hareton <<HARE-tuhn>> . . .

00:40

and even torments the love of his life. Nice guy, huh?

00:46

So what exactly was behind all that need for vengeance?

00:50

Well, Heathcliff's "adopted" brother Hindley sure got the ball rolling.

00:55

He hated poor, orphaned Heathcliff from day one . . .

00:58

. . . and wasn't shy about showing it. Is it any wonder Heathcliff couldn't wait

01:04

to issue a little payback . . . . . . especially when his plan included that

01:07

extra bonus of inheriting Wuthering Heights? But Hindley certainly wasn't the only one

01:13

pushing Heathcliff's buttons. Edgar had stolen his girl . . .

01:19

. . . so marrying Edgar's sister must have sounded like pretty sweet revenge . . .

01:22

. . . even if Heathcliff couldn't stand the poor woman.

01:27

Then, of course, there was the love of his life -- Catherine.

01:32

After her betrayal, there was no way he was letting her off the hook.

01:36

Soul mate or not, she had married a bore like Edgar . . .

01:39

. . . and Heathcliff never stopped reminding her that she had ruined both their lives doing

01:44

so. So, who really was behind the brunt of all

01:47

that anger? Maybe he just wanted to make everyone who

01:51

had ever hurt him suffer . . . . . . maybe he was just trying to get his

01:55

hands on Wuthering Heights . . . . . . or maybe he was just a miserable human

02:00

being who liked making everyone else miserable, too.

02:02

You know, the kind of guy who isn't happy unless everyone else is unhappy too.

02:09

What's your call? Shmoop amongst yourselves.

Related Videos

The Importance of Being Earnest Summary
123039 Views

They say that honesty is the best policy, but Jack lies about his identity and still gets the girl. Does that mean we should all lie to get what we...

The Giver Summary
105893 Views

Ever wish you could remember everything that you ever studied? How about everything that everyone has ever studied? Yeah, pretty sure our brains ju...

Invisible Man (Ellison)
1818 Views

Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man is an American classic. Hope you're not expecting any exciting shower scenes though. It's not that kind of book.

Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night
1256 Views

Do not go gentle into that good night. In fact, if it's past your curfew, don't go at all into that good night. You just stay in your good bed and...

Quotes: A fool's paradise
294 Views

Find out the meaning behind "a fool's paradise."