#I think I've talked about this before with both @faintingheroine and @13eyond13. About the importance of the setting in Wuthering Heights

[longagoitwastuesday]

Hi, can i ask you why in your opinion some people consider the moors a proper character in wuthering heights? Do you think the story would have been so different if it had been set in a different location?

I've wanted to sit on this for a bit to see if I changed my opinion/reaction, because I thought of an answer instantly. I'm going to be sincere, what I thought was "because people have not read enough (good) books".

I'm not entirely sure why people consider the moors a proper character because I don't think it works as one at all. I imagine a big part of the reason why is the appeal of the aesthetic and how powerful an impact it has had culturally and even in general in the collective imaginary, but I don't think that's exclusively due to Wuthering Heights. Trying to dig more, I'd say it's because of the importance it has for the characters, emotionally, narratively and symbolically. And, digging even more, I imagine it's due to the metaphysical bond and even ontological identification between moors and characters some people read into it.

Most if not all of these characteristics are typical of significant settings in books, though. They don't necessarily confer the settings the title of "character". And, as much abstract personality as they may have, in my opinion the moors are lacking something to be comfortable calling them so. In Wuthering Heights I'd say the house itself, Wuthering Heights, feels more like a character to me than the moors. Still, I'd say even then there's a certain something missing.

As much character or importance in ambience setting Bly Manor has in The turn of the screw, I don't think one could freely say it's a character on itself; that's sort of the situation with the moors in Wuthering Heights, I think. In comparison, Comala in Pedro Páramo, Hill House in The haunting of Hill House, Macondo in One hundred years of solitude or Vetusta in La Regenta, to name a few, feel a lot more like characters. They are books in which the settings themselves feel fleshed out with care, thoroughly developed like a character, and they even read as having a certain will of their own, as actively participating in the narrative at times. The moors in Wuthering Heights don't work that way. And it's not a bad thing. They don't have to, that's not their role.

Now, on the question about whether I think the story would be so different if set in some other location... I think the answer is both yes and no? Of course the book would never have been exactly the same had it taken place somewhere else, and the heather and in general the description of wildlife and vegetation are symbolically meaningful. But also, I didn't have a clear image of what the moors were when I first read the book. I imagined something infertile, isolated and cold, but that's it, and it worked. I didn't know how the English moors were at all.

I do think the isolation aspect is necessary to make Wuthering Heights, and I'd say perhaps even the cold and generally bad weather, but it's also true in a similarish way Pedro Páramo works with a place that is very hot. Ultimately it's up to the writer, and it will work if it's well written and well waved alongside the other parts forming the book. Wuthering Heights was waved with the moors in mind specifically, and it works. Would the story in abstract be much different if set somewhere else? Not necessarily, probably not, but it wouldn't be exactly Wuthering Heights, just as it wouldn't be if one were to change any other of its characteristics.

#The stormy windy weather works very well with Cathy's moods specifically for example but I don't think we see her be influenced or changed #by the weather the way Ana's mood is influenced by the rain in La Regenta for example. Which doesn't make the moody weather less important #It has symbolic and aesthetic aspect and in art that's very important on its own #Is the weather/wildlife/vegetation/setting important in Wuthering Heights? Yes of course #Could one set a similar story somewhere else and still be able to convey a similar effect and mood? Also yes. There are examples #I think I've talked about this before with both @faintingheroine and @13eyond13. About the importance of the setting in Wuthering Heights #and how other similar stories could be set in some other very different places. Or how despite the setting being very particular #in Wuthering Heights the story works and is very popular in other very different and at times faraway countries (such as Japan for example) #because more than the specificity of the moors the setting depends on the infertility perhaps‚ the mood it sets #and how it works with the narrative and characters‚ and mainly the isolation #One can easily translate that into something relevant to their own place and culture so to speak #I didn't want to include this (and some other things haha) in my reply to avoid making it longer still‚ but here it is just in case #Also there's an idealisation of Wuthering Heights in certain particular aspects‚which is something I talk about often with @faintingheroine #I think that too plays a role in making people consider the moors a proper character on its own #The topic is very interesting and this was fun to think about. Thanks for the question! #I hope my reply was articulated enough. I've been awake for thirty hours. I'll try to remember to come back later and give a look though #I talk too much #Wuthering Heights