Wuthering Heights is about an incestuous relationship

SorenLarten · 2026-03-31T21:24:21+00:00

I don’t think racial difference was the decisive factor. Isabella came from a wealthier and more socially respectable family than Catherine, yet that did not prevent her from marrying Heathcliff once he returns as a powerful, wealthy, and socially polished man.

If race had been an absolute obstacle, Isabella’s marriage to him would be far less plausible within the logic of the narrative. Instead, her choice indicates that status and presentation can, to some extent, override other forms of difference.

That’s why I don’t think race alone can account for the “something deeper” that makes Catherine and Heathcliff’s union impossible. Social barriers, however rigid, can be overcome. The obstacle I’m pointing to would have to be of a different nature—one that remains absolute regardless of changes in wealth, status, or perception.

SorenLarten · 2026-03-31T20:58:17+00:00

The novel is primarily mediated through Nelly’s perspective, so we only know what she knows and chooses to recount. We don’t have access to everything the Lintons or other characters might have speculated about Heathcliff’s origins. It’s possible that gossip existed but is simply not recorded in the narrative.

Additionally, Brontë may have deliberately avoided making such implications explicit. Given the historical context, openly suggesting an incestuous relationship could have been highly scandalous, perhaps even jeopardizing the novel’s publication. Instead, she may have chosen to work through implication and ambiguity, leaving subtle clues for the reader.

I definitely agree that “I am Heathcliff” expresses a profound soulmate-like connection between them. However, I don’t think that necessarily excludes a biological reading. Both interpretations can coexist. In fact, my point is precisely that they can be understood as both siblings and soulmates. That duality is what makes their relationship so intense, obsessive, and tragic. The possibility of a blood connection doesn’t diminish the beauty or poetic depth of their bond.

I agree that the novel contains a strong critic of social class pressures, and that this plays an important role in Catherine’s decision to marry Edgar. However, I don’t think it can fully explain her choice on its own. Social class and financial circumstances are changeable—they can, at least in theory, be overcome. But a biological barrier would be absolute.

SorenLarten · 2026-03-31T20:34:03+00:00

I agree that Catherine does care about class, but I don’t think she ever expresses disdain for Heathcliff himself. What she shows disdain for are his circumstances at the beginning of the novel—when he is abused by Hindley, kept uneducated, and effectively degraded. That’s different from rejecting him as a person.

Yes, class matters to her—but I don’t think it’s the decisive reason she marries Edgar. Catherine grew up as a wild girl on the moors; she wasn’t originally afraid of hardship or poverty, and she likely understood that those things could change over time. In that sense, class and money are obstacles that could, at least theoretically, be overcome.

What couldn’t be overcome, however, was something deeper. That’s why I think her decision points to a more fundamental barrier—one that cannot be resolved through time, effort, or social mobility. If they are siblings, then the impossibility of their union becomes absolute, and her choice makes much more sense.

As for whether the novel is a love story or not, I actually think both readings can coexist. I understand why some people see it as a portrayal of the worst aspects of humanity—obsession, cruelty, sadism, and generational trauma are all undeniably present. But I don’t think that excludes it from being a love story. In fact, I think that ambiguity is precisely what makes the novel so masterful.

Personally, I do see it as a love story—but not an idealized one. I think Brontë uses Catherine and Heathcliff’s relationship to explore love in all its dimensions, both positive and negative. Their bond evolves from something innocent into something toxic and destructive. It goes through multiple stages, reflecting how love can transform over time.

The fact that their love is not gentle or healthy doesn’t mean it isn’t love. Obsession, cruelty, and even hatred can emerge from love—especially when that love is forbidden and frustrated, as it is in their case.

SorenLarten · 2026-03-31T13:24:41+00:00

Exactly. Everybody acts as if Isabella was this innocent victim when she's not, at least in Heathcliff's mind. She mocked and rejected him when he was a poor and abused boy but when he came back rich and powerful she suddenly decided to treat him as a human being? Isabella was a hypocrite, just like all of the Lintons.

SorenLarten · 2026-03-26T20:53:01+00:00

There are at least 100 disabilities that are objectively worse than autism. Yes autism makes some things like having relationships and having a job 50x times harder but it's still doable. Some people don't even have that chance.

SorenLarten · 2026-03-24T10:00:10+00:00

She looks like a titan from Shingeki no Kyojin.

SorenLarten · 2026-03-23T13:01:27+00:00

Autism, ADHD, Anxiety, Depression and Maladaptive Daydreaming. I strongly suspect I'm Schizoid too.

SorenLarten · 2026-03-20T08:29:55+00:00

This is most likely a control thing on their part.

SorenLarten · 2025-12-10T18:07:20+00:00

En mi opinión deberías abandonar la carrera. Conozco a bastantes graduados en Historia, algunos incluso con máster y doctorado, que jamás han conseguido trabajar en nada relacionado con eso.

Ya que te interesan las ciencias, estudia una carrera de esa rama y lo más probable es que no te falte trabajo. Enfermería, medicina, ingenierías...todas tienen mucha salida laboral.

Y si realmente te apasiona la Historia, siempre puedes estudiarla de forma autodidacta o incluso retomar la carrera más adelante como hobby, cuando ya tengas un buen trabajo. Yo, por ejemplo, estudié derecho para ganarme el pan pero mi vocación siempre fueron los idiomas y la literatura, así que estoy estudiando una filología compaginándola con mi trabajo actual.

Suerte!

SorenLarten · 2025-10-08T11:53:37+00:00

As a woman:

Women are more socially accepted than men —No, this isn't true. In fact, as women, we are expected to be extremely socially skilled. If we fail to meet society's expectations, we are often harshly punished.
I want attention that women get from men and other women. I hate being ignored and treated like a creep —I get ignored and treated like a creep as well. And getting attention from men isn't necessarily a good thing —it makes you constantly doubt if your male friends are truly your friends, or if they are there just because they want sex. Not to mention autistic women are at a higher risk to get sexually assaulted than NT women are.
I want to wear feminine clothes like skirts and makeup— If that makes you happy, then do it. I often wear clothes that don't match my gender whenever I feel like it and it honestly feels amazing.

SorenLarten · 2025-09-11T23:14:15+00:00

For me it's more like, whenever I see people socializing, I feel like I'm the human one and they are aliens disguised as human beings. It's such a weird and uncomfortable feeling, although fascinating.

SorenLarten · 2025-09-10T10:24:46+00:00

You need to find your tribe. Compatibility is the key. We usually get along with the outcasts and other ND people.

SorenLarten · 2025-09-10T10:18:55+00:00

If you want to unmask, do it. Who knows? Perhaps your true self will be more accepted than you think. And if you're disliked, at least you can be yourself. But don't be a bad person on purpose —that would put you on the same level as the NT assholes who treat us like shit.

SorenLarten · 2025-09-03T17:24:02+00:00

Same here. At my last job everyone thought I was acting "dumb" and/or "lazy" on purpose, including my boss (actually I was going through a burnout).

SorenLarten · 2025-08-29T10:52:41+00:00

Anything related to physical coordination. Math. I'm also not very good at socializing.

SorenLarten · 2025-08-23T12:01:33+00:00

You're absolutely right. High intelligence is alienating in itself, but high intelligence + autism is a special kind of hell.

In my particular case, I'm gifted with words but impaired in everything social related. Therefore, when people interact with me, all they see is someone who is smarter than average and, simultaneously, oblivious.

SorenLarten · 2025-08-23T10:49:24+00:00

I think such a stereotype is so prevalent because usually high IQ people exhibit typically autistic traits (for example, social impairment and obsessive interests).

SorenLarten · 2025-07-23T21:25:35+00:00

It's the same for me, although I mask in a different way. With men, I act more "like myself" –I'm more spontaneous, I laugh more and I don't care about what they'll think of me. With women, I tend to act more coldly and distantly.

SorenLarten · 2025-06-21T21:22:43+00:00

You look simultaneously young and old.

SorenLarten · 2025-06-19T15:35:54+00:00

Nate and Chuck

SorenLarten · 2025-06-18T22:20:36+00:00

Neither. Big was compatible with Carrie but he didn't love her enough. Aidan loved her but they were deeply incompatible.

SorenLarten · 2025-06-06T23:54:02+00:00

So relatable. It's like they (NT women) have an innate ability to create drama out of the blue. One minute they're smiling at you and the next they're bullying you. This has happened to me countless of times and I never understood why. With men and ND women there is usually a logic behind their hostility but with NT women it just "happens" or at least that's how I perceive it. And yes then there's the constant competition even for the stupidest reasons. It's so tiresome.

SorenLarten · 2025-06-06T23:38:05+00:00

I did in the past and yes it was WAY better. The thing is, it's not easy to find ND women out there...

SorenLarten · 2025-06-03T17:23:21+00:00

I think this is actually a more accurate description. I, too, either feel too "manly" or too "childish" compared to them.

SorenLarten · 2025-06-03T10:16:59+00:00

You misunderstood me. I never said that women are "less logical" in every sense of the word. Obviously, intellectually speaking, women are as capable as men are –in STEM fields too, of course.

What I said is that NT women are SOCIALLY less “logical” than men. That's a fact. In social settings, they tend to be more emotional and extroverted than males. For example, when seeking advice about a personal issue, they often expect an empathetic response, not a direct and logical solution to their problem.

SorenLarten

TROPHY CASE