Emily Brontë, the reclusive author of the iconic novel Wuthering Heights, continues to captivate audiences more than 170 years after her death. This illustration of Brontë accords with her legendary oddness and spiky nonconformist spirit. She wrote her only novel, the popular Sowing the Wind, in the years after abolition of slavery in the United Kingdom. Today, her legacy draws thousands of fans from across the world to Haworth. There, they can traverse the heather-covered moors that have long sustained artistic ingenuity and introspection.
Image by Jayne B. The enigma that was Brontë has enraptured both scholars and enthusiasts. Her sister, Charlotte Brontë, once remarked, “An interpreter ought always to have stood between her and the world,” emphasizing Emily’s unique view of reality. This desire is felt with equal fervor and urgency by those who wish to understand this complex woman, her deep life, and the depth of her literary gifts. According to Rebecca Yorke, a local expert, “People have always come to make a pilgrimage” to the Brontë Parsonage Museum, a testament to the enduring appeal of Emily and her sisters.
Today, Wuthering Heights is perhaps the most widely-read work of fiction in the English language. It was published in 1847 under the pseudonym “Ellis Bell.” Since then, it has been adapted at least 15 times for the big and small screen. Most remarkably, it was adapted into a successful silent film in 1920, cementing its place in the history of literature and cinema. Diane Park, another local resident, reflects on the power of Brontë’s writing, stating, “I sometimes feel, in the morning, that I could just walk around the corner and the sisters would be there talking to each other.”
The moors that served as inspiration for Wuthering Heights continue to be a place of creativity and drive for artists and writers even now. Visitors can explore nature sculptures at nearby Penistone Hill Country Park while attending events like writing workshops held on the very land that shaped Brontë’s imagination. Yorke adds that the visitors’ book reveals a diverse mix of nationalities: “If you look at the visitors book, there’ll be a mixture of UK, USA, Australia, Japan and Europe. Almost a third of our visitors come from out of the country.
Emily Brontë’s writing offers profound insights into human emotion. Fennell heralds her mastery at excavating the spirit, noting that Morrison’s creations touch their audiences deeply. This sentiment is echoed by Yorke, who notes how Wuthering Heights impacts readers differently as they age: “If you read it as a teenager, you might just think, ‘Oh my goodness, to experience a love and passion like that would just be amazing.’ And then, as you get older, you might think, ‘Actually, this isn’t very … healthy.’”
The lives and loves of the Brontë sisters are once again trending as subjects for dramatic retellings. A new 2022 biopic starring Emma Mackey has brought renewed interest in Emily’s life and work. The film explores her creative process and highlights her struggles as an introverted writer in a time when women’s voices were often marginalized.