There have been many times where I hear a person – or an institution – say that tragic plays like Romeo and Juliet or novels like Wuthering Heights are ‘romantic’. I’ve always had somewhat of a problem with this ideology – and that’s not to say that I think those people are wrong. Because the fact of the matter is, works like these are set up and have long been advertised as romances. Not only that, but they have been set up to epitomize romance. However, there are so many more layers as to what kind of romance is portrayed in these tragedies, and ‘healthy’ is not one of those things.
“However, there are so many more layers as to what kind of romance is portrayed in these tragedies, and ‘healthy’ is not one of those things.”
Essentially, I believe that these tragic romances should not only be classified as ‘romances’. This can be misleading and lead readers to believe that the tortured love portrayed in those works is somehow ideal. Of course, there is something attractive about tragic romance or forbidden love – it is the rebellious, melancholic inherency in humans that make us drawn to these concepts. However, I don’t agree with the idea of fantasizing about this sort of unhealthy model of love, nor do I think that the writers of these works necessarily intended to set these out as ideal models of love either.
And while you might think, “of course I wouldn’t project the messed up romantic nature of these fictional characters on my own life,” trust me, it can subconsciously manifest much more easily than you think. Even the massive craze of the Twilight series as romance bothers me, as the main character Bella Swan famously thinks of Edward Cullen as a “drug” that she can’t get enough of. This kind of overly codependent relationship can be problematic, but will inevitably always be portrayed in literature and media. This is because, quite frankly, this model makes for captivating stories and also acts as an analysis into the human condition.
Moreover, a lot of people can relate to the tragic love that they read in books or see onscreen. Because let’s face it, some relationships (whether romantic or non-romantic) can be toxic, and those are generally the ones that are hardest to break out of, fostering a lot of internal confusion and struggle. I am by no means condemning this mode of storytelling – I thoroughly enjoy a tragic romance just as much as any other genre and completely endorse the catharsis, support, and relief that can be found in relating to the tragic elements.
“If one idealizes this, it makes toxicity into a norm to be expected in reality, which should never be the case.”
However, it is the idealization of these tragic models of romance that I find an issue with, and it is this idealization that can be especially harmful. If one idealizes this, it makes toxicity into a norm to be expected in reality, which should never be the case. Strange, though, that the concept “love is pain” has been fed to us societally for a long time, to the point where it is now normalized. But when you think about it, it’s not healthy by any means to strive to have a romance like Catherine and Heathcliff’s – characters that lived and died miserable and unfulfilled, to the point where they pass on their misery to their children’s generation. Or like Romeo and Juliet, who both die as young teens under the pretense of misunderstanding and impulsive behaviour.
The point is – the undying, professed love between these characters is not the only thing that matters in these works, and thus should not be as centralized as they currently are. There are so many other factors at play in these stories which need to be recognized to gain a full understanding of why these romances are so tragic. And yes, of course, it’s okay to revel in the tragedy. To feel so deeply in the loss and pain that the imprint of the story can never leave your mind. But the difference therein lies to be aware of the line between connecting to it and projecting it into your own ideals. Therefore, it is important to approach these works from multiple perspectives and lenses as opposed to just a romantic one.
“…when you approach the play as a multifaceted one instead of just through the romantic lens, you honestly get so much more out of it.”
I wouldn’t even classify Wuthering Heights as a romance novel (even though its book covers often make it look one) – it is a gothic novel. And Romeo and Juliet is characterized as a tragedy play, not a romance. Yes, they are ‘star-crossed lovers’, and yes, having their families selfishly forbid the relationship is vastly unfair. Much of the story has to do with the various members of the opposing Montague and Capulet families, and how the love between Romeo and Juliet transcends the longstanding rivalry (and, eventually, fixes it through the cost of their lives).
However, they are also incredibly young, incredibly naïve, and incredibly irrational, and those are elements to the story that cannot be overlooked, nor are they meant to be. They provide a commentary on the rushed, lustful fervour of youth and the intensity of young love – and unfortunately, outlining to the other extreme the consequences of this very same intensity. Shakespeare masterfully demonstrates the double-edged sword of this kind of love, and the surrounding elements that bring about the characters’ demise. Unnecessary feuding, controlling families, betrayal and drama surround the pure-hearted, young main characters, creating various contrasts between fate, timing, communication, and relationships. And when you approach the play as a multifaceted one instead of just through the romantic lens, you honestly get so much more out of it.
Wuthering Heights, written by Emily Bronte, is an imaginative and heavy commentary on the effects of classism in society. It is a cautionary tale about how toxic love its spawn, revenge – can consume a person to the point of self-destruction, as well as the destruction of those around them. Simultaneously, it emphasizes that people sometimes use the guise of love to justify doing atrocious things, and makes readers question what the true meaning of “love” really is.
Wuthering Heights is also about the rigidity imposed through class distinction and how profoundly that can shape a person, and (similarly to Romeo & Juliet) how unfair it is to tear two people apart simply due to class differences. Catherine and Heathcliff never actually have a chance to properly be together, even though they are in love, because they are both so deeply afflicted by their respective statuses and the insecurities that come along with it. Though Catherine initially begins as a humble child, she becomes conditioned to think of herself more highly due to her raised status, and thinks she can only be with Heathcliff if he were to rise to her level (undoubtedly a concept bred to her by surrounding society).
“The love they experience is a twisted love, born pure but warped through the projection of various expectations.”
She marries rich, causing Heathcliff to disappear, and when he returns years later he has elevated his status greatly. However, at this point, he is so driven by revenge that he and Catherine still don’t get a real chance. And even though Catherine now wishes to be with him, it goes to show the superficiality in her that only fully loves him now that he is wealthy. Heathcliff marries Catherine’s sister-in-law, and as a result, Catherine’s spirits eventually decline. She becomes ill and dies upon childbirth. However, Heathcliff is already so affected by this rollercoaster that he inflicts his trauma onto the next generation – on his son, on Catherine’s daughter, and so on.
The story is one about selfishness and a world filled with darkness. It is also a criticism of the trauma created within oneself when strict societal rules are imposed on you. The love they experience is a twisted love, born pure but warped through the projection of various expectations. Wuthering Heights is chockfull of tragedy and hellishness, and the realization that this is simply a reflection of the real world is truly what makes it a literary masterpiece.
Though Romeo and Juliet was published in 1597, and Wuthering Heights in 1847, these works are examples of how timeless the themes surrounding tragic love can be. Class warfare, overbearing families, miscommunications and internalized trauma are unignorably present. These surrounding factors are extremely important to keep in mind when dealing with the darkness of tragic romances. As a lover of the tragedy genre, I also have to actively remind myself to use this genre as a way of learning and expanding as opposed to idealizing or fantasizing about. This can be tough to do while living in a world that constantly feeds us the thought that codependency is normalcy – but surely, with enough practice, one can eventually break through.
~ Z ~
Title photo by Del Barrett on Unsplash
“Wuthering Heights” cover photo found on Bustle
